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Monday, June 8th

Wichita Selected for Two Nominations in 2025-26 Team Awards

Wichita Selected for Two Nominations in 2025-26 Team Awards

WICHITA, Kan. (June 8) – The Wichita Thunder, ECHL affiliate of the NHL's San Jose Sharks, AHL's San Jose Barracuda and powered by Toyota, are excited to announce that the team has been selected as a finalist for two categories for the 2025-26 Team Awards, presented by SponsorCX. 

Jason Mals earned a nomination for the Joe Babik Award (Media/PR Director of the Year). The team also earned a nomination for Group Department of the Year (Growth). 

The awards will be presented at the 2026 ECHL Hockey Summer Meetings in Nashville on Wednesday, June 24. 

Mals has been selected as a finalist for the Joe Babik Award for the sixth time since joining the ECHL. In his 19th season with the franchise, the Chicago native was selected for the second time in his career to be a part of the broadcast team for the 2026 ECHL All-Star Game this past January in Allen, Texas.

He helped share stories about the players throughout the season on a new segment called Coffee Talk from Village Inn. One of those stories covered how cancer had affected both Declan Smith and Matt Davis. The team honored former Thunder Vice President, Matt Brokaw, in a feature story that touched on all three individuals and how cancer impacted their lives.  

He played an integral part in getting media coverage of the Thunder Alumni on April 10. Players from the 1994 and 1995 championship-winning teams were invited back to the Air Capital and had a chance to mingle with fans and honored on the ice pre-game.

Mals has been with the franchise since 2004-05. The Penn State graduate earned the 2013 Central Hockey League Communications Director of the Year Award and was a recipient of the 2013-14 Central Hockey League Spirit Award, which was given to a member of the league who demonstrated enthusiasm, dedication and passion to their team and the game.  

Wichita was also nominated for Group Department of the Year (Growth). Last season, the Thunder had eight of their top 35 highest revenue nights in team history, three crowds over 11,000, which all ranked in our top eight largest crowds in franchise history.  

Other highlights that led to an increase in group growth were lower bowl sellouts on Star Wars Night on November 29 and Military Appreciation on March 20.  

Season tickets are now on sale for the 2026-27 season. Lock in your seat for all of our 36 home games and catch all the action as we head into our 35th anniversary season. Click HERE to learn more and request a call.

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