Thunder host free-agent tryouts

STOCKTON, Ca – The Stockton Thunder hosted a Free Agent Tryout Camp over the past weekend to seek additional talent to fill only a small number of open roster positions.  
 
Coach Matt Thomas didn’t know what to expect when he showed up on Friday evening. About 30 hopefuls registered for the tryout event held in Stockton at the Oak Park Ice Arena.   Hopefuls shelled out $100 for the opportunity to try to catch the coach’s eye, while they worked in several drills and a series of scrimmages, over a two day period.
 
“I was really impressed. There’s some good talent from this area and out of town that came out and really showed a lot.   There were about seven or eight guys that could compete to some degree. I would probably want to take a longer look. Unfortunately, there are only a few spots to hand out,” said Thomas.   “This was exactly what we were looking for.”   he added.
 
Players “need to be strong skaters; strong on the puck; able to shoot the puck; and play with their heads up.”    Thomas continued, “One thing that separates guys at this level, is their ability to skate. Good skaters really stand out.”  
 
The variety of background from the player hopefuls ranged from prior ECHL players, former NHL draft picks, College standouts, and a 48-year old former Navy SEAL.
 
Among the hopefuls, Chad Wolkowski decided to make the trip from Calgary, Canada on dare from friends. “I haven’t played professionally for about five years, but I’ve been playing on men’s hockey teams at home,” he said, “When I saw they were having walk-on tryouts, I decided to give it a try.”   Wolkowski was a Left Wing in the WHL from 1998 – 2004 with the Calgary Hitmen, Portland Winter Hawks and finally with the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
 
Bubba Sanford hails from a family of hockey players. His father, Ed Sanford played for the Boston Bruins in the 1940’s and 50’s.   He also had two brothers that played professionally.   Sanford, a former Navy SEAL, now living in Menlo Park, California working as a Management Consultant also made the trip to the tryouts.   “I just thought I’d give it a shot. I’m still healthy and active,” he said.   “There were some really good players out there tonight.”
 
Following the two-day intense tryout camp, Coach Thomas offered training camp tryout agreements to seven of the free-agent player hopefuls including:
 
Ken Davis (RW)
Kazuma Takahashi (F)
Alex Redmond (D)
Matt Pamidi (G)
Takaahi Ishikawa (D)  
Danny Roy (G)
Steve Slonina (C)
 
Ken Davis, a 28-year old right wing, was a selected in the ninth round of the of 1999 NHL Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings (266^th overall).   He played with the WHL from 1997-2002, with the Portland Winter Hawks and the Medicine Hat Tigers, and spent 2002-06 of his Canadian University Career at McGill University.   In 401 appearances, he has 170 points (94 goals, 76 assists), with 449 penalty minutes.
 
A former Utah Grizzlies (ECHL) forward, Kazuma Takahashi, played in 44 games in the past two years collecting five assists and 43 penalty minutes.    Takahashi, a native of Hachinohe, Japan, also spent two years in the Asia Ice Hockey League.
 
Two players listed experience with San Jose State University.   Blue-liner Alex Redmond played two seasons with the men’s club team, and spent last season in the EPHL in Danbury.  
 
Matt Pamidi was goaltender for the men’s club team during his college career, and is a native of San Jose, California.
 
Takaahi Ishikawa has experience as a defenseman/forward with Japan’s national team at the Under-18 and Under-20 World Championships.
 
A repeat candidate, Danny Roy, returns to the training camp for the second consecutive season.   Roy played goaltender for Santa Rosa Junior College in California.
 
Finally, Steve Slonina, a former Stockton Thunder center, made the cut.   Slonina spent the last year in Hull England with the Elite Ice Hockey League. “It was fun. Hockey in England is a lot like it is here at the ECHL level.”   Slonina played for University of Massachusetts-Lowell in 1999-03, and spent 2003-08 in the ECHL, with the Thunder, Gwinnett, Toledo, Greenville, Charlotte and Bakersfield.   He spent the early part of the 2007-08 season with the Mississippi River Kings (CHL).   The veteran center has suited up in 289 ECHL games, scoring 153 points (70 goals, 83 assists).   When asked what his strategy was going into the tryout, he remarked, “I didn’t really have one, I just wanted to do my best.”
 
The Thunder roster has increased to 34 players going into their training camp.   They will play pre-season host to the Bakersfield Condors on Thursday, October 8^th, at the Stockton Arena.
 
Coach Thomas has his work cut out for him before the Thunder open their regular season against the Idaho Steelheads at Qwest Arena on October 16^th.
 
  Contact the author at: shellie.lima@prohockeynews.com Contact the photographer at: jack.lima@prohockeynews.com