Evansville, IN:Â The Evansville Thunderbolts of the SPHL (Southern Professional Hockey League) and Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes announce today the opening roster and team captain and assistant captains for the 2022-23 Season.
At Forward, Mike Ferraro, Matthew Hobbs, Cameron Cook, Hayden Hulton, and Aaron Huffnagle all return from the 2021-22 roster, along with SPHL free agent signings Andrew Shewfelt from Pensacola and Mathieu Cloutier from the Peoria Rivermen. The Thunderbolts welcome veteran Swedish forwards Fredrik Wink and Philip Wong, both from Sollumtuna HC of the Swedish Division 2 league. After a professional season in Germany with ESC Kempten, Brendan Harrogate joins the lineup, along with rookies Matthew Barron, Kenny Britton, and Walker Sommer, all of whom join the Thunderbolts after playing college hockey last season with Ontario Tech University, University of Victoria, and Niagara University, respectively.
On Defense, Tanner Butler, Timothy Faulkner, and Dillon Hill all return from 2021-22, along with Oleksandr Liulchuk, who starts his second stint as a Thunderbolt after playing for Evansville in the 2018-19 campaign. Alexis Girard joins the defense corps after playing with Fayetteville, Knoxville and Vermilion County, as well as in the ECHL with Trois-Rivieres in 2021-22. Former Quad City defenseman Kristaps Nimanis joins the team following a pair of seasons in his native Latvia with Liepaja, while veteran Swedish defenseman Felix Sasser also comes to Evansville from Sollumtuna HC along with forwards Wink and Wong. Rounding out the defense is Zachery Bennett, who turned pro in 2021-22 in Sweden with the Soderhamn/Ljusne HC and Stromsbro IF programs.
The goaltending tandem consists of Henry Johnson, who played briefly with the Macon Mayhem following 5 seasons of college hockey with Bemidji State and Mercyhurst Universities, and Zane Steeves, previously with the Huntsville Havoc and Birmingham Bulls in 2021-22.
Third-year Thunderbolts forward Hayden Hulton has been named the 8th captain in franchise history, after previously serving as an assistant captain in 2021-22. In addition, third-year defenseman Tanner Butler and defenseman Kristaps Nimanis have been appointed as assistant captains for the 2022-23 season.
Opening night is coming Saturday, October 22. Individual game tickets will go on sale September 30. Season ticket and group packages are now on sale for the upcoming season. Call 812-422-BOLT or visit our all-new website (www.evansvillethunderbolts.com) for details.
