08/07/2008 1:28 PM -
Eight-year veteran joins Cichocki's staff after 546 games and two Kelly Cup Finals

---

STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder, the proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers, announced in conjunction with the Oilers today that Tim O'Connell (pictured) has been named assistant coach of the Thunder, joining Head Coach Chris Cichocki's staff for the 2008-09 season. Per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

O'Connell, 30, enters his first year behind the bench in a coaching capacity after eight years (2000-08) of professional hockey playing experience with the ECHL's Thunder, Florida EverBlades, Roanoke Express, the American Hockey League's Norfolk Admirals, Rochester Americans, Syracuse Crunch and the United Hockey League's Elmira Jackals and Missouri River Otters.

"Throughout his playing career, Tim exemplified character, a winning track record, natural knowledge for the game and he commanded respect in a leadership role - those were qualities we were looking for in an assistant coach," said Cichocki. "His great levels of repoire among his peers make a valuable asset in recruiting and he'll be very instrumental in working with our defenseman, who can learn from his experience."

"Tim knows what it takes to get to next level and his experience with Chris Cichocki's system make two valuable qualities in helping players advance in their career," said Oilers assistant general manager Kevin Prendergast. "Tim is a proven leader who has valuable on-ice experience, he's played with character over the years and he'll benefit even further by meshing with the Oilers coaching staff in training camp."

A native of Grand Forks, N.D., O'Connell will work closely on-ice with the club's defensemen and assist in handling Thunder special teams units while aiding in the coordination of the team's free-agent recruiting efforts and Hockey Operations organizational structure.

O'Connell played in 546 career games as a professional and posted a 451 consecutive games-played streak which ended after 07-08, registering 227 points (64g-163a) and 856 penalty minutes. Known as a rugged defenseman throughout his career with vocal leadership qualities, he helped guide Florida to back-to-back appearances in the Kelly Cup Finals in 2004-05 and was a member of Thunder teams that made two straight appearances in the Kelly Cup Playoffs in the last two seasons. In 65 career playoff games, O'Connell recorded 25 points (8g-17a) and 101 penalty minutes.

As a member of the Thunder for two seasons (2006-08), O'Connell scored 48 points (13g-35a) and posted 171 penalty minutes while skating in 119 games as an alternate captain. He posted an ECHL career-high 32 points (10g-22a) while playing in all 72 games in 2006-07 with a team-leading +22 rating, earning the club's "Defensive Award" at the end of the year.

"I've played a similar role the last couple of years and helped our young guys out, so turning it into a full-time coaching job is what excites me, more than anything," said O'Connell. "My goal here, first and foremost, is to help the Thunder win a Kelly Cup after getting to the Finals twice in my playing career. Additionally, I'm looking forward to helping our players prepare for what they have ahead in their careers. The most exciting thing about working in the Oilers farm system is helping share my experiences with players who are getting ready for the next level."

A result of his durability and versatility at both ends of the ice, O'Connell was awarded the Professional Hockey Player's Association "Ironman of the Year" award in May 2007, presented annually to an ECHL player "who has participated in each of his Club's regular season games and has contributed both offensively and defensively throughout the regular season."

O'Connell parlayed a four-year (1996-2000) college career with the national-power University of North Dakota (NCAA) into two NCAA Frozen Four national championships with the Fighting Sioux in 1997 and 2000, appearing in a career-high 38 games as a 1999-00 senior. Among the players O'Connell has called a "teammate" have been Stanley Cup winning-defenseman Mike Commodore and NHL all-star center Jason Blake.

ABOUT THE ECHL
Beginning in 1988-89 with five teams playing in four states, the Premier ‘AA' Hockey League has grown into a coast-to-coast league that will have 24 teams in 16 states and British Columbia playing 864 games from Oct. 17, 2008 to Apr. 4, 2009. Nineteen of the 24 teams have played at least five years in their current city.

The third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, the ECHL averaged 4,174 per game last season, marking the fourth year in row and the 16th time in the last 18 years that the league has averaged over 4,000 fans. The league has drawn over four million fans each of the last five years and 11 times in the past 12 seasons.

There have been 355 former ECHL players who have gone on to play in the NHL after playing in the ECHL, including 99 in the last three seasons. There have been 210 former ECHL players who have played their first game in the NHL in the past seven season.

The Thunder opens the 2008-09 regular season at home on Saturday, October 18 against the local rival Fresno Falcons at Stockton Arena, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Thunder Season Ticket Holders enjoy the highest-demanded seating locations in Stockton Arena, preferred parking options, benefits including admission to Season Ticket Holder-only events, discount opportunities on Thunder merchandise, a free e-newsletter, admission to the first two rounds of the Kelly Cup Playoffs and more. Details on Thunder promotional and giveaway nights will be announced soon.

The Thunder has led the ECHL in attendance for three consecutive seasons and drew 239,337 fans to Stockton Arena in 2007-08. Season tickets for 2008-09 are now on sale and begin at just $335. A deposit of just $50 reserves your seat for the 2008-09 season! For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit http://www.stocktonthunder.com/.