GLENS FALLS –The Adirondack Thunder, proud ECHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils and Utica Comets, have announced the club’s 2025 Protected List, containing 16 forwards, 12 defensemen and two goaltenders whose ECHL rights are now retained by the Thunder.
Forwards (16) – Caden Villegas, Greg Smith, Kishaun Gervais, Grant Loven, Kaleb Ergang, Dan Ebrahim, T.J. Friedmann, Shaw Boomhower, Sean Gulka, Gustav Muller, Ryan Smith, Brian Carrabes, Mac Welsher, Patrick Grasso, Jake Durflinger, Isaiah Fox.
Defensemen (12) – Ryan Wheeler, Ian Pierce, Dennis Busby, Ryan Conroy, Brendan Less, Darian Skeoch, Ty Gibson, Kurt Gosselin, Taylor Ford, Pierson Brandon, Luke Reid, Connor Blake.
Goaltenders (2) – Henry Welsch, David Fessenden
Teams are allowed to protect as many players as they wish provided the players protected meet the guidelines as defined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the ECHL and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association which state that teams shall retain the rights to each player that:
1. Signed an SPC in 2024-25 with the Member, and has not been traded or released, OR
2. Signed an SPC in 2024-25, and was recalled to the NHL/AHL or IIHF team, and has not been traded or released, OR
3. Had received a Qualifying Offer last summer for the current Season, DID NOT sign an SPC, and has not been traded or released, OR
4. Has been suspended by the Member or League, and has not been traded or released, OR
5. Signed an SPC on or after the first day of the 2024-25 Regular Season, then subsequently signed an NHL/AHL contract, and has not been traded or released, OR
6. Has executed the ECHL Retirement Form, and has not been traded or released.
Protected lists may exceed 20 players.
The ECHL also announced that teams must complete all Future Consideration trades by 3 p.m. ET on June 20 and that teams must submit their Season-Ending Roster by 3 p.m. ET on June 22.
Season-ending rosters may include up to 20 players and cannot include any players who did not sign an ECHL contract in 2024-25.
Season tickets for the 2025-26 season are on sale now! For more information, call the front office at 518-480-3355 or visit www.echlthunder.com/tickets. For all the latest Adirondack Thunder news, follow the team on all social media (ECHLThunder).
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