Defenseman Nathan Deck is coming back to the Stockton Thunder, but the team is losing goalie Olivier Roy.
The Thunder announced Wednesday (Feb. 27) that Deck has been reassigned to Stockton from the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League, and Roy has been recalled to Oklahoma City after a brief stay in Central California.
Deck, 22, started the season with the Thunder and registered 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in 19 games before being promoted to the Barons. Deck has appeared in 25 games with Oklahoma City, logging six points (one goal, five assists) in those outings. He was the winner of Stockton’s Unsung Hero award last season, during which he recorded 26 points (seven goals, 19 assists) in 60 games.
Deck was named a starter for the 2013 ECHL All-Star Game, which was played in Colorado in January, but he was unable to participate because he was with Oklahoma City at the time.
Deck is expected to be with the Thunder in time for the team’s next game, which is scheduled for Saturday (Mar. 2) against the Ontario Reign at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, CA. The Thunder and Reign will meet again Sunday at Stockton Arena.
Roy, 21, recently was assigned to Stockton from Oklahoma City and appeared in four games with the Thunder. In those games, Roy was 3-1-0 with a shutout, a goals-against average of 1.24 and a save percentage of .962. In 19 games with the Barons this season, Roy is 7-8-3 with 2.86 GAA and a save percentage of .899.
Roy’s call-up came on the same day that the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League recalled goalie Yann Danis from Oklahoma City to replace Nikolai Khabibulin, who was placed on injured reserve by the Oilers. Edmonton is the NHL affiliate of both Oklahoma City and Stockton.
Thunder captain Garet Hunt will not play Saturday at Ontario because he will be completing a two-game suspension levied against him for a hit from behind during a game last week against the Reign. Hunt will be eligible to return for Sunday’s game in Stockton.
