Goaltender Olivier Roy and defenseman Brandon Davidson have been assigned to the Stockton Thunder from the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League.
The moves were made Tuesday (Feb. 12) by the Edmonton Oilers, who are the National Hockey League affiliate of both Stockton and Oklahoma City. Both players are expected to be available when the Thunder faces the Ontario Reign on Friday night at Stockton Arena.
Roy, 21, spent most of last season with the Thunder and was named the team’s Rookie of the Year. In 40 games with Stockton last season, Roy was 16-18-5 with a club-record four shutouts, which tied him for the second most in the ECHL. He also ranked fourth in the ECHL with a save-percentage of .925 and fifth in the league in saves with 1,222. He twice was honored as the ECHL’s goaltender of the week last season and helped the Thunder advance to the second round of the Kelly Cup playoffs.
In 19 games with the Barons this season, Roy is 7-8-1 with a goals-against average of 2.86. He has played in 25 career AHL games and has a record of 9-9-1.
For now, the Thunder will carry three goalies as Roy joins Tyler Bunz and Cody Reichard on the club's roster.
Davidson, also 21, has appeared in eight games with the Barons this season and has two assists and eight penalty minutes in those games. The6-foot-1, 202-pound rookie recently returned to the Oklahoma City lineup after being successfully treated for testicular cancer.
Before becoming a pro, Davidson played junior hockey for the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League. He played in 200 career games in the WHL and amassed 133 points. He posted 49 of those points (13 goals, 36 assists) last season, when he was a second-team All Star in the WHL’s Eastern Conference.
In addition to having Roy and Davidson available for Friday, Stockton also expects forward Shawn Weller to make his debut with the team after being obtained recently in a trade for defenseman Cameron Brodie. Weller, who was selected in the third round of the 2004 NHL entry draft by the Ottawa Senators, has nearly 300 games of experience at the AHL level. He also has recorded 72 points (30 goals, 42 assists) in 80 career games in the ECHL.
The Thunder will bring a four-game winless streak into Friday’s game. After facing the Reign, the Thunder will meet the San Francisco Bulls at Stockton Arena on Saturday night before those teams tangle again Sunday at the Cow Palace in Daly City.
