Milton Keynes Thunder Explained

The Milton Keynes Thunder are an ice hockey team from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, they are known stylistically as the Milton Keynes Rightmove Thunder for sponsorship purposes, and the team currently competes in the Britton Conference, of the National Ice Hockey League Division 1 South (the third tier of English National Ice Hockey). The team was founded in 2001 predominantly to provide competitive hockey and further development opportunities for players leaving the Milton Keynes Junior Ice Hockey system. Their home rink is the refurbished and renamed Planet Ice Arena, known locally as the Thunderdome. It has a capacity of circa 2,500.

Club history

Foundation

Founded in 2001, MK Thunder originally shared their home rink with the Milton Keynes Kings. However, the MK Kings were involved in a dispute with rink operators Planet Ice, which led to their relocation to Solihull in May 2002.[1] The space left by the MK Kings was eventually taken by the Milton Keynes Lightning which was formed in 2002.

Position in the Milton Keynes Ice Hockey structure

As the second most senior ice hockey club in Milton Keynes, the MK Thunder have always played in the National Ice Hockey League South Division 1 or its former incarnations (English National League South, English National League South A and English National League South 1). It has been used as a vehicle to further develop Milton Keynes based players and has been a 'feeder' club for the senior hockey club Milton Keynes Lightning. The teams iced by the club have been dominated by local players, supplemented by the occasional import (league rules restrict the use of import players to just two, compared to five in the defunct old second tier EPIHL and eleven in the first tier EIHL). The club also has links with the junior system and provides development opportunities for junior players at the Milton Keynes Storm Club.

Arena redevelopment

In March 2013, Milton Keynes Council approved plans to redevelop the Leisure Plaza after failed attempts in 2006 and 2011. The development of the arena was funded by Morrisons Supermarkets and took 17 months to complete. This forced Thunder to play their home games at a temporary rink sited within the Milton Keynes City Centre in a building vacated by the Supermarket Waitrose. The rink and the MK ICE charity established to operate it was organised by the team's owner and the then general manager, David Fairhurst. The team returned to the redeveloped rink which had been renamed the "MK Arena" in October 2014.

Club honours

The Milton Keynes Thunder lifted their first silverware when they secured the NIHL South BBO Cup in the 2016-17 season.

Club roster 2022-23

Netminders
width=5%No.width=5%Nat.width=22%Playerwidth=7%Catcheswidth=16%Date of birthwidth=20%Place of birthwidth=24%Acquired
31Craig BradfieldEngland2021 from Free Agent
34Vincent Bennett-GrazianoR14 August 2005England2021 from Peterborough Phantoms
Defencemen
width=5%No.width=5%Nat.width=22%Playerwidth=7%Shootswidth=16%Date of birthwidth=20%Place of birthwidth=24%Acquired
2Alex WhyteL23 July 1996Peterborough, England2014 from Peterborough Phantoms
4Samson JamesL30 August 2000Coventry, England2021 from New Jersey Renegades (USA)
5Oliver KnaggsL4 November 2005Watford, England2021 from Milton Keynes Storm
13Evan Smyth13 August 1988Toronto, Ontario, Canada2021 from Free Agent
14Callum BurrR2003 (age 19)England2021 from Free Agent
36Daniel TamasauskasL1 July 1999Lithuania2021 from Lee Valley Lions
59Charlie Ottowell2003 (age 19)England2022 from Free Agent
72Daniel Angell1998 (age 24)England2021 from Free Agent
Forwards
width=5%No.width=5%Nat.width=22%Playerwidth=7%Shootswidth=16%Date of birthwidth=20%Place of birthwidth=24%Acquired
6Cole McCluskeyR

Statistical records

Top ten appearances

League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season

Player
width=5%No.width=10%Nat.width=30%Playerwidth=37%Active Seasonswidith=18%App
1Harrison Goode2007–2018 & 2020-2022346
2Paul Gore2002–2009 & 2011-2017335
3Sam Fairhurst2002–2015 inclusive325
4Matthew Roberts2002–2003, 2004-2014 & 2015-2016294
5Alex Whyte2013–2022 inclusive280
6Nidal Phillips2009–2018 inclusive279
7Jamie Randall2008–2009 & 2010-2017267
8Tom Mboya2010–2019 inclusive245
9Lewis Clifford2002–2011 inclusive240
9Connor Goode2009-2013, 2014-2018 & 2021-2022240

Top ten points scorers

League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season

Player
width=5%No.width=10%Nat.width=30%Playerwidth=37%Active Seasonswidith=18%Pts
1Harrison Goode2007-2018 & 2020-2022231
2Jamie Line2010-2011 & 2014-2019214
3Ross Bowers2010-2011 & 2015-2019213
4Alex Whyte2013-2022 inclusive170
5Connor Goode2009-2013, 2014-2018 & 2021-2022163
6Tom Mboya2010–2019 inclusive145
7Jamie Randall2008-2009 & 2010-2017141
8Michael Knights2003-2006 & 2007-2011121
9Kieron Goody2002–2011 inclusive113
9Aram Todd2002–2007 & 2010-2011113

Top ten goal scorers

League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season

Player
width=5%No.width=10%Nat.width=30%Playerwidth=37%Active Seasonswidith=18%Gls
1Harrison Goode2007–2018 & 2020-2022110
2Ross Bowers2010-2011 & 2015-2019107
3Jamie Line2010-2011 & 2014-201996
4Connor Goode2009-2013, 2014-2018 & 2021-202278
5Paul Jamieson2002–2011 inclusive72
6Tom Mboya2010-2019 inclusive68
7Alex Whyte2013-2022 inclusive62
8Maros Stefanco2010-2012 inclusive51
9Michael Knights2003–2006 & 2007–201148
10Aram Todd2002-2007 & 2010-201146
10Kieron Goody2002–2011 inclusive46

Top ten goal assists

League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season

Player
width=5%No.width=10%Nat.width=30%Playerwidth=37%Active Seasonswidith=18%Ast
1Harrison Goode2007-2018 & 2020-2022121
2Jamie Line2010-2011 & 2014-2019119
3Ross Bowers2010–2011 & 2015-2019108
3Alex Whyte2013-2022 inclusive106
5Jamie Randall2008–2009 & 2010-201797
6Connor Goode2009-2013, 2014-2018 & 2021-202285
7Tom Mboya2010-2019 inclusive77
8Michael Knights2003–2006 & 2007-201171
9Kieron Goody2002–2011 inclusive67
9Aram Todd2002–2007 & 2010-201167

Top ten penalty minutes

League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season

Player
width=5%No.width=10%Nat.width=30%Playerwidth=37%Active Seasonswidith=18%PIM
1Matthew Roberts2002-2003, 2004-2014 & 2015-20161520
2Paul Gore2002–2009 & 2011–2017932
3Lee Featherstone2003–2008 & 2009-2012746
4Paul Jamieson2002–2011 inclusive684
5Michael Knights2003–2006 & 2007-2011592
6James Roberts2002–2009 inclusive555
7Lewis Clifford2002–2011 inclusive464
8Harrison Goode2007–2018 & 2020-2022370
9Kieron Goody2002–2011 inclusive320
10Ivan Turan2006–2008 inclusive269

Top ten points to game ratio

League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season (Players with under 20 appearances not included)

Player
width=5%No.width=10%Nat.width=30%Playerwidth=37%Active Seasonswidith=18%Pts
1Maros Stefanco2010-2012 inclusive1.65
2Jakub Klima2016-20171.34
3Michal Lauko2008–20091.32
4Ross Bowers2010-2011 & 2015-20191.31
5Piotr Poziomkowski2013–2015 inclusive1.18
6Jamie Line2010-2011 & 2014-20191.17
7Mark Krater2002–2004 & 2005-20081.07
8Michael Knights2003–2006 & 2007-20111.04
9Tom Hurley2004–2008 inclusive1.02
10Tom Rubes2018–2019 1.00
10Maksims Petruks2012–2014 inclusive 1.00

Top ten goals to game ratio

League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season (Players with under 20 appearances not included)

Player
width=5%No.width=10%Nat.width=30%Playerwidth=37%Active Seasonswidith=18%Gls
1Maros Stefanco2010-2012 inclusive0.93
2Jakub Klima2016-20170.79
3Jamie Holland2009–20100.74
4Ross Bowers2010-2011 & 2015-20190.66
5Michel Lauko2008-20090.64
6Maksims Petruks2012–2014 inclusive0.57
7Tom Rubes2018–20190.55
7Piotr Poziomkowski2013–2015 inclusive0.55
9Josh Nicklin2008-2010 & 2014-20160.53
10Tom Hurley2004–2008 inclusive0.52
10Jamie Line2010-2011 & 2014-20190.52

Top ten assists to game ratio

League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season (Players with under 20 appearances not included)

Player
width=5%No.width=10%Nat.width=30%Playerwidth=37%Active Seasonswidith=18%Ast
1Cameron Wynn2016-20170.80
2Maros Stefanco2010-2012 inclusive0.73
3Michel Lauko2008–20090.68
4Ross Bowers2010-2011 & 2015-20190.65
4Jamie Line2010-2011 & 2014-20190.65
6Piotr Poziomkowski2013-2015 inclusive0.63
7Michael Knights2003-2006 & 2007-20110.62
8Jakub Klima2016-20170.56
8Mark Krater2002-2004 & 2005-20080.56
10Mark Conway2002-2004 0.55
10Tom Carlon2017-2019 & 2021-2022 0.55

Top ten penalty minutes to games ratio

League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season (Players with under 20 appearances not included)

Player
width=5%No.width=10%Nat.width=30%Playerwidth=37%Active Seasonswidith=18%PIM
1Ivan Turan2006-2008 inclusive7.08
2Richard Munnelly2002–2004 inclusive5.78
3Michael Knights2003-2006 & 2007-20115.19
4Matthew Roberts2002–2003, 2004-2014 & 2015-20165.17
5Lee Featherstone2002–2008 & 2009-20124.49
6James Roberts2002–2009 inclusive4.08
7Antti Kohvakka2019–2022 inclusive4.07
8Zac Chamberlain2019-2021 inclusive3.17
9Jacob Corson-Heron2008-2011 inclusive3.16
10Paul Jamieson2002-2011 inclusive3.14

Top ten save percentages

League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season (Players with under 20 appearances not included)

Player
width=5%No.width=10%Nat.width=30%Playerwidth=37%Active Seasonswidith=18%Sv%
1Damien King2014-2016 inclusive92.24
2Jordan Lawday2018-201990.19
3Tom Annetts 2017-2019 inclusive89.91
4Denis Bell2013-201488.96
5David Wride2016-201788.94
6Mark Woolf2002–2014 & 2015-201888.91
7Jordan Hedley2012-201388.17
8Graham Laverick2019-2021 inclusive87.91
9David Cassidy2010–2014 inclusive85.61
10Kim Taylor2003–2008 inclusive81.81

Retired Numbers

Player
width=7%Numberwidth=7%Nat.width=30%Playerwidth=28%Active Seasonswidith=28%Acquired
1Mark Woolf2002–2014 & 2015-20182002 from Milton Keynes Kings

Season-by-season record

Associated teams

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: MK Kings live on in Solihull. Milton Keynes Citizen. May 2002.

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