The Sharks on Wednesday announced that they have re-signed their affiliation agreement with the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder for the 2026-27 season. The Thunder have been the Sharks’ ECHL affiliate since 2022.
“We are proud to extend our partnership with the Wichita Thunder,” said Sharks assistant general manager Joe Will, who is also the GM of the AHL’s Barracuda, in a statement. “Wichita is a first-class organization with an amazing staff, facilities and city.”
The Thunder were previously affiliated with the Edmonton Oilers (2017-2022) and Ottawa Senators (2016-17). Per HockeyDB, the Thunder averaged 4,398 fans per game last season at Intrust Bank Arena, which has a seating capacity of 13,450 for hockey.
The Thunder had the 28th-best record in the 30-team ECHL last season, going 25-35-8-4.
Joel T. Lomurno is the team’s general manager and Travis Clayton is beginning his first year as the team’s head coach after two seasons as an assistant with Wichita.
“We are really happy to continue our partnership with the San Jose organization,” Lomurno said in a statement. “The Sharks are on a path to having a tremendous season, and we look forward to helping develop their players.”