Adirondack Thunder announce new affiliate and head coach

GLENS FALLS — The Adirondack Thunder made two major announcements on Tuesday. The team has entered into a one-year affiliation agreement with the New Jersey Devils and Binghamton Devils to become the team’s new NHL and AHL affiliate. The Thunder also named Brad Tapper as their new Head Coach, the second in franchise history.

The Devils will be the Thunder’s second NHL affiliate, following the Calgary Flames, which owned and operated the team from 2015 to 2017. The Thunder had an “informal working agreement” with the New Jersey Devils and Albany Devils over the past two seasons, seeing several players play for both the Thunder and Devils over that span.

Brad Tapper was named the team’s Head Coach & Director of Hockey Operations. He replaces a vacancy left by Cail MacLean, who accepted a position with the Stockton Heat of the AHL last week.

Tapper, 39, brings eight years of coaching experience at the AHL, ECHL and junior hockey levels to Glens Falls, having previously worked as an assistant coach with the Rochester Americans, Chicago Wolves, Orlando Solar Bears and Florida Everblades, as well as Head Coach of the North York Rangers of the CCHL. The Scarborough, ONT native qualified for post-season play in five of his seven seasons in the professional ranks and was a part of the Kelly Cup Championship Florida Everblades in 2012 as the team’s top assistant.

The 2017-2018 Thunder season kicks off in October.

 

 

 

Zach Dooley contributed to this story