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{{Infobox Pro hockey team
| text_color = white
| bg_color = #d00d29
| current =
| team = Evansville Thunderbolts
| logo = Evansville Bolts.png
| logosize = 270px
| city = [[Evansville, Indiana]]
| league = [[Southern Professional Hockey League]]
| conference =
| division =
| founded = {{Start date|2016}}
| operated =
| arena = [[Ford Center (Evansville)|Ford Center]]
| colors = Red, black, gray, white<br />{{color box|#d00d29}} {{color box|#000}} {{color box|#b4b3b4}} {{color box|#fff}}
| owner = VW Sports, LLC.
| GM = [[Bob McNamara (sports executive)|Bob McNamara]]
| coach = [[Jeff Bes]]
| captain =
| media =
| website = {{url|evansvillethunderbolts.com}}
| affiliates =

| name1 = Evansville Thunderbolts
| dates1 = 2016–present

| reg_season_titles =
| division_titles =
| conf_titles =
}}

The '''Evansville Thunderbolts''' are a minor league [[ice hockey]] team in the [[Southern Professional Hockey League]]. The team plays at the [[Ford Center (Evansville)|Ford Center]] in [[Evansville, Indiana]]. The team replaced the [[Evansville IceMen]] of the [[ECHL]].

==History==
During the [[2015–16 ECHL season|2015–16 season]], the City of Evansville and the owner of the [[ECHL]]'s [[Evansville IceMen]], Ron Geary, were unable to agree to a new lease for the IceMen to continue to operate out of the Ford Center.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.evansvilleicemen.com/news-stats/?article_id=49 |title=A Letter To IceMen Fans, From Team Owner Ron Geary |publisher=Evansville IceMen |date=November 16, 2015}}</ref> On January 19, 2016, Geary announced that he had agreed to terms with the nearby city of [[Owensboro, Kentucky]] to relocate the team to the [[Owensboro Sports Center]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thesinbin.net/breaking-evansville-icemen-announce-move/ |title=BREAKING: Evansville IceMen Announce Move |publisher=The Sin Bin |date=January 19, 2016 |access-date=February 8, 2016 |archive-date=August 13, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813111247/http://thesinbin.net/breaking-evansville-icemen-announce-move/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On February 8, 2016, Evansville mayor, [[Lloyd Winnecke]], announced that local businessman and IceMen season ticket holder, Mike Hall, had secured an expansion team in the [[Southern Professional Hockey League]] to play at the Ford Center beginning in the [[2016–17 SPHL season|2016–17]] season, thus displacing the IceMen franchise from Evansville.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.courierpress.com/topstories/Evansville-Mayor-Lloyd-Winnecke-hockey-press-conference-368072581.html |title=Evansville will be home to Southern Professional Hockey League franchise |newspaper=Evansville Courier & Press |date=February 8, 2016}}</ref> On March 1, the City of Evansville and the new team signed a five-year lease agreement to play at the Ford Center.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.courierpress.com/news/local/city-signs-lease-contract-with-new-hockey-team-2cdadae4-8de9-3cbb-e053-0100007f581c-370658871.html |title=City signs lease contract with new hockey team |newspaper=Evansville Courier & Press |date=March 1, 2016}}</ref> Hall would act as general manager while the majority owner was VW Sports, LLC., a subsidiary of VenuWorks, Inc., the arena management company.<ref name= "Ownership">{{cite web |url=http://www.thesphl.com/view/thesphl/news/news_472001 |title=VW Sports, L.L.C. acquires additional ownership interest in Evansville Thunderbolts |publisher=SPHL |date=March 27, 2017}}</ref>

On March 22, 2016, former IceMen head coach [[Jeff Pyle (ice hockey)|Jeff Pyle]] was announced as the head coach for its inaugural season.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.courierpress.com/sports/jeff-pyle-returning-to-coach-evansvilles-sphl-hockey-team-2ea29a1f-46c3-4f6f-e053-0100007fe27d-373058021.html |title=Jeff Pyle returning to coach Evansville's SPHL hockey team |newspaper=Evansville Courier & Press |date=March 22, 2016}}</ref> The new team name was announced on April 15, 2016,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tristatehomepage.com/news/local-news/evansville-announces-new-sphl-team-name |title=Evansville Announces New SPHL Team Name |publisher=Tristate Homepage |date=April 15, 2016}}</ref> taken from the [[Republic P-47 Thunderbolt|P-47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft]] which was manufactured in Evansville during the [[World War II|Second World War]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tristatehomepage.com/news/local-news/new-hockey-team-unveiled-as-evansville-thunderbolts |title=New Hockey Team Unveiled as Evansville Thunderbolts |publisher=Tristate Homepage |date=April 15, 2016}}</ref> Near the end of the first season, Mike Hall sold his portion of the team to VW Sports, LLC.<ref name= "Ownership" /> and Pete Xander was named the new general manager for the 2017–18 season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://evansville.pointstreaksites.com/view/evansville/news-1/news_492151 |title=THUNDERBOLTS NAME PETE XANDER GENERAL MANAGER |publisher=Thunderbolts |date=August 24, 2017}}</ref>

After two seasons, head coach Pyle left for the head coaching position with the [[Atlanta Gladiators]] of the [[ECHL]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/sports/professional/gladiators/atlanta-gladiators-bring-back-winningest-coach-in-franchise-history/article_05d6da5c-2c27-5d1c-b668-c9fbfbd9d3a8.html |title=Atlanta Gladiators bring back winningest coach in franchise history |work=Gwinnett Daily Post |date=July 6, 2018}}</ref> Pyle was replaced by former NHL player [[Ian Moran]] as head coach and Adam Stio was named general manager for the [[2018–19 SPHL season|2018–19 season]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thesphl.com/view/thesphl/news/news_508377 |title=Thunderbolts name Ian Moran as head coach, Adam Stio as general manager |website=TheSPHL.com |date=August 10, 2018}}</ref> The team finished in last place and general manager Stio was fired at the end of the season<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/evansville-thunderbolts-and-team-general-manager-parting-ways/n-5472581 |title=Evansville ThunderBolts and Team General Manager Parting Ways |website=OurSports Central |date=April 15, 2019}}</ref> and Moran resigned.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/evansville-thunderbolts-to-begin-nationwide-search-for-new-head-coach/n-5480071 |title=Evansville ThunderBolts to Begin Nationwide Search for New Head Coach |website=OurSports Central |date=May 1, 2019}}</ref> Longtime SPHL head coach [[Jeff Bes]] was hired as the head coach for the 2019–20 season,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/jeff-bes-to-lead-evansville-thunderbolts-as-new-head-coach/n-5494011 |title=Jeff Bes to Lead Evansville Thunderbolts as New Head Coach |website=OurSports Central |date=May 30, 2019}}</ref> while Patrick Kelly was hired as the new general manager.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/evansville-thunderbolts-welcome-new-general-manager-and-senior-account-executive/n-5496124 |title=Evansville Thunderbolts Welcome New General Manager and Senior Account Executive |website=OurSports Central |date=June 3, 2019}}</ref> The [[2019–20 SPHL season]] was curtailed by the onset of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] while the Thunderbolts were in a position to qualify for the playoffs.

Due to the ongoing effects and restrictions during the pandemic, the Thunderbolts were one of five SPHL teams to not participate in the [[2020–21 SPHL season|2020–21 season]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.thesphl.com/sphl-announces-changes-for-2020-2021-season |title=SPHL announces changes for 2020-2021 season |website=SPHL |date=October 6, 2020}}</ref> Before returning for the [[2021–22 SPHL season|2021–22 season]], the Thunderbolts hired [[Bob McNamara (sports executive)|Bob McNamara]] as the general manager.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.thesphl.com/thunderbolts-name-bob-mcnamara-as-new-gm |title=Thunderbolts name Bob McNamara as new GM |website=SPHL |date=June 10, 2021}}</ref>

==Season-by-season records==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! [[Season (sports)|Season]] !! GP !! W !! L !! OTL !! Pts !! GF !! GA !! Finish !! Playoffs
|-
| [[2016–17 SPHL season|2016–17]] || 56 || 14 || 32 || 10 || 38 || 138 || 206 || 10th of 10, SPHL || ''did not qualify''
|-
| [[2017–18 SPHL season|2017–18]] || 56 || 27 || 20 || 9 || 63 || 186 || 191 || 6th of 10, SPHL || Lost Quarterfinals, 2-1 (Macon)
|-
| [[2018–19 SPHL season|2018–19]] || 56 || 12 || 38 || 6 || 30 || 124 || 224 || 10th of 10, SPHL || ''did not qualify''
|-
| [[2019–20 SPHL season|2019–20]] || 46 || 25 || 14 || 7 || 57 || 153 || 151 || 5th of 10, SPHL || Season cancelled
|-
| [[2020–21 SPHL season|2020–21]] || colspan=9| ''did not participate''
|-
| [[2021–22 SPHL season|2021–22]] || 56 || 28 || 26 || 2 || 58 || 162 || 155 || 7th of 11, SPHL || Lost Quarterfinals, 2-0 (Huntsville)
|-
| [[2022–23 SPHL season|2022–23]] || 56 || 32 || 22 || 2 || 66 || 172 || 165 || 5th of 11, SPHL || Lost Quarterfinals, 2-0 (Roanoke)
|}

==See also==
{{portal|Indiana}}
*[[Sports in Evansville]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.evansvillethunderbolts.com Evansville Thunderbolts website]
*[http://www.thesphl.com SPHL website]

{{SPHL}}
{{Indiana Sports}}
{{Evansville, Indiana}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Evansville Icemen}}
[[Category:Southern Professional Hockey League teams]]
[[Category:Sports in Evansville, Indiana]]
[[Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 2016]]
[[Category:Ice hockey teams in Indiana]]
[[Category:2016 establishments in Indiana]]

Evansville Thunderbolts - Revision history

WikiDwarfBOT at 09:18, 22 July 2023