Bryan Pitton Attends Oilers Rookie Development Camp

Pitton Gets Oilers Development Camp Invite

07/06/2010 1:26 PM -

Bryan Pitton stops a shot on the opening day of the Edmonton Oilers 2010 Development Camp in Edmonton. (photo by Andy Devlin/EOHC)

Two-year Thunder goaltender looks for next step, joins prospects in Edmonton

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MORE: Edmonton Oilers Development Camp roster
MORE: Full coverage - Edmonton Oilers Development Camp

STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers, announced goaltender Bryan Pitton (PITT-in), who has played the last two seasons with the Thunder, is one of 28 players selected by the Oilers to participate in their 2010 Development Camp, from July 6-9 in Edmonton.

The camp, featuring the Oilers top prospects and 18 players drafted by Edmonton in 2009 or 2010, including this year's first overall selection in Taylor Hall, is being conducted with on-ice sessions at Clareview Arena and off-ice workouts at Rexall Place, the Oilers home ice.

Pitton, 22, was selected by the Oilers in the fifth round (133rd overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and is 18-28-6 with a 3.18 goals-against-average and .901 save percentage in 56 lifetime games with the Thunder.

Last season, Pitton earned two separate recalls directly to Edmonton and left the ECHL on Feb. 1 on a recall to Springfield of the AHL by ranking second in the league with a .921 save percentage. He won eight of his last 12 ECHL games to finish 9-9-3 in the regular season with a 2.85 GAA and one shutout - a 34-save effort in a 1-0 shootout loss to Victoria (stopped 14 of 16 shooters) on Jan. 30.

The 6-foot-2, 176-pound goaltender broke a Thunder playoff record last year with 49 saves in Game 3 of the National Conference Final, a 1-0 win in triple overtime against the Idaho Steelheads which was the first playoff shutout of his career. He was also twice named Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week (Dec. 21-27 and Jan. 25-31).

The complete roster can be found at http://www.edmontonoilers.com/. Pitton is one of 15 players with experience in a Thunder uniform who have participated in development camps at the NHL level since 2008:

- James Bates (RW) - 2009
- Jordan Bendfeld (D) - 2009
- Sebastien Bisaillon (D) - 2008
- Troy Bodie (RW) - 2008
- Glenn Fisher (G) - 2008
- Igor Gongalsky (RW) - 2009 (Buffalo Sabres)
- Stephane Goulet (LW) - 2008
- Adam Huxley (LW) - 2008
- Ryan O'Marra (C) - 2008
- Geoff Paukovich (C) - 2008, 2009
- Andrew Perugini (G) - 2009
- Bryan Pitton (G) - 2009, 2010
- Les Reaney (C) - 2008
- Tyler Spurgeon (C) - 2008
- Cody Wild (D) - 2009


ABOUT THE ECHL
- The ECHL celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2007-08 and is the third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League. ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league with 19 teams in 14 states and British Columbia in 2010-11.
- 443 players have played in the NHL after playing in the ECHL including a record 53 in 2008-09. 35 ECHL players made their NHL debut in 2009-10.
- ECHL had a record 78 players on NHL opening-day rosters, surpassing the 71 from a year ago and marking the seventh year in a row that there have been over 50 former ECHL players on opening-day rosters.
- Every ECHL team has an affiliation with an NHL team and the league has affiliations with 28 of the 30 NHL teams, marking the 13th consecutive season that the league has had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL.

OPENING NIGHT AND TICKET INFORMATION
Opening Night is Friday, Oct. 15, when the Thunder opens the 2010-11 regular season at home against the Ontario Reign, starting at 7:30 p.m. at Stockton Arena.

The Thunder are freezing Season Ticket Prices for the 2010-11 season, which are on sale now and can be purchased by calling (209) 373-1500 or by visiting http://www.stocktonthunder.com/. Thunder Season Ticket Holders enjoy the highest-demanded seating locations in Stockton Arena, preferred parking options, benefits including admission to Season Ticket Holder-only events, discount opportunities on Thunder merchandise, a free e-newsletter, an exclusive gift, admission to the first two rounds of the Kelly Cup Playoffs and more. Information on individual and group tickets will be announced soon.

A two-time recipient of the ECHL "Award of Excellence," Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew over 200,000 fans for the fifth consecutive season in 2009-10. Season Tickets and mini-plans for 2010-11 are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit http://www.stocktonthunder.com/.

*Reprinted with permission by Oilers Jambalaya. Stockton Thunder is the ECHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers*