Courtesy Adirondack Thunder
By Paul Post
Strong corporate backing and fan support are more important than ever as the Adirondack Thunder deal with the rapidly rising cost of doing business.
Under a new collective bargaining agreement reached after a brief midseason strike, the leaguewide salary cap has increased $3,000 per week.
In December, the Thunder will make one of their longest road trips in franchise history when they play the ECHL’s newest team, the New Mexico Goatheads, in suburban Albuquerque.
“The Thunder are no different than everyone else,” team President Jeff Mead said. “We travel a lot and fuel, air fare and hotels have increased significantly.”
Adirondack, playing in the league’s smallest market, had a record 20 sellout crowds this season, and average attendance (4,539) was the highest ever. But six large-market teams, playing in much bigger arenas, averaged more than 7,000 fans per game, including league leader Jacksonville (9,198).
The salary cap helps level the playing field when it comes to signing premier players. But some big-city teams with larger budgets may offer amenities the Thunder can’t afford.
The perennial powerhouse Florida Everblades, for example, charter a plane during playoffs, and players have their own apartments instead of doubling up. “And if you live in Southern Florida where you don’t pay a state tax, and it’s 75 degrees in January and February, things like that we aren’t able to compete with,” Mead said.
But Thunder players, to a man, adore Glens Falls’ small-town atmosphere and friendly fans. Also, Adirondack is close to AHL cities such as Providence, Springfield, Syracuse and Rochester, giving players opportunities to move up the pro hockey ladder.
In addition, the Thunder are affiliated with the NHL’s New Jersey Devils and the AHL’s Utica Comets. This past season, seven players in the Devils system appeared in more than 300 combined regular-season games with Utica and Adirondack.
Last summer, Head Coach Sylvain Cloutier took over a team that had finished last in the North Division and led it to this year’s Kelly Cup playoffs. He and Associate Coach Ben Holmstrom recently signed two-year extensions through the 2027-28 season.
Cloutier, 52, began his pro career with the Adirondack Red Wings in 1993 and returned to Glens Falls in 2003 to play for the IceHawks/Frostbite in the United Hockey League.
“Glens Falls has always felt like home to me, dating back to my playing days, and being behind the bench in front of these passionate fans is something special,” Cloutier said. “The energy in Harding Mazzotti Arena this past season was incredible. The sell-out crowds gave our players a huge boost every night and showed why this is one of the best hockey communities anywhere in the ECHL.”
“We took important steps forward, but we know there’s more work to do,” he said. “Our goal is to keep building a hard-working, competitive group that can make a deeper playoff run and ultimately bring a Kelly Cup championship to Glens Falls.”
Holmstrom, 39, began his professional career with the AHL’s Adirondack Phantoms in the 2009-10 season and was team captain from 2011-14. In 256 regular-season games with the Phantoms, Holmstrom recorded 49 goals and 73 assists for 122 points.
“This community has embraced us from day one, and it’s become a special place for our family to call home,” he said. “Coaching in front of the fans at Harding Mazzotti Arena this past season was unbelievable. The sellout crowds, the energy and the passion every night created an atmosphere our players loved competing in.”
“Sylvain and Ben both have a tremendous history in this community and understand what hockey means to the fans in Adirondack,” Mead said. “In their first season behind the bench, they established a strong culture, earned the respect of the locker room, and helped guide this team to the playoffs. We’re confident in the direction they have this organization headed and look forward to building on that success over the next two years.”
“I think we offer everything here to be able to compete for a Kelly Cup,” he said.
The Thunder play in the eight-team North Division, which includes Maine, Trois-Rivieres, Reading, Worcester, Norfolk, Greensboro and a new entry, the Trenton Ironhawks, affiliated with the New York Islanders.
The ECHL is expected to add another new franchise, the Augusta (Georgia) Lynx, when the 2027-28 campaign begins, giving it a full complement of 32 teams affiliated with every NHL and AHL club.
The Thunder sold approximately 2,300 season tickets last year, and Mead said he hopes that number can be increased by another 100 for 2026-27.
Last year, the Capital Region law firm Harding Mazzotti won naming rights to the arena under a five-year agreement, with an option for five more years. “We think it will be at least a 10-year deal,” said Mead, who also manages the city-owned arena.
The arena’s fiscal year ends June 30, and Mead said the building and Thunder will both finish in the black.
A new event, the Upstate Tattoo Festival, is scheduled for Friday to Sunday, June 19-21, and Mead said upcoming concert plans will be announced soon.
On Aug. 22, a charity hockey game promoted by Thunder player Daniel Amesbury will be held to benefit The Last Save, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by mental health challenges, trauma and substance abuse.
It’s one of many events the Thunder are involved with to support charitable causes in the Glens Falls area. This past season alone, the Thunder helped donate a record $319,477 back into the community with events such as Stick It to Cancer, to benefit Glens Falls Hospital’s Charles R. Wood Cancer Center.
In September, a local committee will prepare its bid to bring the state high school boys basketball tournament back to Glens Falls. Binghamton won the current three-year contract. If Glens Falls is successful, the annual March tournament would be at Harding Mazzotti Arena from 2028 to 20230.
“We will certainly put together the most aggressive bid we’ve ever had to bring it back to Glens Falls,” Mead said.