Evansville Thunderbolts Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Pyle has signed four more players for next season.  Tanner Milliron, John Scorcia, Dave Williams and Frank Schumacher are set to return to Ford Center when the puck drops on Saturday, Oct. 21. 

The Thunderbolts have already added Brandon Lubin, Cory Melkert, Al Graves and Nick D’Avolio to the roster.

•Tanner Milliron (Goalie) — The 6-foot-4, 196-pound netminder spent 38 games in goal with the Thunderbolts last year.  He earned 11 wins and had 1,033 saves.  “Tanner was our MVP last year and we hope he gets a chance coming out of camp, but if not we will look forward to having him back here with us until his chance comes,” said Pyle.  “Works hard for every puck and gave us a chance to win every chance he started.  Great attitude and understands the pro game.  We were lucky to get him.”

•John Scorcia (Center) — The Tampa, Fla. native made a name for himself as a playmaker in front of the net early on in the season.  Despite an injury that put him on the IR for several weeks, he was still able to earn 13 goals and 19 assists in 36 games.  “John had a great season for us.  He developed and took more accountability in a leadership role as the season went forward,” said Pyle.  “Had it not been for the broken foot he would of had an opportunity at the ECHL level.  Unbelievable skill, vision and with his speed he creates opportunities for his teammates.  Another player we could lose at any point this season.”

•Dave Williams (Left Wing) — Williams was the Thunderbolts’ top scorer last season.  In 54 games, the 6-foot-1, 194-pound forward racked up 21 goals, 17 assists and 2 GWG.  “Dave had a great season for us,” said Pyle.  “He played in every situation and had by far the most blocked shots on our team.  He scores and plays hard every shift and if he doesn’t make an ECHL club he will bring a lot of leadership back to the organization.  He learned a lot and I will expect him to wear a letter for us this year.  I will be working on an ECHL camp for Dave the rest of the summer.  He deserves it.”

•Frank Schumacher (Defense) — Schumacher earned 2 goals and 9 assists during his 41 games with the Thunderbolts last season.  “Frank developed in to one of our top defensemen by the end of the year and he helped a lot of our younger guys in the room,” said Pyle.  “One of the best skaters in the league, he creates offense by jumping up in the play and does a great job in the defensive zone with his physical play and composure.  Being more confident and experienced is going to make Frank even better this year.  Frank is another player that should be getting an opportunity at the next level this year.”

All four were placed on the team’s protected player list in May.

“Again with the group of guys we have returning that are all a year older we feel our chemistry will make a huge difference at the beginning of the season and sets a great tone and message for the new players coming in,” said Pyle.  “I’m looking forward to the rest of the summer and signings. It should be exciting.”

Season tickets are as low as $11 per game.  To order your tickets for next season, call 812-422-BOLT.

About Evansville Thunderbolts: The Evansville Thunderbolts is the area’s only professional hockey team.  The Thunderbolts are a proud member of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL).  The team is owned and operated by VW Sports, L.L.C, a subsidiary of VenuWorks, Inc. www.evansvillethunderbolts.com