Thunder Strengthens Offense With NHL Experience

WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder bolstered their offense on Friday, announcing the signings of forwards Damian Surma and Chris Trafford.
 
After getting drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the sixth round in 1999, Surma reached professional hockey's pinnacle appearing in two NHL contests from 2002-04.  Surma has spent three of the last four seasons in the highly competitive Italian Professional League, scoring 33 goals and 35 assists in 78 games played.  The 28-year old left wing scored a career-high 60 points, including 32 goals, while playing for the ECHL's Florida Everblades in 2004-05.
 
Surma performed well in his brief stint in the NHL.  The Lincoln Park, MI native scored a goal in his NHL debut in 2002-03, and then notched an NHL assist the following year.  Surma played four seasons in the Major Junior ranks with the OHL's Plymouth Whalers.  In four seasons with Plymouth, Sumra scored 225 points in 241 games.  Surma returned to the ECHL at the end of last season, scoring 11 goals and 11 assists in 41 games for the Stockton Thunder.  For his professional career, Surma has scored 123 goals and 137 assists for a total of 260 points in 398 games.
 
Trafford finished a decorated career with Manhattanville College where he was named a Division-III All-American this past season.  Trafford led the Valiants, a team that was ranked #1 overall in Division-III hockey virtually the entire season, with 17 goals while assisting on 14 others for a team-high 31 points in just 25 games.  Though he played just two seasons at Mercyhurst, Trafford left the Valiants fourth on their all-time list in goals, ninth in points, first in power play goals, and fifth in game-winning goals.
 
The Kinburn, Ontario native was also one of four finalists for the prestigious Sid Watson Award, given annually to the Division-III Player of the Year.  Trafford's senior season followed up a junior campaign in which he tied a Manhattanville single-season record with 25 goals.  He led the team with 39 points in just 28 games played.  Trafford also spent two seasons at Mercyhurst College, scoring 42 points in 60 games.  In four seasons of college hockey, Trafford scored 63 goals and 49 assists in 113 games.