The San Jose Sharks will have some renewed continuity with their ECHL affiliation for the 2026-27 season. According to a team announcement, the Sharks have signed a one-year affiliate extension with the Wichita Thunder.

Now that the extension has been signed, Wichita will embark on its fifth season as the Sharks’ ECHL affiliate. After a lengthy run in the now-defunct CHL, the Thunder joined the ECHL and didn’t become an affiliate of an NHL club until 2016, when they signed on with the Ottawa Senators.

After their one-year stint with the Senators, Wichita became the Edmonton Oilers’ ECHL affiliate until the 2021-22 season. It was arguably their best run in the ECHL, finishing second place in the Western Conference throughout the 2020-21 campaign. Still, the Thunder were unable to reach beyond the second round of the playoffs.

Since then, they’ve been with the Sharks. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been very successful. During their four years as San Jose’s tertiary affiliate, the Thunder have qualified for the postseason only once. Despite reaching the playoffs in the 2024-25 season, Wichita took a step back last year, finishing second-to-last in the Western Conference.

The Assistant General Manager of the Sharks, Joe Will, offered a brief quote regarding the affiliate extension, saying, “We are proud to extend our partnership with the Wichita Thunder. Wichita is a first-class organization with an amazing staff, facilities and city.“