April 5, 2019

Guilford Conn., - The East Coast Elite League (ECEL)  has announced that its Board of Directors has approved the membership application of the Seattle Sno-King Jr. Thunderbirds for the 2019-2020 season. The Seattle Sno-King Jr. Thunderbirds add a 16U team into the ECEL league under the direction of Mike Butters.

The Seattle Sno-King Jr. Thunderbirds will be the second team from the Pacific Northwest that will join our league. The Thunderbirds will join the Wenatchee Wild becoming the second team from the state of Washington to join our league.  "Expanding to Seattle makes the East Coast Elite League more balanced, even more whole and even more dynamic. Adding the Seattle Sno-King Jr. Thunderbirds to the league, brings our geographic footprint across the country and creates instant new rivalries, particularly between the east coast and west coast teams.” said President Peter Alden.

Mike Butters, shared Alden’s enthusiasm. “In joining the ECEL, Sno-King is aligning ourselves with a solid league, comprised of nationally competitive teams. In addition, we get to showcase our players at their events that have been proven to attract both college and junior recruiters, scouts and coaches.” Butters added, “With the arrival of our NHL team to Seattle, hockey has already enjoyed a mushroom cloud of growth. In joining the ECEL, we can provide our elite players yet another reason to remain home and develop as they work towards achieving their hockey ambitions."

The Seattle Sno-King Jr. Thunderbirds plays on the Eastside in Kirkland, WA. They are the largest youth hockey organizations in the region with over 1,200 participants: 600 in competitive programs and 600 in the Learn to Play programs. Included within their thousands of alumni are several players that have played in the NHL, WHL, college and major “junior” programs.

The Seattle Sno-King Jr. Thunderbirds 16U  team is coming off of a banner season with six tournament championships and a record of 51-12-7. Mike Butters and his coaching staff will now look ahead to prepare for the 16U AAA tryouts that will take place on April 15-21, 2019. You can learn more about the  Seattle Sno-King Jr. Thunderbirdson their  Team Page or on social media on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. For team inquiries, please contact Mike Butters at mike.butters@snokinghockey.com.