For years, Kyle Kruenegel watched the original Stockton Thunder from the stands, dreaming of one day skating in front of a packed Stockton Arena.
This weekend, the Manteca native took the first step toward making that dream a reality, earning an invitation to the team’s main training camp.
The Thunder, returning after 11 years following the departure of the original version of the franchise in 2015, held their first open tryouts Aug. 7-9 at Oak Park Ice Rink in Stockton. More than 30 players from across North America competed for an opportunity to earn an invitation to the team’s main training camp ahead of its inaugural Federal Prospects Hockey League season.
The team opened the three-day tryout free to the public, giving fans an early look at players who could become the first to wear Thunder jerseys when the team takes the ice this fall. Stockton opens its first FPHL season on Oct. 11 on the road against the Oceanside Shock, and the Thunder’s home opener is Oct. 17 against Oceanside at Adventist Health Arena.
The tryout marked another milestone in the Thunder’s new chapter. After announcing the team’s return in June and hiring head coach Zach Pochiro a month later, attention shifted to the players hoping to become the foundation of the franchise’s first roster.
Hometown opportunity
For Kruenegel, the opportunity felt personal.
The 32-year-old grew up playing youth hockey with the Stockton Colts before spending four seasons in junior hockey. After taking nearly seven years away from the sport to start a family, he returned to the ice, now playing senior hockey for the Santa Rosa Growlers while coaching a local girls hockey team.
When the Thunder announced their return, he knew he had to take his shot.
“I always went to the Stockton Thunder games growing up as a kid,” Kruenegel said. “I always idolized playing in that arena. When this team came about, I’m like, ‘Oh man, I got to get a chance at it.'”
He wasn’t the only local player chasing that opportunity.
Julian Herrera, a deputy sheriff who works at the rink, said making the roster would mean having coworkers and friends cheering him on in his own community.
“To be able to be a local guy and have all my work people come out would be pretty exciting to see,” Herrera said.
Former Stockton high school player Ethan Saldana traveled from Oregon after hearing about the tryouts. Saldana, who attended St. Mary’s High School during the Thunder’s previous run in Stockton, said returning to compete for a roster spot felt like a “full-circle moment” because of his ties to the city and people now working within the organization.
Building the roster
Players arrived from nine states and Canada throughout the weekend, representing backgrounds that ranged from junior hockey to college programs and competitive adult leagues.
The Thunder initially planned to invite only a couple of players to main camp. By the end of the weekend, Pochiro said that number had changed.
“I was very impressed,” Pochiro said. “We came into it hoping to get one or two, and I think we got about six or seven that are going to come to our camp.”
Besides looking for the right level of playing skill, Pochiro said he was focused on finding players who already have ties to the area.
The team ultimately invited 12 players to main training camp. The group included local players Kruenegel and Nolan Mix, a 20-year-old Mantecan who played in the NAHL during the 2024-25 season, along with San Francisco native Nikita Smolyanoy and nine other players from across North America.
“I’m a real big sucker for a good story,” Pochiro said. “I think we’re going to have a few this year.”
A community ready for hockey
The team opened the tryouts to the public free of charge, and many fans showed up throughout the weekend to watch players compete for roster spots before the inaugural season begins.
For longtime Stockton resident Michael Dominguez, the turnout reflected how much the community had missed professional hockey.
“This is the most excited I’ve been in a while,” Dominguez said. “Stockton needed some kind of spark to bring some positivity to this city.”
Charlie and Shirley Kruenegel, Kyle’s parents, have spent years watching their son play hockey across Northern California. Seeing him compete for a professional team close to home carried extra meaning.
“It’s always been a dream,” Charlie Kruenegel said. “Ever since he was little.”
Whether those dreams become reality will be decided when players report to main training camp later this summer.
Pochiro said the organization entered the weekend hoping to identify one or two players for camp. By Sunday’s final buzzer, that number had grown to as many as six or seven.
For players who grew up watching the Thunder from the stands, the tryouts offered the first chance to earn a place on the franchise’s next roster.
“I think everyone wants to come see a hometown hero play,” Pochiro said. “Imagine if you had two or three on the ice. Those guys would play a little bit harder playing in front of their hometown.”