# Milton Keynes Thunder

The Milton Keynes Thunder are an ice hockey team from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, they are known stylistically as Thunder. The team currently competes in the Britton Conference, of the National Ice Hockey League Division 1 South (the third tier of English National Ice Hockey). The team was founded in 2001 predominantly to provide competitive hockey and further development opportunities for players leaving the Milton Keynes Junior Ice Hockey system. Their home rink is the refurbished and renamed Planet Ice Arena, known locally as the Thunderdome. It has a capacity of circa 2,500.

## Club history
### Foundation

Founded in 2001, MK Thunder originally shared their home rink with the Milton Keynes Kings. However, the MK Kings were involved in a dispute with rink operators Planet Ice, which led to their relocation to Solihull in May 2002. The space left by the MK Kings was eventually taken by the Milton Keynes Lightning which was formed in 2002.

### Position in the Milton Keynes Ice Hockey structure

As the second most senior ice hockey club in Milton Keynes, the MK Thunder have always played in the National Ice Hockey League South Division 1 or its former incarnations (English National League South, English National League South A and English National League South 1). It has been used as a vehicle to further develop Milton Keynes based players and has been a 'feeder' club for the senior hockey club Milton Keynes Lightning. The teams iced by the club have been dominated by local players, supplemented by the occasional import (league rules restrict the use of import players to just two, compared to five in the defunct old second tier EPIHL and eleven in the first tier EIHL). The club also has links with the junior system and provides development opportunities for junior players at the Milton Keynes Storm Club.

### Arena redevelopment

In March 2013, Milton Keynes Council approved plans to redevelop the Leisure Plaza after failed attempts in 2006 and 2011. The development of the arena was funded by Morrisons Supermarkets and took 17 months to complete. This forced Thunder to play their home games at a temporary rink sited within the Milton Keynes City Centre in a building vacated by the Supermarket Waitrose. The rink and the MK ICE charity established to operate it was organised by the team's owner and the then general manager, David Fairhurst. The team returned to the redeveloped rink which had been renamed the "MK Arena" in October 2014.

### Club honours

* NIHL League: 0
* NIHL Playoffs: 0
* NIHL BBO Cup: 1 2016–17
The Milton Keynes Thunder lifted their first silverware when they secured the NIHL South BBO Cup in the 2016–17 season.

## Statistical records
### Top ten appearances

    League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season

### Top ten points scorers

    League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season

### Top ten goal scorers

    League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season

### Top ten goal assists

    League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season

### Top ten penalty minutes

    League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season

### Top ten points to game ratio

    League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season (Players with under 20 appearances not included)

### Top ten goals to game ratio

    League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season (Players with under 20 appearances not included)

### Top ten assists to game ratio

    League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season (Players with under 20 appearances not included)

### Top ten penalty minutes to games ratio

    League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season (Players with under 20 appearances not included)

### Top ten save percentages

    League, Cup & Play Offs; as at end of 2021/22 Season (Players with under 20 appearances not included)

### Retired Numbers

Season-by-season record
Milton Keynes Thunder season-by-season record
SeasonLeagueGPWOTWTOTLLPTSGFGALeague Position
2001–02ENIHL South188N/A1N/A917771026th
2002–03ENIHL South208N/A2N/A101877764th
2003–04ENIHL South169N/A2N/A52062423rd
2004–05ENIHL South187N/A4N/A71851665th
2005–06ENIHL South208N/A4N/A82084746th
2006–07ENIHL South225N/A4N/A151479999th
2007–08ENIHL South A169N/A2N/A52067504th
2008–09ENIHL South 1287N/A5N/A1619731147th
2009–10ENIHL South 1366N/A3N/A27151072288th
2010–11ENIHL South 14014N/A4N/A22321471927th
2011–12ENIHL South 1367N/A4N/A25181052168th
2012–13NIHL South 1326N/A1N/A25131301798th
2013–14NIHL South 1323N/A1N/A287782339th
2014–15NIHL South 13616N/A5N/A15371271186th
2015–16NIHL South 13614N/A2N/A20301271497th
2016–17NIHL South 1289N/A2N/A1720911257th
2017–18NIHL South 13163N/A61625741207th
2018–19NIHL South 14222N/A131211021797th
2019–20NIHL South 13632N/A127116421610th
2021–22NIHL South 13222N/A12791012369th
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; OTW = Overtime Wins; OTL = Overtime Losses; L = Losses; T = Ties; PTS = Points; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against :

## Associated teams

* Milton Keynes Lightning
* Milton Keynes Storm
* Milton Keynes Hurricanes