Milton Keynes Thunder

Milton Keynes Thunder
Milton Keynes Thunder
City	Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
League	NIHL
Division	Division One South
Founded	2001
Home arena	Planet Ice Arena Milton Keynes
Colors	White, Black & Teal ;
Affiliates	Milton Keynes Lightning, Milton Keynes Storm

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The Milton Keynes Thunder are an ice hockey team from Milton Keynes, England and are the second team in the town behind Milton Keynes Lightning.

They currently play in the English National Ice Hockey League (ENIHL) South Division One league.

As well as being the official affiliates to Milton Keynes Lightning, the team is committed to youth development with practically all players coming from the Milton Keynes junior ice hockey system.

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.^[1] 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.

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.

Season-by-season record

Milton Keynes Thunder season-by-season record

Season	League	GP	W	OTW	T	OTL	L	PTS	GF	GA	League Position
2001–02	ENIHL South	18	8	N/A	1	N/A	9	17	77	102	6th
2002–03	ENIHL South	20	8	N/A	2	N/A	10	18	77	76	4th
2003–04	ENIHL South	16	9	N/A	2	N/A	5	20	62	42	3rd
2004–05	ENIHL South	18	7	N/A	4	N/A	7	18	51	66	5th
2005–06	ENIHL South	20	8	N/A	4	N/A	8	20	84	74	6th
2006–07	ENIHL South	22	5	N/A	4	N/A	15	14	79	99	9th
2007–08	ENIHL South A	16	9	N/A	2	N/A	5	20	67	50	4th
2008–09	ENIHL South 1	28	7	N/A	5	N/A	16	19	73	114	7th
2009–10	ENIHL South 1	36	6	N/A	3	N/A	27	15	107	228	8th
2010–11	ENIHL South 1	40	14	N/A	4	N/A	22	32	147	192	7th
2011–12	ENIHL South 1	36	7	N/A	4	N/A	25	18	105	216	8th
2012–13	NIHL South 1	32	6	N/A	1	N/A	25	13	130	179	8th
2013–14	NIHL South 1	32	3	N/A	1	N/A	28	7	78	233	9th
2014–15	NIHL South 1	36	16	N/A	5	N/A	15	37	127	118	6th
2015–16	NIHL South 1	36	14	N/A	2	N/A	20	30	127	149	7th
2016–17	NIHL South 1	28	9	N/A	2	N/A	17	20	91	125	7th
2017–18	NIHL South 1	31	6	3	N/A	6	16	25	74	120	7th
2018–19	NIHL South 1	42	2	2	N/A	1	31	21	102	179	7th
2019–20	NIHL South 1	36	3	2	N/A	1	27	11	64	216	10th
2021–22	NIHL South 1	32	2	2	N/A	1	27	9	101	236	9th

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; OTW = Overtime Wins; OTL = Overtime Losses; L = Losses; T = Ties; PTS = Points; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against