Lepine brings experience to Wichita blue line

Wichita, Kan. - The Wichita Thunder, ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Edmonton Oilers and AHL's Bakersfield Condors, announced the signing of veteran defenseman Guillaume Lepine.

Lepine, 30, enters his 10th year as a pro after spending the last two and a half seasons with the AHL's Binghamton Senators. A native of Montreal, Quebec, he has racked up 1,298 penalty minutes to go with 110 points (24g-86a) in 531 career pro games.

He began his pro career in 2008-09 with the Elmira Jackals and played there for two seasons. In 2010-11, Lepine went across the pond and played the next three years for the EIHL's Nottingham Panthers. He set a career-high in penalty minutes in 2010-11, piling up 225 penalty minutes in 49 games and helped lead the Panthers to three-straight EIHL titles.

Lepine returned to the states in 2013-14, signing with the Evansville IceMen and served as an alternate captain. He also appeared in six games with the AHL's Utica Comets. After re-signing in Evansville in 2014-15, he was named as the team's captain and played in 35 games for the IceMen. Lepine earned a call-up to the B-Sens in January that same season and collected 107 penalty minutes in 38 games.