Wichita, Kan. - The Wichita Thunder, ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Edmonton Oilers and AHL's Bakersfield Condors, announced the signing of rookie defenseman Justin Lemcke.
Lemcke, 21, recently completed a five-year junior career in the Ontario Hockey League with the Belleville Bulls and the Hamilton Bulldogs. A native of Whitby, Ontario, he collected 105 points (30g-75a) in 258 OHL games. He led the Bulldogs to an OHL championship this past season and an appearance in the Memorial Cup.
After the season, he was chosen as the 2017-18 recipient of the Mickey Renaud Captain's Trophy, which is awarded to the OHL captain that best exemplifies leadership on and off the ice, with passion and dedication to the game of hockey and community. Lemcke was the longest serving captain in the OHL, having worn the 'C' for three-straight seasons and was very involved in the Hamilton community.