Defenseman Thibault returns to Fuel

INDIANAPOLIS –The Indy Fuel, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Chicago Blackhawks and the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs, announced that they have re-signed defenseman Sam Thibault for the 2019-20 season.

Thibault, 23, made his Indianapolis debut on Feb. 1 after being acquired from the Toledo Walleye via a three-team trade with the Atlanta Gladiators. He has 106 ECHL games under his belt, earning 25 points (2g-23a), 85 penalty minutes and a +5 rating. Splitting the 2018-19 season between Toledo and Indy, Thibault tallied two goals and 14 assists, as well as earning 56 penalty minutes in 63 ECHL contests.

A native of Sainte-Martine, Quebec, Thibault made his professional debut in 2017-18 with the Wichita Thunder, earning nine assists and a +10 rating in 43 games, in addition to appearing in a pair of AHL games with the Bakersfield Condors. Prior to turning pro, Thibault played his junior hockey for Baie-Comeau Drakkar in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. In three seasons with Drakkar, Thibault earned 40 assists, 281 penalty minutes and a +3 rating as well as serving as an alternate captain in 2015-16 and captain in 2016-17.