On Friday, the Thunderbolts and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes announced the signing of goaltender Reid Cooper to a standard contract.

Cooper appeared in one game with the Pensacola Ice Flyers earlier this season, as well as a game with the Macon Mayhem, played in Evansville against the Thunderbolts on November 9th in which he stopped 16 of 18 shots.  Cooper has more recently been playing with the Port Huron Prowlers of the FPHL, recording a 3-1-1 record with a .908% save percentage in 9 games played this season.  The Corman Park, Saskatchewan native played two seasons of junior hockey in the BCHL with Coquitlam and Salmon Arm before beginning his college career with Robert Morris University, appearing in 11 games between 2018-2021 before transferring to Curry College for 2021-2023, taking on the starting role and amassing a 32-11-3 record along with a .929% save percentage in 46 games, earning All-Conference First Team and AHCA Second Team All-American honors in 2022-23.  Cooper also appeared as an emergency backup goaltender for the NHL's Washington Capitals during the 2022-23 season and later played 6 games with the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays in 2023-24, posting a 3-1 record with an .866% save percentage in 6 games.