On Wednesday, the Thunderbolts and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes announced several transactions, led by the signings of defenseman Will van der Veen to a standard contract and forward Patrick Del Vecchio to a professional tryout (PTO).
Van der Veen turns professional with the Thunderbolts after concluding his college career at Saint Anselm College, where he scored two goals and 11 points along with a +7 rating in 29 games this season. The native of Duxbury, Massachusetts played four seasons of college hockey with Bowdoin College between 2021-2023 and Saint Anselm between 2023-2025, scoring 7 goals and 23 points with a +14 rating in 72 regular season games, and won the NESCAC Conference Championship with Bowdoin College in 2022-23.
Del Vecchio joins the Thunderbolts from Alvernia University, where he was a teammate of Thunderbolt forwards Isaac Chapman and Logan vande Meerakker. The three forwards were also teammates at Norwich University before each transferred to Alvernia, Chapman and Vande Meerakker in 2022 and Del Vecchio in 2024. This season, Del Vecchio scored 2 goals and 12 points in 18 games, and in 84 total games with Norwich between 2021-2024 and Alvernia in 2024-25, he scored 13 goals and 37 points. The native of Mississauga, Ontario was also a prolific offensive producer in junior hockey in his home province, scoring 31 goals and 66 points with the GOJHL’s Brampton Bombers in 2017-18, following by two full seasons in the OJHL with the Brampton Admirals between 2018-2020, scoring 33 goals and 98 points in 104 total games of league play.
In additional transaction news, defenseman Jake Mendeszoon has been released from his professional tryout (PTO), and forward Brady Lynn has been placed on waivers.