STOCKTON THUNDER ADD CHAMPIONSHIP PEDIGREE AND ELITE PLAYMAKING WITH PETR PANACEK SIGNING

Proven FPHL scorer reunites with General Manager Scott Brand after helping build a championship culture in Winston-Salem

STOCKTON, Calif. — The Stockton Thunder have added a proven scorer, championship winner and established veteran to their forward group with the signing of Petr Panacek for the upcoming season.

Panacek arrives in Stockton as one of the most productive active players in Federal Prospects Hockey League history. The 6-foot, right-shot forward from Vysocany, Czechia has recorded 302 points in 243 FPHL regular-season games, producing 99 goals and 203 assists during his career.

The signing also reunites Panacek with Thunder General Manager Scott Brand, who worked with the forward during the early years of the Carolina Thunderbirds organization in Winston-Salem.

“Petr was one of the first players I had when I was in Winston-Salem, and he quickly became an exciting player and a crowd favorite,” Brand said. “He has a lot of skill, he is a very fast hockey player and, pound-for-pound, he is one of the tougher players I have had play for me. I am thrilled to have him out here.”

Panacek spent the majority of his professional career in Winston-Salem, where he developed into one of the FPHL’s most reliable playmakers. During the 2024-25 season, he produced 13 goals and 23 assists for 36 points in 34 regular-season games, finishing at better than a point-per-game pace. He added another seven points in eight postseason appearances.

His most recent individual honor came following an outstanding 2023-24 campaign, when Panacek recorded 54 points in only 34 games. His 44 assists matched his career high and helped earn him a spot on the FPHL Continental Division First Team All-Stars. Panacek registered 17 multi-point performances that season, including 14 games with multiple assists.

That combination of speed, vision and unselfishness is expected to make Panacek an important piece of Stockton’s offensive attack.

“We can build a lot around Petr because of his offensive skills,” Brand said. “He is a great player, but he is also a team player. The other players are going to enjoy playing with him because he makes the smart play and he makes the easy play. He is an all-around great team guy.”

Panacek’s ability to distribute the puck has been a defining part of his game. He has recorded at least 20 assists in six different FPHL seasons, highlighted by consecutive 44-assist campaigns in 2019-20 and 2023-24.

His most productive professional season came in 2019-20, when he led Carolina with 25 goals, 44 assists and 69 points in 46 games. His 25 goals established a personal single-season high, while his plus-44 rating ranked second on both the Thunderbirds and in the FPHL.

Panacek was also named the FPHL Player of the Month for November 2019 after collecting 10 goals and 15 assists for 25 points in 13 games. That stretch included a seven-point performance in which he scored four goals and added three assists.

Brand believes Stockton can maximize Panacek’s playmaking ability by placing finishers around him.

“We are going to have to find some guys with good size and a good set of hands because Petr will set them up,” Brand said. “All they have to do is get in front, put their stick on the ice and he will find it. We want to continue adding skilled players around him, and his experience is going to bring a lot to the table.”

Panacek brings more than impressive statistics to Stockton. He was part of the Carolina team that captured the 2019 Commissioner’s Cup championship, recording 18 goals and 36 assists for 54 points during the regular season. His name is included on the FPHL’s official championship roster from that season.

That Thunderbirds team also established a league record by winning 24 consecutive games during the regular season. Carolina initially broke the previous record with its 22nd straight victory before extending the streak to 24.

“Petr played for me for two seasons, and one of those seasons ended with a championship,” Brand said. “He was also part of the team that broke the record for the most consecutive wins. He knows what it takes to be successful and what it takes to make a hockey team successful.”

Panacek has also received opportunities in the Southern Professional Hockey League, appearing with the Pensacola Ice Flyers during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. He produced five goals and five assists in seven games during his first stint with Pensacola.

His experience competing in different leagues and high-pressure situations should provide a valuable resource for Stockton’s younger players as the Thunder assemble their inaugural roster.

“His leadership on the ice and his veteran knowledge are going to help our younger players,” Brand said. “He is going to set a great example for them.”

Panacek’s influence has not been limited to the ice. Throughout his time in Winston-Salem, he became known for participating in community appearances, interacting with supporters and helping strengthen the connection between the Thunderbirds and their fan base.

Brand expects Panacek to embrace that same responsibility in Stockton and throughout the Central Valley.

“He was one of the players who showed up for all the events and took the time to sit and talk with everybody,” Brand said. “He understood that part of a player’s responsibility is getting out into the community and being with the fans. That is one of the major reasons we had such great success, and I know the people here in the Central Valley are going to absolutely love him.”

With his accomplished résumé, championship experience and reputation as both a playmaker and teammate, Panacek gives Stockton an early foundational piece around which the organization can continue constructing its forward group.

“He is going to be a crowd favorite,” Brand said. “People are going to enjoy watching his skill level, and it is great to be reunited with him.”