The Offical British Ice Hockey Thread

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Might as well start this one again, hopefully get the same format as last time, little run down on each EIHL teams and some general Tony Hand loving

Basingstoke Bison:
Finished 9th in 2007-2008
Basingstoke had an up & down season last year, and went very close to the brink of going bust. After financial difficulties they ended up having only 11 skaters and 2 netminders, but some how managed to be runners-up in the knockout cup and only just missed out on making the playoffs. This year should be a more stable year, with a new owner and new sponsors Basingstoke could be challenging for silverware again. They have lost their most influential player from last year, Steve Thornton who has become head coach of Belfast, and it is important they replace him with someone of a similar quality. Top brit Greg Owen has also left to pursue a career in Europe and he will be sorely missed as well.

Head Coach: Eric Braff

Netminders:
Kevin Reiter: - New signing. Kevin joins from the Fort Wayne Komets of the IHL, where he won the championship and the Keeper of the year award. He posted 8 shuouts and a save percentage of 91. Could be a good netminder for the Bison.

Joe White: - New signing. 20 yr old Joe joins from EPL team Swindon Wildcats where he has spent the last 2 seasons, and before that he spent some time in the US for Omaha Energy. Joe has shown some potential in the EPL and will be looking to transfer this to EIHL.

D-Men:
Kurt Reynolds: - New Signing. Kurt joins from the Bees where he spent last season playing along new signing Shaun Thompson. An offensive defenceman Kurt has also played over the shore for Hartford Jrs.

Curtiss Patrick: - New Signing. Stay at home Curtiss joins from Wheeling Nailers where he spent the whole of last season except for 1 game in the AHL with Wilkes-Barre. The Herd will be hoping Curtiss to bring strength and consistency to their 'D'.

Trevor Read: - New signing. Trevor will be bring offence to Basingstoke's defensive lines contributing a few goals and a fair number of assists as well. He joins from the Amarillo Gorillas in the CHL.

Jason Goulet: - New signing. The 6'5" defenceman has a lot of experience in the ECHL and CHL as well as a call up to the AHL. He won't be getting many points but will most likely be getting a lot penalty minutes.

Eric Braff: Eric returns fro his 3rd season at Basingstoke after a career high 33 points and 58 PIM in 64 games for the Bison. He is a consistent performer at both ends of the ice.

Forwards:
Greg Chambers(RW/LW): Back for another 2 years last seasons top points scorer(84) Chambers is classed as an import despite representing Team GB in the World Championships. Chambers attracted a lot of interest from Europe as well Coventry Blaze but has decided to stay on for the Bison.

Brad Cruikshank(RW): Fan favourite Brad is returning for the Bison after having his best EIHL season last year, getting 60 points whilst also spending 260 minutes in the penalty box.

Shaun Thompson(LW/C): - New signing. Shaun makes his return to Basingstoke after spending time in Bracknell in the EPL. He has put up some good numbers for the Bees and will be looking to do the same on his return to the EIHL.

Mark Richardson(C/RW): - New signing. Touted as one of the best young Brits he failed to live up to expectations at Nottingham. However he may be asked to do a bigger role at Basingstoke and may return to his for of the 06/07 season.

Brent Hughes(RW): - New signing. Brent spent last year in the IHL and before that he managed 152 points in 216 games in the CHL. Despite only being 5'7" he plays a gritty style of hockey and will add punch to the offensive lines.

Ross Bowers(LW/RW): - New signing. Despite a slightly poor season last year at Milton Keynes Ross has scored 40 goals in the last 3 seasons at EPL level. He will be on the 3rd line with Thompson and a new tough guy.

Jeremy Cornish(LW): - New signing. Jeremy has spent 3 and a half seasons in the UK with London, Newcastle and Sheffield and is one of the toughest men in the league. Whilst he won't be getting many goals he will have the job of protecting the young kids and making sure other teams don't take any liberties.

Danny Stewart(LW): Back for his second year in Hampshire, Danny is a good all round forward. He managed 29 goals and 31 assists in 64 games last year

Matt Miller(C): - New signing. Despite being employed mainly as a fighter for his pervious teams, Matt comes to Basingstoke for his offensive skills which saw him get 20 goals and 25 assists in the CHL last year.

Not Returning:
Greg Owen: Greg is one of the top brits and still relatively young at 27. 65 points in 63 games last season caused HC Briancon to move in for the highly rated Brit. Will be sorely missed by the Bison
Steve Thornton: Steve had signed a contract with an option for a 2nd year at Basingstoke, but instead decided to move to Belfast as player/coach. Another big player who will be missed by Basingstoke.
Derek Campbell: Has moved to Cardiff after a good season with Basingstoke getting 48 points & 96 minutes in the box
Dan Green: After playing 15 games last year Dan has moved on to take up the back up netminder role in Sheffield
Kyle Peto: One of he Basingstoke 11 who missed some of the season with injury, Kyle has moved to Florida in the ECHL after getting 22 points in 39 games from the blue line.
Greg Wood: Greg was getting disillusioned with life at Basingstoke and has moved to league champions Coventry
David Vychodil: Played through injury problems last year and was a fans favourite at Basingstoke, however he has decided to move to Russia next year.

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Belfast Giants:
Finished 4th in 2007-2008
A poor season by Belfast standards last year saw them finish in 4th and not win any silverware. A poor start culminated in coach Courtenay placing all of his players on 14-day notice, before making 2 great signings that transformed their season. With Basingstoke in financial trouble and not being able to pay some of their players, Belfast moved quickly to sign netminder Stevie Lyle & forward Peter Campbell. Belfast then went on to break the record most wins in a row, before losing their form towards the end of the season. Courtenay has left Britain now to continue his career in NA and Steve Thornton takes over as Player/Coach

Head Coach: Steve Thornton

Netminders:
Stevie Lyle: Stevie had a good season last year in Belfast with 2.69 GAA & 90.7 sv%, however many fans have doubts about whether he is good enough to win a championship. Staying at Belfast for another 2 years

Nathan Craze: - New Signing. Nathan has been one of the top EPL goalies for the last couple of seasons and has decided to try his luck in the EIHL. He may have few opportunities behind Lyle though.

D-men:
Shane Johnson: 34 yr old Shane is returning for his 10 the season in the UK & his 8th season with Belfast. He managed 22 points from the blue line last season, whilst getting 65 penalties in minutes, and has been rewarded with a 2-year contract.

Graeme Walton: Graeme was slightly down on his points toal last season and will be looking to better that this year, whilst trying to keep his GB place.

David Phillips: - New Signing. David joins from Hull where he got 18 points last year in a struggling Hull side, his career high in the EIHL.

Mike Burgoyne: - New signing. Mike is an offensive defenceman from Ontario who spent last year in the CHL, managing 55 points in 58 games. He stands at 6'2" and weighs 200 pounds and is not afraid to use his weight either, a good signing for the Giants.

Tyler Howells: - New signing. Tyler is another offensive defenceman and completes the Giants' defensive corps. He only has 1 professional season under his belt, which he split between the ECHL and the German Bundesliga but he is a player with potential.

Forwards:
Mark Morrison(RW): 9 points for Mark last year was enough for new coach Steve Thornton to rehire him this year. Morrison is never afraid of doing the dirty work and is also willing to drop the gloves if needed

Colin Shields(RW): - New Signing. Colin joins from Newcastle where he posted 73 points, a team high last season. He is also one of the few Brits to have played across the pond as well in the ECHL, could be a good signing for Belfast.

Paul Sample(RW/LW): - New Signing. Paul joins from Cardiff where he got 14 points in 38 games, a bit down on his usual scoring. Steve Thornton will be looking to get Paul back to his previous form.

Bobby Robins(C): - New signing. Bobby joins Belfast after spending last season split between the ECHL & AHL managing a point every other game and 165 PIMs. A gritty centre Bobby moved straight from the US College system to a full season in the AHL, getting 15 points and 110 PIM in 80 games.

Andrew Martin(LW): - New signing. A college team mate of Bobby Robins, Andrew has spent the last few seasons in the ECHL, managing 72 points in 93 games. A speedy skater who should excel in the larger rinks.

Steve Thornton(RW): - New signing. Player coach Thornton spent last year with Basingstoke and missed some of the season through injury, however he still managed 43 points. Despite his age he will be a key player for the Giants.

Evan Cheverie(LW/C/D): - New signing. Evan can play both defence or forward and has EIHL experience with a season in Coventry 3 years ago. He has also played with netminder Lyle before in France for Morzine where they won a championship together. He should be able to get around a point a game this season.

Paul Deniset(C): - New signing. 5'10" Paul started out in the WHL before moving to the CIS league where he played for the Uni of Manitoba where he had a very successful time, scoring 161 points in 137 games. He will be asked to be one of Belfast's top goal scorers this year.

George Awada(RW): George returns for his 5th season in Ireland and will be for his 5th season of scoring over 50 points. He is a fans favourite who is pretty much guaranteed on scoring 20 goals this season.

Malcom MacMillan(C): - New signing. Malcolm has spent the majority of his pro-career in the ECHL and AHL and was named as Readings fans favourite of the year last year. He also holds the record number of PIM for Reading, however he is by no means an enforcer. He has averaged a point every other game in the ECHL for the past 2 seasons and is also very handy in the faceoff circle.

Not returning:
Roman Gavalier: Many expected Roman to retire at the end of this season, but he has signed for MHK VTJ Kezmarok.
Leigh Jamieson: After appearing for GB Leigh has moved on to Coventry to work with GB coach Paul Thompson
Ed Courtenay: Ed has retired from playing hockey and has taken up a job in the agency business.
Peter Campbell: 85 points last year made him Belfast's top scorer, however he is another player who has moved to the Danish league this summer.
Scott Cameron: Scott had a slightly disappointing season with 39 points from 55 games and has retired from hockey due to injury.

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Cardiff Devils:
Finished 6th in 2007-2008
Cardiff became the second EIHL team to get into financial difficulties last year after announcing losses of £1,000-£1,500 a week. Cardiff were eventually bought up and are now financially safe. The Devils started brightly last season and would have been title challengers, had it not been for numerous injuries to their top players. Most notably keeper Phil Osaer spent a long time on the physio's table and forward Mike Prpich had his season come to an end soon after joining the Devils with an injury. In the plus side they performed very well despite these injuries and with a full bench this year could definitely be challenging for honours come the end of the season, despite losing Osaer to the Norwegian league.

Head Coach: Gerad Adams

Netminders:
Peter Aubry: - New Signing. Back for his second stint at the Devils, Peter is an experienced netminder with EIHL, ECHL & German league experience.

Joe Myers: This season is Joe's 3rd as backup in Cardiff and he has often been called upon to guard the net for the Devils in the past due to injuries. Last season he played 11 games and got 5.25 GAA and 0.851 save %, a respectable achievement considering the injuries the Devils had.

D-men:
Jason Stone: Jason returns for his 20th season at the Devils. He is a fixture in the Devils defence and another solid performer.

Lee Cowmeadow: Lee is an 18 year veteran returning to Cardiff for his last ever season. He provided injury cover last year and Gerad Adams has made him a full member of the squad.

Doug MacIver: - New signing. Doug is a 6'5" Canadian defenceman who has a lot of experience at ECHL level, and spent last year in the Netherlands with Den Haag. Known more for his PIM than is points will bring toughness to the defensive lines of Cardiff.

Mike Hartwick: - New signing. A stay at home defenceman who was tempted over to Wales by one of the University places the club offers to players. Mike moved straight from the US College system to the ECHL where he has spent the last one and a half seasons. Another stay at home defenceman for the Devils.

Wes Jarvis: - New signing. Wes was a second round NHL draft pick in 1997 and has spent time in the AHL and ECHL. He joined Basingstoke last year before leaving during their financial troubles, he is a big player who isn't afraid to use his size.

Likit Andersson: - New signing.Likit becomes the first Thai player to play in the EIHL, although this is not the first time he has played in Britain, he spent some time with Bracknell in the old Super League. He is an experienced offensive defenceman who will quarter back the PP.

Tyson Teplitsky: Tyson joins for his 3rd season in Cardiff after failing to make it in Finland. Tyson is probably the best offensive defenceman in the league and managed 54 points in 64 games last year with 18 coming from goals

Forwards:
Neil Francis(RW): Despite only scoring 6 points last year, it was Neil's best in the EIHL. A solid performer who gives 100% every game.

Matt Towe(C/RW): Matt returns for his 2nd season at the Devils, just after breaking through into the senior GB side. He managed 17 points last season, a great feat for the 20yr old.

Phil Hill(C/LW): Phil had a great season last year, posting 21 points in 53 games. Gerad Adams will be looking for a similar points production this year.

Jason Silverthorn(C): Jason returns for his 2nd season after scoring 57 points in 53 games last year. His season was hampered by injury and Coach Adams will be hoping for an injury free season for his top line centre.

Brad Voth(RW): Brad was one of Cardiff's stand-out players last year. Despite a lengthy ban he managed 46 points in 58 games, a fantastic achievement for an 'enforcer'.

Mike Prpich(RW): Mike's last season ended after only 7 games due to a knee injury, however Coach Adams has kept faith in the 26 yr old from Saskatchewan. A gritty player, Mike became a fans favourite during his brief spell in Wales last season.

Derek Campbell(LW): - New Signing. Derek managed 48 points in 56 games last year at Basingstoke before Gerad Adams made a move for the Canadian winger. Derek is a big hitting LW who can also put points on the board.

Ben Davies(C): Ben has made the move up from the Cardiff Dragons of the ENL and managed his first ever senior goal last season. Moving up to the EIHL can only be good for Ben's development.

Jay Latulippe(LW/C): - New signing. The 26 yr old Saratoga-born winger joins from Corpus Christi in the CHL where he scored 42 points in 45 game last year. He is known for his speed and will mainly be used as a setup man rather than a goal scorer.

Rod Hinks(C): - New signing. Rod has EIHL experience with Newcastle 2 years ago when he scored 47 points in 40 games. He will be first line centre for the Devils and should contribute a fair number of both goals and assists next season.

Not returning:
Phil Osaer: Phil has taken up an offer from Norway for substantially more money than Cardiff could offer. A top netminder, and a nice bloke who got me a free ticket last year to the Manchester - Cardiff game!
Dion Darling: Dion came in as injury cover last year, and did a good job with 8 points in 16 games and 21 PIM in defence. However Dion has decided to retire from Hockey.
Max Birbraer: Max has been one of Cardiff's best players for the last 2 seasons and will be sadly missed, he is moving to Kazakhstan next season.
Paul Sample: Experience Brit Paul has joined up with Steve Thornton in Belfast.

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Coventry Blaze:
Won the league & knockout cup in 2007-2008
Another successful year for Coventry saw them win 2 trophies and come runners up in the playoffs. Their top line of Calder & Carlson was the best in the league and they topped the points chart at the end of the season. However netminder Koenig has left & it is looking uncertain whether Calder & Carlson will stay on next year so Coach Thompson may have to rebuild his title winning team. He has started early with the signing of NHL first round pick Scott Kelman(#15 1999) and he will want to carry on Coventry's dominance in British Hockey

Head Coach: Paul Thompson

Netminders:
J F Perras: - New Signing. J F joins from Edinburgh Capitals, and had a relatively good season despite getting little help from his defence. It will be interesting to see how he performs behind a better defence and whether he can backstop Coventry to another league title.

Steve Fone: Steve is one of the most promising young netminders in Britain. He had a brief stint as starter for Manchester last year and excelled himself in the 3 games he played there. He will be splitting his time between the ENL blaze and the elite league team.

D-men:
Jonathan Weaver: One of the best Brits best offensive defencemen in the league at the minute, Jonathan returns for his 2nd year of a 3 year contract at Coventry. He managed 63 points from 57 games last year and was key player on the PP. With the departure of Neal Martin, Jonathan will be the no.1 defenceman for Coventry.

Matt Soderstrom: Matt is returning for his 7th year for the Blaze, and his 2nd in succession. He had a solid season last year and surprised many with his play. A good returnee for the Blaze.

Ben O'Connor: - New signing. Ben is an exciting young Brit who has spent time in the OHL with Windsor & Mississauga. He can play either on D or in LW and is one for the future.

Leigh Jamieson: - New signing. Leigh joins from rivals Belfast Giants where he managed 22 points from 60 games in what was an up and down season for the Giants. He is also a Team GB regular and if he impresses at Coventry then Coach Thompson will no doubt keep him on the GB roster.

Corey LeClair: - New signing. Corey has big skates to fill as he replaces Neal Martin who has moved to Denmark. Whilst Corey may not get as many points as Neal did he is a fantastic skater who will help out at both ends of the ice.

Forwards:
Scott Kelman(C): - New signing. Scott was a #15 pick in the 1999 NHL draft, however he failed to live up to his potential and has never played in the NHL, however he has spent a lot of time in the AHL. He has a reputation of being a faceoff specialist and will probably be getting more assists than goals this year.

Tom Watkins(C/RW/D): Back for his 9th year at Coventry Tom had a slightly disappointing year last year, only managing 15 points in 68 games. However he managed to keep his Team GB place and will be looking to remain in the GB squad. Tom will predominantly be playing defence this year.

Dan Carlson(C): Back for his 3rd season Dan managed 110 points in 68 games, including an astonishing 81 assists. A key player for the Blaze the fans will be happy to see his return.

Danny Stewart(LW/RW): Danny is a gritty player who contributes at both ends of the ice. He amassed 44 points and 128 PIM in 68 games last year and will be looking for similar totals this year.

Greg Wood(C/LW): - New signing. Greg spent last year with Basingstoke where he got a bit disheartened with losing so many games, he also has one eye on moving to the full GB roster under the guidance of Blaze & GB coach Paul Thompson.

Joe Henry(LW/RW): After impressing in both the ENL & EIHL last year Coach Thompson has given Joe a bigger role in the team this year. Joe will no longer play for the ENL Blaze and will concentrate on the EIHL only.

Carlyle Lewis(RW): - New signing. Lewis' move from Belfast to Coventry was the worst kept secret in British Ice Hockey, with Lewis agreeing to move after last seasons playoff semi final. Will be adding the size that was missed last year to Coventry's team.

Barrie Moore(LW): Former NHLer Barrie returns for his 4th season in Coventry and will one again be key to the Blaze's penalty killing unit. He managed 47 points last year and also added experience to the Blaze lines.

Adam Calder(LW/C): Adam is signed up for the next 2 years after being the highest points scorer in the EIHL last year with 125 points is 68 games, 58 of those being goals. Whenever he plays with Dan Carlson the Blazze win the league and Coach Thompson will be hoping they can continue to do so.

Russ Cowley(RW/LW): Russ priced himself out of the league originally, and due to the enforced wage cap this year Russ has had to drop his demands and accept lower terms to stay at Coventry.

Sylvain Deschatelets(C/RW): - New signing. Sylvain moves from Cardiff where he was top points scorer last year, amassing 88 points in 65 games. If he clicks with Calder and Carlson that line could be deadly.

Not returning:
KC Timmons: KC was a solid performer for Coventry last year, and played especially well in defence. However Coach Thompson has decided against offering him a new deal.
Neal Martin: Neal was the best defenceman in the league last year, a very skillful player who could easily skate through teams without much effort. Neal has decided to move to Denamrk this year, a player who will be missed by fans all around the league.
Trevor Koenig: One of the best netminders in the league consistently for the past few seasons, Trevor has joined Neal Martin in the Danish league.
Rumun Ndur: Despite missing a large chunk of the season with injury, Rumun helped out in the Blaze dressing room last year, however this was not enough to keep him at Coventry as he leaves for Nottingham.
James Cooke: Young James moved from Nottingham last summer and never really found any form for the Blaze scoring only 2 points, Coach Thompson decided not to offer him another deal.
Curtis Huppe: Finished last season on 76 points in 60 games, however Curtis has decided to retire from Hockey.
Sylvain Cloutier: Sylvain has retired from playing hockey and taken up the head coach role at Corpus Christi Rayz of the CHL.

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Edinburgh Capitals:
Finished 8th in 2007-2008
Edinburgh started poorly but really found their form towards the end of the season, sneaking in to the playoffs ahead of Basingstoke. Edinburgh will once again be looking for playoff hokey and coach Christiansen will have to put together a team that is consistent throughout the whole season, not just towards the end.

Head Coach: Doug Christiansen

Netminders:
Michel Robinson: - New signing. Michel has spent time in the IHL, ECHL, AHL and in Italy. He is a solid keeper with a flashy glove hand.

Mark McGill: A product of the youth system, MArk will be looking for experience training with the team and getting the odd bit of ice time here and there.

D-men:
Kyle Horne: Kyle returns to Edinburgh for his 3rd season and has steadily improved to one of the best British defenceman in the league, earning a call up to Team GB. Doug Christiansen is looking for a little bit more offence from Kyle this year.

Craig Mitchell: - New signing. Craig is a young British defenceman who has spent time in the SNL with the Fife Flyers. The 17yr old impressed last season against the Capitals SNL team and will be looking to improve this year to take his career to the next level.

Taylor Christie: - New signing. A 2002 NHL draft pick, Taylor moved straight from the NCAA to the ECHL where he improved his offensive skills. He has consistently improved his scoring during his 3 seasons in the ECHL and last seasons he managed 30 points in 65 games. He has also taken up one of the University places on offer by the Caps.

Joe Dustin: - New signing. Joe is another offensive defenceman who has joined from the ECHL. He managed 27 points from 58 games at Bakersfield last year and will be a key player on the PP for Edinburgh.

Mark Paterson: Mark returns to Edinburgh after playing 60 games last year for the Caps, getting 4 points. He is a useful player to have as he can play in both defence or attack.

Forwards:
Doug Christiansen(RW): Coach Christiansen will once again be skating for the Capitals after a good season during which he managed 51 points as he led Edinburgh to the final playoff place. A contributor at both ends of the ice Doug is a key player for the Capitals.

Mark Garside(RW): Mark joins after a good season for the Caps in which he managed 22 points. He is clearly one of the most talented young Brits about and will be receiving quite a lot of ice time at the Caps this year, hopefully increasing his points output even more.

Adam Stefishen(LW/D): Adam returns after his best ever season in professional hockey, including career high goals, points and penalty minutes. He was also a key player in defence, and his versatility makes him a very useful player

Iain Bowie(RW/LW): Iain was given a bigger role last year at Edinburgh and will be getting an even bigger role this year, and Coach Christiansen has big expectations of him. He was the top points scorer at the U18 World Championships Div. 2 and will be looking to continue that form next year.

Ross Dalgleish(RW): Ross returns for his 5th season for the Caps, after having his best ever year last year. He scored a career high 15 points in the EIHL and will be looking to improve on that this year.

Jordan Steel: Jordan played 41 games last year for the Caps, his first senior season. He will be looking to improve as he gets more ice time this year.

Martin Cingel(RW/LW): Martin is back for his 7th season in Edinburgh, on the back of his best season ever scoring 53 points in 64 games. Coach Christiansen will be looking for him to improve offensively next year.

Andrej Rajcak(C): - New signing. Andrej returns from Denmark to Edinburgh where he scored 45 points in 50 games during the 06-07 season. He is a good centre who sohuld be towards the top of Edinburgh's points scoring charts.

Neil Hay(LW/RW): Neil comes off the back of a career high points season last year, managing 25 in 55 games as he helped Edinburgh into the playoffs. He will be looking for another solid season if he wants playoff hockey again this year.

Mark Hurtubise(C): - New signing. Mark is a solid former ECHLer who is a good setup man. Before Edinburgh he played for Mississippi Sea Wolves where he managed 44 points in 66 games.

David Nimmo(C): - New signing. David is a sniper signed from the Amarillo Gorillas where he managed 84 points, including 41 goals, from 64 games. If Edinburgh are to get into the playoffs this year Nimmo will need to recapture this form.

Not returning:
J F Perras: J F had a good season behind a poor defence, however he has now moved on to Coventry. Coach Christiansen will be looking for another solid netminder this year..
Ben O'Connor: One of the few Brits to be drafted in the CHL import draft and have NA experience, Ben is a top prospect and should do well at new club Coventry.

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Hull Stingrays:
Finished 10th in 2007-2008
A poor season for Hull saw them finish bottom of the EIHL, although they weren't too far of the pace. Despite some good results including a 5-1 win against Nottingham in front of Sky's cameras Hull couldn't get any consistency and let in 7 goals or more on 5 occasions last year. This year coach Strachan will be looking to challenge for that last playoff place.

Head Coach: Rick Strachan

Netminders:
Curtis Cruickshank: - New signing. A 4th round draft pick in 1997 Curtis is now a veteran in the EIHL after spending he last 5 seasons here. Whilst he is not going to backstop Hull to a championship he is a solid keeper who will consistently perform for the 'rays.

Andy Jaszczyk: - New signing. 19 yr old Andy has spent time playing in the ENL with Kingston and has also spent time training with Nottingham. He will be using this year as a stepping stone to the rest of his career.

D-men:
Stuart Kerr: - New signing. Another big player Stuart stands at 6'3" and amassed 208 PIM last year in the CHL. A stay at home defenceman Stuart will not be contributing many points this year

Paul Moran: - New signing. Paul is a GB international who can play either defence or forward. He has spent a lot of his time in Nottingham although he moved to Sheffield and then Belfast before joining Hull. He is an experienced Brit who will bring consistency to Hulls defensive lines.

Pavel Gomenyuk: - New signing. Despite being relatively small Pavel racks up the PIM and is a though player. He will also be key to Hull who he rejoins after spending last year with Newcastle.

Troy Neumeier: Troy joined the 'Rays late on last season and was solid performer. He is an experienced stay at home d-man who uses his size to his advantage.

Aaron Wilson: - New signing. With CHL and ECHL experience Aaron is a big stay-at-home defenceman who is not afraid to play the body. If Hull want to make the playoffs they will have to stop leaking goals and this will be down to Wilson and co.

Forwards:
Lee Mitchell(C/RW): The 21 yr old Brits campaign came to a premature end last year when he received a knee injury. Despite this he still managed 20 points in 41 games, and if he carries on this form he could break into the full Team GB roster.

Jeff Glowa(C/RW): Jeff had the highest assists for Hull last year and is returning for his 5th successive year. He increased his points output last year to 53 in 61 games and Hull fans will be hoping he can keep his consistency next year.

Jason Kostadine(RW): - New signing. Jason is clear of example of the way Hull are looking to go this season. Big players who are willing to drop the gloves and provide entertainment. An 8th round pick in 2002 Jason has QMJHL & ECHL experience.

Matt Reynolds(C/LW): - New signing. The Canadian born joins from the Fort Wayne Komets of the IHL where he managed 52 points in 76 games last year, plus another 8 points in 13 playoff games. Comfortable at both ends of the ice Matt should be a solid signing for Hull.

Rick Kozak(RW): - New signing. A 3rd round draft pick in 2003 Rick has brief AHL & ECHL experience and spent the last 2 seasons in the CHL. Standing at 6'3" and 223lbs Rick is another player who can drop the gloves, however he can also contribute offensively managing 42 points in 60 games last year and sitting out 204 minutes.

James Cooke(LW): - New signing. The young brit joins from Coventry and returns to Hull for his 2nd season there. He will probably get a bit more ice time in Hull than he did last year in Coventry which can only help his career.

Slava Koulikov(LW): Despite being born in Ukraine Slava was trained as a junior in the UK so is not classed as an import. He is an important player on the PP and he scored 17 points in 25 games on his return to Hull last season after a mid-season move from Basingstoke.

Lee Esders(LW/RW): Lee is a hard working young British winger, who managed 6 points last year with the 'rays. He will be looking to improve on that total this year.

Steve Slonina(C): - New signing. Steve spent last year in the CHL and has a lot of ECHL experience. He is a natural centreman who is more of a playmaker than a goalscorer but he can also play in various other positions including defence.

Konstantin Kalmikov(RW): - New signing. Konstantin was a 3rd round Maple Leafs Draft pick in 1996 and will bring a lot of experience to the Hull team. He scored 43 points from 58 games last time he was in the EIHL and could be a key player for the Stingrays.

Not returning:
David Phillips: The Team GB defenceman has joined Belfast as looks to push on his career.
Luke Boothroyd: After impressing at the World Championships, Coach Hand didn't hesitate to make him a Phoenix player after Hull didn't offer him a new deal.
Ladislav Kudrna: A good netminder who often was the only player keeping the scores respectable for Hull last year, Ladislav has taken up the netminders role for Swindon of the EPL.
Bryce Thoma: Defenceman Bryce has retired after managing 27 points last year in 61 games, he become assistant coach at Red Deer Rebels of the WHL.
Rob Rankin: Rob was one of Hull's better players last year, getting 57 points in 61 games, Rob Wilson didn't waste too much time making him a Newcastle player this season.
Steve Lee: Despite being one of the rising stars of British hockey Hull have decided against renewing Steve's contract as he moves on to Guildford Flames of the EPL.
Tom Chamberlin: Young netminder Chamberlin has taken up a role in the EPL with the Romford Raiders and will be looking to get more ice time there.
Jake Riddle: Jake started the season in Hull but was released from his contract for indiscipline.

[Calv]

Manchester Phoenix:
Finished 7th in 2007-2008
A slightly disappointing season last year saw Phoenix finish 7th in their first year in their own home. Despite having the leagues 2nd highest goal scorer in Joe Tallari and Tony Hand finishing top 10 for points Phoenix were horribly inconsistent, especially away from home. Caoch Hand has started early this year by re-signing utility man Carl Graham & youngster Phil Hamer as well as brining in GB defenceman Luke Boothroyd from Hull. It remains to be seen whether Coach Hand carries on playing or whether he will sign 11 imports and hang up his skates

Head Coach: Tony Hand

Netminders:
Stephen Murphy: - New signing. Stephen recently took over Stevie Lyle as GB no.1 in the World Championships and impressed a number of EIHL coaches. It looked like he was moving to Basingstoke, however a late offer from Hand made his a Phoenix player for the next season. Stephen has spent time in the US and played last season in Norway.

Adam Summerfield: Adam spent last year in the U-18 squad, during which he didn't lose one match. He also trained with the Elite team and had a short stint in between the pipes in an EIHL match. He obviously impressed Coach Hand enough to offer him a contract.

D-men:
Carl Graham: Carl was the stand-out young Brit of the team last year, as he impressed fans with his consistency and his versatility, playing in both defence and on the right wing. Phoenix will be looking for another solid season from Carl.

Luke Boothroyd: - New signing. Luke impressed Coach Hand at the World Championships and he wasted no time in signing Luke up to the Phoenix squad. Luke still has lots of time to improve and could become a good Brit defenceman.

Dwight Parrish: - New signing. US born Dwight is back to the Phoenix after playing in the first Phoenix season 4 years ago. Dwight is a solid defenceman who will bring experience to the Phoenix back line.

Kenton Smith: - New signing. Kenton joins from Charlotte Checkers where he spent the last 4 seasons. Useful at both ends of the ice Kenton averages just under a point every other game, as well as amassing a fair number of PIM. Kenton was also signed as free agent by Tampa Bay Lightning however he never appeared in the NHL, although he as few AHL games under his belt.

Josh Garbutt: - New signing. Despite only standing at 5'11", Josh weighs 208lbs and herds buffalo in his summer breaks. He has spent the majority of his professional career in the CHL, and is handy at both ends of the rink. He will take over the role that Simon Mangos has left behind.

Alex Dunn: - New signing. Alex completes the Phoenix's defensive lines and is a gritty player who will chip in
with the occasional goal. He comes from the CHL where he scored 59 points in 132 games in the last 2 seasons.

Forwards:
Phil Hamer(RW): Phil is a promising youngster who actually started out playing roller hockey before he made the move over to Ice. Phil managed 50 points in the 9 games he played in the U-18's league last year, and he also appeared in 5 EIHL games. He will spend most of his time in the Elite team however when the ENL team are playing and the EIHL team aren't he will be appearing in the ENL.

Brett Clouthier(LW): Brett had a slow start to the season last year and only returned to his previous form about half way through the season. He managed 36 points in 60 games, as well as 206 PIM. Brett is a fans favourite and was voted best enforcer in the league last year.

Adam Walker(C/RW): Adam had Bell's Palsy until christmas last year which seriously hampered his season. He was never able to recapture his form of the previous season and only managed 10 points. Coach Hand will be looking for an improvement this year.

David Beauregard(LW): - New signing. A 1994 Sharks draft pick, David showed a lot of potential until he lost the sight in his left eye after he took a high stick to the face during a game. Despite spending time out to recover from injury he has turned into a top quality sniper at ECHL, UHL & CHL level, managing over 600 goals and 500 assists in his career.

Nathan Ward(C): - New signing. Nathan played last year in the CHL with Odessa and was teammates with Phoenix defenceman Alex Dunn. He also had a breakout year last year recording 72 points in 71 games with 45 of those being assists.

Bruce Mulherin(LW/C): - New signing. Another player who was tempted to Manchester by a university deal, Brett is a 26 yr old 6 ft winger who is useful at both ends of the ice. In his first 2 seasons at pro level he scored 74 points in 111 ECHL games. He will most likely play on the 2nd line with Nathan Ward.

Tony Hand(C/RW): Tony turns 41 this month but he is still the best British trained Hockey player. He only needs 33 points to reach 4,000 career points.

Luke Fulghum(RW): - New signing. Luke is a gritty 6' winger who plays a high energy game. Luke has been signed mainly on his goalscoring ability, he has scored 54 goals in 148 ECHL games. He has spent the majority of his career in the ECHL however he has also had call ups to the AHL.

Kyle Bruce(RW): - New signing. Kyle becomes Manchester's 2nd enforcer, the 2001 8th round draft pick stands at 6' and 205lbs. He moves from Wichita Thunder of the CHL where he amassed 247 PIM and 26 points in 61 games.

Lucas Burnett(C/RW): - New signing. Lucas comes in to replace the outgoing Grant Jacobsen. In his first year as a pro the 6'3" forward got 36 points in 59 games. He also played with David Beauregard last year and will be looking to link up with the sniper again.

Not returning:
Scott Fankhouser: Scott came to Manchester with a very good reputation and NHL experience, however he failed to live up to expectations, despite having some very good nights he had a lot of poor nights and inconsistency let him down.
Joe Tallari: Top scorer Tallari has decided to pursue his dream of playing for the Italian national team by moving to Italy.
Jeff MacMillan: Jeff has moved to Bloomington Thunder of the IHL, along with Scott Fankhouser.
Brian Passmore: Coach Hand wanted Brian to stay however he was asking for too much money and will not be playing for the Phoenix next year.
Simon Mangos: One of the best offensive defenceman in the league last year when in form, Simon was another player who wanted too much money for Tony Hand's liking.
Scott Basiuk: The captain for the past 2 seasons has moved to rivals Sheffield Steelers after they offered him a bursary at a local university to continue his education. He blew a little too hot and cold last season, but will be missed in Manchester.
Omar Ennafatti: Omar had a wicked shot but wasn't very good in defence, and was also inconsistent.
Nick Whyatt: Nick gave 100% every night but is not cut out for EIHL level hockey.
Luke Stauffacher: Luke was a crowd favourite when he joined mid-season and he always gave 100%. He was willing to battle in the corners and drop the gloves despite his small size. He has decided to pursue a career in Germany.
Grant Jacobsen: Grant had started well with the Phoenix but left to rejoin the Texas Brahmas once the CHL season got underway.

[Calv]

Newcastle Vipers:
Finished 5th in 2007-2008
A mediocre season saw Newcastle finish in 5th, behind the big 4 but slightly in front of the remaining pack. They lacked a top points scorer last year and relied heavily on brit duo of Longstaff & Shields, the latter of which will be plying his trade in Belfast this coming season. With the new rules allowing 11 imports, Newcastle will be looking to break into the big 4.

Head Coach: Rob Wilson

Netminders:
Andrew Verner: - New signing. Andrew comes into the EIHL with a wealth of experience in the AHL, DEL and the Austrian league. Depsite getting on in years, Verner could be one of the top netminders in the UK next year, plus he has signed on as assistant coach with an option of a 2nd year in Newcastle.

Richie Lawson: A promising young British netminder who played 7 games last year for the Vipers. He will be training full time with the seniors and will hopefully continue to improve.

D-men:
Mark Gouett: Mark returns for his 2nd season after a reasonable first season, during which he managed 23 points and 70 PIM in 63 games.

Jeremy Lundin: Jeremy split his time between EIHL & ENL last year, although the majority he spent with the EIHL Vipers. He managed 9 points last season and a call up to GB U-20 side. He will be looking to improve again this season.

Burt Henderson: Burt was a late signing last year, playing only 14 games for the Vipers, only managing 1 point but having a big impression on the fans. Burt managed 58 points in his first professional season in the ECHL, so is capable of helping out the forwards, however in recent times he has moved to become more of a stay at home defenceman.

Chris McAllister: - New signing. Chris was a 2nd round NHL draft pick in 1995 and has played 301 NHL games with 634 penalty minutes. He also has a wealth of AHL experience and has spent one season in the UHL. He previously joined Newcastle during the lockout season and has returned to bring size and consistency to the Vipers' back line.

Rob Wilson: Player/Coach Rob is lacing up the skates again this year, he is a big defenceman who can contribute on the scoring side as well as the defensive side of the game.

Jamie Tinsley: Jamie is a product of the youth and ENL teams and this is his first in the Elite League. Although he started out as a forward he has since moved to a defenceman and is also a member of the GB U-18 team.

Forwards:
David Longstaff(LW): David will turn 34 this year, and despite this he is still one of the top Brits around, managing 66 points in 65 games last year. He also recorded a career high 114 PIM as he added a bit more grittiness to his game.

Ben Campbell(RW/C): 21 yr old Ben managed 9 points in the EIHL last year, his best season so far. Another product of the Newcastle youth system, Coach Wilson will be looking for a few more points this year from the young Brit.

Dean Holland(LW): Dean had his first full EIHL season last year, scoring 9 points in 62 games. Not yet 20 Dean has a bright future ahead of him.

Rob Rankin(RW/LW): - New signing. Rob joins from North-East rivals Hull, where he managed 57 points in 61 games. The US born winger should excel with higher quality line mates on the Vipers' second line.

Andre Payette(LW): Andre returns after a slightly disappointing season with regards to points, only managing 19 in 59 games. He also spent 365 minutes in the box, a career high so far. Andre is a player who gives 100% every match,

Derek Campbell(LW/RW): Slightly down on his first year's points production, Derek spent a little bit too long in the box. A very good player for Newcastle and could be a great one if he didn't give away needless penalties.

Tyler Willis(RW): - New signing. Tyler is a gritty winger who was selected in the 8th round of the '95 NHL draft by Vancouver. Tyler has put up the numbers offensively in the past and has dropped the gloves on many occasions.

Todd Griffith(C): - New signing. After a successful career in the OHL, Todd moved to the ECHL for the past 3 seasons, amassing 84 points in 101 games. He will centre the 2nd line with Campbell and Rankin.

Marek Ivan(C): - New signing. Marek is an experienced fromer St. Louis draft pick who is having his second stint in the UK. 4 years ago he amassed 46 points from 52 games for the Panthers, however he is considered a bit of a loose cannon it remains to be seen if Wilson can keep him under control.

Not returning:
Ryan MacDonald: The promising young netminder has decided to move to Germany, he had a reasonable season at the Vipers, however he never fully realised his potential.
Colin Shields: The 2nd Brit ever to be drafted by the NHL, Colin has worked his way up from NAHL to NCAA and then on to ECHL. Back in Britain he managed 73 points in 56 games last year and joins Steve Thornton's Belfast Giants.
Shaun Johnson: A key part of the Vipers' penalty kill unit Shaun has played just under 1,000 games in his career. He retires from hockey this summer after managing 29 points in 65 games.
Pavel Gomenyuk: Pavel has joined EIHL rivals Hull for the coming season.

[Calv]

Nottingham Panthers:
Fisnished 3rd & won the challenge cup in 2007-2008.
Despite a top 3 finish and a cup win, Nottingham have released their coach Mike Ellis and have appointed Corey Neilson as player/coach. Owner Neil Black will be looking for a much improved league & playoff performance this year, and is willing to spend right up to the wage cap. Panthers have however lost top points scorer Sean McAslan to Denmark during the summer.

Head Coach: Corey Neilson

Netminders:
Davis Parley: - New signing. The 4th round pick by Florida in 2000 has joined Nottingham after spending last season at South Carolina in the ECHL. Davis managed 2.30 GAA & 0.924 sv % last season which saw him called up to the AHL for one game, and the 2nd of his career. Looks to be a solid keeper.

Geoff Woolhouse: Geoff took part in 9 EIHL games last year and posted remarkably good stats of 2.14 GAA & 0.923 sv %. One of the top back ups in the league.

D-men:
Corey Neilson: The former Canadian international has bags of ECHL experience and had a great year last year with the Panthers, posting 64 points in 64 games. Now in his first year as player-coach it will be interesting if he can continue his form whilst coaching the team.

Danny Meyers: Despite only being 25, Danny has a lot of experience and had a career high 21 points in the Elite league last year. One of the top British defencemen in the league.

Rumun Ndur: - New signing. Nigerian born Rumun has played over 60 games in the NHL and has spent time in the AHL. Injury ruined his season and there have been question marks over his fitness for the coming season.

Nick Toneys: - New signing. Nick is new to the UK, moving from Augusta Lynx of the ECHL. Prior to the ECHL he spent time in US College system, he is a stay at home defenceman who doesn't take unnecessary penalties.

Joe Graham: A young British defenceman who played 29 games last year for the Panthers and will be looking for more experience this year.

Forwards:
James Ferrara(RW/D): Despite starting out as an offensive winger, Coach Neilson has indicated that James will move back to defence when required, and will have a more defensive role this season.

Matt Myers(C): Team GB international Matt managed a career high 30 points last year for the Panthers, including 10 goals. A solid Brit who is still only 23, but has spent 5 seasons in the EIHL.

Brendan Cook(LW): - New signing. Brendan will probably slot into the LW of the Panthers' 2nd line, despite not putting up great numbers in the ECHL he found his form last year in the CHL managing 64 points in 63 games. Has a good eye for goal with over half of his points being goals.

Marc Levers(RW): Last year was Marc's best year with 25 points in 64 games. Whilst never going to score a massive amount of points, Marc always gives 100% and is a useful Brit to have.

Kevin Bergin(LW): Kevin has a good record at ECHL level and managed 55 points in 54 games for Basingstoke 2 years ago, however he was unable to recreate that form last year with 44 points in 52 games. He was also willing to drop the gloves making him a firm fan's favourite.

David Clarke(LW): - New signing. David returns from an injury hit season in Italy where he only managed 18 games. Still recognised as one of the top Brits, he will be looking to recreate his form of 2 seasons ago when he managed 57 points in 50 games for the Panthers.

Jade Galbraith(RW): - New signing. Jade spent the last 2 seasons in Germany including a short stint in the DEL. He averages a little under a points a game in the ECHL which indicates he should be high in the scoring charts next season.

Bruce Richardson(C): - New signing. Bruce has a lot of experience in the AHL and has also had a short stint in the DEL. He could be a class signing for the Panthers, however his lack of size could be a problem.

Johan Molin(RW): The short Swede had a slightly poor sesaon last year compared to his first in Manchester, however he still managed a points a game. Is always dangerous with his pace and skill, with a proper centre on his line this year he could once again be scoring big.

Dan Tessier(C): - New signing. Dan returns to Nottingham after 2 stints with the Steelers and time spent in Germany and in the IHL. Probably the best player behind Theo Fleury to play in the EIHL and has the ability to turn a mediocre team into a playoff winning team.

Not returning:
Mike Ellis: Coaches at Nottingham are always under pressure to win one of the big two; the league or the playoffs and Mike Ellis didn't achieve that last year and has parted company with the club.
Mark Richardson: Mark was billed as one of the top young Brits before coming to Nottingham but stuttered slightly last year with the Panthers, will hope for better form at Basingstoke.
Patrik Wallenberg: A fans favourite last year after getting 80 points in his second stint with the club Patrik has moved on to Romania after Coach Neilson wanted to move the club in a different direction.
Sean McAslan: After putting up an impressive 94 points last year, Sean is another player who has moved to the Danish league.
Tom Askey: Came in towards the end of the season and did a good job for the Panther's however was always going to be a bit too expensive with the proper enforcement of the wage cap this year. The signing of Davis Parley sees Tom leave.
Jon Coleman: Another player who came in late as Mike Ellis tried to save his season, Jon played for 19 games and was a solid defenceman. However he will not be staying next year.
Eric Nelson: Came in at the same time as Coleman and will be leaving at the same time as he was not offered a new deal by Coach Neilson.
Steve Pelletier: The defenceman had a good year last year with 30 points in 64 games, however Coach Neilson has not offered him a new deal.
Robert Stancok: Got an injury last year which shortened his season and also took a lot of flack from the fans for taking too many penalties. Another player who wasn't offered a new deal.
Ryan Shmyr: Sometimes a fans favourite, sometimes a player that does nothing and juts gives up power plays, there was no room for Ryan in the new Panthers squad.

[Calv]

Sheffield Steelers:
Finished 2nd & won the playoffs in 2007-2008
Signing Dan Tessier & releasing Jeremy Cornish mid-way through last season turned out to be the saviour of the Steelers' season last year, which culminated in winning the playoffs in Nottingham beating league champions Coventry in the final. Coach Matsos has also re-signed a lot of his team already and will be looking for continuity into the next season.

Head Coach: Dave Matsos

Netminders:
Jody Lehman: Took a lot of contract talks for Jody to finally agree terms as Sheffield were linked with Christian Bronsard. A very good keeper on his day but always goes walkabouts in some games, will need to work on his consistency.

Dan Green: - New signing. Dan played 15 games last year for the struggling Bison and put up reasonable numbers. He will probably not get that experience this year but will get some appearances.

D-men:
Steve Munn: Steve is honouring the second year of his contract after a good first year. Often called upon to be the tough guy of the team, Steve is good stay at home defenceman who is also a fans favourite.

Randy Dagenais: Another player on a two year deal Randy had a shaky start to last season. Once he got his form he quickly became one of the top offensive defenceman in the league getting 40 points in 68 games.

Rod Sarich: Despite offers from Denmark, Rod decided to stay on at Sheffield after helping them win the playoffs last year. An offensive defenceman who is key on the PP Rod often is blamed for giving away too many turnovers in the offensive zone.

Mark Thomas: The no. 5 defenceman on the Steelers team is Stockport born Mark Thomas. A solid defenceman he doesn't try anything to flashy to get the job done.

Scott Basiuk: - New signing. Scott joins from rivals Manchester Phoenix, thanks to the clubs links with the University of Sheffield. He has a wicked shot and is very useful on the PP, Scott managed 12 goals and 33 assists in 58 games last year.

Forwards:
Ashley Tait(RW): Despite being Canadian born, Ashley trained in the UK and has represented GB on many occasions. As he is counted a non-import player he is a key player for whichever team he plays for, one of the top Brits in the league.

Doug Sheppard(RW): Doug had his best ever season last year with 70 points, whilst also doubling as assistant coach for the Steelers. He will be looking for another successful year on the right wing.

Joe Talbot(RW): Sheffield's top scorer last year returns for another season in Yorkshire. Joe only really took off when Dan Tessier joined, and it will be interesting to see whether he can replicate that form without Tessier.

Jason Hewitt(C/LW): Jason is a gritty player who was another player who had his best season ever last year. He managed a career high 22 points and Coach Matsos will be looking for similar numbers this year.

Robert Dowd(C/LW): Robert joined last year on a 2-way from the Scimitars and proved to be a good acquisition from Matsos. He managed 5 points in 14 games for the Steelers last year and Matsos says he wants at least 10 goals from the 20yr old Brit this season

Jeff Legue(LW/C): Jeff has great speed and stickhandling so thrives in the big Sheffield Arena. He may get a little cramped on the smaller ice pads but he still managed 60 points in 59 games. Another player who really took off when Tessier arrived.

Ryan Finnerty(C): Ryan is a scrappy player who never gives up and is always in the oppositions face. He still managed 59 points last year and is probably the most annoying player to play against. A good signing for the Steelers.

Jonathan Phillips(C/RW): The Steelers had 2 top Brits in Phillips and Tait, both will get almost a point a game and are key players for them. Captain Phillips managed 61 points in 68 games last year is his best ever season.

Nathan Gillies(RW): - New signing. Nathan comes in to be one of Sheffield's fighters this season, despite being more of a power forward than a fighter. With the league adding more size this year, Coach Matsos needed his last forward signing to be someone who can crash the net and drop the gloves, which is exactly the type of player Nathan is. He can also put up good numbers with 89 points in 152 games in the ECHL.

Andrew Sharp(RW): - New signing. Andrew is the toughest British player around and he joins Sheffield after experience in NA. He will not contribute many points this year but will be looking to make a name for himself in the fighting stakes.

Not returning:
Dan Tessier: Dan came in a did a great job for the Steelers, he got 36 points in 24 games and he also transformed the Steelers' season turning them into playoff champions. Unfortunately he didn't get on with everyone and left this summer in a bust-up more suited to a soap opera than ice hockey.
Davey Lawrence: The young netminder was always going to want a starters place in the EPL sooner or later and has joined the Telford Tigers
Ian Manzano: A steady defenceman who gets the job done, Coach Matsos decided not to offer Ian a new contract.

[Calv]

Reminder of last seasonn:

Coventry won the knockout cup & the league
Sheffield won the playoffs
Nottingham won the Challenge Cup

The table finished up as:

Code: Select all

     Team  	   GP    W    WOT   L    LOT   Pts
1 	Coventry    54 	36 	5 	11 	2 	84
2 	Sheffield   54 	33 	5 	14 	2 	78
3 	Nottingham  54 	30 	3 	18 	3 	69
4 	Belfast 	 54 	29 	4 	19 	2 	68
5 	Newcastle   54 	24 	4 	22 	4 	60
6 	Cardiff 	 54 	23 	3 	25 	3 	55
7 	Manchester  54 	20 	3 	28 	3 	49
8 	Edinburgh   54 	16 	3 	32 	3 	41
-----------------------------------------------
9 	Basingstoke 54 	13 	3 	33 	5 	37
10   Hull 	    54 	12 	1 	34 	7 	33

Points:

Code: Select all

Player   	           Team   	   Pld  G    A    Pts   	 
Adam Calder      	   Coventry	  64	56	65	121	
Dan Carlson     	    Coventry	  64	29	78	107	
Greg Chambers          Basingstoke  64	39	56	95	
Sean McAslan	        Nottingham	62	40	53	93	
Joe Tallari	         Manchester	57	54	38	92	
Ed Courtenay	        Belfast	   55	24	64	88	
Tony Hand	           Manchester	59	24	61	85	
Sylvain Deschatelets	Cardiff	   62	23	60	83	
Peter Campbell	      Belfast	   45	36	45	81	
Colin Hemingway        Edinburgh	 55	40	40	80

Goals:

Code: Select all

Player   	      Team   	   Pld  G   	 
Adam Calder	    Coventry	  64	56	
Joe Tallari	    Manchester	57	54	
Sean McAslan	   Nottingham	62	40
Colin Hemingway	Edinburgh	 55	40	
Greg Chambers	  Basingstoke  64	39	

Assists:

Code: Select all

Player   	           Team   	 Pld  A   	 
Dan Carlson	         Coventry   64	78	
Adam Calder	         Coventry   64	65
Ed Courtenay	        Belfast	 55	64
Tony Hand	           Manchester 59	61
Sylvain Deschatelets	Cardiff	 62	60

British Points Scorers:

Code: Select all

Player   	      Team   	  Pld  G    A    Pts   	 
Tony Hand	      Manchester  59	24	61	85	
Ashley Tait	    Sheffield	55	32	40	72	
Colin Shields	  Newcastle	53	35	34	69	
Greg Owen	      Basingstoke 63	28	37	65
David Longstaff	Newcastle	62	19	43	62

[Calv]

EPL Rosters

Bracknell Bees:
N/M's:
Gregg Rockman
Tom Annetts

D-men:
Jan Melichar
Sam Oakford
Andrius Kaminskas
Scott Moody
Joe Baird
Ben Johnson
Steve Gannaway

Forwards:
Danny House
Matt Foord
Andrew Hemmings
Peter Jasik
Adam Bicknell
Joe Greener
Jamie Line
Tom Duggan
Jeff Hutchins


Guildford Flames:
N/M's:
Joe Watkins
Alex Mettam

D-Men:
Neil Liddiard
David Savage
Steve Lee
Ben Austin
Paul Dixon
Mark Williams
Rick Skene

Forwards:
Lukas Smital
Taras Foremsky
Rick Plant
Oli Bronnimann
Stuart Potts
Terry Miles
Vaclav Zavoral
Rob Lamey
Milos Melicherik
Matt Hepburn
Nick Cross


Milton Keynes Lightning:
N/M's:
Barry Hollyhead

D-men:
James Pease
Ross Green
Chris McEwen
Adam Radmall
Greg Randall
Lewis Christie
Lukas Zatopek


Forwards:
James Archer
Michael Wales
Glen Trivett
Grant McPherson
Ales Parez
Gary Clarke
Adam Carr
Andre Smulter
Matt Towalski
Nick Poole


Peterborough Phantoms:
N/M's:
Euan King
Stephen Wall
Damian King(2-way with jrs)

D-men:
James Hutchinson
Dwayne Newman
Robert Ferrara
James Morgan
Andrew Munroe
Julian Smith
Thomas Jeffrey(2-way with jrs)

Forwards:
Craig Peacock
Callum Fowler
Lewis Buckman
Nathan Rempel
Brent Gough
Maris Ziedins
Joe Miller
James Spurr
Adam Reynolds
Dale Jowett(2-way)
Grant Bignell(2-way)


Romford Raiders:
N/M's:
Carl Ambler
Tom Chamberlin

D-men:
Tyrone Miller
David Oliver
Ric Hughes
Jan Galko
Marko Filip
Danny Cox

Forwards:
Andrej Sporina
Mark Stewart
Danny Marshall
Grant Taylor
Michael Timms
Shaun Wallis
Danny Wright
Matt Turner
Darren Cotton
Scott McKenzie


Sheffield Scimitars:
N/M's:
Paul Jones
Mark Lee

D-men:
Lee Haywood
Steve Duncombe
Ryan Johnson
James Goodman
Ben Morgan
Lloyd Gibson
Ron Shudra
Patrik Zgibor

Forwards:
Simon Butterworth
Oliver Barron
Jon Woolhouse
Stephen Wallace
Ryan Handisides
Zdenek Sikl
Robert Farmer
Peter Slamiar
Stuart Brittle
Warren Tait


Slough Jets:
N/M's:
Dean Skinns
Andy Biart

D-men:
Paddy Ward
Kevin Phillips
Tony Redmond
Anthony Norman
Adam Jones

Forwards:
Carl Thompson
Blaz Emersic
Nicky Chinn
Michael Bowman
Zoran Kozic
Steve Moria
Andy Smith
Scott Spearing
Lewis Burke
Joe Ciccarello

Swindon Wildcats:
N/M's:
Ladislav Kudrna
Oli Lansdowne

D-men:
Michael Farn
Wayne Fiddes
Euan Forsyth
Shane Moore
Lee Braithwaite
Jon Sitko
Samuel Waller

Forwards:
Jamie Hayes
Ciaran Long
Aaron Nell
Lee Richardson
Nicky Watt
Ryan Watt
John Wheaton
Matt Davies
Joel Petkoff


Telford Tigers:
N/M's:
Daniel Heslop
Davey Lawrence

D-men:
Alex Symonds
Jake Armstrong
Stuart Bates
Dan Croft
Ashley Stanton

Forwards:
Claude Dumas
Tom Carlon
Daniel Mackriel
James Knight
Jason Cassells
Scott Williams
Marek Hornak
Gareth Owen
Ashley Calvert


Wightlink Raiders:
N/M's:
Mike Brabon
Toby Cooley

D-men:
Janne Saarenpaa
Damon Larter
Shawn Mole
Daniel Scott
Luke Reynolds
Yousif Abu Saada
Will Francis

Forwards:
Gareth Endicott
Danny Hughes
Andy Robinson
Shannon Taylor
Alan Green
Tom Long
Juraj Rusic
Jason Coles
Adam Brittle
Bradley Watchorn

[archibalduk]

Jeepers! Another quality season preview in the making

I'm going to be following the Invicta Dynamos this season as they're only a 5-10 minute bus ride away. My fiancee conveniently forgot to point out that they're only up the road when I first moved down to Kent last September! Someone else here is a Dynamos fan but can't remember who now. Thinking about it, I think it was Hluraven (I haven't heard from him for a while).

I do hope Manchester have a better season. It's frustrating to see so many important players leave at the end of every season (e.g. Molin, Derek Campbell, Hecl, Battaglia (end of 06/07) and Tallari to name a few).

P.S. If Hand had played in the NHL, he'd have smashed Gretzky's records. There ya go, Nick

[batdad]

Maybe the one for penalty minutes, but that is about it.

[archibalduk]

Maybe the one for penalty minutes, but that is about it.

Haha very true

He'd probably break some record for spending the shortest time in North America. In fact, I imagine he spent more time travelling on the plane that he did actually playing in NA

[Calv]

Sheffield & Nottingham have already signed all of their players, and I can't be bothered researching all of the news ones, hence me leaving them to the end.

The problem with the good Phoenix players are they (usually) come over to England as average players do well for the Phoenix and then get offered more money at other clubs.

Johan Molin, never really lit up the Swedish leagues and only had 2 seasons where he got a point a game or more. Then joins Phoenix and gets 79 points in 54 games and moves to Nottingham for more money.

Derek Campbell, was pretty much an enforcer in the ECHL getting less than a point every other game, moves to Phoenix gets 67 points in 53 games before going to Newcastle for more money(they may have offered him a university place as well).

The other players who leave are usually rubbish, Hecl had a good hockey brain but could only use it when he caught up with the players because he was so slow. Vychodil had a wicked shot but looked a bit suspect at the back, plus spent far too long in the penalty box.
This past season Fankhouser was shockingly inconsistent, Ennafatti was shockingly poor apart from his wrist shot, Timmons didn't replicate his first season form, etc..

The big players who have left are MacMillan who was good, strong but preferred to use his stick rather than strength, but he has moved to become coach at a junior club elsewhere. Tallari understandably left to pursue his dream of playing for the Italian national side(you have to spend at least 2 years playing Italian hockey before you can qualify). Stauffaucher has said he wants to move to Germany however nothing has been confirmed yet and I'd still take him back - he was one of the few players to give 100% every match and was feisty as anything! Only 5'8" but willing to fight anyone. Scored a few points as well.

Good to see Cloots is back as he is a fans favourite and is another who gave 100% every match, although it took him a while to find his form again.

Battaglia was a weird one because he only came as short-term injury cover, plus I think he's a little bit too expensive, if you look at his points production before this season(when we would've been interested in signing him) it's pretty high compared to other players in the league, so with the wage cap he's probably slightly out of reach.

The rest of last seasons squad:
Basiuk - Scored points but looked shaky defensively, and only really started playing well towards the end of the season, probably leaving
Mangos - Didn't quite perform as well as his first season, but still managed 43 points in 62 games. However I'm not sure Hand would sign Smith if he wanted to keep Mangos.
Passmore - Got loads of assists, but didn't score enough putting the pressure on Tallari to get all of the goals. I wouldn't mind someone with a bit more goal-scoring ability to replace him.
Starke - OK player pretty consistent and played really well in the playoff quarter finals, despite his father dying a short time before they happened. The signing of Jacobsen will see him leave though.

Of the Brits, Schofield will probably stay with the ENL side, Whyatt will probably leave due to the signing of Hamer & the addition of the 11th import rule.

[Calv]

Hamer is the future 50 points in 9 games for the U-18's...
They still managed to go unbeaten the whole season(although in the last match they only had 9 players so they technically lost that one) despite only playing some matches with 11 players....

[Calv]

sorry for the essay btw

[archibalduk]

How many games did you get to see last season?

[Calv]

Not that many, maybe 5-7. Looks like I'll only be working 1 in every 3 sundays so I'll be able to get to more this year hopefully

[Calv]

I'm looking forward to seeing Hull play next year, they're just signing enforcers

[Calv]

I'm going to be following the Invicta Dynamos this season as they're only a 5-10 minute bus ride away. My fiancee conveniently forgot to point out that they're only up the road when I first moved down to Kent last September! Someone else here is a Dynamos fan but can't remember who now. Thinking about it, I think it was Hluraven (I haven't heard from him for a while).

Invicta now have 2 teams in the ENL, their development team the Mustang now play in the ENL div 2.

The ENL is now:

Northern Conference
Division 1: Billingham, Blackburn, Coventry, Kingston, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield, Whitley

Division 2: Bradford, Flintshire, Grimsby, Lancashire, Manchester, Solihull, Telford

Southern Conference
Division 1: Bracknell Hornets, Cardiff Dragons, Haringey Greyhounds, Invicta Dynamos, MK Thunder, Oxford City Stars, Peterborough Islanders, Streatham Redskins

Division 2: Basingstoke Buffalo, Chelmsford Chieftains, Invicta Mustangs, Lee Valley Lions, Romford Spitfires, Slough Harrier Hawks, Solent & Gosport, Swindon ENL Wildcats, Vectis Tigers

[Calv]

teams updated, and Hull sign another enforcer

[Calv]

With the announcement of Cardiff's 2 new signings, Hartwick & MacIver, there's definitely going to be more size in the league this year, with each team probably having 2 or 3 players willing to drop the gloves regularly on each team

[Calv]

The new Phoenix shirts look good: http://www.manchesterphoenix.co.uk/news ... irt_launch

Liking the new cup shirt, however the Budgie now looks like it's on drugs with the veins in it's eyes!