Players head south for summer

AUSTRALIA – The playoffs are over, and the championship rings have been handed out – so what do the players do until pre-season training resumes in late August?   Some will head to their home country to see family and friends, some will take a job in the town they played in this season, and some just spend the off season keeping in shape, getting ready for another assualt on their league championship.  

Others head to the sunny climbs of Australia, to play in the AIHL, where seven teams battle it out for the 101 year old Goodall Cup. The season runs from April through to August and allows imported players the right time to spend a summer in the league.   One such player is Coventry Blaze forward Derek Campbell. Still admiring the polish on his league championship medal, the former Manchester Phoenix and Newcastle Vipers forward signed with the Sydney Ice Dogs.   Campbell, who snared 66 points and 224 penalty minutes in a 64 game season with the Blaze, spent time in the American Hockey League and is being hailed as the most high profile player in Ice Dogs history.   He won’t be alone in Australia, with some other familar faces heading to Australia for the summer. Former Basingstoke Bison goaltender Nick Boucher is heading to city rivals Sydney Bears. Boucher comes off a career year with Fort Wayne Komets in the IHL and has also spent time in the AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins following his draft by Pittsburgh Penguins.   Michel Lauko who had a brief stint with the Peterborough Phantoms of the EPL is another player headed to the Bears, whilst Bristol Pitbulls’ Australian International Angelo Esposito is also icing for the Bears this season. Also on the Bears roster is Eric Begin, a player very well worth keeping an eye on. The 23 year old has just graduated from Concordia University as a stand out defenceman in the skilled CIS league, and has already scored two goals in two appearences in Bears colours.   The situation is no different in South Australia where the Adelaide Adrenaline have stoked up with Quad City Mallards defenceman Shane Lovdahl who comes off a 23 point IHL season, and Swedish forward Peter Lindgren who is a star in the Belgique leagues.   Newcastle North Stars have been shopping at the University of Alaska-Anchorage, signing up forward Brian Bales. Meanwhile, they have also signed up Chris Belanger, a veteran journey man who iced last season in the 2.Bundesliga with Landshut Cannibals but has spent long periods in the Swiss and Austrian leagues following a draft by the Hartford Whalers of the NHL. Achorage, Alaska native and UAA graduate Peter Cartwright is a third import on the North Stars coming off a two point a game season in the Dutch League with Gronigen Grizzlies, alongside team mate and third UAA graduate left wing Blair Tassone.   Down the interstate, Capital City Canberra Knights boast Utah Grizzlies netminder Ryan Lowe, Finnish veteren Matti Luoma alongside several recruits directly out of the Junior B leagues in Canada. On top of that ENL tough guy and former Romford Raider, Ali Band also patrols the blueline for the Knights.   Melbourne Ice meanwhile has a British influence on their roster with goaltender Stuart Denman who was born in Shoreham. Lee Lambert and Lliam Webster of Scotland, who are now long time members of both the Melbourne Ice and Australian National Team, are also on the team. Joining the Ice is Matt Armstrong following 5 years in the Dutch and German leagues.   Rounding off the AIHL are the Gold Coast Blue Tongues who play out of the incredible city of Brisbane. Blue Tongues, like the Ice Dogs, raided the British leagues this year signing Dallas Costanzo, who topped out at 47 points in a 51 game season with Romford Raiders of the English Premier League. The 26 year old Canadian earned rave reviews on a poor Raiders team and is sure to be an impact player in the AIHL. Joining the Raiders forward are Canadian defenceman Adam Gebara fresh from a season with Duggendorf in the Bundesliga whilst Netherlands international Brad Smulders joins from Nijmegen Devils.   Campbell and Costanzo are by no means the first players to travel down under. Out of contract Sheffield Steelers forward Doug Sheppard, then with Basingstoke Bison, traveled down under with fellow Bison Ryan O’Keefe to ply their trade in Sydney, whilst Milton Keynes forward Mike Skinnari has also spent time in Australia. Former NHL defenceman Steve McKenna has also settled down under after his season with Nottingham Panthers where he partnered with fellow NHL player Nick Boynton.   With Campbell set to star this year down under, he is sure to come back match fit for whichever team he inks with this coming season. Contact the author Comment@Prohockeynews.com