HULL, UK – Excel Hull Stingrays can today confirm the signings of British youngsters Andy Brummitt and Bobby Chamberlain for the 2011/12 Elite League campaign. Netminder Brummitt, 18, has come through the Chelmsford junior programme, spending the past two seasons with the Chieftains in the English National League, and is a former England junior international. He replaces Andrew Jaszczyk, who has been the back-up goalie for the last three years, as Canadian Christian Boucher’s deputy.
Chamberlain, 16, returns to his home town having spent last season at the Ontario Hockey Academy, along with Jack Musil and Jamie Chilcott, who were also part of the Kingston junior set-up. He, too, has represented England at junior level. They join player-coach Sylvain Cloutier, Jereme Tendler, Daniel Scott, Tristan Harper, Sam McCluskey, Jason Silverthorn, Dominic Osman, Christian Boucher, Jack Watkins, Dmitri Suur and Frantisek Bakrlik on the roster for next season.
Cloutier said: “Andy is a young up-and-coming goalie who came to our attention earlier this summer. Jazzy has done a great job for us over the past two years I have been here and I wish him nothing but the best for the future. But I just felt it was time for a change and to bring someone fresh in and I was very impressed with Andy when I saw and spoke to him. Andy is very ambitious and is not just coming here to sit on the bench. He is determined to improve, he wants to play and I like his attitude. He is very motivated and he is heading to Toronto for a goalie school this summer which shows how determined he is to get on in the game.
“He will also play some games with the Kingston Jets. When they do not have a game Andy will be with us. It will help him stay sharp so if called upon, he can do a job for us. Liam Jackson will also be part of the set-up and train with us.
“Bobby played in Canada last year and is another up-and-coming player. I saw him play in my first year with the club and was really impressed. He went off to Canada and has improved his game further. He had opportunities to stay over there and try out for some junior teams but he wanted to be part of the Hull Stingrays. Bobby is a big kid who can play physical and has a lot of talent. He is going to get a lot of ice time this season. We have to be patient with him but I can see him doing a similar job to what Ross Venus did in Coventry last season.
“He is a local kid and we want to give these guys a chance to play for their hometown team. With our affiliation with minor hockey in Hull, more of those youngsters are going to be given their chance over the next few years.”
Brummitt made 9 appearances for the Chelmsford Chieftains last season, as well as 18 games for ENL2 side Chelmsford Warriors, impressing the Essex fans with his solid and dependable netminding and the Harlow-born stopper has a promising future in the game.
Contact the author Pete.Lewis@Prohockeynews.com
