BASINGSTOKE, UK – The Bison have made their first signings for the forthcoming season and with it have shown they certainly mean business.
Basingstoke player/coach Doug Sheppard has snapped up six superb British signings after Stevie Lyle, Greg Owen, Joe Greener, Joe Miller, Tony Redmond Reynolds and Kurt Reynolds all put pen to paper.
The first three players have all played for the Herd before, but not whilst the team have been in the EPL, while the final three all return from last season’s team.
Welshman Lyle had a brief spell with the Bison in season 2007/08 until money problems in Basingstoke saw him depart to Belfast in the Elite League for two years.
He then returned to his hometown team the Cardiff Devils where he recorded three back-to-back seasons with a save rate of 90 per cent and is set to be one of the top EPL netminders in the EPL.
Centreman Owen now based in nearby Reading spent three years with the Herd in the Elite League between 2005 and 2008 scoring over 100 points.
He then spend a season in France, before returning to Britain to help the Coventry Blaze to the Elite League crown and in three campaigns with the Midlands outfit he scored 65 goals in a points tally of 135.
Power forward Greener played his junior hockey in Basingstoke and as a teenager pulled on a Bison shirt in the old British National League.
After a spell in North America he returned to Britain, playing for the Bracknell Bees and then the Slough Jets for the past three years winning the play-off crown at the end of last season.
The Bison’s top British forward of last term Miller is back for a second campaign and he led the Herd in goals last season with 30.
The native of Cardiff is no stranger to winning the EPL crown having done it with Peterborough Phantoms and Manchester Phoenix.
Redmond is back for his 14th season and can play either forward or defence.
The Glasgow-born player is just six games away from being the first Basingstoke player to reach the 500 league game milestone and this season will be the club captain.
He is in his fourth spell with the club and as a British player leads the team for goals assists and points.
Triple award winner and the team’s stand-out defenseman last term Reynolds is back for his fifth campaign and like Greener is another Basingstoke-born player.
He turned in many fine performances last season especially when the Herd were reduced to just two recognized defensemen.
“I am over the moon with the players I have signed so far and all of them were guys I wanted when I took over.
“Stevie (Lyle) is a massive signing and is a great goalie who will do well in this league, said new Bison boss Sheppard.
“Greg (Owen) is one of the top two way British centre man who turns up to play every night.
“Joe (Greener) has been by line mate for the past two seasons and is a true power forward. All I need now is to find is a goal scoring import to complete that line.
“Joe (Miller) was Basingstoke’s best forward last year when I played against them.
“Tony (Redmond) will play wherever he is asked to and is a great leader in the dressing room, so making him an great captain.
“I have had many battles with Kurt (Reynolds) over the years so I am pleased he is my team this year.”
Of course with a bunch of new signings some players have left the Herd they are former club captain Nicky Chinn, Chris Wiggins, Ollie Bronnimann, Sam Oakford and Matt Colclough.
However, in Colclough’s case who has returned to the Wightlink Raiders he will still be train with the Bison and has also signed a two way deal which means the Basingstoke fans could see the young netminder once again guard their pipes this season.
Contact the author Graham.Merry@Prohockeynews.com
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