NEWCASTLE, UK – It has been confirmed that Newcastle Vipers will be able to play out the remainder of the 2010/11 campaign. Vipers General Manager Jamie Longmuir attended a Elite League meeting earlier this week and it appears that the League itself will support the Tyneside based organisation so that Danny Stewarts Newcastle roster can complete the current campaign.
Vipers currently lie in 8th position (final play off spot) in the Elite League standings after picking up 2 victories last weekend. Newcastle will have to be at their best in the coming weeks if they are to remain in one of the play off slots come the end of the campaign as Danny Stewart has lost a number of talented players from his roster since the Vipers financial problems came to light.
Import forwards Jamie Carroll, Dale Mahovsky and Patrick Forsbacka have all decided to move on from the Vipers in the last week or so and unless Newcastle can recruit some talented front men Vipers will be extremely limited offensively between now and the end of the season.
Departing Import Dale Mahovsky
Newcastle have been able to sign 4 players from the Northern Stars on 2 way deals which will see the players icing for the Stars in the Northern and English National League as well as the Vipers in the Elite League. Daniel Pye, Andy Finn and Matt Sellers will increase options on the blue line while the capture of Callum Davies will give Newcastle an extra body offensively.
The 2 way deals Vipers have agreed with a number of Northern Stars players will help to boost the clubs roster. However none of the players signed have any real experience of life in the top flight and from looking at their statistics from the current season it would appear that none of the quartet would have normally been targeted by a Elite League or EPL side in normal circumstances.
Earlier this campaign Newcastle choose to release Brits Nathan Salem and Rob Wilson from their roster in a bid to improve the overall balance of the team. Salem has since gone onto ice for fellow Elite League strugglers Edinburgh Capitals while Wilson has taken a break from the game. Ironically both Wilson and Salem would be creditable signings given the clubs current predicament as both players are relatively experienced players who are proven at a lower level.
Young forward Nathan Salem
Vipers will be hoping for a healthy crowd this weekend when Newcastle take on the Braehead Clan at Hillheads Ice Rink on Sunday 16th of January (5.30pm face off). Danny Stewart will no doubt be hoping that his threadbare roster can continue last weekends superb form which saw Vipers defeat Edinburgh on home ice and then pick up a road victory at Elite League Champions the Coventry Blaze. Contact the author – chris.mackenzie@prohockeynews.com Images courtesy of Paul Lynch Photography
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