SWINDON, UK – First week into the month and Wildcats coach Ryan Aldridge finally managed to claim the signature of Welsh forward Steve Fisher of the ENL Cardiff Devils, a signing he’d been working on for a rumoured two months. Fisher was nominated ENL Devils’ “Star Man” half way though last season and no wonder because as top scorer he was clocking up over two points per game average which placed him third highest scorer in the ENL league at season’s end. Bison coach Steve Moria, a former Wildcats forward when he became an IHJUK award winner, was also known to have been after Fisher’s signature, as was ENL Wightlink, and Fisher’s own club.
So, with this coup for Coach Aldridge under his belt, he said ” We needed a guy that could come up to this level and Steve was the guy I wanted from the start. I have only ever heard good things about him, and he was the one I wanted. Steve was looking to make the step up from ENL and wanted to go somewhere he will get to play, and he will play a big role in our team so it was a great fit for both of us”.
As far as the current state of the team-build goes, Aldridge added: “I am happy with the way we are looking as a squad, particularly with Steve coming in”.
Nine days into the month, and acknowledging any accusations about exercising of a degree of license when it comes to Wildcats news, the Coventry press spoke to top scoring former Wildcat Aaron Nell of his move to EIHL Blaze
“It was a goal of mine since I came back to the UK two years ago, and even more so last season” said the twenty-year old forward. “When I signed for Swindon last summer in 2009 I told the coach Ryan Aldridge that my goal was to be in the Elite League in the 2010/11 season and
Nell played four years of hockey in North America at
“My dad used to play for the Barons in the late 1980s and only moved back to
On the prospect of playing with ex-NHL players Sean Selmser and Owen Fussey, a diplomatic Nell said “Getting the chance to play with Sean and Owen will be a great opportunity, as will whoever I play with.”
And of his future, the big lad commented “I’m looking to develop my skating, using my size better on the forecheck and around the net, and as a young player you always want to improve your play away from the puck. But I also would like to think I can play…solid in all three zones”.
Blaze Coach Paul Thompson observed “Nell is a shooter, he can score goals and got a lot last year. Nell was a centreman in the EPL but I don’t see him doing that at this level yet. He shoots left and will play on the right. I like shooters playing on their off wing”.
Mid-month and teams in the EPL began to announce their fixtures for the coming season and in the Wildcats case showed first opponents would be Telford Tigers, returnees to the EPL. Coach Ryan Aldridge said “It’s good for them and the league that we’ve got another team coming in. I hope for
Aldridge added that he was happy with how the team’s fixtures had been arranged and dispelled the myth held by some that an ‘easy’ start was a good foundation for the season “You think if you can start playing a couple of the lower teams and get results then it sets you up” he commented “but we have got to play everyone anyway”.
But the Tigers will not only be the Wildcats first league opponents because they also line up against the Swindon team in two pre-season challenge games first a home game on 11th September and away the following evening. Slough Jets also meet the challenge and come to the Link on 8th September with the return leg away on 15th September.
Talking of new teams coming into the league, with the defuncting of the Sheffield Scimitars the Wildcats will now face the revamped Sheffield Steeldogs for the first time in week four, so a second team that will be scrutinized closely by many. I wondered if the coach felt the Steeldogs would have the impetus to last the season? “I have played on my fair share of teams that struggle for money” he said “so its not my place to say if they will last the season as the only people that will know that are those that hold the purse strings and know how they use their money, as on every team!”
And while everyone will be rooting for both teams to succeed, Coach Aldridge pointed out “Being an owner of a hockey club is a tough task, and even harder if you have not played or been around the game at the right levels. But for the sake of the league, their fans and most of all their players I hope they last the year and can build for the future”.
As the month drew to a close last years Wildcats Russian forward Raimonds Danilics signed for Montpellier in France and it was reported the futures of the two remaining imports, Canadian forward Jason Cassells and Slovakian forward Jozef Kohut, were ‘undecided’ along with remaining British D-man Andy Finn.
But wasn’t undecided was the final piece of news on 28th July 2010 when ex-Swindon junior Nick Compton, now 22, who last season played on the Phantoms’ blueline, had been signed up.
Now, with only the Bison having officially announced a completed roster all the rest of us have to do is wait and see who fills those remaining few places.
For Wildcats headlines, facts, figures and more hockey articles, you might like to try my website – www.swindonwildcats.me.uk
Contact the author Bill.collins@Prohockeynews.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.