The Dragons will take on Telford Tigers NIHL in a pre-season friendly ahead of the new Laidler Conference campaign.
The two teams will meet in Shropshire on August 29th, before the return encounter at Deeside Ice Rink on September 5th.
Both sides will be looking to stamp their authority on the games, following a summer of changes to their squads.
Lol Paul, who became Head Coach of the Flintshire outfit this summer, has few doubts about the challenge facing his new-look squad.
He said: “Playing The Tigers NIHL will be a massive test, but I’m a big believer in starting with the right attitude. If we do well against Telford, then it will be a big message to the rest of the league.
“We can’t forget that The Tigers were promoted at the end of last season and have added some really great players. There will be no half-chances given away by either side.
“I am confident that our squad will gel very quickly, so to play Telford is a great way to hit the ice running. There is no better way to test our fitness.”
The arrivals of Filip Supa, Matt Wainwright – and an as-yet unnamed second import – have seen Deeside installed as early favourites for the Laidler Conference title.
Tigers NIHL General Manager, Mike Washburn, meanwhile, is keen to test his side against The Dragons, who are now also owned by Red Hockey.
He said: “First of all, I would like to welcome Deeside Dragons to the Red Hockey family. It is great to have them on board. But of course, when we hit the ice, we’ll give absolutely nothing away.
“When we played Deeside last season, they were incredibly tough to break down and score against. They’ve signed some great players this summer, so I am expecting two very difficult games.
“We have made a few changes to our squad, so I want to get everyone together before the Moralee Conference season. It is essential that we develop the team spirit we had last year.”
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