SWINDON, UK – So, a quieter week as we donned our overcoats, slipped into wellies and splashed hopefully towards the summer. But, a week not lacking in interest none the less as several clubs added new names to their rosters.
In fact, so not lacking in interesting signings was it I was reminded for some mysterious reason of my old grand-pappy who in quoting F1’s Murray Walker in a near-perfect impression observed the developments with: ‘A battle is developing between them. I say developing because it’s not on yet.’
Yes, quite, sums the week up, I, um, think. Anyway, the week started with the news the Steeldogs signed 37-year-old Estonian international D-man Dmitri Rodin from the EIHL Stingrays. Payette said of the captain of the international side, ‘Together with his very physical game, he will bolster what was already the best defensive unit last year.’ And bolster it he will, especially of he continues with his average of a point per game.
The Stingrays, meanwhile, started the week with the ownership of the club still in doubt with now just partners Nic Gough and Bobby McEwan in the running for control, but no ice time contract as yet and unable to agree terms with current owners who are pulling out and negotiations said to be ‘poles apart’. The problem was, if they go direct to the EIHL the fee is bigger than the numbers being argued about with the owners. So do they submit a bid for the ice-time contract without actually having a club to use it?
Hull City Council, who owns the rink, set a 14th May deadline, but Gough commented, ‘However, it’s true it looks as though we won’t have gained control of the club by that date.’
But things ended on a much more positive note with the two parties eventually agreeing terms and the new owners now just waiting for the local council to award the contract which should now be a formality.
Jets’ new coach Slava Koulikov, who was also in contention for Stingrays’ ownership, pulled out of the running a few weeks ago when he took up the Slough post.
This week Koulikov added British forwards Terry Miles to the roster for what will be a seventh time after periods in Bracknell and Guildford and, shortly afterwards, Dan Davies for a third season. On the downside, Koulikov said goodbye to top scoring Canadian Adam Calder, Andrew Melachrino, Mark Galazzi and Tom Devey.
A flurry of activity occurred again in Milton Keynes where their rebuild is also provoking attention. Back came Czech D-man Lukas Zatopec after fighting off a lot of interest from other clubs, and just when the fears appeared to be well founded in stepped the Supporters’ Club to clinch it. The reliable Adam Brittle also put pen to paper and so did fellow forward Grant McPherson for a seventh time. To wrap up what must be a good week for the Lightning, Alex Mettam, who finished the season a mere puck’s breadth behind Steeldogs’ table-topping Ben Bowns, also returned to the fold.
Another rebuild exciting curiosity is taking place in Basingstoke where the latest to be recruited is top scoring Canadian forward Joe Rand who arrived from the Wightlink Raiders in the ENL. Rand notched up an impressive ninety-three points last season from just 36 games, so around two-and-a-half pints per game which, incidentally, was a higher average than anyone in the EPL achieved.
From the ENL also comes British D-man Marcus Maynard who swapped Nottingham, where he has played for his eight-year career so far including in the EIHL side, for Telford.
Also arriving from the EIHL but from even further north across the border in Edinburgh was Slovakian D-man Jozef Sladok who, instead of turning right for Telford, turned left and signed on for Peterborough. Sladok has played mainly in his home country until in 2009 when he joined Romford, who were in the EPL at the time, before heading for the EIHL Stingrays and then Scotland. So, no acclimatising for him, then, being used to the cold and the wet.
Southward, in Bracknell, in fact, the Bees re-signed British forward Rob Lamey to the captain’s positions for a second time, and added 19-year-old D-man Lewis Turner who although playing for the club for much of last season due to injury cover, now gets a full-time slot.
Along the M4 the Wildcats said farewell to D-man Nick Compton who set sail for the Isle of Wight in the ENL, but also made a big capture with forward Nicky Watt re-signing. Watt recently praised team mates Czech imports Jaroslav Cesky and Michal Pinc saying, ‘They taught me a lot and gave me confidence. They taught me I could skate with the puck more, and use my skill to set plays up.’ But with rumours surrounding the trio, or now, pair, it may be the partnership has come to an end.
Further east and the Flames re-signed David Savage for an eighth season which, assuming he doesn’t emigrate by the end of September, will mean he will become the youngest ever Flames’ player, and eighth in the club’s history, to clock up 400 games. Hard to believe he is still only 23, the same age Lewis Hamilton won the F1 world title. Amazing!
Last but not least, in Manchester the Phoenix took part in a 2-for-1 deal as they finally coasted onto the starting grid with the re-signing of British forwards Ciaran Long and James Neil, while Slovakian Juraj Faith departed to play in Germany, and my old grand-pappy commented on the news, again in his worryingly accurate Murray Walker impression complete with technical racing jargon, ‘Either the car is stationary, or it is on the move!’
Exactly!
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Contact Bill.Collins@prohockeynews.com
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