SWINDON, UK – The Wildcats seem to have captured the biggest part of the headlines this week starting off with the news British forward Jamie Hayes was returning to his native Cardiff and the Devils ENL team. Coach Aldridge also confirmed eighteen-year-old netminder James Hadfield would not be returning to the club, but would not name his new home although the rumour is it will be the Flames.
D-man Nick Compton, however, will be returning to the Swindon side for a second season, and another rumour confirmed was the appointment of fellow D-man Shane Moore from Bracknell, who is no stranger to the Wildcats first played for them back in 2004 and from where he became a GBU18 and GBU20 international.
But the really interesting development was the news that Jonus Höög, Swindon’s top-scoring Swedish forward who Coach Aldridge had been unable to contact for many had weeks, was therefore looking doubtful to return. Höög had actually made it known he wanted to return to the Wildcats and his long sojourn during the summer recess was not unusual, but you can’t build a team if you can’t sign players and a disappointed Aldridge announced he was going to look elsewhere. However, while the coach had one consolation in that the player was rumoured to be returning to play in his homeland which meant, if true, at least he would not be playing against his old side, blow me, the following day Aldridge was leaping over the moon with the signature in the bag.
Now this all puts a very exciting complexion on the Wildcats’ forward line-up. Michael Pinc sits at number four in the EPL Top Ten Points Scorer Chart with Jaroslav Cesky close behind, and Nicky Watt is in the Top Ten Brit Chart. These three have, of course, played together before, and quite successfully. But there’s more. James Knight, although only playing a part season for the Wildcats last time out, on average was also in the Top Ten British Points Chart while Höög was in a similar position in the EPL Points Chart. To complete this formidable bunch there is also Captain Lee Richardson who is a Top Ten Chart British Goals scorer and Aldridge himself who after his best season ever ended as a British Top Ten Assist Scorer. So on paper at least, as things stand so far only the Flames can boast a similar position.
Sadly, though, there may be a downside. A look at the Penalty-Takers Charts shows Watt, Pinc, Moore and the returning Joe Baird are all placed in the Top Ten, so while undoubtedly a physical side, and looking like a successful one, there may be a price to pay.
Talking of the Flames it was announced goalie Mark Lee, who finished in the Top Ten Netminders’ Chart, will return for a third season, but there was no mention of Hadfield. Nathan Rempel, however, did get a mention and that was the news the Canadian was back on the Flames forward line with his Top Ten Goal Scoring place with him.
Over in Telford Coach Watkins re-signed British D-man Daniel Croft who he called the ‘unsung hero’ of the Tigers’ team. Croft has certainly shown his commitment because the coming season will be his seventh in Telford. Watkins also said he was hopeful of re-signing British forward Josh Bruce, who has been linked with the Jets. The coach, who had previously commented his was not a physical side, said he was looking to add weight to the forward line which he believed would cement his ‘realistic target of a play-off place’ in the coming campaign.
So while the Tigers may be growing tougher, Coach Hand at the Phoenix said he believed his team will be better than last season, adding he felt the league was looking stronger and singling out Sheffield and Swindon as improved squads. ‘It is good for the league,’ he commented.
The Wildcats having been dealt with, Hand’s observation about the Steeldogs is worth a scan. The Sheffield side is looking almost complete with no less than three former Phoenix players on board including top D-man Pavel Gomeniuk and top British D-man Ben Morgan. They have too, of course, Janis Ozolins for a full season, the Latvian forward who on average was in the Top Ten Points Chart. The question mark, as everyone must be wondering, is will Andre Payette’s Olympian penalty count be repeated which if it is should at least make an interesting factor in the expected tougher line expected from the Sheffield team. Conversely, if Payette remains less penalty-inflicted his increased ice time should make for some rewarding viewing.
But what about the Bees? Some have commented on their apparent high expenditure, but what exactly have they accomplished so far? Well, having lost two top Czech forwards in Jaroslav Cesky and Michal Pinc they have acquired two admirable replacements. For instance, also from the Republic comes forward Lukas Smital, not to be sniffed at having ended last season with the Flames with both a Top Ten Points Scoring Chart place and a Top Ten Assist Scoring place while fellow countryman and team-mate Martin Masa was also a holder of a Top Ten Goals Scorers Chart place. Brit Shaun Thompson from the Jets is also handy forward, so assuming the Bracknell side all manage to sign from the same hymn sheet, which was a complaint from Coach Cox last season, we can expect more from that neck of the woods too.
That just leaves the Tigers as one of the lower teams to review, but it is probably too early to come to a serious assessment with so few players on board just yet. But, it is worth noting Brit Scott McKenzie, who was in the Top Ten British Points Chart and British Top Ten Goals Chart is back, and of course there is Tom Watkins who is a Top Ten D-man. New signing Jiri Hanzal, a Czech center, notched up an impressive two-and-a-teeny-bit points per game average last season for Dunkerque, so is certainly going to be a figure to follow.
So all-in-all, at least for the lower teams, there appears to be a pinch more chilli powder in the mix which as several coaches have commented, can only make for a closer and more entertaining season – Can’t wait.
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Contact the author Bill.Collins@Prohockeynews.com
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