NEWCASTLE, UK – It is that time of year again when hockey fans and journalists from all over Britain select their all star teams based on performances over the current campaign. Selecting my overall all star side got me thinking as to who the top GB Players had been over the course of the 2010/11 season.
In goal there are 2 main contenders as there are only 2 Elite League sides who go with a home grown starting net minder, Stephen Murphy of the Belfast Giants and Stevie Lyle of the Cardiff Devils. Both goaltenders have been in great form this season however I feel Murphy just has the edge over Lyle in overall consistency this term and therefore will chose the Scotsman as my last line of defence.
In front of Murphy there are many British defenceman who could have been selected players like Stephen Lee (Nottingham Panthers) Graham Walton (Belfast Giants) Mark Richardson (Cardiff Devils) and Russ Cowley (Coventry Blaze) have all excelled on the blue line this season. However I have gone for 2 players in Kyle Horne (Edinburgh Capitals) and Sam Zajac (Newcastle Vipers) who have both given their all for their respective teams in what has been a extremely trying time for both clubs on and off the ice.
Vipers Sam Zajac
Zajac joined Vipers last summer after a disappointing campaign in the EPL with the Basingstoke Bison where the dimunitive d man struggled to log much ice time under the tutelage of Steve Moria. Sam started the campaign as Newcastle’s 6th blue liner however as the season progressed the former Whitley Warrior became an integral part of the Vipers defensive plans and iced one of the clubs 1st 2 defensive pairings over the second half of the campaign. Zajac may have only picked up a handful of points though it has to be remembered that the youngster has been able to more than hold his own in his first year in Britain’s top flight while contributing on all of Newcastle’s specialist teams.
Like Zajac, Horne has iced for a team who have had many off ice issues during the course of the current term. However these problems have not affected the commitment and desire the Capitals defenceman has shown every time he steps onto the ice for Scott Neil’s side. I feel that one of the bigger Elite League sides may well try to tempt Horne away from Edinburgh at the end of the current campaign given the Scotsman undoubted ability and consistency. With Horne’s former coach Doug Christiansen in charge of the Belfast Giants a move across the Irish sea could even be a possibility for the former Fife Flyer.
Up front many high profile British sharp shooters such as Colin Shields (Belfast Giants) Craig Peacock (Belfast Giants) Ashley Tait (Sheffield Steelers) and Greg Owen (Coventry Blaze) have all been posting some pretty impressive points tallies however I have decided to select 3 forwards in Jason Hewitt (Sheffield Steelers) Phil Hill (Cardiff Devils) and David Clarke (Nottingham Panthers) who I feel have all been integral to their teams success this term.
Phil Hill in action against Newcastle
Hewitt has had a superb all round season for the Steelers as he has already picked up almost 50 points this term and has firmly established himself on one of Sheffield’s principal forward lines. Hewitt’s previous best points tally over the course of an entire season was the 23 points he picked up last campaign so for the Manchester born forward to have already blown that figure out of the water it is clear that he has had a stand out year from a personal point of view.
Hewitt’s physical style of play has also impressed many hockey fans as he often gets in the face of opposing teams forcing them to take penalties enabling Steelers to capitalise on the power play. Jason also has a great deal of discipline to his game as he refuses to act on provocation from the opposition and he can play to the game plan of Steelers coach Ben Simon. Hewitt has become the type of player that almost every coach in the Elite League would want to have a gritty no nonsense forward who put his team needs before his own and I would be extremely surprised if the former London Racer is not included in Paul Thompson’s British squad at the end of the campaign.
Another Brit who has had a superb year is Phil Hill of the Cardiff Devils. Hill has also had his best ever season points wise and the Welshman has gone onto to form a potent forward line with Devils talisman Brad Voth and club captain Ryan Finnerty. Hill has lit the lamp on 21 occasions already this term and picked up a further 28 assists which is a great return for any player icing on a 2nd forward unit. Hill was also a major part of the Devils record breaking winning run in mid season which catapulted Gerad Adams side from mid table obscurity to the top of the Elite League standings.
Panthers David Clarke
While Hill and Hewitt are both more than capable picking up a significant number of points all lines would like to have an out and out all goal scorer in their ranks and at this moment in time there is no better British marksmen than David Clarke of the Nottingham Panthers. Clarke has 44 goals to his name already this season and is one of the most dangerous players in the whole Elite League when his side is on the powerplay. Panthers may not have had successful time of it in the league this term however that has not stopped the former Peterborough Pirate from having a superb year on a personal level.
GB All Star Select
Stephen Murphy (Belfast Giants)
Kyle Horne (Edinburgh Capitals)
Sam Zajac (Newcastle Vipers)
Jason Hewitt (Sheffield Steelers)
Phil Hill (Cardiff Devils)
David Clarke (Nottingham Panthers)
Contact the author – chris.mackenzie@prohockeynews.com
Images courtesy of Paul Lynch Photography
