GUILDFORD, UK – Days after the EPL final was laid to rest Guildford Flames released Czech forward Vinny Zavoral, plagued by injury since early last season so short of ice time. The rebuild was under way!
Zavoral, who had been with the team for five seasons only managed six games this past year but leaves with the distinction of being the only Flames’ player to pass the one-thousand penalty minute tape.
A few days later fellow Czech forward Martin Masa was re-signed as the first confirmed player for the new side. Masa was the top scorer both in goals and points.
Rumours that Elite League Viper’s captain David Longstaff was to join the
Further announced departures included Canadian forward Adrian Saul, a late arrival in the New Year when the club was hit by a flu bug but made sixteen appearances for 23 points. Also to go was Slovakian forward Lubomir Hurtaj, another injury victim who although joining near the end of last year only iced fifteen times but scored 28 points. Brit Dean Skinns, who clocked up a save rate of just over eighty-eight per cent, was the next to go. Skinns accrued the majority of netminding time due to injuries even though employed by the Flames on a sort of ‘job share’ arrangement whereby there was no designated starting netminder, a system that will probably not be repeated.
British forward Tom Duggan, a Guildford Flames junior graduate was released after one season after returning from the Bees where rumour has it he will be returning.
And finally, David Savage, another Flames junior graduate and another player with an early-season injury last year is to stay put. Prior to his health troubles Savage was the clubs leading defensive scorer with an impressive 43 points in his first season and another 36 the following year, as well as international experience at various levels. No wonder they want to keep him.
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Contact Bill.Collins@prohockeynews.com
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