(Image permission: David Morrison)
LANCASHIRE, UK – It’s fair to say that the addition of the former EPL clubs to the NIHL didn’t please everyone, although there are signs in the northern section of the league that it could turn out to be a positive development.
Sheffield Steeldogs, Hull Pirates and Telford Tigers unsurprisingly battled for the Moralee D1 title for much of the season, but many of the ‘original’ NIHL clubs can take plenty of encouragement from how things unfolded during the campaign.
The battle for the trophy went down to the wire, with some fortuitous (or inspired) fixture scheduling setting up a final weekend showdown between Sheffield and Hull.
Steeldogs’ netminder Dmitri Zimozdra – a popular figure in NIHL North circles – shut-out the Pirates in the first game and Ben Morgan’s side completed the job with a disciplined performance in the reverse fixture.
Sell-out crowds for both games were a hugely positive sign, laying down a marker for the rest of the league to live up to in the future.
Sheffield’s ‘home-grown’ ethos over the past few seasons stood them in good stead in the NIHL and they are now the yardstick for other clubs to measure themselves against, both on and off the ice.
The Yorkshire club also have the chance for more silverware with a National Cup Final tie against Swindon Wildcats still to play.
Hull’s all-British roster ultimately came up short when it mattered and it will be interesting to see if the club decides to stick with that policy next season.
Third-placed Telford looked a formidable side for much of the season, but three defeats during February ended their title hopes.
They gained compensation in the regional play-off final with victory over Sheffield, but couldn’t follow up at the Final Four Weekend in Coventry as Basingstoke Bison proved too strong.
Solway Sharks finished fourth in the table, although the departure of defender Vaclav Kolarik in February dented their hopes of being closer to the top three.
However, the first game Solway played after Kolarik’s exit highlighted why the club is well-placed to give the former EPL sides something to think about next season.
The Sharks led Hull 5-4 heading into the final period of their game on February 17th, but four unanswered goals in the last 20 minutes sealed the win for the Pirates.
Despite the defeat Sharks’ boss Martin Grubb has plenty to build on, with nine of his roster that played that game aged 20 or under.
Solihull’s season looked like it was going off the rails when netminder Daniel Brittle’s meltdown at Telford just before Christmas led to their game being abandoned, but the Barons finished the season strongly with 11 wins from their final 16 matches to secure fifth place.
Whitley Warriors ended the campaign in sixth, but their away form continues to be a major hindrance to their hopes of progressing up the table.
The Hillheads outfit lost 12 out of 18 games on the road and that is a disappointing statistic for a side who look a completely different proposition on home ice.
Blackburn Hawks and Billingham Stars finished seventh and eighth respectively and both clubs have come in for deserved criticism from their fans this season.
The Hawks have the potential to be matching the likes of Sheffield and Hull, but complaints about the way the club is run off the ice continue to rumble on. Unless those issues are addressed the fans could be set for more frustration in the future.
Billingham’s 5-0 defeat at Whitley at the start of March summed up what was a hugely disappointing campaign for the Forum faithful.
The Stars started the season slowly, before briefly sparking into life after Christmas. Billingham rarely looked like finishing higher than eighth in the standings, but their surrender against the Warriors was rightly blasted by the club’s fans.
Billingham and Blackburn are capable of being amongst the best clubs in the NIHL – both face a crucial summer if they are serious about delivering success on the ice.
Nottingham Lions took ninth place to preserve their D1 status and it was pleasing to see them celebrate that achievement.
Plenty of eyebrows were raised last summer when the Lions moved up from D2 during the league restructure having finished fifth at the lower level, but that decision was vindicated as they managed to avoid the drop.
Victories over Solihull and Whitley during the course of the season were the undoubted high points and their focus on developing their own players should see them improve next term.
Deeside Dragons went into the season with high hopes after deservedly avoiding relegation last season, but the club endured a miserable campaign.
Player/Coach Scott McKenzie’s departure to Telford during October didn’t help their cause, but the club deserves plenty of credit for digging in and making it through to the end of the season. Hopefully they will regroup and come back stronger.
Sutton Sting deservedly took the Laidler D2 title, but there has already been rumours that they will request to stay in the same division next season.
The balance between maintaining the sporting integrity of the competition and a club’s desire to do what it sees as being the best for itself, is a tricky one for the league’s management to contend with.
Sutton did miss out on the national title with a narrow defeat against Oxford City Stars, but their talented squad has earned the right to test itself at the higher level next term.
A patchy run of form either side of Christmas cost Widnes Wild their chance of claiming top spot, but they played their part in what was a close race for the title throughout the season.
Hull Jets, Telford Tigers 2 and Altrincham Aces were also in contention for much of the campaign and their efforts showcased the competitive nature of the division.
The EPL’s demise left a big gap between the Elite League and tier two in Great Britain, but there are reasons to believe that the NIHL could evolve into something that everyone can enjoy over the next few years.
The likes of Sheffield, Hull and Telford have clearly raised the bar in the north, but the gap is not insurmountable if the clubs who finished behind them put their minds to it.
Sutton, Widnes, Hull and Telford 2 still have their Final Four Weekend to play at Widnes this coming weekend and the event should be a fitting climax to what has been an entertaining season.
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