NIHL round-up: Ralph agrees another year on the south coast, Pirates snap up veteran forward

(Image permission: David Trevallion)

CAMBRIDGE, UK – Last week was a fairly slow one for signings and this week looked as though it was going to be more of the same.

It wasn’t until Wednesday that the first signing of the week occurred as Sheffield Steeldogs announced that ‘D’ man Tom Barry had again returned to the South Yorkshire side.

Speaking on the Steeldogs’ website, head coach Ben Morgan said: “Baz is going through a transition phase now – he was very much an apprentice for a few years, learning from the senior guys in that D core group.

“He is not necessarily the youngest guy now in the group and he has a substantial number of games now under his belt and over the last two years he has enjoyed significant ice time.

“I am hoping it will be a breakout season for him as there will be strong competition for places in the defence. We have players who are really hungry pushing for places.

“I am looking for him to push for those special teams spots and rise to the challenge of this. He is always asking questions about his game play and everything around the hockey.

“He has also made valuable contributions to team talks and is beginning to see himself as a more senior figure around the team. Even though he is still young has had six seasons with the Steeldogs and is someone who will be making that progression on and off the ice.”

The following day, Basingstoke Bison player coach, Ashley Tait, announced the return of ‘D’ man Tom Ralph.

The 25-year-old Hull native, who has 85 EIHL games under his belt as well as a full season in the last year of the EPL, picked up eight goals and 19 assists in all competitions last season with the Bison, something that left Tait rather pleased with the re-signing.

“He will certainly add some size to our blueline and he had some other offers but decided to return to us which is great,” he said.

“He is one of our senior players at only 25 and is still developing and learning, so I am looking forward to another big year from him.”

Continuing the theme of defence, Raiders IHC confirmed the return of Callum Burnett to the Essex side. The 18-year-old has spent last season split between the Raiders U18, NIHL2 and NIHL1 side, running up six goals for 19 points in 46 games.

Speaking in the Romford Recorder, Burnett was looking forward to the new season, saying “This should again be good for my development as a player maintaining ice time and allowing me to play two different roles in both teams.

“Two areas I have looked to improve on are my decision making while on the puck to make the most beneficial play. As well as on ice skills to be able to execute plays with confidence and accuracy.”

“The new league is a step forward again for Raiders and it allows us as a club to develop further and play even better hockey. It also allows the team to travel and display what we can do around the country and expand the raiders support.

“It’s a great way for the club to play even better hockey, set new targets and goals as a team. It should also allow for the team and players as individuals to get better by improving our game and putting on good hockey for people to watch.”

The first new signing of the week came courtesy of the Hull Priates when they revealed the acquisition of 40-year-old Czech forward Peter Fabus as their second non-British player for the upcoming season.

Fabus has managed a minimum of a point a game at every level he’s played at, although his stats, as seen on Elite Prospects, indicate that he may be more of a playmaker than an out-and-out scorer which could play well to the strengths of the Hull players already signed.

He is described by Andre Payette, according to the Pirates’ Facebook page as “a big guy and a Doug Clarkson-type player. He will move players out of his way and for the opposition, he will be a challenge in front of their net on power plays… Peter is potentially, ‘the highest profile import player that the club has signed.”

The Hull theme continued as Leeds Chiefs revealed that former Pirate, James Archer, had taken up an offer to join the new Yorkshire side.

Archer, whose playing pedigree is well known to EPL and NIHL fans brings over 14 years of senior hockey experience.

Chiefs’ player-coach, Sam Zajac, speaking in the Yorkshire Evening Post, was delighted at the signing, saying: “James is an excellent pick up for us, he’s got that experience which we are always trying to strike a balance with in the team and he’s coming off the back of a really successful year in Hull.

“He proved for years in the old EPL, what he can bring, always putting up plenty of points. He’s exactly the kind of guy we were looking for, one who can move up and down the line-up as he gives us different options.

“He’s not one-dimensional and he’s got a lot of intangibles which we find really attractive.”

At the same time in Berkshire, the Bracknell Bees announced the return of Stuart Mogg as team captain. The former Bison ‘D’ man moved along side head coach Doug Sheppard to Bracknell at the beginning of the 18/19 season.

Speaking on the Bees website, Mogg, who ran up seven goals for 31 points from the blueline said: “I am very happy to back playing for Bracknell this season and after speaking with Shep a lot throughout the summer it was an easy decision.

“I have played with Shep for the last seven seasons and I know that he is always striving for excellence and towards the main goal of silverware.

“When Shep asked me to be captain next year I was honoured and it was an easy decision to say yes. I am looking forward to being a leader, working with Shep more and developing myself as a player as well as helping the younger players to continue to grow on and off the ice.”

Following on from this, the Bees then announced the return of forward Josh Martin. The 23-year-old former Bracknell Junior picked up 10 goals for 25 points and 119 PIMS last season which saw the Berkshire side run up 71 discipline points, 11 more than the next highest team in the EIHA.

A new player is also on his way to Buckinghamshire as MK Lightning announced the signing of former Elite League import forward Cale Tanaka.

The 33-year-old Ontario native ran up 27 goals for 70 points in all competitions last season with Solway Sharks in the NIHL1 northern conference.

Lightning head coach, Lewis Clifford, revealed that Tanaka will be playing as a British player this season, saying: “With the change in classification of what classes as a British player or an import, I started investigating who was still available who fitted the new rules as I hadn’t completed my roster yet, as soon as Cale’s name came up I knew he was a guy who could help us in the upcoming season and make our team better.

“Cale has been a teammate of both Russ Cowley and James Griffin in the past and both of them told me nothing but positives about him. This backed up what I already knew of him and what I had seen in the past when I had watched him play.”

The second new import to join the league this week is Dominik Florian. The forward played for the EIHL Coventry Blaze last season, picking up just two assists and eigh PIMS in his first season out of NCAA hockey in the US.

Speaking in the Tigers’ PR, head coach and general manager, Tom Watkins, said: “I spoke a lot with Danny Stewart, the Blaze coach, and several of the Blaze players about Dominik and from what I have heard he will add something different to the roster.

“He’s big and strong which causes players a lot of problems at this level, coping with his size and strength. He has good speed and a heavy shot. He’s still a young guy and has good experience from the National American Hockey League (NAHL) and NCCA. I am sure that with his good work ethic and competitive nature, he will be successful for us.”

So, for a week that started off so quietly, business, as we approach the final full month of the off season, has picked up briskly.

With the pre-season games for the new league a little over seven weeks away, the teams rosters are filling out nicely. According to Elite Prospects, the teams are looking like this:

With the release of the NIHL National Division fixtures not far away, the shape and feel of most teams now seems to be in place.