Welcome to NIHL South

LONDON, UK – This weekend heralds the start of the 2012/13 National Ice Hockey League South season. Meet the players, the teams and find out more about their prospects and aspirations in the Pro Hockey News season preview.
 
The clouds of summer are gradually breaking and that can only mean one thing… Hockey is back in the National Ice Hockey League South. Every team is previewed highlighting strengths, weaknesses, arrivals, departures and a light hearted look at the facilities they will be playing out of.
 
Ready? Here we go..
 
 
Bracknell Hornets
Jasik gives Hornets the cutting edge
 
What do you do when all those around you are strengthening their roster? Make sure you do the same is Lukas Smital’s answer. After a relatively average 2011/12 season, Bracknell would have been many peoples tips to struggle this season until they started announcing their new signings.
 
Good fortune has certainly aided the Berkshire club with their recruitment as the largely amateur ‘second string’ senior side at the Hive have benefitted from unfortunate circumstances elsewhere.
 
Former Bristol goalie Chris Douglas and Oxford defenseman Richard Wojciack certainly strengthen a defence that conceded a whopping 228 goals in their 36 games last season.
 
Livewire forward Grant Rounding returns home from a brief spell in Wightlink, speedy Ryan Handisides moves down South from Sheffield Spartans and former Haringey and Romford utility man Liam Doyle adds further depth. Added to the roster is also former Slough forward Carl Thompson.
 
Whilst all of those mentioned are pleasing additions to the Hornets roster, none could match the wow factor of Slovakian winger Peter Jasik, who appears to be the ace up Smital’s sleeve as far as player recruitment goes.
 
Aside from the new faces the Hornets lost Lewis Turner and Alan Lack to the EPL Bracknell Bees, but have retained the core of their squad with the improving Nick Minnhinick and underrated pair of Michael Plenty and Tony Barclay all back for another year.
 
Key man – Peter Jasik
 
With a CV to match any import in this league, Jasik has the skills to really light up the league this season if he wishes. After averaging almost a point a game in the English Premier League last season, Jasik will be looking to better that total in his first campaign at this level.
 
After spells in his native Slovakia, Jasik has also played in Czech, Finland and France, before heading to the UK in 2007 when he joined the Bees from Dijon.
 
The Barn – When TV’s Alan Partridge described the inside of his freshly microwaved apple pie as ‘Hotter than the Sun’ he could also have been referring to Bracknell Ice Rink. Most sides don’t even need a warm up such is the heat inside the rink but with great sightlines and a large ice it makes for a great venue to watch hockey even if the atmosphere is a bit lacking.
 
Last Year’s Position – 7th with 21 pts and a minus 119 goal average.
 
Forecast – Bracknell will be aiming for a top five finish or a play-off place at least and they could well achieve it. With a young squad they have speed and a number of promising prospects but a lack of grit may be their undoing, especially against more physical teams in the league.
 
Assistant Coach Danny Hughes will once again lead the charge on the ice and they will be a tough proposition for any team on their own wide ice pad.
 
 
 
Cardiff NIHL Devils
The conveyor belt of quality continues
 
Just when you think Cardiff are in trouble they manage to bring in suitable replacements and arguably more. Head Coach Mark Cuddihy has been a busy man this summer recruiting a host of new faces, no doubt aided by the success of his side in providing a step up to the Elite league side at Cardiff.
 
Believe it or not, that opening paragraph has been cut and paste from last season’s Pro Hockey News preview piece and it is largely true once again.

 
The loss of the excellent Jamie Hayes to Swindon is a big blow as is the confirmed departures of Luke Piggott and Adam Harding to the Elite league side on a full time basis. Chris Jones is travelling with Hayes to Swindon and another regular scorer last season, James Preece is trying his luck in the EPL with Tom Watkins’ Telford Tigers.
 
New faces include a mini invasion from Bristol as the impressive Steve Osman and Jamie Newton head across the River Severn along with former Devil Alan Armour who once again brings colour to the league. Fellow Pitbull and local boy Steven Fisher would not be a total shock signing prior to the first face off and the Devils are yet to announce the two imports they will roll with this year.
 
Alastair Band ends the shortest retirement of all time to beef up the blue line and former player James Parson’s return dilutes the relatively strong contingent of English players to a traditionally Welsh line up.
 
Key Man – Jason Stone
 
Let’s be honest, you don’t play for Cardiff Devils in the top flight for as long as 39 year old Stone has unless you have something about you. The Welsh defenseman was a steadying influence last season after joining from Swindon Wildcats in the EPL last summer. Stone has also played for Guildford in his long and illustrious career.
 
The Barn – It says something about the state of facilities in the UK when a big blue temporary tent can be put up there with the best rinks in the country. Elevated seating looks down on the ice pad and whilst the crowd may be sparse for the NIHL side the team tend to make it an intimidating venue all by themselves.
 
Last Year’s Position – 5th with 44 points and a plus 45 goal average.
 
Forecast – Cardiff had a good season last year finishing a clear fifth in between the top 4 and the also-rans. The 43 goals scored by Hayes last season will have to be found elsewhere and Cardiff are likely to look to the likes of exciting youngster Louis Lockwood to move up a gear and hit the net more regularly. The Play-Offs will be the target for Cardiff but as ever they will delight in giving the bigger teams (or indeed all other teams) a bloody nose on any visit to Wales.  
 
 
 
Chelmsford Chieftains
Continuation a challenge for Clarke
 
It has been a busy summer down at the Riverside despite a fantastic ending to last season for the Play-Off Champions. Coach Gary Clarke has replaced both imports and lost some notable British quality in Tom Long, Tom Avery, Darren Elliott and goalie David Wride from his roster.
 
The two new imports, of which much will be expected, are Slovak pair Tibor Schneider and Julius Sinkovic. New British talent arrives in the relatively unknown quantities of Tom Castle from Telford and Michael McKay from the renowned Kirkcaldy junior club in Scotland.
 
Clarke has also promoted the Bartlett brothers Cameron and Grant from the NIHL 2 Chelmsford Warriors side, whilst also swooping for highly rated goalie Ryan Bainborough from Slough.
 
Aside from the new faces the Chieftains have managed to retain most of their local stars with Danny Hammond, James Ayling, Alex Green and Ross Brears all returning. The reliable Darren Brown and powerhouse centre Michael Ranby give the team balance.
 
Key Man – Gary Clarke
 
After a good start to his Coaching career last season, Clarke faces another tough test not only as a coach but as a player. Aside from Hammond and the unknown quantity of the new import, Clarke is still going to have to rack up the goals to keep his team up in the title race.
 
The Barn – The low level seats behind the glass do nothing for the atmosphere on the ice at the Riverside, but after a multi-million pound refurbishment over a year ago, it offers a clean and safe environment to watch the game. A long ramp up to the rink entrance will leave your calf muscles burning and make you feel less guilty about the period break hot dog.
 
Last Year’s Position – 2nd with 60 points and a plus 162 goal average.
 
Forecast – Compared with title rivals Romford, the Chieftains have made some big changes and Clarke will hope there are no early season slip ups that will come back to haunt them later in the season. One other worry is a lack of physicality in the roster however they have sufficient quality in the roster to take the league on skill and speed alone.
 
 
 
Milton Keynes Thunder
Quiet recruitment could surprise
 
Just when you think the Thunder are looking at a season of struggle they pick up a number of quality players to make them competitive.
 
Coach Simon Howard saw his team struggle badly towards the end of last season but quality additions in the form of Bracknell’s Greg Randall and Chelmsford’s Play Off winning Captain Dwayne Newman have injected much needed experience into the roster.
 
New import Maxims Petruks is an unknown quantity but has been training with the team over the summer and youngster Cameron McGiffin joins on a two way deal with Swindon Under 18s.
 
More young talent is given a chance on the roster as Ryan Gadeke steps up from the Under 18s and former Oxford Stars forward Mike Whillock has joined from German side Bad Neuhiem.
 
Good news for the team and indeed for all long term watchers of the league, is the return of goalie Mark Woolf who has been out with a long term injury for a year or so.
 
Howard has managed to retain most of his local contingent from last season including the improving Tom Mboya and the lively Goode brothers Harrison and Connor plus fellow MK boy Martyn Snape.
 
 
Key Man – Dwayne Newman
 
If ever there was perfect signing for MK Thunder it was Newman. Howard knows all about the grizzly blue liner from their time together in the EPL and he knows that Newman will keep the locker room in line and rub off his professionalism and spirit on the rest of the guys. A legend in these parts anyway, Newman may even add a few on the attendance figures.
 
The Barn – Despite some frustratingly placed pillars obscuring sections of the ice from a number of seats, Milton Keynes remains one of the better rinks to play and watch hockey. A large ice pad gives fitter teams a big advantage and for a ‘second team’ the Thunder organisation put a lot of effort in making the place a good arena to watch hockey in.
 
Last Year’s Position – 8th with 18 points and a minus 111 goal average.
 
Forecast – At home the Thunder will be a tough proposition for most teams but it will be their away form that determines how successful the season will be. They are always battling against the odds against the bigger teams in the league but with the summer acquisitions they have made they are unlikely to be a push over.
 
 
 
Invicta Dynamos
Pack is shuffled again
 
For so long the big boys of ENL South, the Dynamos have had a couple of frustrating seasons without any silverware.
 
Head Coach Kevin Parrish has once again been busy bolstering his squad after showing last season’s top scorer Ryan Ellis the door.
 
Chelmsford goalie David Wride and defenseman Tom Avery both join the Mo’s, with Wightlink’s forward turned defenseman Arran Strawson coming in to plug a rear-guard that conceded 131 goals last year.
 
Bracknell’s Brad Watchorn and Sutton’s Nathaniel Rose have been drafted into add a bit of muscle and the highly rated yet elusive Joe Bliss has signed again after doing the same last summer before disappearing. Young defenseman Sam Cheema has also been drafted in from Streatham to add further depth to the blue line.
 
Peter Vaisanen returns after a couple of seasons away to fill the vacant import slot and joins hardworking Justin Noble who gets a rare second term in a Dynamos import position.  
 
Key Man – Andy Smith
 
The all-time club top scorer will need to get back to his best form this year after failing to break into the league’s top ten scorers last season. For a   man normally leading the league in scoring this was a bit of a shock, but he is a quality player and will be up there with Callum Fowler and Vaisanen as the Mo’s main hope for goals.
 
The Barn – With seats on both sides of the rink, the atmosphere can get a bit heated at the newly named Silverblades rink. The visiting bench is placed on the far side of the rink and has spectators on both sides of it which can lead to some interesting exchanges between the locals and the opposition. Many visiting goalies have gone to pieces under the taunts of the partisan crowd and Invicta will need them on side this season to succeed.
 
Last Year’s Position – 4th with 46 points and a plus 94 goal average.
 
Forecast – On paper they are title contenders no doubt. They have always had scoring but their defence and toughness have come into question and Coach Kevin Parrish has recruited wisely to fill the gaps. Whether they can piece it all together and maintain the consistency needed remains to be seen.
 
 
 
Romford Raiders
Marshall wants more of the same
 
Romford won the league last season and start as favourites this year. Coach Danny Marshall has barely changed his roster and there is no reason why he should. The Raiders were very strong last season and only a lack of discipline stopped them securing a Grand Slam.
 
Invicta defenseman and former Raider Ryan Giles has signed up at Rom Valley Way to replace the departed Tyrone Miller, and Marshall has also addressed a mini goalie crisis by snapping up Shane Kemp from Streatham and Charlie Kaylor.
 
Marshall has opted to keep his tried and trusted import duo of Pro Hockey News All-Star Juraj Huska and Lithuanian international Andrius Kaminskas.
 
The return of prodigal son Frankie Harvey from long term injury gives the Raiders fans something else to smile about in what is likely to be the last ever season of hockey at Romford’s home barn.
 
Reliable defensemen Jason Buckman and Julian Smith continue to patrol the blue for another season.
 
Key Man – Juraj Huska
 
Former Telford star Huska has led the scoring in recent years for Romford and he will have to be back to his best providing the cutting edge needed. The Slovak has a cannon of a shot and has exceptional hands and the ability to dictate the power play. He will be invaluable again this season and looking to match or improve his 41 goals and 51 assists in the regular season last year.
 
The Barn – A partisan crowd who are able to make plenty of noise thanks to the netting surrounding the ice in place of glass, make Rom Valley Way an unpleasant place for opposition players to play. This is likely to be the last season the Raiders play here so get down and catch a match if you can to see the Raiders in action in their spiritual home.
 
Last Year’s Position – 1st with 62 points and a plus 142 goal average.
 
Forecast – Title favourites and rightly so. The Raiders balance speed and skill with the likes of Matty Turner and AJ Smith, with toughness and edginess in the likes of JJ McGrath and Billy Phillips, who are partly the reason teams like Invicta are bringing in similar players to compete with that part of the game. Marshall and his troops will be looking for a victorious finale in a momentous season for the club.
 
 
 
Solent & Gosport Devils
Tough ask for new boys
 
Last season’s ENL2 champions were keen to join the NIHL 1 this season after a couple of win laden years in the fourth tier of British hockey.
 
Despite being the main senior team at the South Coast rink, the Devils are a relatively small club in contrast to other teams in the league and will be sticking with largely the same roster that saw them promoted.
 
Rocked by the loss of star forward Drew Campbell, Player Coach Will Francis has brought back goalie Aaron Taylor from Basingstoke Buffalo to give competition to Christian Cole between the pipes whilst also persuading defenseman Sean Rudkin to head south from Bracknell Hornets.
 
Guildford junior George Norcliff gets a shot at senior hockey, whilst local boys Kevin Tanner, Kent Johnson and Kris Abbott are all back to take on the challenge.
 
Solent & Gosport attracted a few hundred fans to their games last year and will be hoping to stay in the league this season to build on their achievement.
 
Key Man – Kris Abbott
 
Abbott has the task of not only continuing his goal scoring form from last season, but of keeping his team together when the tough times invariably hit. The Devils captain has played at this level before and has a number of team mates who also have the same experience.
 
The Barn – There is no two ways about it, Gosport ice rink, is small, cramped and an awful place for opposition players to play. Fans however get a good view of the action and for those who like to see physical ice hockey, there is no hiding place on the limited size ice pad. It is another rink for many newer fans to tick off to say they have visited in NIHL 1.
 
Last Year’s Position – 1^st (in ENL 2) with 46 points and a plus 135 goal average.
 
Forecast – Solent & Gosport’s prime aim will be to stay in the league this season and to do this they will need to pick up a lot of points on home ice. Not only that, but they will have to be committed to a heavy fixture list and win some games on the road as well. It is a big ask for Francis and his men but they could cause an upset or two along the way.
 
 
 
Streatham Redskins
New rink, new team
 
After moving to Brixton mid-season, the South Londoners start their first full season at the Planet Ice facility with a plethora of new signings and cautious optimism.
 
Head Coach Barry Spours shocked the league by signing League Defenseman of the Year Dom Hopkins from Wightlink and then added highly rated blue liner Tyrone Miller from league champions Romford.
 
Chelmsford’s free scoring Czech Jakub Klima raised even more eyebrows on his signing for the club and then Spours added Slough duo Eddie Temple and Jamie McIlroy from Slough.
 
Just when Skins fans didn’t think anymore new faces could arrive, in breezed Cardiff’s utility man Phil Manny joined by speedy Romford winger Joe Allen, and then club hero Joe Johnston returned from some time spent travelling.
 
These acquisitions were tempered by the loss of Captain Ed Koral who announced he would not be icing this season due to injury.  
 
Key Man – Jakub Klima
 
The Czech will be seen as the main goal threat for a team which looks short of scoring options. A real hit in Chelmsford during their play-off campaign last season, Klima will have less scoring opportunities this season but enough to make sure he can trouble the scoring charts again. Streatham need him to be firing every game.
 
The Barn – Brand new, shiny and still has the smell of newness about it. Brixton ice rink is the Redskins temporary home whilst the new rink at Streatham is built and is bright, functional and well located for public transport. Streatham’s small but noisy contingent of fans have already made it their home.
 
Last Year’s Position – 9th with 14 points and a minus 123 goal average.
 
Forecast – Streatham avoided relegation on goal difference last year but will be aiming for much better this season. Lots of new faces mean another spell of blending players together but if Spours can make the team click then they will be a challenge for anyone.
 
 
 
Wightlink Raiders
Back to Brown for Cornish
 
After yet another import saga this summer, Wightlink coach Jeremy Cornish has had another busy time recruiting players to the island.
 
With prospective import Chris Jones doing a U-turn on the club at the last minute in the summer of 2011, Cornish hit the jackpot with goal machine Joe Rand as his replacement last season. This time it was Cornish who did a U-turn on Canadian/Greek forward Jimmy Chiropoulos after a discrepancy with his CV, before turning to Slovak Jiri Hanzal at the last minute to fill the vacant slot.
 
Northern Irish sniper Robbie Brown returns to the club from Peterborough and he is joined by highly rated Swindon blue liner Nick Compton, Invicta agitator Corey Watkins and Basingstoke goalie Matt Colclough.
 
Former Bracknell and Basingstoke forward Craig Tribe offers scoring options, whilst youngsters Ben Lock, Aiden Doughty and Luke Tull bring depth to the team.
 
Key departures include the afore mentioned Rand and big defenseman Dom Hopkins. Cornish has also appointed long time Raider Steve Gannaway as his assistant coach for the season.
 
Key Man – Jiri Hanzal
 
The pressure is on Hanzal (whose brother plays for Phoenix in the NHL) to get the goals to replace Rand and keep Wightlink challenging at the top. After a disappointing spells in Telford and Edinburgh, Hanzal’s stats do not make impressive reading however he was often playing as a defenseman in the Elite league and could prove to be an ace find at this level. Time will tell.
 
The Barn – Ryde Arena celebrated its twentieth birthday last season and remains a good place to watch hockey despite it’s smaller than normal ice pad. The arena was busy again last season and that is a credit to Cornish and the hard working fans and officials on the island. A unique and friendly place to watch the beautiful game.
 
Last Year’s Position – 3rd with 49 points and a plus 78 goal average.
 
Forecast – Wightlink will be up there again this season but Cornish desperately needs Hanzal, Facey, Tribe and Brown to hit the net from the start. Appointing Gannaway as his assistant is a shrewd move and Wightlink have a balanced squad that will trouble any side they come across.
 

 
 
The National Ice Hockey League South starts this weekend and fixtures can be found here:
 
http://www.eiha.co.uk/Leagues.aspx
 
Let’s hope for another great season of National Ice Hockey League South Hockey with as few injuries as possible and some great goals, saves and bigger and bigger crowds.
 
Spread the word!
Good luck to all players and officials… it’s that time again!
 
Contact the author: david.carr@prohockeynews.com