NIHL North News

NIHL North Bulletin

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Returning to the roster of Billingham Stars next season, forward and on-ice leader Callum Davies will be aiming high as he enters into his sixth season with the Teesside club. Scoring nine goals and assisting on a further twenty occasions, Davies is undoubtedly one of the Stars’ strongest players, having acquired much experience in the lower tiers of British Ice Hockey over the years. Icing with Newcastle’s ENL outfit between 2007 and 2011, the forward also made several appearances with the Vipers in the Elite League before moving onto Billingham in 2012. Featuring in Stars’ NIHL North Cup games, Davies contributed seven points in six games to aid his club’s quest for silverware and will look to equal, if not better, the quality of play demonstrated in his last campaign to enhance the Stars’ chances of  success in the Moralee Conference.

Joining Callum as part of the Stars’ offensive operation in September will be fellow forward Jack Davies who makes his return to Billingham’s line-up after recovering from a back injury which brought his season to an end in January. Going into his fourth season with the Stars, Davies will be hoping that he and his team mates avoid the injury woes of their last campaign to ensure the side get off to the best possible start. Racking up forty eight penalty minutes in seventeen games last season, Davies is certainly no stranger to dropping to gloves and will surely make his presence felt again next season.

Also, Stars’ second choice shot stopper Mark Watson has signed up for a fourth season with the Teesside outfit having starred in most NIHL North Cup games in his previous term. With a save percentage of 85.5%, Watson is gradually gaining ice time at Billingham and he continues to excel at the club as netminding duties are divided between himself and Stars’ long serving netminder James Flavell. Returning as an NIHL North Cup champion, Watson joins Billingham’s growing roster with a view to enhance his side’s chances of claiming silverware next season.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Meanwhile, Solihull Barons have continued to add to their roster in recent days, signing forwards Thomas Soar, Ed Eaton and Swedish import Niklas Ottosson ahead of their 2016-17 campaign. Last season, the trio tallied one hundred and forty three points collectively to cement Solihull’s place at playoff weekend. Having linked up with the Barons prior to the club’s promotion in 2015, this line remains to be an impressive combination and will no doubt be raring to go again when September dawns. Besides forwards, player-coach Perry Doyle has secured the defensive capabilities of Ryan Selwood, Richard Crowe and Phil Knight, all of whom were instrumental in helping the former Division Two side to achieve fourth position in March. Confirmation that netminding duo Sam Hewitt and Josh Nicholls have re-signed for the Barons was also received this week, meaning that Solihull now have twelve signings to their name. Whilst Hewitt offers a calm and collected outlook between the pipes, Nicholls’ zeal is equally invaluable and it is these qualities which will see them both be included in Doyle’s operation in September.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia – Ian Hanlon

In other news, Deeside’s Slovakian import Adrian Palak has made the switch to EPL outfit Sheffield Steeldogs, having accumulated sixty one goals and thirty five assists with the Dragons last season. Further to this, former Sheffield Spartan Thomas Parkinson has become Blackburn Hawks’ newest recruit. Playing most of his ice hockey in the Under 20s league with Sheffield Scimitars in his last campaign, Parkinson will make his first appearance for the Lancashire-based outfit alongside fellow debutants Patrick Nyman and Philip Mulcahy in September. 

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