NIHL Signing News

NIHL News

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Billingham Stars have announced the return of backup netminder Mark Watson who is set for his eighth consecutive season at the Teesside club after achieving a save percentage of 88.7% in seventeen games last season. Having played ice hockey for both Newcastle Vipers’ and Whitley Warriors’ junior setups, Watson then went on to divide his 2010-11 campaign between Whitley Braves and the Northern Stars prior to the side’s merger with Billingham in the season that followed. Sharing netminding duties with fellow shot stopper James Flavell during the Stars’ league campaign and icing in the NIHL National Cup last season, Watson will continue to be an important part of Billingham’s roster when he takes his place between the pipes in his upcoming campaign.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Likewise, Solway Sharks have re-signed experienced defenceman and on-ice leader James Hutchinson who heads into his third consecutive season with the Dumfries outfit, having first iced for the side during their 2016-17 treble-winning campaign. Though playing just seventeen games for the Sharks last season through injury, alternate captain Hutchinson was still able to contribute five goals and seven assists to Solway’s league campaign. With a wealth of experience having played in both the Elite League and the EPL prior to signing for Solway in 2016, Hutchinson will again bring calm, composure and consistency to the Sharks’ blue line when he returns to the ice next month.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Further to re-signing Hutchinson, Solway have also confirmed the return of forward Rick Bentham who joins their roster from Blackburn Hawks. Having previously iced with the Sharks in their 2014-15 campaign, Bentham achieved forty nine points in twenty four league games to finish the season as the team’s top points scorer. The forward then signed for the Hawks in what was an extremely successful season for Blackburn in which they were crowned NIHL North league and playoff champions. Returning to the Dumfries outfit in 2016, Bentham played three league games and two cup games for the Sharks, notching a total of five goals and two assists in that time, but he then switched back to the Hawks where he was able to achieve forty seven points in twenty league fixtures. Finishing as Blackburn’s top points scorer for two consecutive seasons, Bentham will add even more firepower to the Sharks’ line-up which is certainly shaping up to be formidable.   

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