NIHL Signing News

NIHL News

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Solway Sharks have confirmed the re-signings of forwards Joe Coulter, Connor Henderson and Struan Tonnar ahead of their pre-season fixtures against Sheffield Steeldogs this weekend. Heading into his fifth full season with the Sharks’ NIHL team, Coulter will be aiming for a repeat of last season’s success which saw him average a point per game, recording six goals and twenty one assists in twenty seven league games. Developing his game at the Dumfries club in recent seasons, the forward continues to be one the team’s greatest assets and will no doubt show his ability when he takes to the ice with the team once again. Likewise, Henderson also achieved twenty seven points in Solway’s league campaign, tallying nine goals and eighteen assists over the course of nineteen games to prove a real prospect for the Sharks. Going into the 2017-18 campaign on a two-way contract with Elite League outfit Braehead Clan, Henderson has taken part in the side’s pre-season schedule ahead of his latest outing in the NIHL. Further to these signings, long-serving Shark Tonnar will now head into his tenth consecutive season at the club, having captained the side to success in their latest campaign. Scoring eighteen goals and nine assists in twenty seven league games, Tonnar will utilise his experience and skill to outwit his opposition in the hope that he can help the Sharks to build on their 2016-17 treble-winning campaign.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Meanwhile, Billingham Stars completed their roster yesterday with the signing of defenceman and player-coach Richie Thornton who heads into his seventh campaign with the club after notching thirteen assists in twenty six league games last season. Valued for his leadership qualities and his experience, having played in the BNL, the EPL and the Elite League over the course of his career, Thornton returns to the Stars’ coaching line-up alongside fellow player-coach Michael Bowman ahead of Billingham’s pre-season schedule against Telford Tigers this weekend.

In other news, The Dragons have acquired the services of two experienced forwards as former Altrincham Ace captain Brian Worrall and ex-Eagle Steven Hetherington join the Deeside club for their 2017-18 season. Despite playing ice hockey in Manchester for most of his career, Worrall enjoyed a spell with the Dragons in their 2012-13 campaign in NIHL 2, averaging two points per game. Having played at the highest level of ice hockey in Britain with Manchester Phoenix, Worrall brings with him his great knowledge of the sport and a vast amount of experience. By comparison, Hetherington started out with Blackburn’s junior setup in 2000 and, after taking time away from the sport, returned to ice with the Lancashire Raptors, remaining with the club when they rebranded as Blackburn Eagles. Achieving thirty three points in twenty four games last season, Hetherington is a proven goal scorer in the NIHL’s Division Two and it is hoped that he will be able to apply his usual goal scoring prowess when he steps up to play in Division One with the Dragons this season.  

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NIHL Signing News

NIHL News

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Whitley Warriors have today announced the re-signing of long-serving forward DJ Good which follows last night’s news that netminder Mark Turnbull will make his return to the Hillheads club after playing in Canada’s GMHL. A skilled and experienced member of the Warriors’ setup going into his seventeenth campaign, Good finished his latest season as Whitley’s fourth highest points scorer, racking up ten goals and nineteen assists. Building a reputation as a tricky forward with an eye for goal, Good will turn his attentions to the upcoming campaign now that the 2017-18 season is just weeks away.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Meanwhile, shot stopper Turnbull joins Whitley’s line-up after icing with both Wiarton Rock and Toronto Attack last season. Prior to his move away from Hillheads, Turnbull was Whitley’s second choice netminder but he will now face further competition for a place between the pipes from fellow goaltenders Jordan Boyle and Rory Dunn as the trio compete for the position alongside Whitley’s usual first choice, Richie Lawson. 

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NIHL Signing News

NIHL News

Billingham Stars have confirmed the re-signing of defenceman Matthew Campbell who is likely to switch his place on the blue line for a forward role as he heads into his sixth campaign with the Teesside club. Having previously divided his time between the Stars’ NIHL team and their Under 20s outfit, where he recently fulfilled the role of alternate captain, Campbell played his first full senior season for Billingham in his latest outing, tallying a goal and two assists in seventeen games. Ready for this new challenge, Campbell will take to the ice with the Stars in a few weeks’ time when they commence their league campaign against The Dragons on Saturday 2^nd September.

In other news, Nottingham Lions have re-signed defenceman Luke Smith who joined the club last September after playing three seasons for Coventry Blaze’s NIHL 2 team where he was presented with the alternate captaincy over the course of two consecutive campaigns. Smith makes the step up into NIHL North’s Division One, having previously enjoyed promotion to the English National League with Solihull Barons in 2011. As such, Smith will be familiar with some of the competition he is set to face now that the 2017-18 season is almost upon us.

NIHL Signing News

NIHL News

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Solway Sharks have today confirmed the re-signing of forward Marc Fowley who will now prepare for his fifth season at the Dumfries outfit, having first iced with the side during their promotion battle in their 2011-12 campaign. A hardworking forward with a proficiency for finding the back of the net, Fowley made his way through the junior ranks of ice hockey with North Ayrshire prior to icing with Paisley Pirates in the Northern League from 2007 to 2010. A move to Fife Flyers in the season that followed then provided Fowley with the opportunity to play at the highest level of British ice hockey as he went on to feature in twenty nine Elite League games with the Flyers whilst also making his debut with Edinburgh Capitals and Solway Sharks in the same season. Remaining with the Capitals for two seasons subsequent to his initial spell with the club saw Fowley play a further ninety seven games in the EIHL before making his move to Solway more permanent. Though missing out on some fixtures through injury last season, Fowley recorded eight goals and ten assists in nineteen games, coming close to averaging a point per game. Joining fellow forwards Ross Murray, Steven Moore, Scott Henderson and Daniel Abercrombie in the Sharks’ offensive line-up, Fowley will once again look to be industrious in front of goal, having found himself amongst Solway’s top points scorers in recent seasons.

Meanwhile, Blackburn Hawks have re-signed Slovakian left winger Jozef Ištocy who joined the Lancashire outfit part way through their latest campaign. Icing for both HK SKP Poprad and HK Spisska Nova Ves in the Under 18s league from 2009, Ištocy then progressed to play two seasons for Poprad’s Under 20s team, tallying thirty two points in seventy nine games. After making the switch to Poland 2 in 2012, the skilled winger then returned to HK Spisska Nova Ves’ senior team where he played one hundred and fifteen games over the course of three seasons, scoring a total of eighteen goals and notching twenty assists. A standout player for the Hawks last season, Ištocy achieved twenty three points in just fifteen games to make a positive impact in the latter stages of Blackburn’s season which certainly contributed to the side’s third place finish. As such, the Slovakian will make a welcome return to the club when he takes to the ice with the side for the first encounter of their upcoming campaign which begins with a road trip to Solway on the 2^nd September as the two go head to head in the NIHL National Cup competition. 

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NIHL Signing News

NIHL News

Solway Sharks have this evening announced the signing of young Czech defenceman Marek Charvat who joins the club from Polish side GKS Jastrzebie where he tallied a goal and ten assists in the space of thirty one games. Starting out with HC Vitkovice’s Under 16s team in 2009, Charvat progressed through the club’s junior ranks, eventually fulfilling the role of captain when icing with the Under 20s team in their 2014-15 campaign. From here, Charvat switched to the Western States Hockey League to play for Oklahoma City Jr. Blazers where he averaged a point per game, racking up eleven goals and forty assists in fifty one games. Set to make his debut for the Dumfries outfit next month, Charvat now joins youngster Stuart Kerr and experienced ‘D’ men James Hutchinson and Kyle Horne on Solway’s roster as Head Coach Martin Grubb continues to assemble his squad ahead of the Sharks’ upcoming campaign. 

NIHL Signing News

NIHL News

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Whitley Warriors have today announced the signing of long-serving forward Callum Watson who made his debut with the Hillheads club in 2006 to break into senior ice hockey. Though continuing to ice for the Braves in his 2007-08 campaign, Watson’s ice time for the Warriors was significantly increased, the forward averaging a point per game. Utilising his skill and speed ever since, Watson continues to excel in front of goal, just last season recording thirty seven points during Whitley’s league campaign. Another excellent signing for the Warriors, Watson will now turn his attention to the upcoming season which sees Whitley begin with a trip to the Dumfries Ice Bowl on Saturday 9^th September.

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

In other news, The Dragons have added fan favourite Owen Bennett to their roster as the forward moves to the Deeside-based club from Telford Tigers. Having played for the Shropshire outfit from 2007 to 2015, Bennett iced for the Tigers in both the English National League and the EPL before switching to the Dragons for their 2015-16 campaign in NIHL North’s Laidler Conference. Enjoying the Dragons’ successful promotion battle and playoff final victory, Bennett then returned to the Tigers’ NIHL side last season. Renowned for picking up more penalty minutes than points, Bennett is always entertaining and, not one to shy away from the physical aspect of the sport, the forward will certainly bring an edge to his game when he ices with the Dragons next month. 

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NIHL Signing News

NIHL News

Photo Credit: IceHockeyMedia - Colin Lawson

Solway Sharks have this evening announced the re-signings of skilful left winger Steven Moore and young forward Scott Henderson. First playing for Solway in the English National League’s Division Two during the side’s 2011-12 campaign, Moore quickly utilised his pace and skill to earn himself four assists in the space of six games. Having iced with the Sharks ever since, Moore continues to be an outstanding offensive player for the outfit, often perplexing his opposition to wreak havoc in front of goal. As Solway’s top points scorer last season, the tricky winger fired home eleven goals and twenty six assists during the Sharks’ league campaign, a feat he will hope to match in his upcoming outing. Meanwhile, young forward Scott Henderson is set to embark on a fourth senior season with the Sharks having divided his time between Solway and their Under 20s team in his latest campaign. Whilst tallying three goals and two assists for the Sharks when awarded ice time last season, Henderson also shone for the Under 20s outfit, racking up an impressive fifty four points in just eleven games. As such, the young prospect will once again seek to make a positive impact as he continues to develop his game at the Dumfries club next season.

In other news, Telford Tigers One have signed shot stopper and former Baron Sam Hewitt. Sharing netminding duties with Josh Nicholls last season, Hewitt contributed to the Barons’ league effort which saw the team finish in fourth place to earn a playoff spot. Joining the Barons in September 2008 after progressing from Coventry’s Under 16s team, Hewitt went on to play nine seasons at the club, remaining committed throughout the Barons’ promotion battles which eventually led the team to establish themselves in Division One. Lining up with the Tigers next month, Hewitt will now prepare to compete for his place between the pipes alongside fellow netminder Denis Bell. 

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