Mark's end of season review

So it was Slough Jets who ensured the silverware in the EPL would be shared out fairly this year, with an overtime winner from their Slovenian talisman of a captain Blaz Emersic in the Coventry end of season play-offs.  As all of you know, it was the Jets that put out my beloved Scimitars in the quarter finals so perhaps it was fitting to maybe say; at least we lost to the eventual winners.  But that’s no consolation to my mates from Guildford who were on the receiving end of the loss in the Final. None at all, but hey that’s how the hockey cookie crumbles.

I’ve also had the time now to think who would win “The Markies”, my answer to the Oscars but for hockey reasons and sought after by everyone involved in British hockey. OK the last statement is a bit of a white lie, but here we go with a bit of fun:

Elite League Coach of the Year: Doug Christansen (Edinburgh Capitals)

Runners Up: Paul Thompson (Coventry Blaze), Rob Wilson (Newcastle Vipers)

EPL Coach of the Year: Peter Russell (Slough Jets)

Runners Up: Nick Poole (Milton Keynes Lightning), Jon Rowbotham (Sheffield Scimitars)

Elite Netminder of the Year: Stephen Murphy (Belfast Giants)

Runners Up: Stevie Lyle (Cardiff Devils), Peter Hirsch (Coventry Blaze)

EPL Netminder of the Year: Ben Bowns (Sheffield Scimitars)

Runners Up: Gregg Rockman (Slough Jets), Barry Hollyhead (Milton Keynes Lightning)

Elite Import of the Year: Jeff Szwez (Belfast Giants)

Runners Up: Luke Fulghum (Coventry Blaze), Jade Galbraith (Nottingham Panthers)

EPL Import of the Year – Jaroslav Cesky (Bracknell Bees)

Runners Up: Monir Kalgoum (Milton Keynes Lightning), Blaz Emersic (Slough Jets)

Entertainer of the Year:  Sean McMorrow (Belfast Giants)

Runners Up: Ryan Watt (Slough Jets) – just for the pink ugg boots, Jaroslav Cesky (Bracknell Bees)

Future Elite Star award: Ben Bowns (Sheffield Scimitars)

Runners Up: Aaron Nell (Swindon Wildcats), Ondrej Lauko (Basingstoke Bison)

Shock of the Year: Swindon Wildcats play-off win over Milton Keynes Lightning

Runners Up: Hull Stingrays winning at Sheffield Arena, Brad Voth losing the Cardiff Captaincy.

I could go on and on, but there is only so much space I can create in my mind and on the blog so if I have missed any of your favourite players and teams out then I apologise here and now. It’s not meant to be exhaustive but as I said at the start it’s just a bit of fun at the end of another hockey season.  Coaches are already probably planning for next year; I mean the Steelers have seven signed already including the return of Ashley Tait who is a great re-signing.  Belfast will have Doug Christansen in charge next season, and that excites me too…he really is a good young coach!

The EPL has lost Romford but we’re set to have Telford which is great news for those of the EPL fan supporting fraternity.  They’ve certainly been missed, and we also are bidding farewell possibly to an import stalwart of British hockey in Claude Dumas, who has iced for numerous British clubs. Good luck to Claude in what he does next, but to all of you there – enjoy the summer in whatever you do. I’ll be updating this blog somehow, so stay tuned for more opinions as I talk about the movers and groovers as the teams build for September: it’s not that far off you know now….

Mark

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