Plans already in motion

Already plans are being made, and the signings are coming thick and fast for hockey supporters at EPL level. An Elite League winner at Slough, a GB international at Guildford and one of the hottest prospects in EPL moves up to Glasgow and the Elite.  That’s just three signings, and we’re only few weeks after the season finished.  It’s been breathless to say the least, and the names on the rosters show that the EPL is just as a good a product as its bigger brother, the Elite.

 

With the sad loss of last season’s basement side, the Romford Raiders, EPL fans were happy to see old favourites Telford Tigers return to the fold after one year’s sabbatical. The Tigers, under the ownership of their fans which is a probable first for UK ice hockey, are sure to be popular visitors around the rinks of the EPL and they don’t - from I am told - intend to be the whipping boys of the league.

 

Starting alphabetically, let’s have a look at what each side has done so far at the time of typing this:

 

Basingstoke: Five very popular players re-signed including the evergreen Nicky Chinn. The Herd will also welcome Rick Skene from Guildford to their blue line this season and that will help Steve Moria’s ambitions as they intend to build on last season’s fifth placed finish. Player/Coach Moria will turn 50 this season, although Steve would not like me to remind of it, despite the Bison official site saying he was only born in 1970!

 

Bracknell: A new look Bees squad already with a new coach in Gareth Cox to replace Claude Dumas. The main thing for Bees fans is that they have re-signed Jaroslav Cesky and Michal Pinc, cue to the ironic chants to the Czech born former NHL draft pick from certain supporters nationwide!  Not seeing these two players in the end of season play off finals was stunning to say the least.  Their blue line looks good too, with the addition of Czech Valdemar Pelikovsky alongside Shane Moore and assistant coach Greg Randall. Interesting to say the least.

 

Guildford: Sadly Alex Ovechkin never decided to make the move to the Spectrum as some of the Flames fans’ apparently wore t-shirts in Coventry.  Still they’ve managed to recruit former Slovakian netminder Miroslav Halak to the cause, and then two GB internationals no less.  Legend David Longstaff joins from Newcastle Vipers whilst Matt Towe comes in from Cardiff.  This is Towe’s first season back in the EPL since he notched 55 points in 40 games for the Scimitars in 2006-07.  Popular blueliner Jez Lundin is back for a second spell in Surrey.

 

Manchester: Last season’s pre-season favourites didn’t win a trophy but you could see they did have the potential to do so. Tony Hand is already assembling a decent side and we’re only six weeks after the season ended. With five fans’ favourites already signed up again, Hand has brought in four highly youngsters to Altrincham. Ben Morgan and Robert Farmer come from Sheffield Steelers, Dean Holland from Newcastle and Tom Duggan from rivals Guildford. It promises to be more excitement in Cheshire for sure.

 

Milton Keynes: Last season, the Lightning eventually ran away with the league title but were beaten convincingly in the EPL Cup Final by Guildford before suffering a shock play-off exit by Swindon.  All the signings so far for the Buckinghamshire outfit are re-signings, seven of them and that’s not including player/coach Nick Poole.  The fans demand success and a so far who can bet against them to do a Grand Slam this year.  Surprise thing is that net-minder Barry Hollyhead is not one of the seven, but then again he’s sure to be between the MK pipes? Isn’t he?

 

Review from Peterborough to Telford to follow….

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