There have been two departures in Scotland recently with Glasgow Clan and Fife Flyers both losing a player.
Two Blueliners have left their respective clubs leaving one ‘in the lurch’ in a crucial moment of the season.
Glasgow Clan
Firstly, Glasgow Clan’s D-man Reece Cochrane has departed the club with immediate effect.
📰 | 🏴 defenceman #⃣1⃣6⃣ Reece Cochrane has departed the Clan with immediate effect.
We would like to wish Reece all the best in his future endeavours.
📸 @AlGooldPhoto pic.twitter.com/e3eLZHhbJl
— Glasgow Clan 🏒 (@ClanIHC) January 31, 2022
According to a statement on the club’s website, Cochrane approached Head Coach Malcolm Cameron and requested to be released.
The statement continued to say: “Despite having offered Reece a clear path which would see his development split between the Clan in the EIHL and the Solway Sharks in the NIHL, the 20-year-old wishes to return to his native Kirkcaldy to play SNL hockey.”
Cochrane retains his EIHL registration for the rest of the 2021/22 season but can play in the NIHL or SNL.
This means he can make appearances for either the Solway Sharks of the NIHL Division 1 North or the Kirkaldy Kestrels.
Some fans have been left confused by this, saying:
He was not singed as a two way https://t.co/Fj9jIctzS8
Duno why you guys are saying this now.
He's also listed on the website as on the roaster, not two way. The two way players are not listed on the site at all. pic.twitter.com/aMS7VtOUAc
— Homer is a Glasgow Clanfan (@ClanPucker) January 31, 2022
Others simply accepted it and wished him well.
Why would we retain his registration. Don't make sense to me. If he wants released then let him. Shame really, I actually thought he played better than some of our imports. Good luck Reece back in Kirkcaldy hopefully see you back in the EIHL soon enough 💜
— Tanya D R 💜 (@tanyareid107) January 31, 2022
Fife Flyers
Fife Flyers saw an immediate departure too with another blueliner leaving his club.
Imants Lescovs asked to leave his club on personal grounds.
In a club statement on their website, Fife have said: “Imants has made the decision to leave on personal grounds and we ask that fans respect his privacy at this time.
“We would like to thank Imants for his time and service at the club and wish him well in his future endeavours.”
It would seem the Latvian has left for a new side with his Elite Prospects page showing he plays for Cracovia Krakow.
Fans were left disappointed but unsurprised by the D-man’s decision, saying:
Be sick of not winning a game so left can’t blame him must me hard to keep motivated
— dean wolstenholme (@steeler_dean_1) February 1, 2022
This leaves the Scottish side with only three defencemen to pick from in a crucial part of the season.
Fife do sit rock-bottom of the EIHL table, nine points behind Dundee Stars in ninth, so it’s unsurprising Lescovs left.
However, Glasgow sit in sixth so Cochrane must’ve felt his career lay elsewhere.
Glasgow Clan and Fife Flyers are back in action on the 5th of February with the Flyers facing Guildford Flames and the Clan facing Nottingham Panthers.
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