Excel Hull Stingrays 10/11 Season Review: Up Front

Forwards

Sylvain Cloutier (58GP 11+36 64PIM)

Grade: B-

Return: Yes

Bounced back from a particularly disappointing first year in Hull on-ice and, although he may not have been the threat he once was going forward, he was for the second year in a row the heart beat of the team emotionally. For a 38 year old he was all too often the only physical threat up front. After more than 1000 professional games, next season could well be the final chapter in a lengthy and memorable career.

Lee Esders (53GP 7+6 32PIM)

Grade: C

Return: Yes

A slightly disappointing year in which both his production and performance dropped off somewhat. Still, he was named East Yorkshire Sports Personality of the Year, which is an incredible achievement given who he was up against, and he still provided that constant source of energy that has seen him become a fan favourite on the Rays third line. It looks quite likely that he has reached his plateau in Hull and he may well depart this summer.

Jason Silverthorn (55GP 20+31 30PIM)

Grade: C+

Return: Yes

Silverthorn started the year on fire - recording more than a point a game in October - before that great start to the year was brought to a shuddering halt by a massive hit from Nottingham defenceman Guillaume Lepine. The resulting concussion killed an semblance of form he had, affecting the rest of his season, although to his credit he still came very close to maintaining his record as a point-per-game forward in the Elite League.

Lee Mitchell (27GP 11+13 23PIM)

Grade: B+

Return: Yes

Another injury hit year for the Scottish born forward as his season and progression was once again scuppered by a knee injury. Had it not been for his troublesome knee injury he would likely be one of the most sought after British forwards at this point, and a Great Britain regular to boot. However, after coming on leaps and bounds during his time in Hull, he has yet to reach that full potential, leaving many thinking what could have been had the Scot been fit.

Konstantin Kalmikov (59GP 18+24 6PIM)

Grade: C-

Return: No

The award for biggest disappointment of the season undoubtedly has to go to Kalmikov. Previously the go-to 36 goal forward for the club, 'Kalmi' looked a different player from the off this past season. For whatever reason the Ukrainian failed to hit the form that saw him so highly rated previously and he went on to register just 18 goals, half of his previous total. A return to Hull looks very unlikely, although he would be welcome after three years as a fan favourite, however, it seems more than likely that another EIHL club may roll the dice on the 32 year old.

Andrew Coburn (61GP 20+42 68PIM)

Grade: A

Return: Yes

Arguably the signing of the season for the Stingrays. Coburn signed straight from college for his rookie season and, after taking time to acclimatise to the British and professional game in the seasons first few months, outperformed all expectations leading the team in assists but more often than not leading with consistent performances game-in, game-out. A truly brilliant all-around player and one the club will do well to hold on to in the summer.

Jereme Tendler (59GP 50+31 22PIM)

Grade: A

Return: Yes

While many expected Tendler to score goals for the Rays, never in a million years did they expect him to hit the half century mark and end the year as the leagues second top scorer. In a truly remarkable season, he comfortably broke the Stingrays single season goalscoring record by a mere 14 goals and set a benchmark for all future goalscorers brought to the club. Okay, so his all around game may not be quite as good as his finishing abilities but that's fair enough when you hit the twine 50 times in 56 games, while adding 31 assists. Next up? The difficult second season.

Ben Lowe (57GP 2+0 18PIM)

Grade: C

Return: Yes

Lowe received his first meaningful ice-time this season, a year after riding the pine, and made steady progress. His first two professional goals will undoubtedly be a highlight, even if they did come against an understrength Edinburgh, but where he goes from here in order to aid his improvement and potential is the question. Whether there will be room on the Rays roster for him to receive more ice-time remains to be seen but the decrease in import limit may work to his advantage.

Matti Uusivirta (54GP 16+21 66PIM)

Grade: C-

Return: No

Brought in hoping kick a reputation that had seen him pigeonholed as a defensive forward in his homeland, the Finn did little to prove he much else in his locker in his first year in the UK. Injury played its part in restricting him to 16 goals and 37 points as, to his credit, he battled on through the pain for large portions of the season. A good defensive forward but, unfortunately, that role is a luxury British clubs probably cannot afford at present.

Ryan Lake (44GP 5+5 50PIM)

Grade: B-

Return: Yes

After a number of seasons away from the sport Lake proved his worth on the Rays roster this past year, returning alongside his all too familiar, and very entertaining, pinball style of play. A huge fan favourite with a fearless attitude, he also chipped in with a useful five goals and ten points. 

Jozef Sladok (61GP 2+8 193PIM)

Grade: C

Return: No

Brought in as a D-man, Sladok was shifted up front upon the release of Grundmanis, signalling the end of Cloutier's 'twin towers' experiment. Regardless of where he was playing, the Slovak worked as hard as anyone on the roster. Nevertheless, while his work rate and fighting abilities are unquestioned - with 14 fights to his name last season, including bouts with heavyweights Guillaume Lepine and Brad Voth - his efficiency as a forward is questionable, particularly in a reduced import EIHL.

Andy Hirst (19GP 2+2 2PIM)

Grade: C

Return: Yes

Signed in mid-season from the EPL following the departure of Matty Davies, Hirst impressively fired home in his debut for the Rays, again albeit against lowly Edinburgh. Immediately stepping in above Lowe on the depth chart, his contributions early on were positive, however, his ice-time soon diminished as the Rays returned to full-strength.

MIA

Matty Davies (36GP 4+16 11PIM)

Grade: C-

Return: No

Quit on the club mid-way through an important game win Dundee, after being dropped to the third line, before signing in the EPL with Peterborough, where he registered over a point a game.

Also iced: James Archer (EPL Manchester Phoenix), Craig Elliot and Christopher Sykes (EPL Sheffield Steeldogs), Kieran Beach (ENL Kingston Jets), Dean Tonks (ENL Solihull Barons) and Callum Rawson (ENL Sheffield Spartans)

Cloutier bolsters Brit pack with GB junior international

18 year old prospect Jack Watkins has become the Excel Hull Stingrays fourth new British addition of the 2011 off-season, joining Sylvain Cloutier's side from English Premier League club Telford Tigers.

Durham born Watkins becomes the second player to switch the Shropshire second-tier club for East Yorkshire, following the earlier addition of Daniel Scott, after recording four goals and eight points in 48 games in his rookie year in the EPL spent under coach and brother Tom Watkins.

Having made his senior debut at the age of 15 with the English National League's Whitley Warriors, recording three goals and two assists in seven games, Watkins moved south the following year, joining brother Tom for what would turn out to be his final season with the the Coventry Blaze.

He spent the majority of his time at the Skydome icing for the Blazes' ENL farm team - recording a further five goals and eight assists in 24 games - however, he also went on to make his bow at top flight level, playing a bit-part in 32 games as the Blaze went on to lift the Elite League title.

Last season, having made his debut for Great Britain at the U18 Division I World Championships the previous year, the North East native joined brother Tom in Telford for their first year back in the second tier and he played what was primarily a third-line role in 48 games in the EPL as the Tigers finished ninth just outside the playoffs. He also made three Elite League appearances on a two-way deal with Coventry, coincidentally icing at the Hull Arena in their 7-2 defeat of the Stingrays in March.

Although the teenager recorded just eight points in nearly 50 games last season, he earned rave reviews playing a role on the Tigers lower lines in his first year in the EPL and he is thought to have a bright future in the game.

Clearly highly-rated by both GB and Coventry coach Paul Thompson, who twice signed him for the Blaze, and Stingrays player-coach Cloutier, who last watched him put in a convincing performance in England's 10-0 victory over Scotland at the Elite League finals weekend in April, the 6'1, 185lbs forward now comes to Hull for his first full season in the British top flight.

Of his fourth new British signing Cloutier said:

"Jack's a big, strong kid and has a lot of potential. He's a fresh face and wants to prove himself at Elite League level. You have to have guys who are hungry and are excited about playing in Hull. Jack wants to play regular hockey and he know he is going to get that here. It is up to him to take advantage of that. He skates well and has good upside and I am looking forward to working with him and helping develop his game. Hopefully he can be a part of the programme at Stingrays for many years to come."

The young prospect, who last season won a bronze medal with GB U20's and was also once again capped by GB U18's, adds energy and depth to a Stingrays line-up that has lost British forward Lee Mitchell this summer and may yet lose further homegrown players.

Regular minutes for Watkins look to have been guaranteed by the Rays player-coach Cloutier with a forward role similar to the one that has previously done wonders for the development of Mitchell, Lee Esders and Matty Davies, amongst others.

This is clearly not an immediate impact signing for the Rays but rather one for the future, again much like Mitchell was in 05/06, with the addition seen as a direct result of the decrease in import numbers in the Elite League next season.

However, with Andy Hirst returning to Sheffield, Dundee duo McCluskey and Cameron-Harper replacing the departing Mitchell brothers, and Watkins and former Telford teammate Scott in as a result of the rule change, the future make up of the rest of the Rays British contingent is unknown with Lee Esders and Ryan Lake yet to re-sign for the upcoming campaign

The Hull Daily Mail initially reported the pair had re-signed with their hometown club after agent, Aspire Sports Group, mistakenly had them down as returning to Cloutier's side on its website. However, that was quickly rejected by both the agent and Lake and Esders, and both now remain unsigned for the next year with speculation suggesting Esders is likely to depart for Braehead.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" - Boucher returns for second season

Canadian netminder Christian Boucher has today become just the second ever netminder to return to the Excel Hull Stingrays for a second consecutive year, re-signing with the club for the 11/12 Elite League campaign.

The 27 year old was brought in by Stingrays player-coach Sylvain Cloutier last summer to fill the hole left by standout netminder Latvian Martins Raitums - who returned to Eastern Europe - and, having won the Dutch Eredivise in his lone year in Holland with the Nijmegen Devils, he was a constant force for the Stingrays behind a defence that was, all too often, questionable.

While his critics may say he won very few games on his own, he very rarely cost the club with a bad individual performance and that is something the club has all too often lacked in it's netminding department.

For a team battling consistency issues all year long and looking to break above the .500 win mark his reliability is, and was last season, crucial and was certainly a determining factor in his return after helping the Rays to a record year in the Elite League.

Speculation suggests coach Cloutier explored his options before retaining the former Rio Grande Killer Bee, notably enquiring about Steve Silverthorn, brother of Rays centre Jason, in the end rewarding 'Bouch' for his loyalty to the club last summer, while opting for solidity and stability over the uncertainty and unpredictability of a new signing unfamiliar with the club or country.

In the end, the risk factor of bringing an unknown quantity in, particularly when Boucher, a perfectly good netminder, was ready to return, was too much for Cloutier, who said:

"I am extremely excited Christian is coming back, as I thought he did a great job for us. I expect Bouch to improve on what he did last season. He will be comfortable right from the start, he knows the area and, most importantly, he wanted to be back in Hull. He wants to help us build on what we did last season. We beat every record the team had in the Elite League last season and he was a big part of that. Bouch will be one of the leaders on and off the ice and I expect him to lead our 'D' in the right direction."

A graduate of Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Boucher becomes just the second ever netminder to return for a second successive season with the Stingrays.

He joins the similarly consistent Slovakian stopper Miroslav Bielik in that category and the fact he is just the second in a long line of seven keepers to re-sign outlines the problem the club has had between the pipes, with injuries and poor consistency frequently a problematic combination, albeit one which Boucher largely solved last season.

With the expected revamp of the club's defensive corps scheduled, he should, in theory, be better protected to shine next summer with Sam McCluskey and Dan Scott the first two pieces to the defensive puzzle. However, with a brand new blueline predicted by the Hull Daily Mail it looks likely that stalwarts Drew Bannister and Kurtis Dulle will not return for  another year with the club adding to the almost certain departure of Trevor Read and Craig Mitchell's confirmed move to Dundee.

Boucher back for Stingrays

Canadian netminder Christian Boucher has today become just the second ever netminder to return to the Excel Hull Stingrays for a second consecutive year, re-signing with the club for the 11/12 Elite League campaign.

More soon.

Osman joins Stingrays

29 year old American winger Dominic Osman has today become the Excel Hull Stingrays first new import signing for the 11/12 season, joining the club from ECHL side Toledo Walleye.

Last season, in his second full year in the third tier of North American hockey the Michigan native registered ten goals and 25 points in 56 games in Ohio while playing alongside former Stingray favourite and GB international defenceman Dave Phillips.

The Lake Superior State University graduate began his career immediately prior to completing his college degree in fire science in 06/07, signing for the ECHL's Reading Royals, where he was forced to play defence and went on to record no points in a short three game stint to begin his professional career.

Osman then spent his rookie campaign in the CHL with the New Mexico Scorpions immediately troubling the scorers by registering 47 points in 60 games, before moving on to spend the beginning of his sophomore season with the Fort Wayne Comets of the IHL.

Having continued to rack up the points with 18 goals and 30 points in 37 games with the Comets, he was traded in mid-March ahead of the playoffs, moving to the Kalamzaoo Wings alongside teammate Dylan Row in exchange for Wings defenceman Rod Aldoff.

That proved to be a particularly profitable move for the 6'0, 200lbs forward who went on to score an impressive 14 goals in 15 regular season games on a Wings side that earlier in the year had seen now Stingrays record goalscorer Jereme Tendler net five goals in five games.

A move to the ECHL for a first stint with Toledo materialised in 09/10 before a mid-season trade saw him move to Florida in exchange for last season Dundee Stars blueliner Chris Zarb.

Once again the trade benefited the Stingrays newest recruit, who improved from scoring 22 points in 47 games with Toledo to bagging 15 in 20 in the Sunshine State.

He returned to Toledo last season, however, the 29 year old will now move to Hull hoping to recreate the a move from North America that fellow former K-Wing Tendler made last summer.

While a landmark 50 goals may not be expected from Osman, who set his current career best of 24 goals in his rookie year with New Mexico, player-coach Sylvain Cloutier would like him to replace either retired defensive forward Matti Uusivirta or last season's disappointment Konstantin Kalmikov, who between them combined for just 34 goals, 16 fewer than leading scorer Tendler having promised more early last summer.

Cloutier is understandably worried about his side being offensively blunt once again next term but he hopes Osman's signing will begin to ease those worries.

"Last season we had a big lack of secondary scoring. Our second unit struggled to put the puck in the net and at times we were carrying passengers and that hurt us."

With 87 goals and 157 points to his name in 235 professional career games thus far, Osman's resume suggests that he should in theory give the Rays another scoring option going forward and, hopefully, one able to regularly backup Tendler, who far too often was relied upon for clinical finishes last term. Cloutier said of his new addition:

"Dominic has a great offensive threat, he has got a great shot, he is a great skater, he competes and never takes a night. He has got some speed, which is something we did not have a lot of last season, and he will relish the bigger ice here."

It is naturally hoped that the drop from four-line hockey to three-line hockey and the subsequent increase in ice-time will give Osman, the Stingrays seventh signing of the summer, the chance to flourish as Tendler did much to everyone's surprise last season.

He joins British defenceman Sam McCluskey and Dan Scott, import forwards Tendler, Sylvain Cloutier and Jason Silverthorn and British forward Tristan Cameron-Harper on the Rays roster for the 11/12 Elite League season.

Osman first new import signing for 11/12

29 year old American forward Dominic Osman has today become the first new import face to sign for the Excel Hull Stingrays ahead of the 11/12 Elite League campaign, joining the club after two years in the ECHL with Toledo Walleye and Florida Everblades.

More soon.

Silverthorn sticks with Stingrays

Excel Hull Stingrays player-coach Sylvain Cloutier has today made 31 year old Canadian forward Jason Silverthorn his second import signing of the summer ahead of the 11/12 Elite League campaign.

Owen Sound, Ontario native Silverthorn, who joins Jereme Tendler and Sylvain Cloutier in a, thus far, three strong import contingent, came mightily close to setting a career best in points last season, falling just one short of his best of 52, set in 38 games in the 04/05 SPHL season, hitting the 51 point mark in 55 games in his sixth consecutive year in the Elite League.

Although for just the second time in five years the former Cardiff Devil and Edinburgh Capital fell just short of the point per game mark, he once again remained one of the most consistent performers game-in, game-out for the Stingrays as they completed the year in an Elite League era high seventh place.

Surprisingly to some he began the year as one of the club's top performers, claiming the October FBB Player of the Month award having registered six goals and seven assists in the club's opening month of the season.

Unfortunately, a massive hit from would-be Stingray Guillaume Lepine in a Stingrays fixture in Nottingham put paid to that impressive start to the season and, in truth, it took the centre a number of months to fully recover from the resulting concussion.

Nevertheless, Silverthorn bounced back and once again proved a useful utility player for Cloutier filling in on defence following the absence of a number of blueliners as usual playing in an unfavourable position with minimal fuss and few mistakes.

However, as the 10/11 season drew to a close it was clear his form had dropped, partly due to what must have been the long lasting effects of his concussion and partly due to the Stingrays' own poor form, and he finished the year on a notable low with goals hard to come by and the club overly reliant on the goalscoring prowess of Tendler and to a lesser extent Andrew Coburn.

Cloutier clearly highly rates Silverthorn's professional attitude, versatility and consistent performances as the Stingrays player-coach awarded him with Coaches Player of the Year at the end of season awards dinner despite a perhaps disappointing end to the season.

That and his decision to remain in the city this summer all but confirmed his return for a third term and Cloutier was therefore delighted when the Elmira College graduate agreed to re-sign.

"I am really pleased to have Silver back. He is a big part of our team, he brings a lot of experience and leadership and he is a total professional. I expect Silver to have a big season for us and for him to be one of our offensive leaders. I think if he had not got hurt this past season his numbers would have been different and he would have had a lot more, something I am expecting from him this year."

Silverthorn has previously talked about his desire to play with younger brother Steve Silverthorn, last season netminder for German second tier Bundesliga side Schwenninger Wild Wings, and with time running out on both of their careers the rumour mill has once again thrown up the 30 year old tenders name.

At this point, that would appear largely dependent on Steve Silverthorn's unlikely decision to move to the UK and with all signs pointing to a return for unremarkable but solid netminder Christian Boucher, the brothers may have to wait a while longer before playing together at a professional level for the first time.

Silverthorn joins British defencemen Daniel Scott and Sam McCluskey, British forward Tristan Cameron-Harper and imports Tendler and Cloutier on the Rays 11/12 Elite League roster.