19 year old forward Jack Watkins has this evening become the latest Brit to leave the Hull Stingrays this summer, joining fellow departees Sam McCluskey and Tristan Harper in signing for the Stingrays Elite Ice Hockey League Northern Conference rivals the Dundee Stars.
The Great Britain junior international joined the Stingrays from the English Premier League's Telford Tigers last summer for what was his first regular shift in the EIHL after a 32 game, pointless stint with Coventry in 09/10.
Forming part of the Rays third line, he a netted a creditable three goals and five assists in 50 games, impressively remaining disciplined throughout, sitting out just six minutes in penalty minutes.
An up and coming Brit, Watkins understandably struggled to make massive inroads at top flight level in just his second season in the EIHL on a third line sparingly used in crucial situations. Nevertheless, he visibly improved in both confidence and performance throughout the year despite that perceived lack of regular opportunity on an inexperienced and somewhat unbalanced line alongside the injured Harper, mid-season signing Andy McKinney, defenceman-turned-forward Dan Scott and rookie teenager Bobby Chamberlain.
He joins Jeff Hutchins' Dundee Stars just under a week after former teammates McCluskey and Harper confirmed they were returning to their hometown club for 12/13 in doing so becoming the second and third Brits to leave the club this summer.
Having already completed the signing of the former Stingrays pair as well as that of fellow Brits Vince Connon, Ross McIntosh and Mark McGill, Hutchins was delighted to capture another young Brit:
"I am excited to have secured Jack's signature. He's an up-and-coming British player that is looking to have a break out year. At the age of 19 he has nearly 100 games of Elite League experience under his belt and I will be looking for him to step up his game this year and become a regular contributor on the score sheet."While the Stars have already signed up six of an always crucial Brit pack, the Stingrays on the other hand have added just Ben Bowns and Chris Sykes to their lineup, partially due to a change in tact from owner Bobby McEwan and coach Sylvain Cloutier
It was confirmed at the recent Stingrays fans forum that - in order to remain within budget and allow room to sign 11 good quality imports - the club would be focusing primarily on local British players for the upcoming season.
This decision will allow the club to reduce housing costs and focus a larger percentage of the budget on import players and their wages and accommodation.
As a result, in addition to the four Brits already confirmed as leaving Hull, the aforementioned McKinney - a non-local to Hull - looks set to re-join the second tier EPL next season with either Manchester or Sheffield.
Even before the possible, rumoured departures of Bobby Chamberlain and Matty Davies to North America and the EPL respectively, Cloutier will need to sign three British players to replace those departed - and that itself is factoring in the addition of the 11th import.
As local players Chamberlain and Davies remain high on the agenda and have both been approached by Cloutier, however, as of now, they remained unsigned.
While in ice hockey terms the summer remains young, the number of British players available from last season's Elite League appears slim. The only notable and possibly realistic names available being Lee and Craig Mitchell - who may yet return to Fife but could be tempted to return to Hull following the departure of the former ownership - and Andrew Hirst and Craig Elliott, who have both previously iced for the Rays and who both stepped in on two-way deals with the Edinburgh Capitals last term.
