Rodin re-joins Rays

37 year old Estonian defenceman Dmitri Rodin has this evening re-joined the Hull Stingrays after stints with English Premier League sides the Sheffield Steeldogs and Telford Tigers.

The vastly experienced blueliner joined the Rays in 2011 and recorded seven goals and 17 assists in 45 games last season - helping the club to their first ever Elite Ice Hockey League Playoff Semi-Final berth.

Player-coach Sylvain Cloutier was keen to retain the Estonian national team captain last summer, however, he did not return due to the uncertainty surrounding the Stingrays immediate future and left for pastures new.

Rodin joined the Steeldogs alongside fellow former Stingray Derek Campbell but - after a poor start to the season for the South Yorkshire side - both were eventually released, Rodin having recorded a goal, three assists and 32 penalty minutes in 22 games.

While Campbell has temporarily re-joined the Manchester Phoenix - the club that brought him to the UK - Rodin was signed by Tom Watkins' Telford Tigers side.

Having earlier in the year scored a goal and three points as Estonia failed to progress to the next stage of qualifying for the Olympics, Rodin added just an assist in four games in Shropshire.

He requested his release from Telford and worked his two-week's notice before completing his move back to Hull today having been training with the side for the last four weeks.

He joins a Rays defensive corps that has already shed Tomas Valecko this season, with Rodin's teammate from last season Martin Ondrej replacing his fellow Slovakian.

Rodin's signature is expected to shore up a blueline that has recently lost Canadian Jeff Smith to injury. Smith's injury saw a line re-shuffle with enforcer Ryan Hand had reverted to defence - admirably filling in temporarily during the club's last two games - and young Brit Sam Towner receive regular ice-time as a forward.

The Estonian's addition now crucially boosts the club's numbers somewhat as the season passes the halfway mark with the Stingrays trailing in tenth place in the Elite League but mid-table in third in the Gardiner Conference.

Of Rodin re-joining, Cloutier said:

"We have been playing short for a while with Jeff Smith out injured and I felt we needed some help. I am really pleased to have Dmitri back. We have been in contact all season and he has been training with us for the last month. He is an experienced guy, he is a leader, he has been around and we know what he can do – he was our Defenceman of the Year last season. He will do a good job. 

In the summer he had an offer from the Steeldogs and also an off-ice job and at that stage there were no guarantees about the team so he had to put his family first and do what was best for him and his family and I respect that. But things did not work out for him and I am excited to have him back with us. He will solidify our defence and he will also improve our powerplay. He has a great pass, is patient on the puck and has a good shot on him.”

Provided his registration is complete and goes through on-time, Rodin will make his season debut for the Stingrays in Cardiff on Saturday before a return to competitive action at the Hull Arena on Sunday as the Sheffield Steelers return.

Mixed fortunes as under strength Stingrays open up pre-season

The Rapid Solicitors Hull Stingrays kicked off their three game pre-season schedule this weekend with mixed but somewhat predictable fortunes - beating their National League 2 affiliate 14-1 on Saturday night before going down 4-3 to English Premier League side Sheffield Steeldogs on Sunday night in the first leg of the Bradfield Brewery Cup.

Without imports Dominic Osman, Shane Lovdahl, Kurtis Dulle, Jeff Smith and Jereme Tendler on Saturday night, Stingrays coach Sylvain Cloutier handed debuts to Ben Bowns, Warren Guilfoyle, Scott Robson, Tomas Valecko, Ryan Hand, Cale Tanaka, Chris Sykes and Janis Ozolins.

The Stingrays led 7-0 after the first period - in what quickly became a training exercise for both sides - thanks in part to an early double from Brit Andy Ward. The EIHL side went on to only net two further goals in the second stanza as Bowns switched his allegiances to backstop the NIHL side for one period in search of a regular test between the pipes.

He returned to the EIHL sides pipes in the final period as Ozolins and Ward helped themselves to hat-tricks and Hand and Tanaka added first and second goals for the club respectively, with the NIHL club notching a deserved goal of their own through Chris Hogarth.

The following night - buoyed by the return of topscorer Jereme Tendler but still minus four imports - the Rays were downed by a skillful, well-drilled Sheffield Steeldogs side that has title aspirations in the EPL and included former Stingrays Derek Campbell, Dmitri Rodin, Andy Hirst and Pavel Gomenyuk.

Having picked off two of the Steeldogs biggest weapons in the summer in netminder Bowns and scoring forward Ozolins as well as Brit Sykes - the Stingrays, who brought in young defenceman Kieran Strangeway, started well. Predictably Latvian Ozolins - who bagged 55 goals in 52 games last season - opened the scoring before Sykes - who will have a big role to play on this season's Stingrays side - doubled the home sides lead minutes into the second period with his first as a Stingray.

The Steeldogs, who have been together for a good part of the summer and were at full strength, then went on to show their superior fitness and familiarity with one another, scoring four unanswered second period goals through Ashley Calvert, Tom Squires (2) and Lloyd Gibson.

Two goals down, the Stingrays replied with a solitary third period goal from Jason Silverthorn but could not level the scores - giving the Steeldogs a 4-3 lead heading into the second leg at Ice Sheffield tomorrow (7.45pm).

While disappointed, the Stingrays shouldn't be too downhearted with the loss to a very strong and well versed Steeldogs side - particularly on the British front.

Down four imports and having had just one full training session, it's a well established fact that the Stingrays British corps this season may not necessarily individually match-up with their opponents and that the Steeldogs are considerably stonger and deeper in this area. Added to that, is the fact that the Rays were missing four keys imports, plus Jereme Tendler - who played having stepped straight off a flight.

Cloutier said he was "happy" at what he called a "warm-up" for the new season:

"It was a great work-out, which I knew it would be. We skated a lot better than we did on Saturday. We have only been together three days and had one practice with eight guys while the Steeldogs have been together all summer. I was really pleased with the two young kids we had on 'D' - I thought Scott Robson and Kieran Strangeway did a great job."

Positives came mainly in through the Stingrays latest additions, with Ozolins showing off his lethal finish and acceleration while recording three points on Sunday, Tanaka showing speed and promise going forward, young Brit Robson performing above expectations and Bowns as solid as expected in net.

The Stingrays will take on the Steeldogs tomorrow night with a revitalised, though not full strength, defence with Jeff Smith set to make his club debut and captain Kurtis Dulle returning for this third season in Stingrays colours - having both arrived in the country today. Cloutier said:

"It will be great to have those two guys in the line-up. They will make our ‘D’ stronger and give us more strength. It will also be good to give Tomas Valecko and Ryan Hand some support. Valecko didn’t even have his own skates this weekend, he borrowed some! That just showed what character he has. Sheffield gave us a good work-out on Sunday and it will be another good test for us at iceSheffield."

American's Dominic Osman and Shane Lovdahl continue to await their VISA clearance though Cloutier is confident they will arrive in time for this weekend's Elite League opener against Nottingham.

Valecko second defenceman in three days for Stingrays

The Hull Stingrays today made their second signing in three days adding Slovakian defenceman Tomas Valecko to their defensive corps after a season with Elite Ice Hockey League Northern Conference rivals the Edinburgh Capitals.

26 year old Valecko notched eight goals and 23 assists for 31 points in 55 games in the Scottish capital last season - good enough for 14th among EIHL defencemen in points, outscoring all Stingrays defencemen - as the Capitals disappointingly faded to finish ninth, one place outside of the playoffs.

Prior to his sole season in the UK last term, the 6'1, 194lb blueliner iced for eight years in his native Slovakia - spending 153 games (6 goals, 23 points) in the top flight and 103 games (12 goals, 41 points) in the second tier - and one and a half years in the Polish top tier.

After a short nine game stint with KH Sanok in 08/09 - his first outside of his native Slovakia - Valecko returned in 09/10 and exploded offensively - hitting 14 goals and 32 points in just 24 games. In the process he outscored former Stingray Dmitri Rodin while recording just four points fewer than the Estonian despite having played less than half Rodin's 55 games.

Indeed, it is Valecko who Stingrays player-coach Sylvain Cloutier envisions replacing Rodin - who departed for English Premier League side Sheffield Steeldogs earlier this summer - as one of the club's offensive options from defence next season:

"Tomas is a great skater and passer. He is a solid defenceman who can run the powerplay. I almost signed him the year before but we lost out to Edinburgh. To finally have him on board is going to be good for us. He skates well on the big ice and is going to be a big part of our powerplay."

Estonian national team captain Rodin had an outstanding year for the Stingrays, much to the surprise of some - who believed his best days were behind him at the age of 36. In fact the complimentary comments paid to the former Edinburgh D man today could equally apply to Rodin when he joined the club this time last year, though Valecko arguably holds the edge in a head-to-head comparison on paper:

2009/2010 Polish League

Dmitri Rodin (34) 55GP  10G 26A 36PTS 48PIM

Tomas Valecko (23) 24GP 14G 18A 32PTS 32PIM

2011/2012 Elite Ice Hockey League

Dmitri Rodin (36) 51GP 9G 18A 27PTS 101PIM

Tomas Valecko (25) 55GP 8G 23A 31PTS 89PIM

The Rays latest addition compares very well with Rodin - last season's defenceman of the year and a big hit with players and fans - though it's a well used cliche that sport isn't played on paper or through statistics.

Nevertheless, the Slovakian - who joined the Caps last summer after a year split between HK Michalovce and HK Spissa Nova Ves - stood out for his abilities on a relatively non-existent Edinburgh defence which conceded a league high 265 goals in the regular season. It could well be that he is about the perfect like-for-like replace for Rodin - though only time will tell if he can and will have as big an effect.

He joins fellow new addition Shane Lovdahl on the blueline and, it is widely rumoured, they may soon be also be joined by re-signing Kurtis Dulle and former Coventry blueliner Jeff Smith as Cloutier once again, Lovdahl apart, sticks to known quantities in the EIHL. 

Rodin first to depart

Defenceman and alternate captain Dmitri Rodin has become the first name to depart the 11/12 Hull Stingrays ranks following today's confirmation that he will join the English Premier League's Sheffield Steeldogs.

The 37 year old rejoined former teammate and Rays coach Sylvain Cloutier last summer from Polish side KH Sanok and quickly became a mainstay in the club's defensive corps. Beginning the season in fine form with three goals and three assists during late September before eventually racking up nine goals and 27 points over 51 games, he deservedly claimed Stingrays Defenceman of the Year at the end of season awards.

Though the Estonian national team captain - who lead his side to a gold medal and promotion from IIHF World Championship Div II in Iceland this Spring - is undoubtedly entering the twilight of his career, he remained the Stingrays best all-around defenceman for much of the year, despite his form dipping post-Christmas.

Positionally sound, with good stickhandling abilities and a great shot from the point, crucially for a European defenceman he also wasn't afraid to get stuck in physically, memorably pulling off a number of signature hip checks - most notably on Jason Hewitt in the EIHL Quarter Final against Sheffield.

The move to the EPL comes as a result of timing, both personally and for the club. While the Rays future remains up in the air - with a number of hurdles still to be overcome before Nic Gough and Bobby McEwan can takeover - Rodin, at the age of 37, with a young family to think of and the time on his 22 year career ticking down, couldn't afford to wait around.

And while it is a fact that he was the club's most consistent defenceman, it is probably an understatement to say the Rays weren't strong defensively last term - allowing a league high 2272 shots on netminder Christian Boucher while also leaking 220 goals, good enough for third worst in the Elite Leauge (or eighth best depending on how you look at it). 

Therefore, given those defensive frailties, there were not necessarily any guarantees that the Stingrays next coach - likely to be Cloutier for a fourth season, provided the takeover goes through as expected - would want to re-sign the Estonian blueliner, despite how well liked he was.

Nevertheless, Rodin now joins a Steeldogs side brimming with confidence following a record 11/12 season in which player/coach and former EIHL enforcer Andre Payette lead his side to an impressive third placed league finish and semi-final playoff berth. 

Though top British netminding prospect Ben Bowns - who posted a 93.0 sv% and 2.40GAA - is set to depart for the Elite League (and potentially the Stingrays) during the off-season, the Ice Sheffield based side are gearing up for another title shot during 12/13.

Speaking of Rodin's addition, Payette said:

"Dmitri's leadership qualities, as reflected in his national team's captaincy, will be massive important on and off the ice next year. He was voted Best Defenceman for Hull Stingrays last season and together with his very physical game, he will bolster what was already the best defensive unit last year."

So far this summer they have already signed up former Sheffield Steelers Tom Squires, Ben Morgan and Steve Duncombe as well as former Coventry Blaze and Basingstoke Bison forward Greg Wood, while Rodin is likely to join up with another former Rays defenceman in Pavel Gomenyuk - who is highly likely to rejoin for a second season having notched up 9 goals and 41 points in 52 league games last season.

Although Rodin is the first and, so far, only name to have been confirmed as departing, it is believed that at least another two or three of last season's squad may have followed suit and signed in the second tier EPL as the Stingrays future is resolved.

Hull Stingrays 11/12 Season Review: At The Back

Netminders

#53 Christian Boucher

64GP 3.84GAA 89.sv% (3GP 4.88GAA 88.2sv.%)

Grade: A

28 year old Boucher answered his first season critics in a big way this term after a mediocre first season. Though he's not necessarily the kind of netminder to win you a game all on his own, his consistently solid performances generally gave the club a fighting chance from the drop of the puck.  The netminder - who faced a league high 4,438 shots - proved during outstanding 56 and 53 save winning efforts over Dundee in October and Cardiff in November that he is capable of the odd match winning performance. Indeed, after helping the Rays through to the EIHL Semi-Finals thanks to two brilliant performances against Sheffield in the Quarter Finals, the Ottawa native was particularly unfortunate to be between the pipes as the Rays were thrashed 10-3 in that first ever Final Four appearance. During his two years in the UK Boucher has proved he is a more than capable netminder at EIHL level and a much liked member of the Stingrays. While open to a return, whether he re-signs for a third season is very much dependent on both the status of the club and whether the rumoured addition of a new netminder comes to fruition.

#30 Andy Brummit

4GP 3.65GAA 91.7sv.%

Grade: C

With Boucher injury free and in fine form for much of the year, 18 year old backup Brummit's chances were limited in the Elite League. Restricted to just four appearances, he appeared to do well for such a young backstop during his bit-part appearances when called upon, notably turning away 17 shots against the Dundee Stars on the final day of the regular season, and that despite conceding on his first shot. The big advantage of having a senior ENL side closely linked to the Rays EIHL side was that the backup was offered the opportunity to regularly turn out in the third tier of British hockey - where he iced in 19 games posting a 91.6sv.% as the ENL Rays ended the year 4th in ENL North 2. Certainly an able back up and prospect for the future, there would be few, if any complaints were Brummitt to return for a second season.

Also dressed: Liam Jackson, Ben Bowns.

Defencemen

#8 Kurtis Dulle

58GP 36+25 10PIM (3GP 0+4 2PIM)

Grade: B-

Rays fans reluctantly said goodbye to Dulle last summer as the Canadian signalled his intention to end his career following a short spell in the Australian Ice Hockey League. With the Rays struggling and unconvinced by life post-hockey, the Saskatchewan native ended that short lived retirement in November and his offensive abilities from defence immediately helped the Rays to their longest win streak of the year, just 3 games. His offence generating first pass and skating abilities from the back came as a huge help to a team that generally lacked such attributes, while naming the 32 year old captain - following the release of Joshua Mizerek - provided a welcome boost to team morale. However, despite the many positives to his return, the defenceman's game remained riddled with minor penalties - not that he would change this aspect of his game at such a late stage - and, for the most penalised team in the league, this was more often than not costly. Unlike last summer, Dulle has refused to rule out a return to the ice for another year - be it in Hull or not - instead he looks intent on biding his time and making a decision closer to pre-season.

#19 Sam McCluskey

61GP 1+5 58PIM (3GP 0+0 4PIM)

Grade: B+

One of the club's most solid defencemen come the season's end, the 21 year old Scot grew into his role with the Rays - having edged out Dan Scott for a regular shift on defence. Much like former defensive prospects Dave Phillips and Stevie Lee that have passed through the Stingrays in recent times - McCluskey exuded confidence for such a young defenceman and was very rarely panicked into making a rash decisons. Sure there were mistakes, no player is perfect, but at 21 years of age McCluskey's mental and physical attributes belied his age. Given a few more years in the EIHL - be it with the Rays or Stars or elsewhere - the Dundee born defenceman and Stingrays British Player of the Year will surely be bound for a Great Britain berth.

#6 Martin Ondrej

57GP 2+14 73PIM (3GP 0+1 6PIM)

Grade: C-

Probably one of the club's biggest question marks defensively, Slovakian Ondrej was all too often caught high on the offensive blueline early in the year, unable to provide the pace to cover any player that knocked the puck around him high up the ice. At times questionable positionally, he was rumoured to be one of the players up for release prior to Christmas alongside eventually releasee Mizerek following a number of poor performances. However, unlike the American, the 28 year old began to turn things around, keeping his game simple, and he eventually improved the defensive side of his game enough to stave of release. The Semi Final loss to Nottingham aside, he ended the season putting in arguably his two best performances of the year in the two legged Playoff Quarter-Final's against Sheffield. Given his initial fallacies defensively, it seems highly unlikely he would be signed for a second year in Hull or the Elite League, though, provided he can keep his game simple, a spot in the EPL would not necessarily be completely out of the question.

#7 Dmitri Rodin

51GP 9+18 101PIM (3GP 0+1 4PIM)

Grade: B

Equally adept be it with a big shot from the blueline or on a breakaway in the shootout, Rodin - the Stingrays leading pointscoring defenceman this season - was probably the club's biggest surprise signing. At 37, expectations were admittedly low for the largely unknown Estonian, however, though he may have lost a step or two of pace, he proved he hasn't lost any skill during his 18 years as a professional. Alongside McCluskey, Rodin was the Rays standout defenceman and, indeed, one of the club's most consistent performers, and he was rewarded for his performances over the season with Defenceman of the Year at the Stingrays End of Season awards. He topped off a successful first season in the UK by captaining Estonia to the IIHF World Championships Division II title in Iceland in April - in the process promoting them back to the third tier in international ice hockey. Though, he would be a welcome returnee in Hull despite his age, rumours earlier in the off-season alleged he had been offered a deal to sign in the English Premier League with Andre Payette's Sheffield Steeldogs.

#13 Dan Scott

58GP 1+1 27PIM (3GP 0+0 0PIM)

Grade: C-

The Kent born defenceman started the year - his first in the EIHL - receiving semi-regular minutes on the blueline but was ousted following the standout performances of the more experienced McCluskey. Having failed to convince Cloutier as a D-man, Scott was reverted to forward mid-season and gradually improved throughout the year. Though at 20 he understandably needs some further seasoning to make it as an Elite League defenceman, there are undoubtedly shoots of positivity there for Scott - who bagged a much deserved first EIHL goal against Dundee. Though he may yet return to the EIHL, it seems more likely that next season he will seek that extra seasoning in the EPL - where he previously turned out for Telford.

MIA: Joshua Mizerek (D- - Poor, signing came 2 years too late for Rays)
Also dressed: Thomas Jeffrey, Ryan Johnson, Tom Ralph, James Pease

Mizerek reclaims Stingrays captaincy

Excel Hull Stingrays coach Sylvain Cloutier has today handed out his new on-ice captaincy roles for the upcoming 11/12 Elite Ice Hockey League campaign following the departure of all three of last year's captains and there are few surprises in his choices.

© Fintan Painting www.9pm.nl

33 year old American defenceman Joshua Mizerek has been named club captain for the second time - having initially been given the role when he first signed up to the club last summer - and he is joined by forward Jason Silverthorn and veteran Estonian Dmitri Suur.

Mizerek replaces outgoing captain Kurtis Dulle who is expected to retire from the sport at the end of the summer season in Australia - where he is spending what is thought may be his final season with Sydney Bears.

In a fairly inexperienced team Dulle was thrown into the captaincy upon signing from the Central Hockey League in early September last season as a late replacement for Mizerek - who left without playing a game after the club's financial issues - but turned out to be a popular on-ice leader for the club.

Questions over his captaincy were naturally raised when the club went through a rough patch in late 2010 and brought in  36 year old former NHLer Drew Bannister, however, standing by his captain, Cloutier instead handed Bannister Lee Mitchell's alternate captain's role.

The Rays boss said at the club's most recent fans forum that Mizerek's decision to quit last summer was based on his young family and a renewed opportunity to combine coaching with playing in Holland. Nevertheless he was eager to stay in touch, with Cloutier calling him "the Stingrays biggest fan" last season as he endeavored to keep up with results during his fourth season in Dutch capital Den Haag.

That eagerness to link up again was reciprocated by Cloutier as he wasted no time in signing the American and re-naming him captain. He said:

"It was an easy decision to make, Josh has been a leader wherever he has played. It is natural for him to be captain, he has captained championship-winning sides before. I was extremely excited to have him on board and I knew I wanted him to be my captain."

With former alternate captain Bannister now player-coach of the Braehead Clan and fellow former alternate captain Trevor Read also moving on this summer Cloutier somewhat unsurprisingly named Silverthorn, last season's Coaches Player of the Year, and Dmitri Suur, on paper the most experienced member of this year's team, as their alternate captaincy replacements.

Silverthorn has become a reliable, experienced and valued member of the Rays set up, and not just for his on-ice performances while Suur will be entering his 21st season in the sport at the age of 36. Cloutier added:

"Jason and Dmitri have both been leaders before. Silvers has been a leader since he arrived here and Dmitri has captained Estonia at the last two World Championships. Both have a lot to give the team and they will help Josh and myself out."

It was thought that, following his season coaching the youth set up in Den Haag, Mizerek may be named Bannister's replacement as player-assistant coach, however, it looks as though this time Cloutier is happy with Bobby McEwan as his bench and assistant coach and his all new on-ice leadership. He concluded:

"I am very happy with the choices I've made for all three positions and I just can't wait to get started."

Estonian international is Suur thing for Stingrays

© Tomasz Sowa

The Excel Hull Stingrays have today officially confirmed the signing of 36 year old Estonian national team defenceman and captain Dmitry Rodin, who joins the club from Polish side KH Sanok for the 11/12 Elite League campaign.

The news of his addition to the Stingrays ranks broke earlier in the week and comes as no surprise after he told Polish website hokej.net:

"I would like to play in England, for 2-3 years to end my hockey career. For some time I was in contact with the club..yesterday I signed a one-year contract. Such is life [as] a hockey player..[he must] sign and play where he gets good a deal. Now I choose England because I have a wedding anniversary, my wife has lived in England for nine years. So I decided to come to her on a permanent basis."

It appeared just a matter of time before Rodin - who also goes by the name Dmitri Suur - was unveiled as the Rays newest recruit having recorded three goals and 13 assists on his way to adding the Polish Cup to the Polish league title he won in 09/10.

The vastly experienced Tallinn native signs as the club's third new defensive signing of the summer, joining Brits Sam McCluskey and Daniel Scott on the roster, as player-coach Sylvain Cloutier attempts to revamp a blueline that leaked 202 goals last season.

While that double century is 31 goals fewer than 10/11 and 43 goals fewer than 09/10, it was fairly obvious to most that the club again struggled in its own defensive zone over the full 56 game schedule with the 12-0 drubbing in Cardiff a particular lowlight.

The signing of the wiley veteran - who has experience at the top level of hockey in Slovakia, Russia, Denmark, Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland as well as his native Estonia - may not grab the headlines like former player-assistant coach Drew Bannister, who he may well end up replacing, however, he does provide much needed experience to a rearguard that, up to this point lacked top flight games under its belt.

Considering his age, one concern may be that the Estonian will lack pace which was a particular problem last term, however, having appeared for Estonia in their recent 7-0 loss at the hands of Great Britain and having played with Cloutier in Adirondack in 05/06, the Rays coach is confident 6'2 Suur will do a good job in the Elite League providing size and offence.

"I have known Dmitri a long time. He plays the North American style hockey, he's not your typical European. He plays the game hard, he competes and that's what I like about him. I needed a guy who has experience and can log up a lot of minutes back there and help out our young defencemen like Sam McCluskey and Daniel Scott. Also, we didn't really have a big shot from the point last year. Dmitri has that and I think that will be good for our powerplay. He's a good all-round player. He's been around and knows what it takes to win championships."

Although Cloutier was unwilling to rule out a return for 37 year old Bannister, it looks very likely that his future now lies away from Hull, with the former NHLer commanding a package beyond the club's means to return. With the similarly aged Suur now signed, were Bannister to make a U-turn and re-sign, the Stingrays would be left with an unbalanced defensive corps consisting of an 18 year old and 22 year old as well as a 36 year old and 37 year old, and such a make-up seems unlikely given the ongoing defensive refurbishment.

The Estonian may not quite have the reputation or a resume comparable to Bannister's 164 NHL, 204 AHL, 124 DEL and 77 SM-Liga appearances, however, he would presumably come cheaper, allowing the club to spread the remainder of its resources from Bannister across the roster. Nevertheless, Cloutier reaffirmed to the Hull Daily Mail that, were it an option, he would indeed sign both players saying:

"I would have been very happy to have both Dmitri and Drew back there."

Elsewhere, the Rays boss confirmed talks are now "ongoing" with captain Kurtis Dulle, who was initially contemplating retirement after his single season in Hull last year.

The 31 year old Saskatchewan native lead Stingrays defencemen last season, registering 12 goals and 31 assists for 43 points, and signed to play summer hockey in the Australian Ice Hockey League with the possibility that it may be the last stop on his six year hockey career.

However, he has since posted two goals and four assists in ten games with Sydney Bears, who sit eighth and bottom in the regular season standings, and it appears he remains open to the notion of returning for another year in Hull.