Chamberlain returns home

18 year old British forward Bobby Chamberlain has today returned to the Hull Stingrays for the 13/14 Elite League campaign after spending a year away in North America.

The Hull born prospect left his hometown a year ago to join junior A side Ogden Mustangs of the Western States Hockey League having recorded a goal and three assists as well as 76 penalty minutes in his debut Elite League season in 11/12.

Based in Ogden, Utah and playing in the WSHL Northwest Division at the 2,500 capacity Weber County Ice Sheet alongside fellow Brits David Clements and Ben Russell, Chamberlain enjoyed a successful 12/13 season abroad - having previously spent a year in Canada with the OHA Mavericks in Cornwall, Ontario during 10/11.

During his season in the US the 6'1 forward - who made quite the impact in the Elite League in his rookie campaign - accumulated 15 goals, ten assists, 25 points and, unsurprisingly, 106 penalty minutes in 33 games.

The high point of his campaign came on 5th January as he notched two goals and an assist in an 8-0 rout over Salt Lake City Moose. Typically, Chamberlain also received a roughing penalty and game misconduct on the final buzzer after leaving the bench to get involved physically in an ugly encounter which saw 112 penalty minutes dished out.

The young Brit only appeared in 33 of the Mustangs 46 regular season games due to suspensions but they ended the year with a 45.7% win percentage, winning 18 games. Unfortunately, the Mustangs were disappointingly swept in the first round of the WSHL Playoffs, losing out three games to nil - including a 14-3 blowout at home - to eventual playoff champions the Idaho Junior Steelheads with Chamberlain notching a lone assist.

Following the end of his club season, Chamberlain was also once again selected to the Great Britain U18 squad joining the team for the Division IIA World Championships in Tallin, Estonia during March. Playing alongside future Stingray teammates Sam Towner and Scott Robson, he once again led the U18's from the front with five goals and nine points in just five games as GB ended the tournament in a disappointing fourth place - six points, or two wins, from promotion.

Returning for his second season in the Elite League, he will be hoping to continue where he left off in 11/12 - having noticeably improved and matured game-in, game-out in 11/12, notching his first professional goal against the Nottingham Panthers while adding a handful of assists - something he'll want to build on after a season of added experience across the pond.

A constant pest to opponents, he follows in a long line of young Hull born Brits to have iced for the Stingrays in the fearless, young agitating forward role after Ryan Lake, Dave Phillips and Stevie Lee. In the likely situation - given his role and the way he plays the game - he requires protection next season, Chamberlain will also once again be able to count on the support of Derek Campbell in 13/14, with the Canadian similarly returning to Hull.

Of the signing, coach Sylvain Cloutier said:

“I am really excited to have Bobby back in the group. When he went over to North America I told him my door was always open if and when he wanted to come back. We have kept in touch and I am happy to have him with us again. Bobby will make a bigger impact next season. When he was with us last time he was still very young and played when we had injuries and did well. But he has been training really hard and he is in the gym every day. He plays with an edge, is physical and adds a different dimension to the team. He is older and more mature now and he works hard and competes. There are not too many British players like him.”

Meanwhile, on returning Chamberlain said:

“I am really excited to be back. I went away for a year and it was a good experience for me and I have grown up a little bit. I just felt it was the right time to come back. I am older and stronger now and I want to be effective and be a presence on the ice. I will do whatever it takes to help the team. Clouts and [owner] Bobby [McEwan] have done a great job in building the organisation. The sponsorships have grown and we are getting into the schools. It is a good organisation and it is getting better and better every year.”

The addition further bolsters the Stingrays homegrown numbers with the 18 year old becoming the sixth British signing confirmed after Robson, Towner, Ben Bowns, Matty Davies and Tom Squires, and 10th forward signing of the off-season.

His signature somewhat puts into question the future of Danny Wood - who recorded three assists in 22 games after joining the club in January - and also seems to end any likelihood of former forward Lee Esders returning to the club after two seasons in Sheffield as rumoured.

It is believed that the club will be adding at least one more young British forward from the Kingston Junior Ice Hockey Club to the roster this off-season with 16 year old Lee Bonner highly thought of and a possible target after impressing at the Conference Weekend held at Hull Arena last weekend.

Muncy becomes Stingrays third new summer signing

The Hull Stingrays have confirmed the signing of import forward Sean Muncy for the 13/14 Elite League campaign

The 28 year old  - who spent last season in the Dutch Eredivisie with Eindhoven Kemphanen, recording 12 goals and 36 points in 24 games - initially revealed he had signed through Twitter on Friday, writing:

"Excited to be a part of the @HullStingrays next season. Just give @Tends27 the puck and I'll be just fine! #eihl #uk #ellogov'na"

At that point the signing had yet to be confirmed officially by the club, however, with the new addition now public knowledge they have announced the signing through the Elite League website today. Muncy becomes the third new import signing this week after the announcement of Guillaume Doucet and Derek Campbell at Tuesday's fans forum.

A left shooting, 6'0 tall winger, Muncy has played with a number of former Stingrays and EIHL players throughout his career.

Starting his career in junior with the Cedar Rapid Roughriders of the USHL between 2002 and 2005, he played alongside now-retired  former Stingray Shane Lovdahl as well as NHLers Teddy Purcell (Tampa Bay Lightnigh), Justin Abdelkader (Detriot Red Wings), Alec Martinez (LA Kings) and Alex Stalock (San Jose Sharks) - helping the team to a first place finish in 2003.

He was moved on to the Des Moines Buccaneers and Waterloo Black Hawks via trade in 04/05 - enjoying his best season in the league as a 20 year old with 59 points in 59 games, ending the year as the USHL's tenth top scorer and second in Buccaneers scoring.

A move to study Sociology for four years at Ivy League college Brown University followed as he posted 29 points in 104 games and four years in the NCAA. During three of those four years he was named on the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference All-Academic team, honouring outstanding students in the ECAC.

He graduated from Brown in 2009 and began his professional career with the Rio Grande Killer Bees the following season - briefly icing alongside Stingrays captain Kurtis Dulle during a two-game spell in Texas for the Canadian before he moved on.

Muncy enjoyed a great rookie campaign in the CHL as he was picked for the Central Hockey League All-Star game - where he was named Most Valuable Player after picking up two goals and two assists - before being named on the 09/10 CHL All-Rookie Team at the seasons end, having notched 14 goals and 47 points in 61 games.

He, unsurprisingly returned to Rio Grande in 10/11 - picking up 14 goals and 31 points in 37 games prior to Christmas - before being loaned up to American Hockey League side the Houston Aeros for one game in December 2010, making his AHL debut, and only appearance, in a 2-1 victory over the San Antonio Rampage.

A Chesterfield, Missouri native, he was traded to his homestate CHL side the Missouri Mavericks in exchange for former Nottingham Panthers defenceman Dominic D'Armour in 2011. In Kansas City, Missouri he was unfortunately unable to replicate the success he had  in Rio Grande and he was waived twice before the end of the season, first joining Fort Worth Brahmas before ending the season with no points in four games with the Arizona Sundogs.

After racking up CHL totals of 30 goals and 55 assists in 127 games, Muncy moved to Europe in 2011 recording 23 goals and 50 points in 30 games in the German fourth division with ESV Buchloe before moving to enjoy further pointscoring success in the Holland last season.

A former teammate of Lovdahl and Dulle and someone Stingrays coach Sylvain Clouiter has coached against, Muncy is a known quantity to the Rays boss who, upon signing the American, said:

"I am really pleased to have Sean on my team. He is a hard worker and a real competitor. I coached against him in the CHL so I know all about him and what we are getting. He used to play with Dulles in Rio Grande and I have actually been trying to sign him for the past couple of years. He played in the CHL All-Star team, he can play both ways, he skates extremely well, he is a good penalty killer and can play special teams. He plays hard every night - he is a good addition to the line-up."

With low penalty totals to his name and a solid, if not outstanding scoring record, but impressive list of awards in the NCAA and CHL, he will likely be a valuable asset for the Stingrays.

His Brown University Athletics bio describes him as "an extremely talented forward...one of the top penalty-killers on the team...[who] will also be expected to help lead Brown's shorthanded efforts."

While his abilities shorthanded will be an added bonus for a team that had one of the EIHL's worst penalty kills last season, as an import forward the American will be required to help offensively. Encouragingly, Tommie Hartog - Muncy's coach in Eindhoven last term - backed up what Cloutier said when he joined the Dutch side, stating "he is a very fast guy with good hands" as did his coach in Germany who also said "extremely fast and technically gifted striker".

With the signing of Muncy and Doucet as well as that of Campbell, Cloutier looks to have made a move to fill that 'consistent secondary scoring' shaped hole which the club so lacked last season.

Lovdahl and Rodin retirement confirmed; Doucet set to sign?

In an interview with the Hull Daily Mail, Hull Stingrays player-coach Sylvain Cloutier confirmed on Thursday that defencemen Shane Lovdahl and Dmitri Rodin would not be returning to the club next season and will likely be retiring from the sport this summer.

38 year old Rodin re-joined the Stingrays in January after starting the year in the English Premier League between the Sheffield Steeldogs and Telford Tigers - where he notched just one goal and four assists in 27 games in the second tier.

The offensive defenceman - who possesses a big slapshot and even bigger hip check, which typically made him a favourite with home fans - added a goal and seven assists this season to his first season totals of nine goals and 18 assists.

Indeed, it was the Estonian's offensive abilities from defence which undoubtedly played a huge part in the Stingrays record 11/12 campaign as they reached the EIHL Playoff Semi-Finals in his first season at the club.

While he was undoubtedly in the twilight of a career which saw him ice in the IHL and AHL in North America and Russian, Slovakian, Czech, Polish and Hungarian top flights, and he had obviously lost a step or two over 23 seasons and 900 games, Rodin's quality with the puck on his stick remained.

Though he has aspirations to become a coach in the future, it is thought he will retire from the sport and move to London this summer after captaining Estonia at the IIHF World Championships Div I Group B in Ukraine this week, ending a 23 career that began with Narva HK PSK in Estonia in 1990.

In contrast, Alaskan native Lovdahl has confirmed his retirement at the age of 28 after four seasons and 275 games of professional hockey.

An alumni of the USHL - where he spent three seasons as a junior with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders - and the University of Alaska-Anchorage - where he hit eight goals and 25 assists in four years and 110 games - he made his professional debut with the Quad City Mallards of the IHL in 09/10.

He went on to spend two further seasons with Quad City in the CHL and a summer in Australia with the Adelaide Adrenaline before a move to Hull and the Elite League materialised last summer ahead of what would turn out to be his swansong in the sport

A quiet, unassuming but effective blueliner, the highlight of his season came on 3 March as he led the club offensively and physically with two goals and a fight in a a crucial 3-1 win over conference rivals the Fife Flyers.

It is often said of defensive defenceman in general that the more inconspicuous they are on a game-by-game basis the better they are performing and that was certainly the case with the solid American - who very rarely  stepped out of place.

He confirmed his intention to retire to the Hull Daily Mail earlier in the season and will return to Alaska from Europe.

Meanwhile in other news, it is believed the club are close to announcing the signing of 26 year old French-Canadian forward Guillaume Doucet as their first new addition for 13/14.

His agent, 37 Hockey, confirmed last week that he has signed a contract to play in the Elite League in 13/14 and it was later revealed by BritishIceHockey.co.uk that Hull is likely destination.

After graduating from Canadian college McGill University in 2011 with 53 goals and 108 points in 112 games, the diminutive winger has gone on to spend the last two seasons in the French top flight Ligue Magnus with Morzine-Avoriaz Penguines accumulating 21 goals and 19 assists for 40 points in 46 games.

Photos copyright Dean Woolley

Silverthorn two-year deal revealed

The Hull Daily Mail has today revealed that Hull Stingrays forward Jason Silverthorn signed a two-year contract with the club last summer and will therefore return next season for his fifth Elite League campaign in the city.

The 33 year old has been a key part of the Rays offence in each of the last four seasons after replacing the departing forward Matt Reynolds early in the 09/10 season, accumulating 91 goals and 230 points in 210 games along the way.

One of the most consistent and experienced performers, his confirmed second season will see him join fellow returnees Ben Bowns and line-mate Jereme Tendler on Stingrays 2013/2014 roster so far, again under the tutelage of player-coach Sylvain Cloutier.

Despite speculation linking the Stingrays coach to the vacant role at former club Coventry Blaze, the 38 year old is committed to the second year of his two year deal - which was confirmed in late February - and he has already begun building his squad for next season:

"No one from Coventry has contact me. I am under contract to coach here. My home is in Hull. As far as I am concerned, I've already started to build the Stingrays for next season and that's what I'm doing right now."

Cloutier also revealed to the Mail that defenceman Shane Lovdahl is likely to retire from the sport in the off-season, possibly alongside Dmitri Rodin - who it is believed would like to take up a position coaching - and that Martin Ondrej could be set for a third season in Hull next year.

Stingrays roster as it stands

The Hull Stingrays have begun the month of July with a flurry of activity after an initial lull following the early signings of player-coach Sylvain Cloutier, topscorer Jereme Tendler, EPL top scorer Janis Ozolins, Brit Chris Sykes and British netminder Ben Bowns.

Cloutier has since been quoted as stating he has completed his squad for the upcoming season and a number of signings - including the confirmed addition of Tomas Valecko and unconfirmed signings of Jeff Smith, Colin McIntosh and Ryan-James Hand - have since leaked out from a number of sources.

With the squad all but complete, FBB looks at how the Rays will potentially shape up heading in to 2012/2013:

Netminders

Bowns

(Brit)

Spots available - 1 Brit

Rumoured additions - None

Defencemen

Lovdahl - (Import)

Valecko - (Import)

(Brit) - (Brit?)

Spots available - 2 imports, 1 Brit (Min.)
Rumoured additions - Jeff Smith (Import), Kurtis Dulle (Import - re-signing)

Notes: Captain Kurtis Dulle is largely rumoured to be re-signing while former Coventry defenceman Jeff Smith is likely to complete the Rays import defensive core. As yet, no rumours as to who, or if, the Rays will be adding British fifth and sixth defencemen for a third line of defensive options. It would be seen as highly risky and, moreover, it is highly surprising were they to settle for just four import defencemen, as such Rays are likely to add at least one Brit to replace the departed Sam McCluskey and Dan Scott.

Forwards

Tendler - Silverthorn -  (Import)

Ozolins - (Brit) - (Import)

Sykes - Cloutier - (Import)

(Brit)

Spots available - 3 imports, 1 Brit (Min.)
Rumoured additions - Colin McIntosh (Import), Ryan-James Hand (Import), Matty Davies (Brit), Dominic Osman (Import - re-signing)

Notes: It has all but been confirmed that the Rays have signed NCAA grad Colin McIntosh and CHL enforcer Ryan-James Hand leaving just one remaining import spot. Dominic Osman has been tentatively linked to a return and could complete the club's import forward options. With the departure of Tristan Harper, Jack Watkins, Andy McKinney and Bobby Chamberlain the club are in desperate need of British forwards - though Matty Davies may well return. Elsewhere, it may be that a number of options from the junior development setup are added to bolster the squad, potentially leaving the Rays lacking experience in the British forward ranks.

Campbell moving on

Derek Campbell looks set to become the second player to depart the Hull Stingrays this summer, according to the Hull Daily Mail.

The 32 year old forward shone in the Stingrays yellow and blue during the 11/12 Elite League campaign - his sixth consecutive year in the British top flight but first in Hull - accumulating 12 goals and 55 points in 58 regular season games having worked up a great partnership with Jason Silverthorn. 

He added a further five goals and two assists in three playoff games in the post-season, becoming a crucial cog in helping the Rays past former side Sheffield Steelers and into a historic first ever EIHL Playoff Semi-Final and Final Four Weekend. The hat-trick scored by the Ontario native in the 5-2 second leg quarter final win was arguably three of the biggest goals in the club's history.

Nevertheless, despite largely impressing thanks to his unique style and blend of strength, stickhandling, playmaking and enforcing abilities - Campbell admitted to the Hull Daily Mail that he has yet to hear from coach Sylvain Cloutier.

Given the continually uncertain nature of the club's status at present that may not be too surprising, however, speculation suggests Cloutier has had initial contact with those players he would like to retain for 12/13 EIHL campaign, as well as a number of others from outside the club.

Speaking on his year in Hull, Campbell said:

"It was a great time. I had a lot of fun last year, the owners were great, Sylvain was great, as were my team-mates and the fans, even though there was so much going on with sticks and equipment and off-ice stuff. We made it to the playoff semi-finals by knocking out Sheffield and that was a huge thing."

The former Manchester, Newcastle, Coventry, Sheffield and now, likely, Hull enforcer looks set to add another club to his extensive CV. Whether he joins his sixth Elite League club or opts for the English Premier League remains to be seen though it looks highly likely his stay in Hull will end at one year.

Campbell stated:

"I don't think I'll be coming back. It's not me closing the door, it's just that I haven't really talked to Sylvain Cloutier yet and I think if he wanted me back he would have called and sort of stated it. I'm qualified to play in either league. There are a couple of teams in the Elite League and in the EPL I have been talking to and taking seriously. You have to weigh up the options, it's a long summer."

EPL side Sheffield Steeldogs currently appear favourites to secure the signature of Campbell - who would become their second Stingray signing of the off-season, following Dmitri Rodin's addition - though a decision has yet to be officially made either way.

The South Yorkshire side - coached by Campbell's former Newcastle Vipers teammate Andre Payette - would seem to be the obvious choice for the Canadian after his comments today that he'd prefer to join a club where he knows what he's "getting into".

Elsewhere, as previously suggested on FBB, the Stingrays remain on course to lose at least two of the British corps from last season to the EPL.

Coburn shock departure confirmed as Stingrays turnover continues

Excel Hull Stingrays coach Sylvain Cloutier yesterday confirmed in the Hull Daily Mail that Andrew Coburn, the club's rookie revelation last season, will not return for a second year in Hull.

Instead - having joined the Rays last summer from the University of Alabama - Huntsville hockey programme - the Mount Forest, Ontario native looks set to end his professional hockey career by likely retiring after an outstanding single season in which he recorded 20 goals and 42 assists for 62 points in 61 games just 61 games.

Cloutiers confirmation that Coburn, named the Rays most improved player, will not pull on the blue and yellow again - despite a "pretty good offer" from the Stingrays - brings the total number of confirmed departures this summer to six, with Matti Uusivirta taking, at the very least, a season out of the sport, Konstantin Kalmikov now all but officially confirmed as leaving the club following a poor showing last year and enforcer turned forward Jozef Sladok likewise also on his way out.

Departed: Uusivirta, Kalmikov, Sladok

With the club opting for a four defenceman, five forward import line-up, there remains just one forward spot to fill after the confirmed offensive foreign quota signings of Dominic Osman, Frantisek Bakrlik, Jason Silverthorn, Jereme Tendler and Cloutier himself, who will suit up for possibly the final year of his career.

Having initially whittled his shortlist down to five players, in the last week the Rays player-coach further narrowed his search for that final spot down to just two players, one new to the UK and one with previous experience in the country.

The pair - both of whom are said to have put up "some numbers" in the past - will likely join the club in an all-around third line role, similar to the one many expected standout forward Coburn to be last summer.

While it will be hoped the new signing will follow in his footsteps and out-do all expectations, Cloutier believes the club is largely set for offensive output with all signed-up import forwards capable, he thinks, of hitting the 20 to 30 goal mark.

The Stingrays are not likely to confirm the identity of the new signing until, at the earliest, next week, however, speculation has already linked the club to former Stingray Jason Kostadine and controversial former NHLer Mike Danton.

Kostadine in 07/08

Hard working agitator Kostadine - who had a career year in 08/09 in Hull netting eight goals and 15 assists in 54 games - fits into the hardworking bracket, although whether his pointscoring exploits last time out in the EIHL, not even good enough for less than half a point per game, would tick the box marked "has put up points previously" remains to be seen. He has since put up just four goals, 14 points and a massive 328 PIM's over two seasons and 125 games between the IHL and CHL, though admittedly the American was a very effective agitator and became a fan favourite at the Hull Arena two years ago.

Danton has a complex history, after being drafted into the NHL by New Jersey in 2000 he recorded 34 points in 69 AHL games  and 14 points in 87 NHL games but was jailed in 04/05 for conspiracy to commit murder.

He made a comeback to the sport following his release from jail in just 09/10 with Canadian college Saint Mary's University and returned there last season, excelling both on and off-ice. He recently stated a desire to take up an opportunity to play in Europe and - having played with 'Clouts' in Albany in 2000/01 - pure speculation turned to him signing in Hull.

The potential negative publicity caused by adding Danton to the roster would likely nullify this rumour as a no-goer but the 30 year old is highly likely to show up in Europe in the near future with Hull or the EIHL a likely destination. Provided he could obtain a work permit to play in the country given his criminal record, the Elite League would be traditionally be ideal territory for such a player to make a return to the professional game as NHL legend Theo Fleury did in 05/06.

Admittedly it may be highly unlikely that Kostadine or Danton will suit up in Hull colours next year, particularly the latter. However, one thing is for sure, the hole left by Coburn is sizeable and his replacement may have to be more than the all-around role player that Cloutier expects of him, especially given the importance of the role imports play in the UK and the lack of offence often attributed to low budget sides.

Mizerek to ignite Rays off-season?

Veteran defenceman Joshua Mizerek looks set to become the Excel Hull Stingrays first signing of the 2010 post-season after his former side, HYS Den Haag in the Dutch Eredivisie, announced he had rejected a contract offer from the Dutch capital in order to sign in England with the Stingrays.

The 32 year old American, who captained his side last term and also stepped in as coach for a number of weeks, is a good bet to replace club legend Jeff Glowa as captain at the Stingrays with the evergreen Canadian expected to leave the club this summer, possibly for another EIHL rival, after six years in Hull.

Mizerek's signing will likely be made official in the coming weeks alongside a number of other recent signings, whose announcement has been delayed by Stingrays owners Mike and Sue Pack for an, as yet, unspecified reason.

Eredivisie keeper to replace Raitums?

Year-on-year the Excel Hull Stingrays struggle to find any sort of continuity between the pipes, releasing keeper after keeper each summer. As they enter their fifth season in Britain's top flight, that trend looks set to continue with rumours circulating that they have replaced Latvian Martins Raitums with their sixth import netminder in five years.

Historically, the Stingrays have had success in re-signing just one starting import netminder, that being Miroslav Bielik as they made the conversion from EPL to EIHL hockey. Bielik, who suffered from home sickness and injuries, was the best of a below average bunch under former coach Rick Strachan, as became obvious when he was replaced, due to the aforementioned flaws, by fan favourite Ladislav Kudrna, good on his day but more often than not prone to costly mistakes. A well past his best Curtis Cruikshank was the last netminder of the Strachan era and summed up all the problems the Rays have had with keepers under Strachan in one agonising 08/09 season.

Even first year Stingrays boss Sylvain Cloutier, who made a concerted effort to find the answer by handing his brother, former NHLer Dan Cloutier, the job of scouring the globe for the ideal candidate, struggled to find the perfect solution, initially employing inexperienced Swede Tommy Sandahl between the pipes before releasing him for Latvian Matins Raitums. Four years, five netminders and five nationalities later and it seemed like Cloutier had struck gold with former IIHF World Championships netminder Raitums.

Think again, after following friend and fellow Latvian Aivars Gaisins to the Stingrays in early 2009, he is now well on his way to the Stingrays growing netminding scrap heap joining Curtis Huppe, Adam Knight and James Hutchinson on the departures list from Cloutier's first year in charge.

Who next? Well, the early rumour, and one that currently looks to be spot on, is that the new keeper is to come from the Dutch Eredivisie.

Two names immediately sprung to the fore, one familiar and one not so familiar. The unforgettable Japanese international Yukata Fukufuji, who last season visited the Hull Arena in pre-season with Tilburg Trappers, and French Canadian Christian Boucher, netminder for the 09/10 Dutch Eredivisie champion Nijmegen Devils.

Fukufuji joined Tilburg last season after a successful stint in North America, where he spent five years between the NHL, AHL and ECHL, during which time he became the first ever Japanese born player to ice in the NHL. He moved to Holland last season and went on to post a 3.43 goals against average (GAA) as Tilburg, who were tipped as potential champions, finished in 3rd place and he would undoubtedly be the experienced option out of the two.

Boucher, former team mate of Stingrays defenceman Stephen Burns, also entered his first season in Europe in the Eredivisie after a rookie year in the CHL, where he had posted  a 2.89 GAA and a 91.9 sv.% in 37 games with the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees. In his first season away from North America, after spending four years in the NCAA at Robert Morris University prior to his stint in the CHL, Boucher took the newly named Devils to the Eredivisie title with a 2.95 GAA in 45 games, before leading them past Fukufuji's Tilburg side in the playoff final series by three games to none.

Statistically the Canadian outperformed Fukufuji on a less favoured team and it is because of this, as well as the fact that he now has a league and playoff title to his name, that Boucher is thought to be red-hot favourite to succeed Raitums at the Hull Arena.

Departures continue

 

Following the surprise departure of player-assistant coach Curtis Huppe last month comes the somewhat less surprising confirmation that tough guy Adam Knight and British defenceman James Hutchinson have both played their final games for the Excel Hull Stingrays.

The pair, both expected to leave the Hull Arena this summer after just a season with the club, have been confirmed by their respective agents as returning to the leagues they joined the Stingrays from last summer.

In his sophomore season in Hull Knight hit professional career best figures, scoring seven times, adding 13 assists and 131 penalty minutes while emerging as a true fans favourite, particularly following tussles with the likes of Sean McMorrow and Brad Voth.

However, the 29 year old, who is not thought to have been offered a deal to return to Hull, will rejoin the CHL where he joined the Stingrays from last summer and where he is likely to be relied on more for his on-ice presence than the offensive numbers which coach Sylvain Cloutier and the EIHL on the whole require from non-British players. He will return to the CHL with an, as yet, unnamed team, where last time out he recorded two goals and two assists in over 50 games with Colorado and New Mexico, following a season in Hull in which he likely doubled his time on the ice during each game and improved as a player as a result.

Meanwhile, Hutchinson will return to the English Premier League (EPL) after a wholly disappointing spell at the Hull Arena. Big things were expected of 'Hutch' after he played a massive part in Peterborough's EPL championship winning side of 08/09, in which he contributed a huge 58 points in 54 games from the blueline, however, for whatever reason, be it the higher standard of competition or the Stingrays struggles, he neither troubled the scorers nor provided Cloutier with the defensive solidity required and like Knight, he was an unlikely returnee.

The favoured destination for the 26 year old North East native seems to be a return to Peterborough in an attempt to reignite the success of 08/09 under former Stingrays netminder Curtis Cruickshank, who has recently been named head coach of the Cambridgeshire based side.

While the Stingrays off-season news has so far been confined to the assumed return of coach Cloutier and Stephen Burns for the second year of their two year contracts, unlike messr Huppe, the rumoured re-signing of the better part of last seasons squad including Lee Mitchell, Craig Mitchell and Konstantin Kalmikov will likely come within the next week or two as Cloutier looks to build a squad capable of challenging and, at least, making the playoffs come April 2011.

Rumour Mill 10/11 #1

• With two extra Scottish sides in the EIHL next season, as yet un-signed siblings Lee and Craig Mitchell may yet be tempted by a move back to their homeland. Although it would be very surprising to see Stingrays coach Sylvain Cloutier let the pair leave Hull Arena, Braehead, Dundee and Edinburgh are sure to come knocking if they remain unsigned, particularly given the dearth of British talent in the league following the addition of two extra Scottish sides. 
• Lee Mitchell, coming off a near career year which was scuppered by a knee injury, has also raised eyebrows at the top EIHL clubs.
• New blood is on its way to the Elite League in the form of Canadians Chris Korchinski and Stuart MacRae, who have both been confirmed as signing for, as yet, unnamed EIHL teams. Korchinski, 24, is the pick of the pair and looks set for one of the top five clubs, with 110 ECHL games and 43 ECHL goals under his belt as well as three AHL games. While 27 year old MacRae has spent the last two years with the Amarillo Gorillas of the CHL, where he has netted 43 goals and added 81 assists in 122 games.
• Following the capture of impressive young Brit Mark Garside from his former side Edinburgh, new Belfast coach Doug Christiansen is planning on bringing two more former players to Northern Ireland. Owen Fussey and Simon Lambert lit it up for the Caps last season scoring 72 goals as Edinburgh closed out the season in an EIHL best 6th place and Christiansen is now looking to raid the Caps for two more of the cogs of that performance.
•  As per older rumours, Curtis Huppe, who surprisingly quit the Stingrays halfway through a two year contract last month, may yet return the EIHL with Braehead, Dundee or Belfast, however, a counter rumour has also suggested he has signed with Guildford of the EPL.
• Another older and, as yet, unconfirmed rumour is that Adam Calder has left his post as Braehead Clan player/coach just weeks after his appointment. Speculation implies that promises have not been met by Braehead owners concerning budget restrictions, however, this is yet to be confirmed. In anticipation of the Elite Leagues all time top scorer becoming available, Sheffield and a whole host of other EIHL clubs have thrown their name into the ring for the Calder's signature.
• Sylvain Cloutier is closing in on the signing of Sheffield Scimitars British forward James Archer, who last season appeared in seven games on a two-way contract with the Stingrays, scoring three goals. Archer would fill the gap left by the rumoured departure of GB forward Lee Mitchell. If Mitchell returned, however, Cloutier would most likely be forced to release either Lee Esders or Matty Davies to make room for the talented Archer.

Cloutier gets tough; new defenceman incoming

Sylvain Cloutier has today put out a stark warning to his current squad: shape up or ship out.

The Canadian, who has seen his side lose seven of their opening eight games, announced to the Hull Daily Mail that he is in the process of signing a new defenceman to guard the ever impressive Tommy Sandahl in the Rays net, whilst Ryan Jorde recovers from a broken arm.

The revelation that he will sign a new blueliner comes with strong words to his current squad, the 35 year old coach said:

"I know the guys who care and the guys who are here just for a ride. Those things are going to be addressed and we are going to make sure we bring guys in who want to be here.

"Hopefully that will send a message to some of the guys that they can't get comfortable...We are not going to accept being in last place and lose hockey games and just go through the motions."

With Jorde out, and with Cloutier bringing in a new defenceman during his layoff, the commitment questions are being firmly laid at the door of current D men Stephen Burns and Pavel Gomenyuk, although it is still feasible that those question marks are over an import forward.

If that were the case, Cloutier would have to re-shuffle his pack by releasing said forward and keep tough guy Adam Knight up front, where he has produced some decent performances so far this season.

In what is a clear message for his side to improve following a bad run of form, Cloutier believes that the defenceman will be one of the best in the country, therefore implying that this is not a temporary signing and that he will be staying in Hull once Jorde returns to the lineup in early November.

"There is a defenceman coming in and if that doesn't send a message to anybody to pick up their game… he is going to be a number one or number two defenceman in this league and hopefully the paperwork will go through this week and we can get him after next weekend."

Very early speculation suggests that James Sanford, a 5'10 D man from Alma, New Brunswick, has signed for the side after his agents website announced he would be joining an unnamed EIHL club.

The 25 year old, who last season played 24 games in the ECHL with Utah and seven games in the AHL with the Chicago, had initially joined HYS Den Haag in the Dutch capital this season before they were forced to release him, as one of their highest played players, for poor performance.

A former Canadian junior international at under 18 level and prolific scorer at junior level in the QMJHL, with over 170 points in 200 plus games, in 2004 he signed a two-way contract with the NHL's Montreal Canadiens and he would significantly improve the Rays rearguard options, providing them with a clear number one at the back.

This seemingly unexpected move has been taken by Cloutier to shake things up and to get the side performing after a torrid couple of games in Elite League and Challenge Cup action, including a 9-2 thrashing at the hands of the Edinburgh Capitals.

With Adam Knight and Curtis Huppe set to return on Saturday against that same Edinburgh, and with Lee Mitchell well on the road to recovery, the, as yet, unnamed player could join the team a week on Saturday, forcing the current squad into a month long scrap for jobs before the return of Jorde.

Stingrays signing imminent

The Excel Hull Stingrays are tomorrow likely to announce the signing of another key member of their 2009/2010 Elite League squad.

The most recent speculation surrounding the Stingrays regarded tough guys, with Adam Knight, former Corpus Christi Ice Ray Adam Powell and Elite League pantomime villain Andre Payette all rumoured to have signed. But despite revived speculation suggesting the team will go for a tough approach, it is thought that they will tomorrow reveal the identity of their number one netminder for next season, thought to be a key component of success by many.

Sylvain Cloutier enlisted his brother, former NHLer Dan, to find the Rays a "quality" keeper and although Curtis Cruickshank has been linked with return to the club, Swedish netminder Tommy Sandahl remains firm favourite for the job after being linked with a move across the North Sea by Swedish media.

That was all but confirmed when his agent revealed that he would be signing in the Elite League for an, as yet, unnamed club, but that club is thought to be the Stingrays.

Rumour Mill #3

• Phil Aucoin, who last season played in the Netherlands, has been offered contracts by a number of Elite League clubs.
• Andre Payette has signed a deal to sign for the Excel Hull Stingrays after three years with the Newcastle Vipers.
• Lee Mitchell may re-sign for the Excel Hull Stingrays along with brother and Edinburgh defenceman Craig.
• Matt Reynolds to leave the Stingrays for a fellow EIHL club.
• Mike Beynon to sign for an Elite League team.
• Chris McAllister to reject the Nottingham Panthers and sign for rivals the Sheffield Steelers.
• Kevin Reiter in talks with Sheffield to replace Jody Lehman.
• Forward Adam Powell to join former coach Sylvain Cloutier at the Stingrays.
  

Rumour Mill #2

• Belfast forward Paul Deniset to Denmark
• Curtis Huppe now a virtual certainty to join the Stingrays as player/assistant coach.
• 24 year old Tommy Sandahl to replace Curtis Cruickshank as the Stingrays number one netminder
• Ryan Held and Sylvain Deschatelets to sign for Cardiff
• Steve Slonina to remain in the USA for next season, most likely the ECHL.
• Kevin Young has been offered a contract to make a sensational return to the Stingrays.
• The Stingrays to sign a couple of young players from the Kingston Jets for next season.
• Konstantin Kalmikov to re-sign with the Stingrays and complete the returnees from last seasons squad.
  

Rumour: Stingrays to sign Sandahl?

According to early reports in Scandinavia, Sylvain Cloutier has plumped for 24 year old Swede, Tommy Sandahl, as his netminder for the 09/10 EIHL season.

Players eager to return under Cloutier

It has taken less than a week for a whole host of the Stingrays 08/09 squad to express a desire to return under new coach Sylvain Cloutier.

Cloutier, 35, was signed as player-coach a week ago to replace fellow Canadian, Rick Strachan, who had been at the helm of the club in all six years of their existence spanning across the BNL, EPL and Elite League. But fans had become increasingly frustrated and critical of Strachan for his negative tactics, and attendances at the Hull Arena had begun to dwindle in the face of three seasons of playoff-less hockey.

The slowly decreasing crowds, as well as the recent downturn in the global economy, lead Mike and Sue Pack, Stingrays co-owners, to relieve Strachan of his coaching duties, instead employing Cloutier, who will not only coach but also double up as one of the teams key players .

The appointment of Cloutier has proven popular not only with fans of both the Stingrays and other EIHL teams, but also with a number of last seasons Stingrays squad.

Three key components of the Rays team last season have already made it clear that they would be having talks with the new coach regarding the 09/10 season, the teams fourth in the Elite League.

Jeff Glowa, the clubs leading goal and point scorer of all time, told the Hull Daily Mail that he would talk with coach Cloutier, but with as many as three other EIHL clubs interested in signing him for next season, including Cardiff and Newcastle, the Stingrays may face an uphill struggle.

"I haven't talked to anyone as of yet. I definitely want to talk with Cloots, just get his views on things and about coming to Hull. Of course I have said it a million times it's always an option to come back to Hull. I just don't know which way I am heading at the moment."

Meanwhile, fan favourites, Konstantin Kalmikov and Lee Esders, have indicated that they would like to return to the team for second and third seasons respectively.

Kalmikov became one of the teams shining stars after replacing the indisciplined Jake Riddle, and is undoubtedly one of the most skilled players to pull on a Rays jersey in their short six year history.

"I'll be talking to Mike and Sue Pack, the team owners. I have enjoyed it with the Stingrays and in Hull and I'd like to see what team they are building for next year. Hopefully we can come to an agreement," said Ukrainian Kalmikov.

And hometown hero, Esders, who surprised everyone with an 11 goal season to finish as the teams highest British goalscorer, whilst continuing his inspiring all around hard work, was similarly enthusiastic about a return:

"I would like to come back to Hull. I like the set-up, it's good and obviously the crowd seem to like me a bit!"

Injury prone, Jamie Thompson, who played 32 games, scoring just nine goals and two assists after replacing Rick Kozak early in the season, also told the Hull Daily Mail that he would love to return to the club after a wholly disappointing season, however it is not expected that Cloutier will extend discussions with the ageing 38 year old forward.

Likewise speculation suggests that forward turned defenceman, Steve Slonina, who developed into one of the teams key players and scored a handy 40 points from defence, will not be returning to the UK.

The former Bakersfield Condor, who joined former teammates Jason Kostadine and Rick Kozak on the Stingrays roster in September, had a career year in points but, despite interest from the Coventry Blaze and European sides, is likely to stay in the United States to be near his close knit family.

Another player expected to be leaving the UK is former Stingrays forward Rob Rankin, who looks set to stay in the US for next season after two seasons in the country.

Rankin had an impressive year with the Stingrays in 07/08 scoring 55 points and 23 goals in 53 games but he slumped to just 30 points in 58 games in Newcastle this season, although did continue his impressive work ethic and defensive play.

It is expected that player-coach Cloutier has already begun preparations for next season and that his first signing is imminent with Curtis Huppe, Rumun Ndur, Jeff Glowa and Lee Esders mooted as the first of many signings, in what promises to be an exciting off-season.

Rumour Mill #1

• Curtis Huppe to become Sylvain Cloutier's first signing as Stingrays player-coach
• Cloutier to also sign former teammate Rumun Ndur as player-assistant coach.
  
• Only Lee Esders is a definate to return to the Stingrays from the 08/09 squad.
• Jeff Glowa will decide between the Stingrays, Cardiff and Newcastle for next season, but has hinted that he may chose the Stingrays for one final push for the playoffs.
  
• One of the EIHL's players of the season, Mark Hurtubise, to either return to Edinburgh or sign in Denmark.
• David Beauregard to join Jody Lehman and a whole host of former EIHL stars in Denmark.
  
• Greg Chambers and netminder Peter Hirsch to Coventry are all but officially confirmed.
• Chris McAllister to Nottingham.
• Sean McAslan to return to the Panthers after a season in Denmark.
  

Stingrays set to name new coach

Four weeks ago the Excel Hull Stingrays only ever coach, Rick Strachan, was relieved of his duties as coach of the club he had failed to guide to the Elite League playoffs for three straight seasons.

But now, the club look set for a new era with a new coach being named in the next few days.

The man that seems to be odds on favourite for the role is former Coventry Blaze forward and captain, Sylvain Cloutier. After leaving the Blaze last summer, much to the despair of Blaze fans, Cloutier took up a head coaching role in the Central Hockey League and after an average record left the job less than a year in.

Cloutier (above), who earned a reputation as a gritty, determined centre in his two seasons with the Blaze, appears to tick all the boxes that the club would require from a coach.

After a decorated career in the North American minor leagues, as well as a season coaching there, he clearly has the experience and knowledge to translate into a more than adequate coach and a good recruiter of players, something which is key in the British game.

And after two seasons with Coventry he will be well aware of the intricacies, or not, of the British game and what it takes to win, after winning the EIHL league title in his spell.

But after sitting out last season the only query over his credentials to take the player-coaching role appears to be over his lack of competitive hockey in the last 12 months, but with two point per game seasons in the UK, that isn't thought to be a major hurdle for the talented Canadian.

Other names being heavily linked are Edinburgh Capitals player-coach Doug Christiansen, Slough Jets player-coach Steve Moria and former Stingrays defenceman Bryce Thoma, who is currently an assistant coach with Red Deer Rebels in the junior Western Hockey League in Canada.

But it is Cloutier that is favourite and preferred option for the job, which should be announced within the next week at the most.

Moran out for season.

The Excel Hull Stingrays are now down to just three fit defencemen with the confirmation that Paul Moran has been ruled out for the rest of the season with yet more shoulder problems.

After being forced to sit out two lengths of time already this season Moran injured his shoulder, which he has had problems with for a number of years now, for a third time against the Sheffield Steelers on Saturday.

Moran, who recorded 11 assists in 30 games for the Stingrays after moving from Belfast in the summer, will undergo career saving surgery in the next few months which could make him the third Excel Hull Stingrays defenceman to be ruled out for the rest of the season.

With Moran already ruled out, Troy Neumeier will begin skating on his torn knee ligament when he returns from Canada with a view to returning before the end of the season, whilst fellow Canadian Stuart Kerr is still awaiting an MRI scan on his potentially season ending knee strain.

This leaves the Stingrays with just two out and out defencemen in Aaron Wilson and Pavel Gomenyuk, and with forward Steve Slonina filling in on defence, the Stingrays face a mad rush to sign two replacement import defencemen and one British defencemen before the January 31st deadline.

It has already been confirmed that Rick Strachan attempted to sign former Coventry defenceman Corey LeClair before Nottingham beat him to it, whilst earlier in the season former Coventry and Manchester utility man KC Timmons was a touted as a possible defensive replacement for the team.

Meanwhile it is thought that the Rays are awaited the fallout of Nottingham signing two new defencemen. Many believe that hardman Rumun Ndur may yet be heading for the exits however he is currently injured and as a result has been de-registered for six games to make way for Corey LeClair and Juri Golicic.

One defenceman the Stingrays did sign, but has yet to ice for the team, is Richie Thornton. After being announced as a Stingrays player on 13th December it was thought that Thornton, who is apparently on a two-way contract between the Stingrays and Billingham of the ENL, was ill for his first Stingrays fixture that weekend against Edinburgh. Since then little has been said about the situation and a player that would be a perfect replacement for injured Moran.