Brit bails on Stingrays

Excel Hull Stingrays forward Shaun Thompson has been released from his contract with the club after expressing a desire to leave following a lack of ice time in recent weeks, according to the Hull Dail Mail, he is now all set to rejoin his former side the Basingstoke Bison in the English Premier League (EPL).

The 22 year old, who joined the Stingrays from Basingstoke in the summer having registered an impressive 17 goals and 40 points in 62 EIHL games last season, began the season on Sylvain Cloutier's top two lines and started positively, quickly reaching the eight assist mark.

However, the re-emergence of Lee Esders and the emergence of Matty Davies as a force in the Elite League limited his chances in recent weeks with the Brit playing very few shifts in the Stingrays double win last weekend.

Indeed, his limited chances were for good reason with just one goal to show for his efforts in 37 Elite League fixtures and with that solitary goal coming within the last month when his ice time had already severely deteriorated in comparison to the beginning of the season.

The lack of ice time in Hull took its toll on him and he is now set to sign for Steve Moria for a return to Basingstoke.

Thompson becomes the sixth player to leave the Stingrays this season and his release comes just a week after Swedish netminder Tommy Sandahl was shown the door by coach Cloutier. He will be joining Slava Koulikov in the EPL, where the Russian born Brit has eight goals and 14 assists in 15 games with the Slough Jets, who he joined in late October

Cloutier had this to say of the departure of the former Great Britain junior international:

"I've not had any problems with Shaun and I wish him all the best, but I was hoping for more points production from him, given he had been playing on our top-two lines earlier in the season.

"He said he was not happy with the amount of ice time he was now getting, but I've been through it, every guy goes through it, at some stage, but you just keep working and then take your chance to prove you deserve a bigger role. Unfortunately, I was not going to play him ahead of Lee and Matt."

Bison Brit Migrates North to Hull

21 year old British forward Shaun Thompson has signed for the Excel Hull Stingrays after his former side, the Basingstoke Bison, dropped down from the Elite League to the British second tier, the Engligh Premier League.

The former Great Britain junior international recorded 17 goals and 23 assists in a difficult year with the Hampshire club and comes in as the Stingrays fourth British signing this summer and third British forward.

In a Bison side that was troubled with an owner that went AWOL, and subsequent financial issues, for the second season running, Thompson was bumped up to the teams first line with GB international Greg Chambers and Canadian Brent Hughes, following the departure of a number of imports.

It became a bittersweet season for Thompson, who was moved up the lines to replace the MIA imports, only for the Bison to quickly transform from the infamous 'Bison Ten' of 07/08 into a team visibly nearing the end of their time in the topflight.

"It was a difficult scenario in Basingstoke last season but it gave me a chance to get a lot of ice time, play on the powerplay and penalty kill, something I never dreamt of getting so it worked in my favour. "

Despite a terrible seasons team wise, Thompson, who, prior to last season had only scored six goals and eight assists in four bit part seasons with Nottingham and Basingstoke, pushed himself forward as the teams top performer.

His work ethic and hussle provided the spark for a Bison side that all too often went out with a whimper and, as a former junior international with 21 points in 15 games for GB, that extra ice time and hardwork finally converted his potential into on-ice ability at professional level.

Stingrays player-coach Sylvain Cloutier, having added Lee Esders and Lee Mitchell to his British forward corps, believes that the addition of Thompson further strengthens the Rays options up front, and that his last year in Basingstoke will have brought him on as both a player and person.

"With what he went through in Basingstoke last season, with the uncertainty of the team, showed what kind of character he had by being able to stay focused on his job and produce. He had a great season scoring 17 goals at a top level. I believe he will improve on that number and therefore bring success to our team."

Meanwhile Thompson commented that he is excited to join the club, particularly with the aura of the Stingrays new coach, who was a big factor in him signing at the Hull Arena for the next year.

"There is already a good feeling about the Stingrays for next season and it is going to be exciting to be a part of it. Sylvain Cloutier has a massive reputation as a person and it rubs off on players and players want to play for him. It was nice to have a person of that stature call you and it was nice to feel wanted. "

Thompsons signing has now cast doubt over the future of Russian born Brit Slava Koulikov in Hull.

Should the Rays sign two more import forwards, then the signing of the 21 year old means that the team may require just one more British forward to complete their expected three line forward roster.

And although Koulikov is expected to re-signing in the coming weeks, with Hull born Matty Davies also in the picture, his re-signing may not be as cut and dried as it perhaps should be for a forward who recorded 30 points in 39 games last term.

Photos Courtesy: BRLD