With just one player officially signed up for the 2008-2009 season yet more rumours of players departing have been circulating hockey circles in the past weeks since Lee Mitchell signed on.
With Stingrays boss Rick Strachan admitting that only 3, maybe 4, imports will return next season much of the speculation has lied with who those 3 (or 4) might be. Rumours have suggested that Bryce Thoma has rejected the Stingrays contract offer and that he will quit hockey this summer to focus on a career. Strong rumours have suggested that Rob Rankin will follow Thoma out of the door, most probably to a European league (possibly the Bungesliga.2). Whilst those two are certain to leave the club things are not quite as straight forward for Troy Neumeier, who is contemplating one more season with the Rays before retiring, whereas Jake Riddle has been at the centre of rumours which send him to Newcaslte.
The Hull Daily Mail has suggested that up to 6 other players could be let go by Rick Strachan. Including Brad Patterson, who quit the club last term on "compassionate grounds" only to go and sign with his previous side Youngstown Steelhounds, Cole Byers, who suffered all season with injury troubles and Europeans Sergiy Rublivsky, Jani Virtanen, Ladislav Kurdna and Nikolai Ladygin.
That leaves just 4 imports. Neumeier (who may yet retire), Jeff Glowa (almost a certain returnee as a 2nd line centre), Jake Riddle (who may yet leave for Newcastle), Rob Rankin (who will almost certainly leave for Europe) and Bryce Thoma (who has already rejected the Stingrays).
It could be an interesting summer for Rick Strachan with possibly as many as 10 new imports to bring in. This of course taking into account the new import ruling (teams finishing below 4th are allowed an 11th import) and with only Jeff Glowa a near certainty to return.
A new rumour, which was probably put into effect as a result of the import increase for the Stingrays, is GB international Luke Boothroyd being released by the Rays and signed up by Tony Hands Manchester Phoenix.
Possibly more so than before, the Stingrays face a very interesting summer. This time not because of Brits leaving but because of a huge turnover of imports.
