Former Excel Hull Stingrays defenceman and fan favourite, Stevie Lee, has been signed by the Nottingham Panthers for the 09/10 Elite League season.Lee, 18, signed for the Guildford Flames last summer in order to gain more ice time and aid his development as a player, after 152 games and nine points for the Stingrays in the BNL, EPL and EIHL.
He first impressed at just 12 years old, when playing for the Kingston Crunch, and quickly progressed up the junior ladder in the development system at the Hull Arena, under Peter "Jonker" Johnson, before making his Stingrays debut in the British National League at just 14.
Last season with the Flames, Lee added 21 points in 50 appearances whilst clocking up first line minutes for the Surrey based side, who went trophy less for the first time in four years.
But it is his continuing defensive reliability at such a young age, that has seen Corey Neilson sign him up so early in the summer and has earmarked him as one for the future, especially after 29 appearances for the two GB junior sides, resulting in an impressive 18 points from the blueline.
Although Lee just missed out on being drafted to the junior Canadian Hockey League, which allows just two import players and is the premier location for players wanting to be drafted to the NHL, this move is just another step in what should be an illustrious career in, not just British hockey, but further afield.
His commitment and fearless checking of players, usually twice his size, made him a fan favourite in his short three seasons with the Stingrays, but after a season in the EPL, he now looks set to make another big step up the hockey ladder .
