Hull born Chamberlain joins the club at the age of just 16 after spending last year in Canada with junior side the OHA Mavericks. Racking up 14 goals and 30 points in their Minor side, he then went on to record four points in six games with the Major team in the second tier of junior hockey in Canada.
While the opportunity to play the game at a higher level may or may not have transpired, Chamberlain has made the decision to return home to sign his rookie contract with the Stingrays. Having seen the youngster named to the All Star team and named MVP at the 2010 Conference Tournament in Hull, Rays coach Sylvain Cloutier was quick to sign the 16 year old prospect to his first deal:
"Bobby played in Canada last year and is another up-and-coming player. I saw him play in my first year with the club and was really impressed. He went off to Canada and has improved his game further. He had opportunities to stay over there and try out for some junior teams but he wanted to be part of the Hull Stingrays. Bobby is a big kid who can play physical and has a lot of talent. He is going to get a lot of ice time this season. We will be patient with him...He is a local kid and we want to give these guys a chance to play for their hometown team."Questions may indeed be raised about his size and age and whether it is sensible to put pit someone 16 and 172lbs against someone 29 and 200lbs, however, as the Rays have seen many times in the past, giving talented youngsters the opportunity to play at a higher level at a young age can and will eventually bear fruit.
While former Rays coach Rick Strachan was more often the villain than the hero, one of the things he got right was to give youth a chance to shine whenever and wherever possible. Kevin Phillips, Dave Phillips, Stevie Lee, Luke Boothroyd and Lee Esders, amongst others, were all give their first significant ice-time under the Canadian and thrived as a result, going on to bigger and better things.
In his first two years in charge Cloutier has continued where Strachan left off, giving players like Ben Lowe and Andy Hirst significant ice-time as well as two way contract players opportunities where possible. With Stingrays assistant coach Bobby McEwan being named as Peter Johnson's replacement as Head of Junior Development at the Kingston Junior Ice Hockey club earlier in the year, there are now clear and obvious links all the way from under-10 to Elite League level at the Hull Arena and it is these links Cloutier hopes use and develop in the future:
"..We want to give these guys a chance to play for their hometown team. With our affiliation with minor hockey in Hull, more of those youngsters are going to be given their chance over the next few years."18 year old keeper Brummitt - a signing from the Chelmsford organisation - may be another to benefit from the renewed links between the Kingston Junior club and the Stingrays. The Harlow born stopper has joined the Stingrays as replacement for the outgoing backup Andy Jaszczyk, who last week revealed he would not be returning to the club for a fourth season, however, in order to aid his development Brummitt will primarily serve as starting keeper for English National League North side Kingston Jets next term.
Although he will be training with the Rays but primarily icing for Kingston - during which time his absence will be covered by young Bradford netminder Liam Jackson - the shorter ENL season dictates he will still backup starter Christian Boucher in the majority of the Rays EIHL fixtures.
Likable Rotherham born stopper Jaszczyk was largely faultless in his three year spell with the club but at 22 reached the make or break stage that many British netminders hit after a couple of years as backup at a club.
Having seen his ice time cut from 9 appearances under Strachan in 08/09 to just three last season, failing to start any despite Edinburgh's weak presence in the league, the player and club decided to go their separate ways for next season. Cloutier said this of his former keeper:
"Jazzy has done a great job for us over the past two years I have been here and I wish him nothing but the best for the future. But I just felt it was time for a change and to bring someone fresh in."His replacement Brummitt has spent the opening three years of his career bouncing between U18, ENL 2 and ENL 1 levels in Chelmsford, last season icing in four games with the first team registering an impressive 1.32 goals against average and 95.1sv%. He was spotted playing at Hull Arena earlier in the year and Cloutier immediately moved to sign the youngster:
"I was very impressed with Andy when I saw and spoke to him. Andy is very ambitious and is not just coming here to sit on the bench.. He is determined to improve, he wants to play and I like his attitude. He is very motivated. He will play some games with the Kingston Jets. When they do not have a game Andy will be with us. It will help him stay sharp so if called upon, he can do a job for us."One player now not returning to Hull is 22 year old forward Lee Esders. The hardworking fan favourite spent four years in Hull impressively improving from a niggly three goal, four point forward in his debut campaign to a third line grinder capable of 11 goals and 18 points in 09/10.
The Beverley born winger started last season slowly, eventually improving to record ten goals, eight assists and 18 points again after being named East Yorkshire Sports Personality of the Year. However, he continually failed to crack the club's top two lines during his four seasons in Hull, although not for lack of trying, and he now looks set to leave the club.
While Cloutier will undoubtedly wanted to have re-signed Esders, it is rumoured that both Braehead Clan and Sheffield Steelers are interested, with a tenth forward spot on the Rays South Yorkshire rivals looking most likely.
Jaszczyk and Esders double departure will be the fourth and fifth British exits from Hull Arena this summer following Lee and Craig Mitchell signing in Dundee and Andy Hirst returning to Sheffield, with as yet unannounced forwards Ryan Lake and Ben Lowe now the only possible homegrown returnees from last term.
