Hull Stingrays player-coach Sylvain Cloutier is on the lookout for a second late replacement ahead of the 2013/2014 Elite League season following the news that American defenceman Chad Huttel has been sidelined with a shoulder injury and now will not join the club for the upcoming campaign.
The revelation that Huttel will now not be joining up with his new squad comes just 24 hours after it was announced that Sean Muncy had been replaced by Carl Lauzon due to as yet unknown issues.
24 year old Huttel was due to join the Stingrays after a season out of the sport having sustained a shoulder injury prior to last season while on a try-out with the Central Hockey League's Fort Worth Brahmas.
It would appear that the former Sheffield Steeler has recently suffered a setback with that shoulder injury thanks to a freak accident and now faces up to three months out. Whether he will return to the sport following what will be more than a year out of the sport a remains to be seen.
Of the disappointment for both club and player, Cloutier told the Hull Daily Mail:
 |
| Photo - Sheffield Steelers |
24 year old Huttel was due to join the Stingrays after a season out of the sport having sustained a shoulder injury prior to last season while on a try-out with the Central Hockey League's Fort Worth Brahmas.
It would appear that the former Sheffield Steeler has recently suffered a setback with that shoulder injury thanks to a freak accident and now faces up to three months out. Whether he will return to the sport following what will be more than a year out of the sport a remains to be seen.
Of the disappointment for both club and player, Cloutier told the Hull Daily Mail:
"Chad was ready and everything was going well but he had a freak accident. I think he'll be out for two or three months with a shoulder problem. It's disappointing for him and for us but at least he was honest and told us he was injured and not going to be able to come over."
He also added that, while he has had at least one deal for a replacement defenceman fall through and does have one option readily available to him, he may yet opt to replace Huttel with another forward.
That decision would leave the Stingrays with four import defenceman - Matt Suderman, Martin Ondrej, Omar Pacha and Jeff Smith - and three Brits - Scott Robson, Jamie Chilcott and two-way signing Tom Ralph.
Though that is a relatively healthy defensive stable, an injury or suspension to one of the imports exposes either Chilcott or Robson to significant ice time at a relatively young age. Both players are highly thought of by Cloutier and the Stingrays, and they may yet be good enough to handle that ice-time were the situation arise, however, it is a big risk to take.
A lot will surely ride on how Chilcott and Robson perform against the Edinburgh Capitals and Sheffield Steeldogs in pre-season prior to Cloutier making a decision on who to bring in.
An extra import forward would give the Stingrays real depth offensively with 12 players or four lines but it seems unlikely they would regularly utilise four lines with 16 year old Lee Bonner being one of those three. The alternative to that were another forward signed would be to potentially semi-regularly bench three forwards.
If that were to occur, unless Cloutier spends more time on the bench as he nears potential retirement, that would more than likely mean least experienced forwards Bonner, Sam Towner and Bobby Chamberlain would spend increased time on the bench.
In the case of Chamberlain - who has continued his progression and has notably bulked up during his season away - that seems particularly unlikely.
With defenceman Smith able to revert to forward if required for injuries or suspensions - provided it is a defenceman added for Huttel - all signs point to a like-for-like replacement but, for Cloutier, it may depend on what is available, for what price and in what time frame.
Meanwhile, new signings Suderman, Pacha and forward Guillaume Doucet all took to the ice with their new squad today.
The trio will make their debuts tomorrow night against the Edinburgh Capitals at the Hull Arena, although yesterday's addition Lauzon is still awaiting his visa to travel to the country and may not make his debut until next Wednesday at home to the Sheffield Steeldogs.
Cloutier also revealed to the Hull Daily Mail today that Lauzon - who he sees as "more of a set-up guy" - may ice alongside Guillaume Doucet and Jereme Tendler.
That could potentially leave a line of Jason Silverthorn, Derek Campbell and Matty Davies, and a third line of himself, Tom Squires and Bobby Chamberlain with Bonner and Towner the two extras.
That decision would leave the Stingrays with four import defenceman - Matt Suderman, Martin Ondrej, Omar Pacha and Jeff Smith - and three Brits - Scott Robson, Jamie Chilcott and two-way signing Tom Ralph.
Though that is a relatively healthy defensive stable, an injury or suspension to one of the imports exposes either Chilcott or Robson to significant ice time at a relatively young age. Both players are highly thought of by Cloutier and the Stingrays, and they may yet be good enough to handle that ice-time were the situation arise, however, it is a big risk to take.
A lot will surely ride on how Chilcott and Robson perform against the Edinburgh Capitals and Sheffield Steeldogs in pre-season prior to Cloutier making a decision on who to bring in.
An extra import forward would give the Stingrays real depth offensively with 12 players or four lines but it seems unlikely they would regularly utilise four lines with 16 year old Lee Bonner being one of those three. The alternative to that were another forward signed would be to potentially semi-regularly bench three forwards.
If that were to occur, unless Cloutier spends more time on the bench as he nears potential retirement, that would more than likely mean least experienced forwards Bonner, Sam Towner and Bobby Chamberlain would spend increased time on the bench.
In the case of Chamberlain - who has continued his progression and has notably bulked up during his season away - that seems particularly unlikely.
With defenceman Smith able to revert to forward if required for injuries or suspensions - provided it is a defenceman added for Huttel - all signs point to a like-for-like replacement but, for Cloutier, it may depend on what is available, for what price and in what time frame.
Meanwhile, new signings Suderman, Pacha and forward Guillaume Doucet all took to the ice with their new squad today.
 |
| Photo - Hull Daily Mail |
Cloutier also revealed to the Hull Daily Mail today that Lauzon - who he sees as "more of a set-up guy" - may ice alongside Guillaume Doucet and Jereme Tendler.
That could potentially leave a line of Jason Silverthorn, Derek Campbell and Matty Davies, and a third line of himself, Tom Squires and Bobby Chamberlain with Bonner and Towner the two extras.
