Comings and goings – part two
Northern Conference
It is perhaps unsurprising that there is less to report in the way of signings when it comes to the Northern Conference, as teams on the whole have less to spend and will be playing the waiting game, seeing what they can get for their money and biding their time before making moves. However, here is a summary of where we are north (and slightly south-east) of the border.
Braehead Clan – Consistency the Key
The Clan have opted for stability and consistency in their dealings so far, re-signing numerous players, including pulling off the re-employment of much sought after forward Jade Galbraith who had been heavily rumoured to being joining either Sheffield or Coventry. However it seems the silkily-skilled Canadian is settled in Glasgow, although the temptation of the offer to become assistant coach may have played a part in his decision to remain at the Clan. The loss of Drew Bannister was a blow for the Glasgow side and the change in coaching staff is arguably the biggest challenge they will face this season, as well-loved Captain Jordan Krestanovich takes the reins for his first foray into coaching. His lack of experience will be a factor in Braehead’s assault on the northern conference title, which they are widely expected to take, but on his side he has the knowledge of many of the players around him, as in addition to himself and Galbraith, he can rely on key men from last season’s successful campaign, Brock McPherson and Ryan Campbell.
The only new imports to join Krestanovich’s Clan so far are Canadian defenceman Mitch Maunu who comes fresh from a stint in the US college system, another old adversary of Adam Keefe, who looks set to be a very busy enforcer this coming season. And just today the signing of Canadian forward Ash Goldie was announced, a proven goalscorer and will have Clan fans breathless with anticipation over the partnership he could build with Galbraith. The biggest question remaining for Clan fans is who will be between the sticks this season? Reviews were mixed on Jaakko Suomalainen and there has been no news of him having a potential future with the club. I see them signing an import netminder but who it will be remains a mystery, however I would not be surprised to see Krestanovich try to source a goalie with league experience, perhaps tempting Garrett Zemlak from Fife. Either way, the Clan are going to take some beating in the Northern Conference this season.
THE FACTS SO FAR:
In: Watt (Slough Jets), Mitch Maunu (US College), Ash Goldie (ECHL)
Staying: Krestanovich, McPherson, Galbraith, Campbell, Walker, Zajac, Haywood, Will, K Phillips,
Out: Bannister
Total signed: 12 – 11 skaters, 1 netminder (6 Brit, 6 import)
Still to sign: 7 skaters, 1 netminder (5 import)
Dundee Stars – Slow But Sure
The Stars are the only side in the League other than Braehead to see a coaching change this season, as Brent Hughes returns to North America and Jeff Hutchins takes the reins. Another player new to coaching, I can’t help but worry for the Stars, who struggled at times without strong leadership last season and look set to continue down that road in this. So far there is no news on whether popular Stars imports from last season will make a return; the likes of Jarrett Konkle and Mark Kolanos not yet stating their intentions for the 2012/3 season. There are returns for a few of the local players as well as Canadian forward AJ MacLean, but despite the additions of Jack Watkins from Hull/Coventry and Vince Connon from Braehead, the only new import that has committed to the Stars so far is Greg Moore, a defenceman from the CHL who looks like a promising signing. Hutchins will need to secure a few more like him as well as a few returnees to pull together any semblance of a team capable of challenging for the northern conference this coming season. The recent re-signing of goaltender Chris Whitley is a trump card which will appease the fans whilst Hutchins goes about the rest of his business, and he will feel relieved to have a solid import netminder who already knows the club in place.
THE FACTS SO FAR:
In: Greg Moore (CHL), Watkins (Hull), Connon (Braehead)
Staying: Hutchins, McIntosh, McGill, MacLean, McCluskey, Harper, Whitley
Out: Brent Hughes
Total signed: 10 – 8 skaters, 2 netminders (6 Brit, 4 import)
Still to sign: 10 skaters (7 import)
Edinburgh Capitals – All quiet on the Eastern front
The silence from the Capitals is deafening at the moment as Richard Hartmann, still in charge of the club, has not made many moves in the transfer market, his limited moves so far being the re-signing a handful of Brits and young Latvian winger Marcis Zembergs. There has been no activity outside of this and in fact, very little in the way of news at all from the Scottish capital, and it’s hard not to worry for the side, who look unlikely to fill their import quota once again, and we await movements with bated breath, in the hope that the Caps can put together a season at least comparable with the first part of their 2010/11 season, in which they looked lively and inventive. Although they could not compete with the likes of Belfast and Sheffield, they certainly gave their closer rivals a run for their money, and this will be imperative for them even this season as the new conference set-up appears to be more reflective of financial stability, and Edinburgh will want to make a mark early. As such, the club could use an injection of excitement to persuade their long-suffering fans to re-invest in a season ticket, and some signing news could provide just that lift. It should be noted that the side have retained the services of gifted goalscorer Rene Jarolin, who committed to the club prior to the close season, and he will be key in picking up points for the club going forward.
THE FACTS SO FAR:
In: None as yet
Staying: Hartmann, Steel, Goldie, Zembergs, McIntyre, Jarolin
Out: McKenzie, Valecko
Total signed: 5 – all skaters (3 Brit, 2 import)
Still to sign: 13 skaters, 2 netminders (9 import)
Fife Flyers – The Waiting Game
Like some of their other less financially blessed counterparts, the Flyers are playing the waiting game this off-season, as they allow the passage of time to hopefully bring players their way, advertising their club to potential import players in their charming video which will hopefully have the desired effect. They have made a slow start in building their squad, with the least player announcements of any club so far, although they have started with some stability in the return of coach Todd Dutiaume and influential forward Danny Stewart. In addition to this, they have added two new imports from the ECHL, defensive pair Derek Keller and Jeff Caister, whose familiarity with one another from their days at the South Carolina Stingrays will be appreciated when it comes to building a solid backline. They have yet to sign up any Brits although these are expected to be locals for the most part, however the Flyers faithful will this season be hopeful of a few more imports as they stabilise financially and look to try and compete with their conference rivals.
THE FACTS SO FAR:
In: Derek Keller (ECHL), Jeff Caister (ECHL)
Staying: Stewart
Out: Dutiaume (coaching only)
Total signed: 3 – all skaters (0 Brit, 3 import)
Still to sign: 15 skaters, 2 netminders (8 import)
Hull Stingrays – Bridge over troubled waters
The course of a summer never runs smooth on Humberside and this year has been no different. The off-season has brought uncertainty and concern for Stingrays fans as there was doubt over ownership of the club and ice time at the arena. However the doubt was laid to rest with the purchase of the club by Bobby McEwan and with the installation of Sylvain Cloutier as player-coach Hull are once again able to move on with the business of constructing a squad to take into the new season. Cloutier has lost his MVP from last season, netminder Christian Boucher as well as enforcer Derek Campbell, but he has moved quickly to secure the services of two key imports in forwards Jason SIlverthorn and Jereme Tendler. The coach is living within his means but has still managed to make a handful of new signings, a couple from the EPL, including highly rated forward Janis Ozolins, and just this week he has added Shane Lovdhal from the CHL and Tomas Valecko, formerly of the Edinburgh Captials, to bolster the defensive ranks. There’s still some way to go for Cloutier but with the backing of a new owner and something approaching financial security – for now – he can focus on the important business of building his squad.
THE FACTS SO FAR:
In: Bowns (EPL), Ozolins (EPL), Sykes (EPL), Lovdahl (CHL), Valecko (Edinburgh)
Staying: Silverthorn, Cloutier, Tendler
Out: Campbell, Boucher, Chamberlain
Total signed: 8 – 7 skaters, 1 netminder (2 Brit, 6 import)
Still to sign: 11 skaters, 1 netminder (5 import)
Join me in a few weeks when I’ll examine in more depth some of the key players to watch out for over the coming season and to have another look at how the sides are shaping up as the opening games draw ever nearer.