Around the EIHL: Edition 8

Welcome once more to your weekly round-up of transfers in the EIHL as the season starts in earnest, two months from now. Whose signed where, well your one stop article has it covered right here. Read on and find out.

All transfers correct as of Saturday 30 June 2018.

We start as always with the Belfast Giants, and just one transfer this week. Arriving in Northern Ireland for the Giants blue line is defenceman Curtis Leonard who is acquired from ECHL side Fort Wayne Komets. Next up are of the Braehead Clan and they have been busy with two in and two out. A new face at the Clan is forward Liam Heelis who joins from rivals Fife Flyers and Matt Beca returns after spending last year in Manchester. Leaving though are defenceman Josh Grieveson who has joined the Solway Sharks, and promising Brit Jordan Buesa for pastures yet not confirmed.

Two more players for the Cardiff Devils 2018-19 roster and again, and in a familiar pattern: these are re-signings as captain Jake Morissette and Italian internationalist Sean Bentivoglio commit for a sixth and third season respectively. One in, four out for the Coventry Blaze though. Norwegian defenceman Nicolai Bryhnisveen arrives from HC Dukla Jihlava whilst Dorian Peca, Alex Barron, Vojtech Kloz and Adam Courchaine will be all playing elsewhere next season. One transaction for Dundee Stars and it'll be a new face in between the pipes as netminder Travis Fullerton heads south of the border to join Guildford. Two departures for the Fife Flyers and crucial departures too; Liam Heelis swaps the East Coast for the West as he joins rivals Braehead whilst fellow forward Shayne Stockton has decided to retire from the sport.

One player in and one player out for the Guildford Flames as Travis Fullerton arrives at the Spectrum to form one part of a goaltending triumvirate but Slovakian blueliner Tomas Nechala heads across the English Channel to join Remparts de Tours in the second tier of the French hockey structure. Just the one movement at Manchester Storm as Matt Beca re-joins the Braehead Clan, and a single transfer for the Milton Keynes Lightning as they acquire former NHLer Tim Wallace from the Sheffield Steelers.

Two more clubs complete the list as always. Firstly, the Nottingham Panthers and Rich Chernomaz's roster continues with its rebuild as Kevin Henderson, who played four games for Nashville in "The Show" during the 2012-13 season, arrives from Danish club SønderjyskE but heading to Denmark are Mark Derlago who joins Esbjerg Energy and GB internationalist Evan Mosey who becomes a Herning Blue Fox. Finally, the Sheffield Steelers. One in and two out there with experienced centre Evan McGrath arriving from EC Kassel Huskies of DEL2, but Tim Wallace and Miika Franssila joining Milton Keynes Lightning and Dunaújvárosi Acélblkál respectively.

Join us next week for more transfer updates....

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Around the EIHL: Edition 7

Welcome to the seventh edition of "Around the EIHL" which at the moment is keeping you up to date with the transfers in and out from the 11 members clubs. Time then to sit down, pour yourself a cool drink and relax.

Transfers up to and including Saturday 23 June 2018.

We will of course start with the Belfast Giants and it's two players in and one out. Arriving from the University of Saskatchewan are defenceman Kendall McFall and forward Josh Roach. Leaving Northern Ireland though, is towering defenceman Ryan Martinelli who is reunited with former Giants team-mate Jackson Whistle at rivals Sheffield Steelers. Now time for Braehead Clan and they too have had two in and one out on this latest update. Arriving for Pete Russell's men are Dane Rasmus Bjerrum who comes from Odense Bulldogs and youngster Mac Howlett who was at SaiPa Under-18's in Finland last season. Departing the Clan though is defenceman Cameron Burt who heads off to MAC Budapest.

One signing for champions Cardiff Devils and it's a re-signing too as former NHL draft pick Gleason Fournier returns for his third full season. Busy times at Coventry Blaze this week as they announced four signings, defenceman Trey Lewis joins the roster from the University of New Brunswick whilst youngsters Matthew Maurice, Edward Knaggs and Oliver Lord join from NIHL sides Solihull Barons, Bracknell Bees and Milton Keynes Thunder respectively whilst there's an absence from the blue line as Gaelan Patterson decided to hang up his skates. No further additions yet from Dundee Stars but we can be re-assured that Omar Pacha will be working hard towards to bolster his roster.

After announcing their first signing of 2018-19 last week, Fife Flyers make it two with the re-signing of Carlo Finucci who joins for a third campaign. Just one transaction at Guildford Flames and it's an exit as former Sheffield Steelers play-off winner Geoff Walker chose to hang up the skates to become Head Coach of the Hinton Wildcats in the Western States Hockey League. Two in and out at Manchester Storm as forward Shane Bakker re-joins and former NHL draft pick Harrison Ruopp arrives on the blueline from Balgonie Bisons of the Qu'Appelle Valley Hockey League. Leaving Altrincham are last season's captain Jay Rosehill who has decided to retire and Andrew McKinney who moves into the NIHL with Telford Tigers.

We start the final summaries with Milton Keynes Lightning and they have brought in Finn Joonas Huovinen from Polish club GKS Tychy in their only transfer move of the week. Two in and one out at the Nottingham Panthers in the week they also launched their new jerseys for 2018-19, someone remind the people at Warrior to give Josh Tetlow one that actually fits him...Anyway re-signing in the Lace City are forward Luke Pither who impressed in his short spell last year and in a welcome return; cult hero Guillaume Lèpine who was at ECHL side Wichita Thunder in 17-18. Leaving though, is the abrasive forward Jeff Brown who has joined Ligue Magnus side Gap De Rapaces. 

Last but not least it's the Sheffield Steelers and they've had a busy week too. Joining them are energetic forward Tanner Eberle (cousin of NHLer Jordan) who is acquired from ECHL side Jacksonville Ice Men and no-nonsense defenceman Ryan Martinelli who is obtained from EIHL rivals Belfast. No longer at the House of Steel are playmaking defender Ben O'Connor who joins Swedish Allsvenskan side Leksands (Steelers' first pre-season opponents ironically) and in a huge loss Mathieu Roy who has had to retire due to persistent injury problems.

Join us next week for a further update as the start of the season inches that bit closer.

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Merci Mathieu!

Last night the Steelers team planning took an unexpected, in some eyes, change when forward Mathieu Roy announced that he was retiring from hockey. The French-Canadian winger had been expected to ice in the second of a two year deal but injuries picked up over recent seasons have caused him to reverse that decision and regrettably hang up the skates.

Mathieu Roy, or as I personally heard him announced at Dundee once "Mathew Roy" - Roy as in sounding like boy - is already a modern day Steelers legend. Not just for the goals he scored, but for the fact that this player always put his body on the line every night and every shift he took. The amount of bumps he took off opposing defencemen in front of the goal are too many to count, but for Mathieu that was part of his job and it was a job that he did to such good effect.

The Amos born winger first arrived in Sheffield in the summer of 2014 when Gerad Adams attracted him for his first period outside North America. Prior to joining the Steelers, Roy had spent the previous six seasons with the Florida Everblades of the ECHL; of which the last three were as captain. His perfomances there helped the Everblades to a Kelly Cup triumph in 2012. He already looked the perfect fit for the Steelers who had struggled to replace Joey Talbot who retired in 2011, and we weren't disappointed.

In that first season, Mathieu racked up 100 points in all competitions which was a phenomenal achievement. Granted he had the benefit of being on the top line with fellow newcomers Michael Forney and Colton Fretter, but he always had the knack of being in the right place at the right time when the team needed a goal. Parking himself on top of the goalie's crease, Mathieu developed the art of scoring what we call the "garbage goals" - picking up the trash and lighting the lamp with regularity. He was a winner already, and the Steelers benefitted with a league triumph to their honours board.

Could we keep hold of such a player, or would he scamper off as some thought to new challenges in Europe? Mathieu, if you look at his career, likes to put down roots and shortly before the play-offs were done and dusted: signed a two year extension. The league recognised him as well, naming him as their league MVP at the end of the season. Whilst he wasn't as prolific in his second season, nobody really expected those numbers from season one to be replicated, he still helped the Steelers to back-to-back EIHL triumphs in 2015-16.

However he was starting to pick up a few bumps and these were causing him to miss games here and there. Mathieu was though, happy to sign a second extension at the end of the 2016-17 campaign and once more it was another two year deal. It certainly implied, and Mathieu said it in his farewell statement, that the forward was looking to finish his professional hockey career as a Steeler. But the injuries finally caught up and forced the decision which came last night which saddened us all. It certainly leaves another huge hole to fill as I'm sure that Paul Thompson was going to use Mathieu's experience in addition to the youthful talent he has already recruited. 

Yet there's no use in crying over spilt milk as the saying goes, Steelers will find themselves a new Mathieu Roy who is ready to go to war and battle for his team, scoring the garbage goals and becoming a new hero. The King leaves us with an incredible record of 298 points in just 273 games which puts him 16th in the all-time list. A record that some players would give their right arm or leg for. We will miss him for sure, long live the King. 

As the title of this article says: "Merci Mathieu."

What's your favourite Mathieu Roy moment, let us know...

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Farewell Number 76 - A Thank You To Levi Nelson

Friday evening saw some sad breaking news for Sheffield Steelers fans when Canadian winger Levi Nelson announced his retirement from the sport. A popular player with the Steelers supporters, his absence will be felt when the new Steelers team takes to the ice in the middle of August.

A former Boston Bruins NHL draft pick from 2006, when he was selected in the 6th round (158th overall), Levi arrived in Sheffield in the summer of 2015 as one of Paul Thompson's new signing when he took over as Head Coach. Some people doubted Thompson's judgement at bringing him in as the player had suffered an injury curtailed campaign the season before when he could only ice in 19 games for the Idaho Steelheads in the ECHL and wondered if the winger could cut it in the hard and physical world of the Elite League.

Thompson obviously thought he could and felt the Canadian could replicate his form of 2013-14 when he captured a league and cup double with Ritten Renon; and picked up 64 points in just 56 games. The judgement was proved to be an accurate one as he helped the Steelers to a second successive Monteith Bowl, scoring almost a point a game. He also developed a great understanding with fellow winger and the GB internationalist in Robert Dowd with their crash, bang, wallop style of play which gave no team peace and quiet. Fans were loving it if they were wearing orange, whilst other teams fans were in awe at Nelson's destructive skills which often turned their team's defences to rubble.

After such a great dèbut season, could the Steelers retain his services for a second season? The fans were overjoyed just days after the play-off final weekend as Levi signed a new two-year deal with the Club. Whilst the silky Swede Markus Nilsson didn't return to reunite probably the best second line in the league, Thompson replacing him with the experienced Andreas Valdix, "The Bash Brothers" were reunited to cause more mayhem in 2016-17. Steelers failed in their bid to capture the Elite League's first ever three-peat but hit form at just about the right time in the play-off with equally popular French-Canadian Guillaume Desbiens playing a starring role but Nelson was to become the hero in a game which has already become known as probably one of the best games ever.

With Steelers and Cardiff, who were chasing a Grand Slam, locked at 5-5 after regulation time: few would have expected to see what would happen next. One period of 20 minute overtime failed to separate the sides, and we looked certainties to go into a third session as the game ticked past the 94 minute mark. Nelson picked up a pass on the right wing then cut inside before unleashing a superb wrist shot that went over the shoulder of GB internationalist Ben Bowns for his second of the game and seal a play-off triumph for the Steelers. Later on it was revealed that Nelson had played in overtime with the aid of injections and since January with delayed surgery on knee ligaments. Nelson's cult hero status went to a new level altogether.

Nelson iced for a third and final season in 2017-18 but couldn't help the Steelers to retain their play-off title yet posted some more than credible numbers. All in all, Levi played in 206 games for the Steelers and chipped in with 177 points of which 79 were goals. Not bad an effort. As I said at the beginning, his presence will be felt in the new season's roster as he was such a very popular player with fans and team-mates alike. if you're an opposing fan, you can breathe a little bit easier now.

Good luck with the future Levi, once a Steeler - always one.

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Around the EIHL: Edition 6

Welcome again to "Around the EIHL", edition number six this week. As usual we're bringing you the latest signings and departures from all eleven Elite League. All transfers listed are up to and including yesterday, 10 June 2018.

Read on...

We start this as always with the Belfast Giants, and since last week's update there's been no further additions or departures there. However, they'll be working as hard as everyone else to find the right players to don the teal in 2018-19. Next up Braehead Clan, and they've found their starting netminder as Joel Rumpel arrives from the Utah Grizzlies. Wonder if the Purple Army will burst out into a rendition of "Let's Get Ready to Rumpel!" as part of their repertoire of songs next season? Think about it. One arrival at league champions Cardiff Devils, and it's a re-signing as utility man and GB internationalist Josh Batch commits himself to an eighth season in South Wales.

Still no new additions at Coventry Blaze since 16 May, but they've got to be pleased so far who they have on board at the moment. Two re-signings at Dundee Stars, as local boys Kris Inglis and Ben Edmonds are added to Omar Pacha's roster for the season ahead; taking the number signed so far to eleven. Finally though a signing at Fife Flyers, and what a re-signing it is as Evan Bloodoff returns for a second season in Kirkcaldy. A re-signing too at Guildford Flames as Jez Lundin signs a new two-year deal which will on conclusion take him to eleven seasons with the Surrey side.

A new face at Manchester Storm as Ryan Finnerty brings in American Rob Linsmayer from Ligue Magnus side Gap de Rapaces. A new face too for Milton Keynes Lightning as forward David Norris arrives from Arizona State University. Three in and one out at the Nottingham Panthers. Highly rated youngsters Joseph Hazeldine, Josh Tetlow and Jordan Kelsall return for a second campaign whilst defenceman Daniel Spang leaves the Lace City for DEL2 side Löwen Frankfurt. We finish with the Sheffield Steelers of course and it's one in, one out there. Joining is defenceman Josh McFadden who arrives from the University of Guelph whilst there is a major departure in winger Levi Nelson (more on him in another article) who has decided to hang up the skates.

Join us next week for more transfer updates...

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SIGNING NEWS: Steelers add McFadden

Another signing article as one of the big four adds to their blue line corps.

This morning the Sheffield Steelers added a new face to their team plans for 2018-19 when they added Canadian defenceman Josh McFadden to the blue line.

McFadden, despite being only 27, has lots of experience in his career despite being only in his late 20's. He joins the Steelers after spending the last two seasons at the University of Guelph where he was studying after taking a year out of hockey in 2015-16. He therefore gives the impression of a very intelligent hockey player.

McFadden was signed by the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL once he had completed his junior hockey and made 32 appearances for them over three seasons. He does possess extensive experience in the ECHL with 120 games at that level and has scored 15 goals and 46 points overall for the Cincinatti Cyclones during that spell. This indicates he is a very creative player and with statistics like this then he should be good for a good number of points in Steelers colours.

Then came his year out of hockey, before heading home to Guelph (same hometown as former Steelers netminder Frank Doyle) to spend those years at university and play hockey alongside his studies. In those two seasons, Josh had 44 points (13 goals) in just 54 games. This is equally impressive too. He stands 6'1 tall and is a good size at 201lbs so will be noticeable when on the ice. Now his studies are done, it's time for Josh to get back to playing professional hockey and we look forward to seeing him play.

Welcome to Sheffield Josh.

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Around the EIHL: Edition 5

Welcome to the fifth edition of "Around the EIHL"; your one stop shop that tracks the transfer movements in and out for the upcoming 2018-19 season. Who has signed where and who has moved on, well read on and find out...

Transfers up to and including 9 June 2018.

As always we start with the Belfast Giants, just one signing again in the week just gone. The latest new face in Northern Ireland is GB internationalist Paul Swindlehurst who joins the Giants from fellow Elite League side Manchester Storm. Next stop Braehead Clan, and it's two in and one out for the West of Scotland side. Re-joining is backup netminder Gary Russell and joining them is forward Scott Tanski who signs from ECHL side Reading Royals. Leaving the Clan is power forward Jacob Doty, signed by fellow Neil Black owned club: the Nottingham Panthers.

It's the same for the current Elite League champions Cardiff Devils, that is two in and one out. The signings are returnees in the shape of netminding duo Ben Bowns and Thomas Murdy but there is a massive hole to fill on the defence corps as Andrew Hotham leaves Cardiff after four hugely successful seasons for pastures new back home in North America. Still no further activity at Coventry Blaze but one transaction at Dundee Stars where Cody Carlson leaves to join ASC Corona Brasov in Romania who have earlier this season also signed former Stars, Clan, and Blaze defenceman Craig Cescon.

Fife Flyers still haven't announced a player signing; and to be honest they never really rush into these so no change in the status quo there in Kirkcaldy. One in and one out for the Guildford Flames, and the signing is a huge re-signing too as impressive offensive defenceman Calle Ackered pens a new two year deal but Mikael Lidhammar departs the Elite League to become yet another signing for ASC Corona Brasov. Manchester Storm have been involved in one transaction though, but it's a departure as Paul Swindlehurst leaves for the Belfast Giants after two and half seasons in Altrincham.

Two more departures from last season's Milton Keynes Lightning side as Kyle Essery returns to Ligue Magnus with Lyon and Carl Hudson goes to Germany and DEL2 with Eispiraten Crimittschau. Two in and one out for the Nottingham Panthers. New to Lace City are Jacob Doty who joins from Braehead, and Jon Rheault who is acquired from EBEL side Klagenfurter AC. Leaving though is GB internationalist Evan Mosey who leaves for pastures unknown halfway through a two year deal which he signed last summer. Finally Sheffield Steelers have made their first brand new import signing of the season ahead as Josh Pitt (no relation to Braehead's Scott) who is acquired from the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL.

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SIGNING NEWS: Steelers bring in Pitt

This morning, Sheffield Steelers announced their latest recruit for the 2018-19 season.

Steelers have obtained the services of Canadian forward Josh Pitt, no relation to Braehead's Scott, and he arrives in Europe for the first time. Josh came through the junior system at Kemptville 73's and spent a short spell with the Ottawa Junior Senators in 2011-12. Come the 2012-13 and this was the first of four seasons as Josh travelled south to Western Michigan University where he picked 36 points in 115 games.

After finishing with Western Michigan, Josh turned professional and joined ECHL side Kalamazoo Wings. His first season with the Wings saw Josh score 22 goals for 39 points in 56 games before last season having a breakout with 31 goals and 57 points in 64 games. This form was good enough to earn a couple of appearances in the AHL with Tampa Bay Lightning affiliate Syracuse Crunch. It was also something that alerted Paul Thompson as well. 

Pitt is a versatile player and can play left wing or centre so should be a very useful addition. Click here and here to see a bit of Josh in action for Kalamazoo; if he can replicate this then...wow!

Welcome to Sheffield Josh.

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