Hull Stingrays show forward thinking at start of new era

Brave because new owner-in-waiting Bobby McEwan is determined to keep top-flight hockey in the city whatever it takes, even after losing his bidding partner less than 24 hours before signing the ice-time contract for Hull Ice Arena.

Brave because the team is likely to have to be largely rebuilt after delays in the transfer of ownership has already resulted in a number of last year’s players committing their futures elsewhere.

And brave for the decision by returning player-coach Sylvain Cloutier to go with a young British goaltender, untried at Elite League level but whose arrival should be applauded - coming in a season which will see reduced opportunities for homegrown players at most top-flight clubs due to the rise in the number of import players allowed.

At Thursday night’s fans forum held at Hull Arena, McEwan - now just a couple of signatures away from becoming the club’s new outright owner - was keen to reassure fans who had been growing increasingly concerned about the club’s future.

And a lengthy Q&A session together with the unveiling of several signings for next season went a long way to easing those concerns.

Cloutier’s return as player-coach was, not surprisingly, well-received, as was that of top marksman Jereme Tendler, who again has defied expectations by returning for a third season.

Three other signings were revealed at the meeting, with Cloutier making a triple swoop down to the English Premier League to Sheffield Steeldogs.

British forward Chris Sykes and 50-plus Latvian goalscorer Janis Ozolins will begin their first top-flight season in September, but it’s the decision to bring in much-admired goaltender Ben Bowns, which will have caught the eye most.

While no doubt viewed as a risk by some, Cloutier is confident Bowns - on a two-way deal last season with the East Yorkshire club - is more than capable of stepping up a level on a full-time basis, replacing the popular Christian Boucher who has returned home to Canada to pursue a career outside hockey.

“Ben has nothing left to prove at EPL level, he’s ready for this - that’s why we’ve signed him on a two-year deal,” said Cloutier.

“I was going to bring him in even before they announced the import level was being raised to 11. He’s a confident lad and fills the goal well. I’m glad he stuck by us because he could easily have gone elsewhere in the league - there was a lot of interest.

“Andre (Payette, Steeldogs coach) has lost the best goalie in that league. I feel it’s the right time to give Ben this chance and I’m confident he’ll do a great job for us.”

Cloutier seems relaxed about the new, controversial dual conference structure brought in by club owners earlier this week which has seen Hull placed with four Scottish clubs - Braehead, Dundee, Edinburgh and Fife - in a ‘northern’ conference.

A ‘southern’ conference - containing Sheffield Steelers, Nottingham, Belfast, Coventry and Cardiff - is already being billed as the stronger section due to the financial superiority enjoyed by the majority of those five clubs.

And while Cloutier has already seen five of last year’s team move on elsewhere - two of them in Tristan Harper and Sam McCluskey back to northern rivals Dundee - he remains confident he can put together a team capable of challenging for honours.

“We’ve got a better chance of winning more games next season I feel,” said Cloutier.

“I think the conference we find ourselves in is going to be very competitive and we’ve got a good chance. Braehead are going to be the biggest club in our conference and will start out as favourites to win it, but I don’t think it’s a given that they will do.

“We’ve got to try and make sure that the scheduling is right for us - but then I guess, it’s going to be impossible to please everybody with that.”

McEwan, who should complete the takeover as well as formally sign for the ice-time contract in the coming days, seems to have taken one-time bid partner Nic Gough’s decision to withdraw from the process on the chin and is determined to plough ahead on his own.

After the meeting, the exhausted Scot said: “I think we had a good, positive response from fans at the meeting. We did a Q&A session and they were basically free to ask whatever they wanted to.

“I think they are relieved to hear that there is going to be top-flight hockey here next season. It’s an exciting time.”

Alison Walker, assistant head of service for Economic Development and Regeneration at Hull City Council, added:

“We are still working closely with the new owner of the Stingrays and hope to sign off the new ice-time contract in the near future.”

WHILE Bowns, Ozolins and Sykes try their luck at Hull, former Stingrays defenceman Pavel Gomeniuk is staying put in South Yorkshire with the Steeldogs.

The 34-year-old defenceman spent five seasons at Hull Arena - interspersed with two seasons in Newcastle - and will remain with Andre Payette’s team for a second term, hooking up with another former Stingrays D-man in the shape of Dmitri Rodin, who switched clubs two weeks ago.

In a highly successful season for the Steel City’s second-tier outfit, Gomeniuk contributed 11 goals and 33 assists in 54 games, while sitting in the penalty box for 169 minutes.

Player-coach Payette said: “‘Pasha’ is one of the best passers of the puck in the EPL and his experience is extremely valuable to our team.”