Utility players introduced and a twist to the tale!

Sorry about the delay on this one...again! Before I start, this is one of the first slightly negative blogs I have written and I would like to express that THIS IS MY OPINION! I do not want to offend anyone, if you disagree that is your opinion and I respect that and I would appreciate the same respect in relation to my opinion. 


A couple of weeks ago brought the news of two British utility players to join the Phoenix line-up next season. 


Ryan Johnson returns to Phoenix following a season with the Sheffield Steeldogs. The 27 year old started his career with Hull Thunder and following a 5 year stint with the Sheffield Scimatars, joined Phoenix in the 2009-2010 season. Johnson doubled up as a defender and attacker whilst playing for the Steeldogs and his versatility has proven useful. Tony Hand has said that it is good to have Johnson back and that he will have a utility role within the team. I think Johnson is a good utility player to have within the team but he has never really impressed me on the ice. I am hoping that Johnson has been brought in to give depth to the line up and not as a replacement for Ben Morgan. 


Ben Wood returns for his third season with Phoenix and has proved that he is a dedicated player on the ice and a great utility player. He brings energy to the ice but unfortunately is not the greatest hockey player. The 23 year old started his career with Flintshire Freeze and made his first appearance with Phoenix in the 2008-2009 season. Tony Hand has said that he is looking for Wood to increase his points total and is very pleased to have him back in the team. I think that Wood is a useful player but will have to up his game next season. If we were to go with a similar sized squad as last season, in my opinion Wood wouldn't have been one of the players from last years team that I would have had back.  If however the plan is to create depth to the line up this season then the signing of both players could work very well. 


In my opinion last season saw the team carrying numerous injuries and no-one to replace them on the ice. We played with the least number of players possible which made players skate with injuries and not fulfil their full potential. I think that the introduction of another utility player to the team is just what we need to help in these types of situations, as long as the players are in addition and not a replacement for any of the players we have lost. 


In other news, Sunday saw the launch of our new shirts for next season. Unfortunately I couldn't make it but my sources tell me that J Davidson, our headline sponsor have signed a two year deal with us and over ten of our existing sponsors are returning for the new season. This is fantastic news and great to hear that the sponsors are proud to be supporting us. At the shirt launch last season we hardly had any sponsors and it was debatable whether we would for the start of the season so to have this many sponsors already is great. 


Tony Hand also revealed that he was very happy with the British players he has signed for the new season and that they are close to signing a deal with a new import forward. He also confirmed that there will be news to follow in relation to the defence...which we now know to be the return of James Neil. 


Neil returns to Phoenix for his third season. The 21 year old has spent most of career in Nottingham, playing for the Panthers, Lions and Leopards until 2009 when he signed on a two way contract with Phoenix and the Panthers. Neil has always impressed me on the ice. He is not a physical player (apart from the fight with Sharpy!) but brings a lot of energy onto the ice and is always on the look out for the puck. There is however a twist to the tale. Neil iced as a forward last season but is returning to Phoenix as a defender. He played a couple of games last season as a defender when we were short and had a tendency to return to his forward ways and head off on a breakaway. I think that Neil will do ok in defence, but is he a decent replacement for Morgan? I'm not sure. 


On a different note, I don't know about anyone else but I'm really looking forward to watching hockey again...I'm getting withdrawal symptoms...Roll on September!