Holy mackinaw, we’re so again.
Whereas the return of aggressive Elite League motion stays a number of painful weeks away, preseason is lastly in full swing, with inductions full and skates sharpened.
There was no scarcity of offseason motion.
The Fife Flyers are within the midst of a full rebuild, whereas Paul Thompson has re-shaped the Cardiff Devils in his picture.
Adam Keefe and the Belfast Giants have their eyes on Champions Hockey League glory — and the Nottingham Panthers are hellbent on profitable the Continental Cup on residence ice.
In any case, welcome to Elite League Tea: a weekly column through which we’ll comb over the largest storylines in British Ice Hockey.
Kevin Moore on Mat Robson: ‘I believe he’s the most effective within the league’
Kevin Moore stays one of many Elite League’s most attention-grabbing figures.
Elevated to a twin position as Coventry Blaze head coach and director of hockey operations, the American’s story is one in every of pure graft.
Moore didn’t play at a excessive degree: he made two NCAA appearances in 4 seasons at UMass, earlier than enjoying only one skilled recreation.
From there, he turned his consideration to teaching and quietly constructed his profession, beginning out with the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs earlier than taking a voluntary goaltender teaching position at Princeton College.
Moore spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Adrian Faculty, which he adopted up with season-long stints with the Faculty of St. Scholastica (head coach) and Nottingham Panthers (assistant coach).
That’s to say: the New Jersey native has constructed his profession brick-by-brick.
And his intense loyalty has performed a serious position in his ascent: he loves his guys — and so they go away all of it on the ice in return.
With that in thoughts, right here is an unique, unpublished excerpt from my current interview with Moore.
‘I by no means felt comfy with the choices on the goalie market’
I needed to ask about one or two of your gamers: Mat Robson performed all however 13 minutes of final season. Does the Dershahn Stewart signing mark a change of route by way of the way you utilise your netmidners?
By way of the minutes they play, sure.
I believe individuals overlook that we signed Cam Grey final 12 months and he left throughout coaching camp. So, actually, the plan final 12 months wasn’t to have Mat play all of these minutes.
However I by no means felt comfy with what was on the market on the goalie market and I wasn’t going to overspend for that spot.
Will Bray’s improvement was additionally actually good and I felt fairly assured in him that he could possibly be a gradual again up for us if we actually wanted it. He was — and he would possibly’ve performed a bit bit extra down the stretch if he hadn’t bought damage.
The plan hasn’t actually modified, however having Dersh simply provides us the depth that we needed final 12 months. He’s a very gifted goalie and a very nice staff man who desires to study from me and Mat.
Clearly, we’ve that Adrian [College] connection: I recruited him there although I by no means coached him. He’ll have the ability to give Matt rests after we really feel it’s acceptable for his improvement and the staff.
On the flip aspect — Mat Robson: wow. I believe he confirmed everybody the center and character that he has. We had talks final season the place I’d say ‘I’d like to herald this man, what do you assume?’ and he’s similar to ‘no, I can do that, I would like the online.’
And, so far as I’m involved, he was the most effective goalie within the league and he proved that he might [play every game]. There are particular goalies who can play on a regular basis and I’m pleased with him for that.
On the similar time, although, we had that scary state of affairs the place it regarded like he is likely to be damage — so, it’s higher to have that insurance coverage in Dersh.
Mat Robson, Coventry Blaze (Picture: James Assinder)
‘Each man within the room knew that we had the prospect to win with Mat Robson in objective’
Robson received one of many Blaze’s inside awards final 12 months. To the remainder of the staff, how significant was it that he was actually at all times there?
It’s actually, actually spectacular.
Having been a goalie, all of us wish to be that rock primary. And there’s simply not lots of them on the market on this planet. More often than not, there’s simply not a lot of a distinction between the pair.
While you’re fortunate sufficient to have a man like that, you may learn the room and know that everybody felt that we might win with Mat in objective.
Mat works so onerous in observe and he simply doesn’t stop on pucks. He’s aggressive and perhaps probably the most spectacular factor to me and the staff was that I gave him the choice to overlook practices in direction of the top of the 12 months and he mentioned ‘no: I wish to be on the market with the fellows.’
I believe that claims rather a lot to the group and that’s a throwback mentality in sport, the place persons are simply doing relaxation days for relaxation days at instances. He’s simply not wired like that and I like it.
Elsewhere within the Elite League —
All through the season, I’ll be utilizing Elite League Tea to share unique interview insights (just like the piece above) and supply evaluation on current occasions.
I’ve a sequence of season preview items within the works.
However, within the meantime, right here’s one word on every Elite League staff.
1. Belfast Giants: Adam Keefe’s aspect took a robust KalPa squad to time beyond regulation of their season-opening Champions Hockey League fixture. Amongst the gamers who impressed? Kell Beattie and Rhodes Mitchell-King: two-way gamers who mixed for nearly 14 minutes of ice time.
Ryan Smith, Belfast Giants (Picture: William Cherry)
2. Sheffield Steelers: Eamon McAdam is Aaron Fox’s most necessary signing of the summer time. The Steelers have been overly reliant on Matt Greenfield lately — however he now has a professional back-up (if not challenger) in former Guildford Flame McAdam.
3. Nottingham Panthers: There’s rather a lot to love about Danny Stewart’s offseason recruitment. After a 57-point season within the ECHL final time period, I’m watching Bryan Lemos with heightened curiosity — he’s an actual expertise.
4. Cardiff Devils: Paul Thompson has constructed a really Paul Thompson staff. Connor Caponi, signed from the College of Denver, appears to be like like an actual coronary heart and soul man — and has already dropped the gloves twice in preseason.
5. Coventry Blaze: Should you haven’t already, learn my full-length function on Kevin Moore.
‘Not least the peculiar absence of Chris Martenet’
6. Guildford Flames: I spoke with returning defenceman Jamal Watson on Thursday. The 30-year-old says he has “unfinished enterprise” within the Elite League. And that’s a scary proposition for the league’s 9 different groups.
7. Glasgow Clan: You shouldn’t overreact to a few preseason outcomes… however there are causes to be involved concerning the Clan. Not least the peculiar absence of Chris Martenet.
8. Dundee Stars: Chris Olsson grew to become Marc LeFebvre’s closing summer time signing earlier as we speak — the 6-foot-6 winger can be a pressure to reckon with this season.
9. Manchester Storm: Brendon Clavelle is an attention-grabbing signing for Manchester. The 25-year-old defenceman loved a strong USports profession and appears set for a top-four position with the Storm.
10. Fife Flyers: Should you haven’t already… learn my interview with Flyers GM and President Max Birbraer.
** please don’t come for me, the above relies on final season’s regular-season standings; not my predictions for 2025-26.
