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03/07/10
Two more sign up...
MK Thunder continue to plan for the 2010/11 season
with the signings of 2 more players, one existing and one returning from playing
elsewhere. Dan Chaplen and Aidan Mahmud have both agreed to sign on for the
upcoming season and bring with them experience of EPL hockey with the Lightning,
despite being aged only 20 and 21 respectively. Both Chaplen and Mahmud also
have experience of playing for the South West conference junior sides in their
careers, where they were also team mates of new Thunder signing Jamie Line.
Chaplen has been full time with Thunder for the past
2 years, the year before that he split his time between Thunder and Lightning,
putting in some impressive performances for the EPL side when called upon and
scoring regularly for Thunder when he was playing in the ENL. Last year Chaplen
missed a lot of games due to becoming a father for the first time, but things
have settled down now and he has been training hard to get ready for the new
season and looks to get back to his scoring form of the past. On his re-signing
Chaplen had the following comments; "I can't wait to get back onto the ice for
next season." "After a couple of seasons where I feel I have not been at my
best, I am looking forward to getting started and being a big part of the team
again." "Cliff is putting together what looks like a very strong team so far,
and I am happy to be a part of it."
Mahmud is another face well known to the MK Hockey faithful, he spent a large
part of his junior career here in MK, as well as splitting his time between
Thunder and Lightning for a year before heading off to play for the Coventry ENL
Blaze for 2 years whilst studying there. Mahmud is a versatile player who has
played forward and defence over the years in the ENL as well as the EPL, but he
has established himself more as a D man during his time in Coventry and this is
where he will predominantly play in the forthcoming campaign.
On the resignings head coach Lewis Clifford commented; "I am really happy with
these 2 signings, as well as the way my team is taking shape overall." "Chappy
and Aidan are 2 guys who seem like they have been around for ages but are
actually still only young, and both have huge amounts of potential which we have
seen over the years that I will be looking to harness and utilise in the squad I
am putting together." "I have spoken to Chappy a lot this summer and I know he
has not been happy with the way last season went, and he is looking to put that
right, I have every faith in him to do that, he may not be the biggest guy on
the team but he plays with a lot of heart and when he is on his game he has the
rare skill of knowing where the net is and how to find it." "Aidan again is a
player I am looking forward to working with and playing alongside this season."
"He is a versatile player which will help me out throughout the season, although
he will be playing mainly on defence, he is a more than capable forward who can
fill a gap on any line if the need arises." "Aidan is a great team guy on and
off the ice, he is still only young but he can look to be a leader on this team
with his performances and attitude." "I am looking forward to seeing how his
game has developed over the last 2 years under an excellent coach in Joel
Poirier." 19/06/10
Jamie Randall back with Thunder
Thunder management are pleased to announce that
Jamie Randall has agreed to rejoin the team after a year in the EPL with
Bracknell Bees.
Jamie brings a wealth of experience to the team and
being a real two way player offers Coach Lewis Clifford options especially on
his special teams. MK hockey supporters know Jamie well from his time with
Lightning and will recognise what an asset he'll be to Thunder with his total
commitment and effort during every single game.
When asked about Jamie signing for next season, Clifford said, "I am really happy that Jamie has agreed to rejoin us this season after a year away at Bracknell." "Two years ago playing alongside Jamie I realised how much of a grafter he is and also how well he can adapt to playing a variety of positions and will be happy to sometimes play more than one position within the same game." "Jamie is just the type of player I have been looking for, he brings a hell of a lot to the team and will give me all he's got and make those players around him better." "I am looking forward to working with Jamie again once we start training, I know exactly what I am getting, and he will be willing to do whatever I ask of him with minimal fuss and maximal effort."
17/06/10
Two more defencemen announced
MK Thunder are
continuing to make signings for the forthcoming season, and the latest two names
to be released are one returning from a season elsewhere, and one returnee from
last season.
Paul Gore returns after a year away playing for Oxford where he was given the
Coach's Player award following a very good season as one of the Stars top D Men.
Coffey returns for his 3rd season as a senior Thunder player but his senior
hockey experience stretches much further back than that having played for the
Lightning in the EPL as far back as the 03/04 season as a 14 year old, as well
as playing up for both Thunder and Lightning throughout his junior career.
Gore is an reliable defenceman, hugely experienced
in ENL hockey and will bring a great deal of resilience and knowledge to our
blue line, he excelled in Oxford last season and looked to have reinvented his
game which we are looking forward to seeing on the ice next season back in a
Thunder shirt.
Last season Coffey may have put less points on the board than in previous years,
but he was deployed into more of a defensive role than he would usually be due
to the make up of the team. He is an offensively talented player, who has a good
eye for when to join the rush and when to stay back, and the new more offensive
Thunder team should suit his style a lot more than the team of last season.
Coffey has a great engine, and there were games last season when the team was
down on numbers at the back, where he would comfortably play over 30 minutes a
game without dropping his standards.
On the resignings head coach Lewis Clifford had the following comments;
"I am really looking forward to working with these 2 guys this season." "Gore
and Coff are both quality players who can really bring a lot to the table and
make our team function."
"Gore is one of my best friends in and out of hockey and I must be honest that
it never really sat comfortably with me seeing him in a different shirt last
season and I made it known to him that I wanted him back as soon as I knew I was
Coach for another year." "I went to one of Oxfords play off games last season
and Gore was the best defensive player on the team" "It wasn’t an easy decision
to make for Gore as he had a fantastic season last year with Oxford, made the
playoffs and was Coach's Player of the Year." "I am glad he decided to buy in to
what I am trying to build here and agree to come back because I see him as a
huge part of my defensive unit and team as a whole."
05/06/10
MK Thunder v New York
Imperials
MK Thunder took on the
New York Imperials in a challenge game on the 5th June. In an entertaining and
very competitive game the visitors came out on top 8-3.
With Thunder icing a
team that will form the basis of the squad for next season, it was the first
time they had played together and the off season rustiness showed in the opening
period. That is to take nothing away from the Imperials, who are a good skating
and passing side and thoroughly deserved the win.
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Photos of the game are kindly supplied by Claire
Stanton, and many more can be found using the links below. All photos are
available for purchase, simply follow the instructions on the
icehockeyphotography site.
http://www.icehockeyphotography.co.uk/gallery.php?eid=322&pid=1#picture
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csp1/sets/72157624087342077/
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29/05/10
Two more sign up....
MK Thunder are pleased
to announce the signings of two forwards, one returning from last season and one
returning after a few seasons elsewhere. Keiron Goody and Aram Todd have both
agreed to return to Thunder for the 2010 -2011 season as the squad continues to
take shape.
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Keiron returns as one of the few remaining players
who has been with Thunder since its inception, whilst Aram returns after 2 years
with Coventry ENL Blaze and a year away from playing as he helped coach MK
Falcons ladies team.
Keiron was ever dependable last season which
is no less than we have come to expect, he is a reliable forward, responsible in
his own end and also contributes offensively. It would be hard to imagine a
Thunder team after all these years without Keiron in it, and the club and Keiron
are both looking forward to the upcoming season with the management and coaching
team looking to ice a competitive team that is competing at the right end of the
table.
‘Toddy’ returns to Thunder after 3 years away. We are delighted to have him back
in the squad and are looking forward to him regaining the form he showed for 2
seasons in the Coventry ENL Blaze organisation when he served as Captain showing
a real leadership quality on and off the ice. Toddy is a gifted player who has a
great pair of hands, powerful shot and a fantastic eye for a defence splitting
pass.
On the re-signings Head Coach Lewis Clifford had the following to say;
"I am very happy that these two guys have committed to playing for Thunder again
this season".
"Keiron goes without saying, he is an ever present, and was one of the guys near
the top of my list when I was looking at who I would like to return from the
previous season". "Keiron does a lot of the little things well that may go
unnoticed to spectators, he wins a high percentage of his face offs, is very
solid defensively and is a responsible and reliable player who can play in a
variety of different situations". "Last year I don’t feel that we got the best
of Keiron with the lines not being settled and the whole team not being able to
find their groove from week to week, but with the way I am building the team
this year that wont be a problem and we can look forward to seeing the best out
of him in both ends of the ice again".
"Toddy is a player who I am very excited about coming back into the team after
he has been elsewhere for a few years". "I tried to tempt Toddy out of his year
off half way through last season but unfortunately for me he had committed to
taking the year out and couldn’t be swayed". "Toddy has been working hard on his
fitness over the last few months with a view to a comeback and when I saw him
for the first time in a while recently I was really pleasantly surprised with
the shape he had got himself into despite not playing last season". "I like to
think of myself as a realist and I can honestly say knowing Toddy as I do that
when he is on form there are not many players around who have as much natural
talent as he does". "I look forward to working with him and helping him to
unleash his massive potential again this season".
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18/05/10
Back to patrol the blue line
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MK Thunder are happy to
announce their first two returnees to the blue line for the 2010 / 2011 season.
Two Defencemen with very different styles but who are both just as important to
the team and fill their own niche, Lee Featherstone and Matt Roberts.
Lee Featherstone is a great 2 way defenceman, and offensively is one of the top
puck movers in the league, he works the powerplay well and has an eye for the
net and a defence splitting pass. Last year when Fevs returned to MK Thunder
after several seasons in Oxford, he instantly made a difference to our strength
at the back, and scored some important goals at some important times.
Matt Roberts was the ‘Coach's Player of the year’ last season and he does a lot
of the things that may go unnoticed to many observers, but certainly don’t go
unnoticed to his team mates. He is an old school stay at home D man, he takes
the body, blocks shots and clears the zone well. M-Ro gives the team the spark
they need some times in games by making a big hit nice and early, or diving in
front of a puck in the first minute of the game that others might only do in the
last minute.
On the re-signings, head coach Lewis Clifford had the following to say; "I had a
big list of players from last season who I wanted to bring back this year and
Fevsy and M-Ro were 2 of my top priorities, I am happy that they have both
agreed to give me another year".
"Fevsy is one of the
players this year that I will look to to get our Powerplay ticking, and I think
with some of the forwards we have signed and the overall face of our team
changing, we will get the most out of him this year". "I have been team mates
with Fevs on and off since I was 11 years old, and I know as much as anyone else
in the team, he wants to win and will do whatever he can to make that possible
for the team".
"M-Ro again I see as an
essential part of this team, and his importance to the team has been more
noticeable over the past few seasons when he hasn’t been there due to his
injuries and work commitments". "I look forward to working with Matty again and
getting the most out of him over a full season of games". "It’s no surprise that
he got the coaches player of the year from me last season, and I look forward to
seeing him back out there patrolling the blue line in September".
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15/05/10
MK Thunder are very pleased to announce the signing of
Jamie
Line from EPL’s Basingstoke Bison. As Jamie is under 21, he will also be
training with MK Lightning and available to Nick Poole whenever Thunder don’t
have a game. This joint approach has worked extremely well in the past with a
number of promising young players progressing through from Thunder to Lightning.
Lewis Clifford and Nick are excited at the prospect of having local lad Jamie
back in Milton Keynes, as both coaches have watched him develop as a player at
EPL level with Bracknell Bees, Slough Jets, and Basingstoke Bison, as well as
two years with the GB U18s. Jamie, who will be wearing the # 5 Thunder shirt,
brings undoubted skills and a tenacious attitude which will add a lot to
Thunder’s offence and provide Nick with more forward options.
On agreeing the deal with Jamie and Nick, Thunder’s Head
Coach Lewis Clifford had this to say;
"I
am very pleased that we have managed to come to an arrangement with Jamie and
Nick to allow us to bring in a player of such undoubted quality. I have been
speaking to Jamie for a number of weeks now, and once we finally got his
agreement to come and play for us I was over the moon.
I have known Jamie
since he was an under 12, and the thing he has always possessed has been an
abundance of speed and a relentless work ethic, these qualities as well as his
silky hands and accurate shot will make Jamie a great fit within the team we are
putting together for the season and will have a huge part to play on the team.
I would just like to
finish off by welcoming Jamie to the team and I am looking forward to working
with him once pre-season training commences."
12/05/10
MK Thunder are
pleased to announce the return of their most consistent and effective line from
last season for the 2010 / 2011 campaign. The trio of Martyn Snape and the
Goode brothers, Harrison and Connor, will be once again pulling on the Thunder
shirt and looking to build on the chemistry they built up through the second
half of last season.
Between the three of
them the 'prawn line' as they are known to their team mates received several
accolades at the end of season awards night and look to build on this moving
forward into the coming season. Harrison and Martyn jointly received the most
improved player award, Connor was voted Supporters Player of the Year, and
Harrison also shared the Players Player (MVP) accolade with influential
netminder Mark Woolf.
On the re-signings,
head-coach Lewis Clifford had the following to say; "I am really pleased with
these three youngsters agreeing to come back for another season with the
Thunder. They proved week after week last season that they have ability in
abundance, and as they became more and more confident, they began to influence
games in bigger ways as the season progressed. Having Connor commit to Thunder
is a big bonus, as he impressed many of our competitor’s coaches last season.
Connor will be wearing the # 82 shirt. We expect this line to hit the ground
running and carry on where they left off at the end of last season."
Last season Harrison
was Thunders 2nd top point scorer, Connor was just behind him despite splitting
the season between Thunder and the league winning Storm U18's, and Martyn also
contributed a number of points and goals in big games as well as adding a
physical dimension to his game which was a vital component in making the line
click. 06/05/10
We are pleased to
announce the return of experienced
Netminder Mark Woolf for the 2010/2011
season. Woolfie
is one of the top Netminders in the ENL and has performed
heroics consistently for the Thunder for as long as most of us can remember.
Over the past few seasons the team has been fighting relegation and successfully
avoided it, it would be safe to say with any goalie in our net other than
Woolfie, this survival never would have been achieved.
Woolfie sets high expectations for himself and his team mates with regards to on
ice performance, off ice conditioning and total 110% commitment to being the
best he possibly can be in every game and training session. Over the past few
years the standards Woolfie sets have not always been met by the team as a
whole. We truly believe that this season with the team we are looking to put
together, they will meet the high standard that Woolfie sets.
Woolfie was voted Players Player of the year in 2009/2010 and this demonstrates
how highly he is regarded amongst his peers and he has the complete respect of
every player who has ever pulled on a Thunder shirt.
02/05/10
Thunder's first
signing..
DFC Milton Keynes Thunder are delighted to announce the signing of former Lightning player and
home grown talent Ross Bowers. Ross last played for the Thunder in the 03/04
season when he split his time between Thunder and Lightning. Since then he has
gone on to spend 4 seasons full time with Lightning, a year away which was split
between the Basingstoke Bison in the Elite League and Slough Jets in the EPL,
and this past season he returned for his 5th as a full time Lightning player.
In all competitions last season Ross scored 24 goals and 22 assists from 56
games, which proves he has the pedigree to be a stand out player in ENL1 and add
a lot of points to the scoreboard for the Thunder next season.
02/05/10
Head Coach
Lewis Clifford has been appointed as Head Coach for the 2010/2011 season.
Cliff proved over the course of last season that he has the makings of a great
senior coach, and is totally committed 100% of the time. He’d admit that the
learning curve has been immense and we got some decisions wrong along the way,
but that’s what Thunder is all about, learning and development.
What better way of showing that than to support this young coach with our
commitment to him, so we’d like to take this opportunity to welcome Cliff back
and look forward to building the team for next season.
24/04/10
THUNDER END OF SEASON AWARDS
Forward of the Year: Tom Davis
Defenceman of the Year: Mike Knights
Most Improved Player: Harrison Goode and Martyn
Snape
Clubman of the Year: Sam Fairhurst
Coach's Player of the Year: Matt Roberts
Player's Player of the Year: Mark Woolf and Harrison
Goode
Supporter's Player of the Year: Connor Goode
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