Manchester Phoenix
Encyclopedia
Manchester Phoenix are a professional ice hockey
team from Altrincham
, Greater Manchester
, England
. The club was formed in 2003 as a result of the efforts of supporters group Friends of Manchester Ice Hockey to bring top-level ice hockey back to Manchester after Manchester Storm
folded in 2002.
Phoenix were founder members of the Elite Ice Hockey League
upon its formation in 2003, playing in the 17,500 capacity MEN Arena. The cost of using such a large facility proved financially untenable, and Phoenix suspended playing operations in 2004 pending the construction of a smaller purpose built ice facility. Construction of the Altrincham Ice Dome
commenced in 2006, and the club returned to the Elite League for the 2006/07 season. After three seasons in the EIHL, the club joined the English Premier Ice Hockey League
on 30 April 2009.
Despite this, the club were ranked at 200 in the IIHF 'top 250' club rankings at the end of the 2008/2009 season, being the only current EPIHL club listed. As of the 2009/2010 rankings, they are no longer ranked.
, once the best-supported Ice Hockey club in Europe
, ran into serious financial trouble and was folded. Initially fans protested against SMG, the company who owned the Manchester Evening News Arena as it was perceived that troubles had arisen due to SMG's disinterest in continuing to house the Storm at the Manchester Evening News Arena. This soon turned into a rally in support of the team and a supporters group known as 'The Friends of Manchester Storm' was established after Gary Cowan, the owner of the Storm officially announced he was finalising the organisation's operations due to unsustainable debts. Once it became clear that the Storm were not to return, FOMS changed their name, becoming the 'Friends Of Manchester Ice Hockey', or 'FOMIH'.
This group had two established aims, namely to bring top level professional ice hockey back to Manchester and to ensure the creation of a new ice rink facility in the region. In 2003, a club was formed and with fans choosing to symbolically title the team the 'Manchester Phoenix', rising from the ashes of the Storm.
The newly formed Manchester Phoenix would be one of the founding members of the British Elite Ice Hockey League and played out of the MEN Arena for their inaugural season. Under player-coach Rick Brebant
, and later Paul Heavey, the team finished sixth out of eight in the league, the final qualifying place for the playoffs. Phoenix finished second in their Playoff group ahead of the Belfast Giants
, qualifying for the semi-final, where they were beaten 6-1 by the Nottingham Panthers
.
Despite an impressive beginning, with 3,600 turning out for the first home game against the London Racers
, crowds would not be consistent and it soon became apparent that ice hockey at the busiest indoor venue in Europe would no longer be viable with the season's average attendance being just 2,150 per game, falling far short of the rumoured number of 3,000 needed to cover costs. As a result, the Phoenix temporarily suspended playing operations at the end of the 2003-04 season.
In May 2004 the Phoenix announced that they had the funding to construct a new temporary ice rink but problems arose as to exactly where to locate the facility. As a result, the deadline for inclusion in the EIHL passed, and the Phoenix withdrew from the 2004-05 season. The club had still not managed to build a new venue by the following year, and announced that the Phoenix would not be part of the 2005-06 season either. In November 2005, the club announced details of a new rink to be built in partnership with Nikal, David McLean and Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council. The new rink would seat 2,026, with 24 wheelchair spaces, and standing for approx 4-500. Planning permission for the rink was finally granted in early January 2006 and construction began on 30 March, with the rink to be sited in Altrincham.
With progress being made, the Phoenix confirmed their inclusion in the EIHL once again, for the 2006/07 season with the Ice Dome scheduled to host its first game on 24 September 2006. The Phoenix also announced the appointment of Tony Hand
as player/head coach. This was regarded as a huge step forward for the organisation, as Hand is regarded by many as the greatest British ice hockey player of all time. Unfortunately for Hand and the team, unexpected delays followed and so in the interim Phoenix home games were held at either IceSheffield
or Deeside Leisure Centre
. After further construction and two further missed completion dates, the rink eventually opened with a reduced capacity of 1,000 on 25 February 2007, with Phoenix playing host to the Basingstoke Bison
. It was the first time professional hockey had been played in Manchester for almost three years. The remaining 700 seats were installed over the following months, with the Dome completely ready for the beginning of the 2007/08 season.
For further information, please see 2006-07 Manchester Phoenix season
.
and forwards Matt Rich
, K. C. Timmons
, Adam Walker
, Brett Clouthier
and defenceman Simon Mangos
all re-signing to Tony Hand's team as well as the additions of Rhys McWilliams
from the Solihull Barons, Jeff MacMillan
from the ECHL's Phoenix RoadRunners
and clinching the signing of former NHL player Scott Fankhouser
as first choice goaltender.
The season started well for the Phoenix, with Fankhouser winning EIHL player of the week early in the season. This did not last though, and results began to slide. Hand reacted to this by releasing K. C. Timmons
and signing former Fresno Falcons
forward Luke Stauffacher
in his place in order to try and create more goal scoring opportunities. Timmons would sign for the Coventry Blaze, and would answer his critics by scoring a hat-trick against the Phoenix at the Ice Dome in December 2007.
Form continued to be hard to find for the Phoenix though. Despite scoring significant numbers of goals, the Phoenix defence proved to be anything but watertight and high scoring games became a regular occurrence. Manchester closed the regular season on 23 April with a 6-2 away loss to the Hull Stingrays
, finishing 7th in the EIHL. This was perceived by many fans to be somewhat of an underachievement by the organisation.
The Phoenix's seventh placed finish ensured a post-season matchup with their fiercest rivals, the Sheffield Steelers
. Again two high scoring games would follow; the Phoenix lost 5-4 in Sheffield, ensuring a tense return leg at the Ice Dome. Despite scoring four goals, the Phoenix defence again proved to be a problem, with the game ending 4-4 in front of a sell out crowd of 2150. The draw meant that the Phoenix exited the playoffs in the first round for the second year in a row.
During the close-season, the Phoenix again re-built their squad. Tony Hand was again appointed head coach and moved to strengthen the British contingent of the squad, re-signing Carl Graham
and Adam Walker
, fully promoting Phil Hamer
from the U-18 squad and on 16 May, announced the signing of Team G.B. defenceman Luke Boothroyd
. Soon after, the Phoenix re-signed a familiar face in Dwight Parrish
, who had iced for both the Manchester Storm and the Phoenix in their debut season. Alex Dunn
and Josh Garbutt
were the final two defencemen signed by Hand.
Hand also signed several more non-British players to the Phoenix roster, re-signing fans favourite Brett Clouthier
, and offering Canadian duo Grant Jacobsen
and David-Alexandre Beauregard
their first taste of European hockey, as well as signing Odessa Jackalopes
pair Kenton Smith
and Nathan Ward
. Smith would also be named club captain. Bruce Mulherin
, Luke Fulghum
and the hard-hitting Kyle Bruce
completed the forward lines for the Phoenix. Manchester brought in first choice Team GB Goaltender Stephen Murphy
who had previously played with Tony Hand in Dundee. Phoenix also re-signed Adam Summerfield
as backup for Murphy. Soon after the season had started however, Grant Jacobsen left Manchester to return to Texas and was replaced by Lucas Burnett
.
On Sunday 15 February 2009, the Phoenix made club history after beating the Basingstoke Bison
6 - 1 (11 - 3 on aggregate) in the semi-final second leg of the challenge cup, booking a place in their first Cup Final and a two-legged tie with the Belfast Giants
in March. There was to be no fairytale ending for the Phoenix, as the Belfast Giants lifted the Challenge Cup. Phoenix were also beaten in the Final of the British Knockout Cup by the same opponents. Manchester would be defeated in two legs by the eventual EIHL Playoff runners up, the Nottingham Panthers
.
Despite the two cup final defeats, the 2008/09 season was a positive one for on-ice operations for Manchester, with the team playing an attractive and far more successful style than in previous years. They would finish the season in sixth place but had spent much of the season in a far higher league position. The Phoenix fans also enjoyed the play of David-Alexandre Beauregard
, who won several awards for 'EIHL Player of the Season' and, as a result of his play is regarded by many Phoenix fans as the greatest player to wear the shirt. Problems arose off-ice though, and the club again struggled to balance the books. As a result, at the end of the season, the club declared its intention to move into the English Premier Ice Hockey League
.
, Luke Boothroyd
, Carl Graham
and Adam Summerfield
were also confirmed as having been re-signed from the 2008/09 roster. They would be joined in a Phoenix shirt by returning goaltender Steve Fone
as well as exciting British defenceman Joe Graham, young Scottish forward Iain Bowie and Phoenix ENIHL regular Ben Wood.
Soon after Tony Hand would announce an exciting double coup with the addition of experienced EIHL and Calder Cup winner Andre Payette
as well as the confirmation of Ed Courtenay
in a player/assistant coach role.
Ed Courtenay (Retired) And Carl Graham (To Bracknell Bees) have since left the Manchester Phoenix. However, 3 additions to the squad have been made in the form of Ryan Johnson, Stephen Wallace & Max Drakeley.
The team finished the season in 3rd place, and qualified for the EPL post season play-offs. They defeated the Peterborough Phantons 6-5 on aggregate in the quarter finals to progress to the finals weekend in Coventry, where they were defeated in their semi final by the Slough Jets.
However, this was tempered by the fact that longstanding club GM Andy Costigan was stepping aside from his role, which he had filled since the clubs inception, due to pressures in his personal life
Shortly after the start of the season, the team announced that one of the new signings from the summer, Dean Holland, was being released from his contract at his own request, and that they would begin to search for a replacement player with immediate effect. This search took until mid November, when they announced the signing of controversial former Sheffield Steelers
and Edinburgh Capitals
enforcer Andrew Sharp.
On 27 March 2011, Manchester Phoenix played Swindon Wildcats
at home on the last day of the season. Going into the game, Manchester Phoenix needed a single point to secure the league title. They beat Swindon 5-2 picking up two points and therefore were crowned league champions, earning the club's first major trophy.
had extended his contract by a further 3 seasons in addition to the one left on his current contract. This extension would keep him at the club until 2015
On 10 May 2011, the club announced 2 signings for the forthcoming season. Tom Duggan was announced as a returning player from the 2010-11 squad, and Slava Koulikov was announced as having been signed from the Slough Jets
.
The squad building continued on 24 May when the club announced that Luke Boothroyd and Ladislav Harabin would be returning for the 2011-2012 season.
During the off season, it was announced that the club had set a new record for Season Ticket sales, having sold over 440, offering some proof that the move away from the EIHL has been a success both on and off the ice.
On 30 October 2011, the club suffered a 3-0 defeat at home to the Basingstoke Bison
, which ended a club record run of 212 consecutive games in which the Phoenix had scored at least 1 goal.
, the amateur level below the EPL. The creation of this semi-professional team was seen as the final step in a completely integrated youth development program. The team originally iced in the 'North 2' division of the ENL, but were promoted after a playoff win over the Blackburn Hawks
. They initially bore the Phoenix
name and play at the Altrincham Ice Dome, as does the senior team.
The team is currently coached by Paul 'Nipper' Bayliss. From August 2009, the team was re-named to become the Trafford Metros, honouring the history of the team who skated on the Devonshire Road ice rink in Altrincham. Despite the name change, the Metros will continue to be the ENL affiliate of the Manchester Phoenix.
The Manchester Phoenix was without any form of official or unofficial supporters group until midway through the 2009-2010 season, when the official Manchester Phoenix Supporters Club (MPSC) was launched. Currently, the supporters club is actively engaged in the raising of funds for the team, and has run a number of events designed to do as such. The Supporters Club also helped to pay the wages of one of the players during the 2009-2010 season, and is doing the same during the 2010-2011 season. The Supporters Club is run by an elected board of volunteers, taken from the membership.
did. During the teams first season the average attendance for all home league fixtures was given as 2,267, in a 17,245 seat arena (although only approx 4,500 seats were made available for public use during games). When the move to Altrincham was completed, the attendance averaged 800, climbing to 1,027 in the 09-10 season. This makes the club the third best attended club in the EPIHL, behind the Guildford Flames, and the ninth overall in Great Britain
.
: 264 regular season appearances. (2006–present)
Points (Overall): Tony Hand
: 464 during the regular season (2006–present)
Points (Season): Tony Hand
: 133 during regular season (2010–2011)
Goals (Season): Marcus Kristoffersson: 62 regular season (2010–2011 season)
PIMS: Brett Clouthier 442PIMS
Attendance Single Game (MEN Arena): 3,600 (estimate), Vs. London Racers, 14 September 2003
Attendance Single Game (Altrincham): 2,100 (estimate), Vs. Sheffield Steelers, 30 March 2008
Games between shut-outs: 212, between 15 March 2008 (2-0 loss to Cardiff Devils
) to 30 October 2011 (3-0 loss to Basingstoke Bison
). (details taken from clubs official results database)
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2010-2011
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team from Altrincham
Altrincham
Altrincham is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat ground south of the River Mersey about southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Sale and east of Warrington...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The club was formed in 2003 as a result of the efforts of supporters group Friends of Manchester Ice Hockey to bring top-level ice hockey back to Manchester after Manchester Storm
Manchester Storm
The Manchester Storm were an ice hockey team from Manchester, England. The team formed in 1995, playing their home games at the then newly built Nynex Arena . Storm won the British Hockey League Division One in their first season, watched by an average crowd of 6,342...
folded in 2002.
Phoenix were founder members of the Elite Ice Hockey League
Elite Ice Hockey League
Several competitions fall under the jurisdiction of the Elite League. In 2006–07, the EIHL ran a total of four competitions: the league, playoffs, Challenge Cup and Knockout Cup. The league consists of a single division, each team playing three home games and three away games against the other...
upon its formation in 2003, playing in the 17,500 capacity MEN Arena. The cost of using such a large facility proved financially untenable, and Phoenix suspended playing operations in 2004 pending the construction of a smaller purpose built ice facility. Construction of the Altrincham Ice Dome
Altrincham Ice Dome
Altrincham Ice Dome is an ice rink in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. It has 2,000 seats according to the rink website, and up to 500 standing places. despite this, the building has a capacity capped at 2,000 for ice hockey as standing around the plexi glass is not allowed in the...
commenced in 2006, and the club returned to the Elite League for the 2006/07 season. After three seasons in the EIHL, the club joined the English Premier Ice Hockey League
English Premier Ice Hockey League
The English Premier Ice Hockey League commonly abbreviated to EPIHL, or simply EPL, is a senior ice hockey league in England, and is run and administered by the English Ice Hockey Association...
on 30 April 2009.
Despite this, the club were ranked at 200 in the IIHF 'top 250' club rankings at the end of the 2008/2009 season, being the only current EPIHL club listed. As of the 2009/2010 rankings, they are no longer ranked.
Origins
In 2002, the Manchester StormManchester Storm
The Manchester Storm were an ice hockey team from Manchester, England. The team formed in 1995, playing their home games at the then newly built Nynex Arena . Storm won the British Hockey League Division One in their first season, watched by an average crowd of 6,342...
, once the best-supported Ice Hockey club in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, ran into serious financial trouble and was folded. Initially fans protested against SMG, the company who owned the Manchester Evening News Arena as it was perceived that troubles had arisen due to SMG's disinterest in continuing to house the Storm at the Manchester Evening News Arena. This soon turned into a rally in support of the team and a supporters group known as 'The Friends of Manchester Storm' was established after Gary Cowan, the owner of the Storm officially announced he was finalising the organisation's operations due to unsustainable debts. Once it became clear that the Storm were not to return, FOMS changed their name, becoming the 'Friends Of Manchester Ice Hockey', or 'FOMIH'.
This group had two established aims, namely to bring top level professional ice hockey back to Manchester and to ensure the creation of a new ice rink facility in the region. In 2003, a club was formed and with fans choosing to symbolically title the team the 'Manchester Phoenix', rising from the ashes of the Storm.
Initial playing operations
Rick Brebant
Richard Joseph "Rick" Brebant is a retired ice hockey player who played mainly in Great Britain. He is a member of the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.-Club:...
, and later Paul Heavey, the team finished sixth out of eight in the league, the final qualifying place for the playoffs. Phoenix finished second in their Playoff group ahead of the Belfast Giants
Belfast Giants
The Belfast Giants are an ice hockey team from Belfast, Northern Ireland that compete in the Elite Ice Hockey League. Home games are played at the 7,100-capacity Odyssey Arena in Belfast....
, qualifying for the semi-final, where they were beaten 6-1 by the Nottingham Panthers
Nottingham Panthers
The Nottingham Panthers are a British professional ice hockey club based in Nottingham, England. They are members of the Elite Ice Hockey League...
.
Despite an impressive beginning, with 3,600 turning out for the first home game against the London Racers
London Racers
The London Racers was a British ice hockey club based in London, England formerly members of the Elite Ice Hockey League. Although founded in 2003, it claimed to be a successor of the Harringay Racers club established in 1936. Due to a lack of suitable ice facility the club suspended its team...
, crowds would not be consistent and it soon became apparent that ice hockey at the busiest indoor venue in Europe would no longer be viable with the season's average attendance being just 2,150 per game, falling far short of the rumoured number of 3,000 needed to cover costs. As a result, the Phoenix temporarily suspended playing operations at the end of the 2003-04 season.
In May 2004 the Phoenix announced that they had the funding to construct a new temporary ice rink but problems arose as to exactly where to locate the facility. As a result, the deadline for inclusion in the EIHL passed, and the Phoenix withdrew from the 2004-05 season. The club had still not managed to build a new venue by the following year, and announced that the Phoenix would not be part of the 2005-06 season either. In November 2005, the club announced details of a new rink to be built in partnership with Nikal, David McLean and Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council. The new rink would seat 2,026, with 24 wheelchair spaces, and standing for approx 4-500. Planning permission for the rink was finally granted in early January 2006 and construction began on 30 March, with the rink to be sited in Altrincham.
With progress being made, the Phoenix confirmed their inclusion in the EIHL once again, for the 2006/07 season with the Ice Dome scheduled to host its first game on 24 September 2006. The Phoenix also announced the appointment of Tony Hand
Tony Hand
Tony Hand MBE is a Scottish ice hockey player who became the first British-raised player to be drafted by an NHL team when he was picked by the Edmonton Oilers in 1986. He is currently player-coach of the Manchester Phoenix...
as player/head coach. This was regarded as a huge step forward for the organisation, as Hand is regarded by many as the greatest British ice hockey player of all time. Unfortunately for Hand and the team, unexpected delays followed and so in the interim Phoenix home games were held at either IceSheffield
IceSheffield
IceSheffield is an ice arena in the Lower Don Valley, Sheffield, England. It was completed in May 2003 at a cost of £15 million. It consists of two Olympic-size ice rinks with seating for 1,500 people...
or Deeside Leisure Centre
Deeside Leisure Centre
Deeside Leisure Centre is a sports centre in Queensferry, Flintshire, in Wales. Its facilities include Deeside Ice Rink, an Olympic-sized inline hockey rink, badminton courts and squash courts....
. After further construction and two further missed completion dates, the rink eventually opened with a reduced capacity of 1,000 on 25 February 2007, with Phoenix playing host to the Basingstoke Bison
Basingstoke Bison
The Basingstoke Bison are an English Ice Hockey club from Basingstoke. They currently compete in the English Premier Ice Hockey League and have previously been members of the Ice Hockey Superleague and its successor the Elite Ice Hockey League- History :...
. It was the first time professional hockey had been played in Manchester for almost three years. The remaining 700 seats were installed over the following months, with the Dome completely ready for the beginning of the 2007/08 season.
For further information, please see 2006-07 Manchester Phoenix season
2006-07 Manchester Phoenix season
-Season standings:-September:Record for month: 1–4–1 .-October:Record for month: 3–0–2 .-November:Record for month: 3–4–1 .-December:...
.
2007/08 season
During May 2007 the squad was rebuilt, with club captain Scott BasiukScott Basiuk
Scott Basiuk is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, who is currently a Free Agent. He most recently played for the Sheffield Steelers in the EIHL.-Playing career:...
and forwards Matt Rich
Matthew Rich
Matthew Rich is a Scottish professional ice hockey player, currently plays for Paisley Pirates in the Scottish National League. In 2005 he began his professional career, playing for the Edinburgh Capitals...
, K. C. Timmons
K. C. Timmons
K.C. Timmons is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Federal Hockey League club the Brooklyn Aviators.-Playing career:...
, Adam Walker
Adam Walker
Adam L. Walker is an English classical flautist.Adam was born in Retford, Nottinghamshire. By the age of nine, he had taught himself to play the flute and piano...
, Brett Clouthier
Brett Clouthier
Brett Clouthier is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, signed to the Allen Americans of the Central Hockey League....
and defenceman Simon Mangos
Simon Mangos
Simon Mangos is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs...
all re-signing to Tony Hand's team as well as the additions of Rhys McWilliams
Rhys McWilliams
Rhys McWilliams is an English professional ice hockey player, currently playing with the Coventry Blaze organisation at ENIHL level. In the year 2000 he began his professional career, making his debut for the Solihull Barons as a young forward having also featured for their U-19 team, the...
from the Solihull Barons, Jeff MacMillan
Jeff MacMillan
Jeff MacMillan is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Bloomington Prairie Thunder of the UHL. MacMillan began his career in 1996, icing for the junior team the Oshawa Generals in the OHL. MacMillan stayed with the Generals for three years, making almost 170...
from the ECHL's Phoenix RoadRunners
Phoenix RoadRunners
The Phoenix RoadRunners were a minor league ice hockey team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They played in the ECHL, beginning in the 2005–2006 season and ceasing operations at the end of the 2008-2009 season...
and clinching the signing of former NHL player Scott Fankhouser
Scott Fankhouser
Scott Fankhouser was an American ice hockey goaltender, he is currently the Assistant Coach for the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL.- Career :...
as first choice goaltender.
The season started well for the Phoenix, with Fankhouser winning EIHL player of the week early in the season. This did not last though, and results began to slide. Hand reacted to this by releasing K. C. Timmons
K. C. Timmons
K.C. Timmons is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Federal Hockey League club the Brooklyn Aviators.-Playing career:...
and signing former Fresno Falcons
Fresno Falcons
The Fresno Falcons are a defunct minor league hockey team. They were once members of the ECHL . They were located in Fresno, California.-Early history:...
forward Luke Stauffacher
Luke Stauffacher
Luke Stauffacher is an American professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Odessa Jackalopes of the Central Hockey League.-Playing career:...
in his place in order to try and create more goal scoring opportunities. Timmons would sign for the Coventry Blaze, and would answer his critics by scoring a hat-trick against the Phoenix at the Ice Dome in December 2007.
Form continued to be hard to find for the Phoenix though. Despite scoring significant numbers of goals, the Phoenix defence proved to be anything but watertight and high scoring games became a regular occurrence. Manchester closed the regular season on 23 April with a 6-2 away loss to the Hull Stingrays
Hull Stingrays
Hull Stingrays are a British ice hockey club from Kingston upon Hull. They were formed in 2003 and play their home games at Hull Arena.The Stingrays replaced previous clubs Hull Thunder 1999–2002, Kingston Hawks 1996–1998, Humberside Hawks 1993–1995, and Humberside Seahawks 1988–1992...
, finishing 7th in the EIHL. This was perceived by many fans to be somewhat of an underachievement by the organisation.
The Phoenix's seventh placed finish ensured a post-season matchup with their fiercest rivals, the Sheffield Steelers
Sheffield Steelers
The Sheffield Steelers are a British ice hockey club, from Sheffield, England. They were formed in 1991 and play their home games at the Sheffield Arena. They are currently members of the Elite Ice Hockey League...
. Again two high scoring games would follow; the Phoenix lost 5-4 in Sheffield, ensuring a tense return leg at the Ice Dome. Despite scoring four goals, the Phoenix defence again proved to be a problem, with the game ending 4-4 in front of a sell out crowd of 2150. The draw meant that the Phoenix exited the playoffs in the first round for the second year in a row.
2008/09 season
For Game-By-Game Log see 2008-09 Manchester Phoenix Season2008-09 Manchester Phoenix Season
-Season standings:-September:Record for month: 6–1–1 .-October:Record for month: 6–2–0 .-November:Record for month: 4–5–0 .-December:...
During the close-season, the Phoenix again re-built their squad. Tony Hand was again appointed head coach and moved to strengthen the British contingent of the squad, re-signing Carl Graham
Carl Graham
Carl Graham is an English professional Ice Hockey player, currently playing for the Bracknell Bees in the EPIHL. Graham began his career with his local team in Slough in the year 2000...
and Adam Walker
Adam Walker (ice hockey)
Adam Walker is a Scottish professional ice hockey player. He is currently playing for the Braehead Clan in the British Elite Ice Hockey League....
, fully promoting Phil Hamer
Phil Hamer
Phil Hamer is an English semi-professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Manchester Phoenix in the ENL...
from the U-18 squad and on 16 May, announced the signing of Team G.B. defenceman Luke Boothroyd
Luke Boothroyd
Luke Boothroyd is an English professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Manchester Phoenix in the EPL.-Career:...
. Soon after, the Phoenix re-signed a familiar face in Dwight Parrish
Dwight Parrish
Dwight Parrish is a retired American professional ice hockey player.- North American career :Parrish began his career playing at NCAA level for Ferris State University in his home state of Michigan...
, who had iced for both the Manchester Storm and the Phoenix in their debut season. Alex Dunn
Alex Dunn
Alex Dunn is an American professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Odessa Jackalopes of the CHL after his release at the end of the 2008/09 season by the Manchester Phoenix of the EIHL....
and Josh Garbutt
Josh Garbutt
Josh Garbutt is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently without a club after being released by the Manchester Phoenix of the EIHL due to financial problems...
were the final two defencemen signed by Hand.
Hand also signed several more non-British players to the Phoenix roster, re-signing fans favourite Brett Clouthier
Brett Clouthier
Brett Clouthier is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, signed to the Allen Americans of the Central Hockey League....
, and offering Canadian duo Grant Jacobsen
Grant Jacobsen
Grant Jacobsen is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Texas Brahmas in the CHL. Jacobsen began his career at junior level icing for the Regina Pats, playing at Western Hockey League level...
and David-Alexandre Beauregard
David-Alexandre Beauregard
David-Alexandre Beauregard is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League. Beauregard has had a remarkable 14-year professional career in the minor leagues.-Early years:From a very young age Beauregard had been a scorer...
their first taste of European hockey, as well as signing Odessa Jackalopes
Odessa Jackalopes
The Odessa Jackalopes were a minor professional ice hockey team based in Odessa, Texas. The team played in the Central Hockey League , and was an affiliate of the New York Islanders...
pair Kenton Smith
Kenton Smith
Kenton Smith is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, now playing for HC Valpellice Bulldogs in the Italian Serie A.-Playing career:...
and Nathan Ward
Nathan Ward
Nathan Ward is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for Flint Generals after being released by the Manchester Phoenix.-Career:...
. Smith would also be named club captain. Bruce Mulherin
Bruce Mulherin
Bruce Mulherin is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for Tohoku Free Blades after being released by the Manchester Phoenix due to financial problems. Mulherin began his senior level career icing at NCAA level for the University of Alabama in Huntsville...
, Luke Fulghum
Luke Fulghum
Luke Fulghum is an American professional ice hockey forward, currently playing for the Coventry Blaze of the British Elite Ice Hockey League.-Playing career:...
and the hard-hitting Kyle Bruce
Kyle Bruce
Kyle Bruce is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Braehead Clan of the Elite Ice Hockey League.-Playing Career:...
completed the forward lines for the Phoenix. Manchester brought in first choice Team GB Goaltender Stephen Murphy
Stephen James Murphy
Stephen James Murphy is a professional ice hockey goaltender born in Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom.Murphy began playing ice hockey at the very young age of 5. He made his first professional appearances at the age of 16 with the Paisley Pirates, a team then icing in the BNL...
who had previously played with Tony Hand in Dundee. Phoenix also re-signed Adam Summerfield
Adam Summerfield
Adam Summerfield is an English professional ice hockey goaltender, playing for the Manchester Phoenix of the EPL...
as backup for Murphy. Soon after the season had started however, Grant Jacobsen left Manchester to return to Texas and was replaced by Lucas Burnett
Lucas Burnett
Lucas Burnett is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently without a club after being released by the Manchester Phoenix.-Playing career:...
.
On Sunday 15 February 2009, the Phoenix made club history after beating the Basingstoke Bison
Basingstoke Bison
The Basingstoke Bison are an English Ice Hockey club from Basingstoke. They currently compete in the English Premier Ice Hockey League and have previously been members of the Ice Hockey Superleague and its successor the Elite Ice Hockey League- History :...
6 - 1 (11 - 3 on aggregate) in the semi-final second leg of the challenge cup, booking a place in their first Cup Final and a two-legged tie with the Belfast Giants
Belfast Giants
The Belfast Giants are an ice hockey team from Belfast, Northern Ireland that compete in the Elite Ice Hockey League. Home games are played at the 7,100-capacity Odyssey Arena in Belfast....
in March. There was to be no fairytale ending for the Phoenix, as the Belfast Giants lifted the Challenge Cup. Phoenix were also beaten in the Final of the British Knockout Cup by the same opponents. Manchester would be defeated in two legs by the eventual EIHL Playoff runners up, the Nottingham Panthers
Nottingham Panthers
The Nottingham Panthers are a British professional ice hockey club based in Nottingham, England. They are members of the Elite Ice Hockey League...
.
Despite the two cup final defeats, the 2008/09 season was a positive one for on-ice operations for Manchester, with the team playing an attractive and far more successful style than in previous years. They would finish the season in sixth place but had spent much of the season in a far higher league position. The Phoenix fans also enjoyed the play of David-Alexandre Beauregard
David-Alexandre Beauregard
David-Alexandre Beauregard is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League. Beauregard has had a remarkable 14-year professional career in the minor leagues.-Early years:From a very young age Beauregard had been a scorer...
, who won several awards for 'EIHL Player of the Season' and, as a result of his play is regarded by many Phoenix fans as the greatest player to wear the shirt. Problems arose off-ice though, and the club again struggled to balance the books. As a result, at the end of the season, the club declared its intention to move into the English Premier Ice Hockey League
English Premier Ice Hockey League
The English Premier Ice Hockey League commonly abbreviated to EPIHL, or simply EPL, is a senior ice hockey league in England, and is run and administered by the English Ice Hockey Association...
.
2009/10 season
Squad re-structuring for the 2009/10 season, the Phoenix' first outside of the EIHL, began immediately with the announcement by the organisation that not only would Tony Hand continue to play, but that he had signed a three year deal as Phoenix Head Coach. Adam WalkerAdam Walker
Adam L. Walker is an English classical flautist.Adam was born in Retford, Nottinghamshire. By the age of nine, he had taught himself to play the flute and piano...
, Luke Boothroyd
Luke Boothroyd
Luke Boothroyd is an English professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Manchester Phoenix in the EPL.-Career:...
, Carl Graham
Carl Graham
Carl Graham is an English professional Ice Hockey player, currently playing for the Bracknell Bees in the EPIHL. Graham began his career with his local team in Slough in the year 2000...
and Adam Summerfield
Adam Summerfield
Adam Summerfield is an English professional ice hockey goaltender, playing for the Manchester Phoenix of the EPL...
were also confirmed as having been re-signed from the 2008/09 roster. They would be joined in a Phoenix shirt by returning goaltender Steve Fone
Steve Fone
Stephen Fone is an English ice hockey goaltender, currently playing for the Manchester Phoenix in the EPL.- Career :Fone began his career in Sheffield, only a short distance from his Rotherham home...
as well as exciting British defenceman Joe Graham, young Scottish forward Iain Bowie and Phoenix ENIHL regular Ben Wood.
Soon after Tony Hand would announce an exciting double coup with the addition of experienced EIHL and Calder Cup winner Andre Payette
Andre Payette
Andre Payette is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who plays for the Sheffield Steeldogs of the English Premier Ice Hockey League ....
as well as the confirmation of Ed Courtenay
Ed Courtenay
Edward Emmett Courtenay is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger and head coach.-Professional career:...
in a player/assistant coach role.
Ed Courtenay (Retired) And Carl Graham (To Bracknell Bees) have since left the Manchester Phoenix. However, 3 additions to the squad have been made in the form of Ryan Johnson, Stephen Wallace & Max Drakeley.
The team finished the season in 3rd place, and qualified for the EPL post season play-offs. They defeated the Peterborough Phantons 6-5 on aggregate in the quarter finals to progress to the finals weekend in Coventry, where they were defeated in their semi final by the Slough Jets.
2010/11 season
The off season saw a major squad restructuring by player/coach Tony Hand, with a significant number of new signings, such as Pavel Gomeniuk, Ben Morgan, and highly rated youngster Rob Farmer. Farmer however was later released from his contract after being drafted onto the roster of the Ottawa 67s in the Canadian Hockey League. The club also announced the return of a few popular players such as Steve Fone, and Luke Boothroyd.However, this was tempered by the fact that longstanding club GM Andy Costigan was stepping aside from his role, which he had filled since the clubs inception, due to pressures in his personal life
Shortly after the start of the season, the team announced that one of the new signings from the summer, Dean Holland, was being released from his contract at his own request, and that they would begin to search for a replacement player with immediate effect. This search took until mid November, when they announced the signing of controversial former Sheffield Steelers
Sheffield Steelers
The Sheffield Steelers are a British ice hockey club, from Sheffield, England. They were formed in 1991 and play their home games at the Sheffield Arena. They are currently members of the Elite Ice Hockey League...
and Edinburgh Capitals
Edinburgh Capitals
The Edinburgh Capitals are a Scottish ice hockey club, playing in the UK-wide Elite Ice Hockey League.They are based in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh...
enforcer Andrew Sharp.
On 27 March 2011, Manchester Phoenix played Swindon Wildcats
Swindon Wildcats
The Swindon Wildcats are a professional ice hockey team based in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. They are member of the English Premier Ice Hockey League . Since their inception, the Wildcats have played their home games at the 2800 capacity Link Centre. The club was founded in 1986, as the Swindon...
at home on the last day of the season. Going into the game, Manchester Phoenix needed a single point to secure the league title. They beat Swindon 5-2 picking up two points and therefore were crowned league champions, earning the club's first major trophy.
2011-2012 season
The club began its work on building a squad to defend EPIHL title it claimed in the 2010-2011 season on 27 March, when it announced that player/coach Tony HandTony Hand
Tony Hand MBE is a Scottish ice hockey player who became the first British-raised player to be drafted by an NHL team when he was picked by the Edmonton Oilers in 1986. He is currently player-coach of the Manchester Phoenix...
had extended his contract by a further 3 seasons in addition to the one left on his current contract. This extension would keep him at the club until 2015
On 10 May 2011, the club announced 2 signings for the forthcoming season. Tom Duggan was announced as a returning player from the 2010-11 squad, and Slava Koulikov was announced as having been signed from the Slough Jets
Slough Jets
Slough Jets are an ice hockey team from Slough, Berkshire, England. They are the current English Premier Ice Hockey League Cup champions for the 2010–11 season. The team was founded in 1986 after the construction of the Slough Ice Arena in Montem Lane in Slough. With the help of Gary Stefan who...
.
The squad building continued on 24 May when the club announced that Luke Boothroyd and Ladislav Harabin would be returning for the 2011-2012 season.
During the off season, it was announced that the club had set a new record for Season Ticket sales, having sold over 440, offering some proof that the move away from the EIHL has been a success both on and off the ice.
On 30 October 2011, the club suffered a 3-0 defeat at home to the Basingstoke Bison
Basingstoke Bison
The Basingstoke Bison are an English Ice Hockey club from Basingstoke. They currently compete in the English Premier Ice Hockey League and have previously been members of the Ice Hockey Superleague and its successor the Elite Ice Hockey League- History :...
, which ended a club record run of 212 consecutive games in which the Phoenix had scored at least 1 goal.
ENL affiliate
In the summer of 2007, the Manchester Phoenix organisation announced the creation of a team to ice in the English National Ice Hockey LeagueEnglish National Ice Hockey League
The English National Ice Hockey League is an amateur ice hockey league below the English Premier Ice Hockey League which is administered by the English Ice Hockey Association. It is split into two conferences, north and south...
, the amateur level below the EPL. The creation of this semi-professional team was seen as the final step in a completely integrated youth development program. The team originally iced in the 'North 2' division of the ENL, but were promoted after a playoff win over the Blackburn Hawks
Blackburn Hawks
The Blackburn Hawks , are a British ice hockey team based in Blackburn, Lancashire. They are currently members of the ENIHL, and have previously played in the British National League and the English League Premier Division...
. They initially bore the Phoenix
Manchester Phoenix (ENL)
The Trafford Metros are an ice hockey team playing in the English National Ice Hockey League North, Division 1. The team falls under the auspices of the Manchester Phoenix Junior Ice Hockey Club, and it is hoped they will provide a bridge between the junior teams and the senior EPL Phoenix...
name and play at the Altrincham Ice Dome, as does the senior team.
The team is currently coached by Paul 'Nipper' Bayliss. From August 2009, the team was re-named to become the Trafford Metros, honouring the history of the team who skated on the Devonshire Road ice rink in Altrincham. Despite the name change, the Metros will continue to be the ENL affiliate of the Manchester Phoenix.
Supporters club
For the first season of the Manchester Phoenixs' existence, the role of a 'Supporters' or 'Booster' club was fulfilled by the Friends of Manchester Ice Hockey (FOMIH) group. This was a multi-tiered entity, with different levels of membership giving different benefits. FOMIH continued to exist during the clubs non-playing seasons, but was not continued once the team resumed its on ice activities.The Manchester Phoenix was without any form of official or unofficial supporters group until midway through the 2009-2010 season, when the official Manchester Phoenix Supporters Club (MPSC) was launched. Currently, the supporters club is actively engaged in the raising of funds for the team, and has run a number of events designed to do as such. The Supporters Club also helped to pay the wages of one of the players during the 2009-2010 season, and is doing the same during the 2010-2011 season. The Supporters Club is run by an elected board of volunteers, taken from the membership.
Community work
The Manchester Phoenix also announced that during the 2010-2011 season, they would be launching their latest venture, which was to be the Manchester Phoenix Community Sports Foundation,. This is the official charity of the Manchester Phoenix. The intentions of the foundation are to deliver a positive message to deprived children in the north west of England, and to promote a healthier lifestyle and access to sports.Attendance
The club has attracted a significantly lower set of attendance figures than the Manchester StormManchester Storm
The Manchester Storm were an ice hockey team from Manchester, England. The team formed in 1995, playing their home games at the then newly built Nynex Arena . Storm won the British Hockey League Division One in their first season, watched by an average crowd of 6,342...
did. During the teams first season the average attendance for all home league fixtures was given as 2,267, in a 17,245 seat arena (although only approx 4,500 seats were made available for public use during games). When the move to Altrincham was completed, the attendance averaged 800, climbing to 1,027 in the 09-10 season. This makes the club the third best attended club in the EPIHL, behind the Guildford Flames, and the ninth overall in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
EPIHL roster 2010/2011
| Goaltenders | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | |Player | Catches | Acquired | Place of Birth | |
| 30 | Adam Summerfield Adam Summerfield Adam Summerfield is an English professional ice hockey goaltender, playing for the Manchester Phoenix of the EPL... |
L | 2007 | Whitehaven Whitehaven Whitehaven is a small town and port on the coast of Cumbria, England, which lies equidistant between the county's two largest settlements, Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, and is served by the Cumbrian Coast Line and the A595 road... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
|
| 31 | Steve Fone Steve Fone Stephen Fone is an English ice hockey goaltender, currently playing for the Manchester Phoenix in the EPL.- Career :Fone began his career in Sheffield, only a short distance from his Rotherham home... |
L | 2009 | Sheffield Sheffield Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
| Defencemen | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | |Player | Shoots | Acquired | Place of Birth | |
| 4 | Luke Boothroyd Luke Boothroyd Luke Boothroyd is an English professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Manchester Phoenix in the EPL.-Career:... |
R | 2008 | Huddersfield Huddersfield Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city.... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
|
| 6 | Ben Morgan | R | 2010 | Sheffield Sheffield Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
|
| 13 | Max Drakeley | R | 2009 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
|
| 15 | Ben Wood | R | 2009 | Manchester Manchester Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
|
| 40 |  |
Pavel Gomenyuk | L | 2010 | Kiev Kiev Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press.... , Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... |
| 44 |  |
Ladislav Harabin | L | 2010 | Poprad Poprad Poprad is a city in northern Slovakia at the foot of the High Tatra Mountains famous for its picturesque historic centre and as a holiday resort. It is the biggest town of the Spiš region and the tenth largest city in Slovakia with a population of approximately 55,000.The Poprad-Tatry Airport is... , Slovakia Slovakia The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south... |
| Forwards | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | |Player | Shoots | Position | Acquired | Place of Birth | |
| 2 | James Archer | R | F | 2010 | Sheffield Sheffield Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
|
| 8 | Greg Wood | R | C | 2009 | Sheffield Sheffield Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
|
| 9 | Tony Hand Tony Hand Tony Hand MBE is a Scottish ice hockey player who became the first British-raised player to be drafted by an NHL team when he was picked by the Edmonton Oilers in 1986. He is currently player-coach of the Manchester Phoenix... |
R | C | 2006 | Edinburgh Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area... , Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... |
|
| 12 | James Neil | R | C | 2009 | Nottingham Nottingham Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
|
| 14 | Stephen Wallace | L | LW | 2010 | Billingham Billingham Billingham is a town in the unitary authority of Stockton on Tees, in north east England, with a population of 35,765 . It was founded circa 650 by a group of Saxons known as Billa's people, which is where the name Billingham is thought to have originated... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
|
| 16 | Joe Miller | R | C | 2011 | Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... , Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... |
|
| 19 | Tom Duggan | R | F | 2010 | Reading Reading, Berkshire Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London.... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
|
| 28 |  |
Marcus Kristoffersson | L | RW | 2010 | Östersund Östersund Östersund is an urban area in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden. It is the seat of Östersund Municipality and the capital of Jämtland County. Östersund is located at the shores of Sweden's fifth largest lake, Storsjön, opposite the island Frösön, and is the only city in Jämtland. Östersund is the... , Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
| 39 |  |
Curtis Huppe Curtis Huppe Curtis Huppe is a Canadian ice hockey forward currently playing for the Guildford Flames in the English Premier Ice Hockey League.- Career :... |
R | RW | 2010 | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
| 64 | Andrew Sharp | R | F | 2010 | Langley, British Columbia Langley, British Columbia (city) The City of Langley is a municipality in Metro Vancouver. It lies directly east of the City of Surrey, adjacent to Cloverdale, and surrounded on the north, east and south by Township of Langley.-History:... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
| Staff | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | |Staff Member | Position | Acquired | Place of Birth | |
| 9 | Tony Hand Tony Hand Tony Hand MBE is a Scottish ice hockey player who became the first British-raised player to be drafted by an NHL team when he was picked by the Edmonton Oilers in 1986. He is currently player-coach of the Manchester Phoenix... |
Player/Head Coach | 2006 | Edinburgh Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area... , Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... |
|
| -- | Paul Bayliss | Assistant Coach | 2008 | England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
|
| -- | Paul Turner | Equipment Manager | 2005 | Sheffield Sheffield Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
Non-returning players
Players confirmed as not returning to the club from the 2009/10 season;| Non-Returning Players | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | |Player | Acquired | Released | Released To | |
| 5 | Adam Walker Adam Walker Adam L. Walker is an English classical flautist.Adam was born in Retford, Nottinghamshire. By the age of nine, he had taught himself to play the flute and piano... |
2006 | 2010 | Braehead Clan Braehead Clan Braehead Clan are a Scottish professional ice hockey team. They were formed in 2010 as the UK Elite Ice Hockey League expanded into the Glasgow and West of Scotland market, and are based at the 4,000 capacity Braehead Arena in Renfrewshire, around two miles outside the Glasgow City limits... |
|
| 7 | Robert Lachowitcz | 2009 | 2010 | Nottingham Panthers Nottingham Panthers The Nottingham Panthers are a British professional ice hockey club based in Nottingham, England. They are members of the Elite Ice Hockey League... |
|
| 10 | |
Ed Courtenay Ed Courtenay Edward Emmett Courtenay is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger and head coach.-Professional career:... |
2009 | 2010 | Retired |
Club records
Appearances: Tony HandTony Hand
Tony Hand MBE is a Scottish ice hockey player who became the first British-raised player to be drafted by an NHL team when he was picked by the Edmonton Oilers in 1986. He is currently player-coach of the Manchester Phoenix...
: 264 regular season appearances. (2006–present)
Points (Overall): Tony Hand
Tony Hand
Tony Hand MBE is a Scottish ice hockey player who became the first British-raised player to be drafted by an NHL team when he was picked by the Edmonton Oilers in 1986. He is currently player-coach of the Manchester Phoenix...
: 464 during the regular season (2006–present)
Points (Season): Tony Hand
Tony Hand
Tony Hand MBE is a Scottish ice hockey player who became the first British-raised player to be drafted by an NHL team when he was picked by the Edmonton Oilers in 1986. He is currently player-coach of the Manchester Phoenix...
: 133 during regular season (2010–2011)
Goals (Season): Marcus Kristoffersson: 62 regular season (2010–2011 season)
PIMS: Brett Clouthier 442PIMS
Attendance Single Game (MEN Arena): 3,600 (estimate), Vs. London Racers, 14 September 2003
Attendance Single Game (Altrincham): 2,100 (estimate), Vs. Sheffield Steelers, 30 March 2008
Games between shut-outs: 212, between 15 March 2008 (2-0 loss to Cardiff Devils
Cardiff Devils
The Cardiff Devils are a Welsh ice hockey team who play in the British Elite Ice Hockey League. The team currently plays in the temporary Cardiff Arena...
) to 30 October 2011 (3-0 loss to Basingstoke Bison
Basingstoke Bison
The Basingstoke Bison are an English Ice Hockey club from Basingstoke. They currently compete in the English Premier Ice Hockey League and have previously been members of the Ice Hockey Superleague and its successor the Elite Ice Hockey League- History :...
). (details taken from clubs official results database)
Honours and awards
2003/04- Jayme Platt - EIHL Second Team All Star
2006/07
- Johan Molin - EIHL Second Team All Star
2007/08
- Joe Tallari - EIHL First Team All Star
- 'Man of Ice' Awards - 'Hard As Ice' - Brett ClouthierBrett ClouthierBrett Clouthier is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, signed to the Allen Americans of the Central Hockey League....
- 'Man of Ice' Awards - 'Best Newcomer' - Joe TallariJoe TallariJoe Tallari is a Canadian professional ice hockey player.- Playing career :In 2001 Tallari began his career playing for Niagara University where he was team's senior captain. Tallari moved to the Hartford Wolf Pack, the farm team for the New York Rangers...
2008/09
- Runner Up 2008/09 Knockout Cup
- Runner Up 2008/09 Challenge Cup
- Elite League Player of the Year - David-Alexandre BeauregardDavid-Alexandre BeauregardDavid-Alexandre Beauregard is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League. Beauregard has had a remarkable 14-year professional career in the minor leagues.-Early years:From a very young age Beauregard had been a scorer...
- Best British Netminder - Stephen MurphyStephen James MurphyStephen James Murphy is a professional ice hockey goaltender born in Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom.Murphy began playing ice hockey at the very young age of 5. He made his first professional appearances at the age of 16 with the Paisley Pirates, a team then icing in the BNL...
- Best British Forward - Tony HandTony HandTony Hand MBE is a Scottish ice hockey player who became the first British-raised player to be drafted by an NHL team when he was picked by the Edmonton Oilers in 1986. He is currently player-coach of the Manchester Phoenix...
- David-Alexandre Beauregard - EIHL First Team All Star
- Tony Hand - EIHL Second Team All Star
- 'Man of Ice' Awards - 'Fans Favourite' - David-Alexandre BeauregardDavid-Alexandre BeauregardDavid-Alexandre Beauregard is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League. Beauregard has had a remarkable 14-year professional career in the minor leagues.-Early years:From a very young age Beauregard had been a scorer...
- 'Man of Ice' Awards - 'Forward of the Year' - David-Alexandre BeauregardDavid-Alexandre BeauregardDavid-Alexandre Beauregard is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League. Beauregard has had a remarkable 14-year professional career in the minor leagues.-Early years:From a very young age Beauregard had been a scorer...
- 'Man of Ice' Awards - 'Hard As Ice' - Brett ClouthierBrett ClouthierBrett Clouthier is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, signed to the Allen Americans of the Central Hockey League....
- 'Man of Ice' Awards - 'Best Newcomer' - David-Alexandre BeauregardDavid-Alexandre BeauregardDavid-Alexandre Beauregard is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League. Beauregard has had a remarkable 14-year professional career in the minor leagues.-Early years:From a very young age Beauregard had been a scorer...
- 'Man of Ice' Awards - 'Player of the Year' - David-Alexandre BeauregardDavid-Alexandre BeauregardDavid-Alexandre Beauregard is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League. Beauregard has had a remarkable 14-year professional career in the minor leagues.-Early years:From a very young age Beauregard had been a scorer...
- 'Man of Ice' Awards - 'Outstanding Achievement' - Tony HandTony HandTony Hand MBE is a Scottish ice hockey player who became the first British-raised player to be drafted by an NHL team when he was picked by the Edmonton Oilers in 1986. He is currently player-coach of the Manchester Phoenix...
- 'Man of Ice' Awards - '4000 Points Total' - Tony HandTony HandTony Hand MBE is a Scottish ice hockey player who became the first British-raised player to be drafted by an NHL team when he was picked by the Edmonton Oilers in 1986. He is currently player-coach of the Manchester Phoenix...
2010-2011
- English Premier League Champions
- 'EPIHL All Star 1st Team'- Steve Fone, Ladislav Harabin, Marcus Kristoffersson, Tony HandTony HandTony Hand MBE is a Scottish ice hockey player who became the first British-raised player to be drafted by an NHL team when he was picked by the Edmonton Oilers in 1986. He is currently player-coach of the Manchester Phoenix...
- 'EPIHL All Star 2nd Team'- Pavel Gomenyuk, Curtis HuppeCurtis HuppeCurtis Huppe is a Canadian ice hockey forward currently playing for the Guildford Flames in the English Premier Ice Hockey League.- Career :...
- 'EPIHL Player of the Year'- Tony HandTony HandTony Hand MBE is a Scottish ice hockey player who became the first British-raised player to be drafted by an NHL team when he was picked by the Edmonton Oilers in 1986. He is currently player-coach of the Manchester Phoenix...
- 'EPIHL Coach of the Year'- Tony HandTony HandTony Hand MBE is a Scottish ice hockey player who became the first British-raised player to be drafted by an NHL team when he was picked by the Edmonton Oilers in 1986. He is currently player-coach of the Manchester Phoenix...
Head coaches
Individuals who have been appointed Head Coach of the Manchester Phoenix;- 2003-04 Rick BrebantRick BrebantRichard Joseph "Rick" Brebant is a retired ice hockey player who played mainly in Great Britain. He is a member of the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.-Club:...
- 2004 Paul Heavey
- 2006- Tony HandTony HandTony Hand MBE is a Scottish ice hockey player who became the first British-raised player to be drafted by an NHL team when he was picked by the Edmonton Oilers in 1986. He is currently player-coach of the Manchester Phoenix...
Club captains
Players who have captained the Manchester Phoenix;- 2003-04
- 2006-08
- 2008-09
- 2009-11
Two-team players
Players who have featured for both the Manchester Phoenix and the Manchester Storm in league fixtures;NHL draftees
Players who have played for the Manchester Phoenix who have been selected in NHL entry drafts;| NHL Draftees | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | |Player | Draft Position | Draft Year | Draft Team | |
| F | Tony Hand Tony Hand Tony Hand MBE is a Scottish ice hockey player who became the first British-raised player to be drafted by an NHL team when he was picked by the Edmonton Oilers in 1986. He is currently player-coach of the Manchester Phoenix... |
252nd | 1986 1986 NHL Entry Draft The 1986 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 21, 1986 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. The National Hockey League teams selected 252 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1985–86 NHL season and playoff standings... |
Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... |
|
| RW | |
Ed Courtenay Ed Courtenay Edward Emmett Courtenay is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger and head coach.-Professional career:... |
5th | 1991 Exp 1991 NHL Dispersal and Expansion Drafts The 1991 NHL Dispersal and Expansion Drafts were held via telephone conference call on May 30, 1991. The dispersal draft took place to fill the roster of the league's only expansion team for the 1991–92 season, the San Jose Sharks, first from the Minnesota North Stars pool of players. An expansion... |
San Jose Sharks San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
| D | |
Jeff Sebastian Jeff Sebastian Jeff Sebastian is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He was drafted in the sixth round, 115th overall, by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft.-Playing career:... |
115th | 1991 1991 NHL Entry Draft The 1991 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 22 at the Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York. A total of 264 players were drafted. The draft was famous for the controversy surrounding star first overall draft pick, touted by some observers to be The Next One, Eric Lindros, who was drafted by the... |
Winnipeg Jets |
| LW | |
Andre Payette Andre Payette Andre Payette is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who plays for the Sheffield Steeldogs of the English Premier Ice Hockey League .... |
244th | 1994 1994 NHL Entry Draft The 1994 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Hartford Civic Center on June 28–29, 1994.-Selections by round:Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:... |
Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
| LW | |
David Beauregard David-Alexandre Beauregard David-Alexandre Beauregard is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League. Beauregard has had a remarkable 14-year professional career in the minor leagues.-Early years:From a very young age Beauregard had been a scorer... |
271st | 1994 1994 NHL Entry Draft The 1994 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Hartford Civic Center on June 28–29, 1994.-Selections by round:Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:... |
San Jose Sharks San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
| G |  |
Scott Fankhouser Scott Fankhouser Scott Fankhouser was an American ice hockey goaltender, he is currently the Assistant Coach for the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL.- Career :... |
276th | 1994 1994 NHL Entry Draft The 1994 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Hartford Civic Center on June 28–29, 1994.-Selections by round:Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:... |
St. Louis Blues |
| D | |
Mike Lankshear Mike Lankshear Mike Lankshear is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Dundas Real McCoys in the MLH... |
66th | 1996 1996 NHL Entry Draft The 1996 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Kiel Center in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 22, 1996.- Selections by round :Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.- Round one :- Round two :... |
Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
| LW | |
K.C. Timmons | 141st | 1998 1998 NHL Entry Draft The 1998 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 27 at the Marine Midland Arena in Buffalo, New York. A total of 258 players were drafted.- Selections by round :Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.- Round one :- Round two :... |
Colorado Avalanche Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise... |
| LW | |
Brett Clouthier Brett Clouthier Brett Clouthier is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, signed to the Allen Americans of the Central Hockey League.... |
50th | 1999 1999 NHL Entry Draft The 1999 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. According to Sports Illustrated and other sports news agencies, at the time the 1999 draft was considered one of the deepest in talent in years, headed by Patrik Stefan and the Sedin twins. However, the... |
New Jersey Devils New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
| D | |
Jeff MacMillan Jeff MacMillan Jeff MacMillan is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Bloomington Prairie Thunder of the UHL. MacMillan began his career in 1996, icing for the junior team the Oshawa Generals in the OHL. MacMillan stayed with the Generals for three years, making almost 170... |
215th | 1999 1999 NHL Entry Draft The 1999 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. According to Sports Illustrated and other sports news agencies, at the time the 1999 draft was considered one of the deepest in talent in years, headed by Patrik Stefan and the Sedin twins. However, the... |
Dallas Stars Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The... |
| C | |
Brian Passmore Brian Passmore Brian Passmore is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who last played for the Oklahoma City Blazers of the CHL. In 1997 he began playing at major junior level for the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL... |
199th | 2000 2000 NHL Entry Draft The 2000 NHL Entry Draft was held from June 24 to 25 at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, following the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft on June 23 for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild... |
Minnesota Wild Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... |
| RW | |
Kyle Bruce Kyle Bruce Kyle Bruce is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Braehead Clan of the Elite Ice Hockey League.-Playing Career:... |
231st | 2001 2001 NHL Entry Draft The 2001 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 23–24, 2001 at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, Florida.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:... |
Florida Panthers Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the... |
| C | |
Grant Jacobsen Grant Jacobsen Grant Jacobsen is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Texas Brahmas in the CHL. Jacobsen began his career at junior level icing for the Regina Pats, playing at Western Hockey League level... |
270th | 2001 2001 NHL Entry Draft The 2001 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 23–24, 2001 at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, Florida.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:... |
St. Louis Blues |
| D | |
Radoslav Hecl Radoslav Hecl Radoslav Hecl is a Slovak ice hockey defenceman. He was drafted in the seventh round, 208th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft... |
208th | 2002 2002 NHL Entry Draft The 2002 NHL Entry Draft was held June 22–23 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. 291 players were drafted in total: 35 from the OHL; 23 from the QMJHL; 43 from the WHL; 41 from the NCAA; 6 from U.S high schools and 110 from outside North America.... |
Buffalo Sabres Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:... |