Solent Devils are delighted to announce that James Hounsome has signed for the 2019/20 season.

Hounsome joined the Devils halfway through last year, from Milton Keynes Lightning.

When discussing Hounsome’s return, Devils head coach, Alex Murray said

“I’ve known James since he was in our junior system, I’m sure he would agree this is his hockey home.  Settling in wasn’t a big challenge for James, he has come back to skate at Solent over the summer in the last few years, so already knows a lot of the other players.”

“It’s a family environment in the locker room,” said Hounsome when asked what kept him with the Devils, “the big brother effect of the older players towards the younger guys and the way we, as a team, have great chemistry, it makes it easier to play with anybody in any line, at any time.”

At twenty, Hounsome isn’t what you would typically call an older player, but he has the calm, assured demeanour of one, which, coupled with his experience makes him a valued asset to the team.

“James is a confident guy and he brings a lot of energy to our room,” says Murray.  “Although he is young, he is always talking to the junior players, which is great.”

Hounsome played seventeen games last season, earning 17 points – 8 goals and 9 assists – while spending just 8 minutes in the penalty box.

“I was very happy with my performance last year,” Hounsome reflected.  “Stepping in to a new team, half way through the year, playing almost 18 less games and still finishing top ten in points was something I was very happy with, and being able to help the team make the playoffs was great.”

Murray comments on Hounsome’s late entry to the Devils season,

“James came in during a difficult period in his career, he was recovering from two separate injuries and had fallen out of love with hockey.  My first priority was to get him back fit and enjoying his hockey again.  Thanks to the wonderful off ice team we have at Solent, he soon recovered from his injuries and was producing on the ice, scoring crucial goals along the way.”

As they start to look ahead to the new season, coach and player alike are looking to how Hounsome can continue to help the Devils.

“Consistency is key, last year I went five games without a goal, but still had eight assists,” said Hounsome, “I feel if I had scored in some of those other games, I could have made more of an impact.”

“This is a big season ahead for James, he has everything you need to be an excellent hockey player, size, speed, strength and an unbelievable shot.  The step up in leagues will be a good test for James, as he will be relied upon more this season – I will expect a bigger points return that last season, this is not unrealistic as I know the potential James has!”

Musing over the league restructure, Hounsome seems unfazed by the Devils playing in NIHL 1.

“I think we can’t sell ourselves short because a number has changed on the league name.  It’s not like we are stepping into a shark tank with this new league, we have to prove our worth by beating some of those teams that are moving up with us.  I think how we do depends on how confident we are individually, we have to believe we are the best to achieve what we want this season.”

Hounsome will be returning in shirt #14 next season.  If you are interested in sponsoring a Devils shirt, or becoming a club sponsor, please contact devilssupporters@outlook.com.

Alex Murray continues into new era with Devils

Today, the Solent Devils are delighted to announce the return of Alex Murray to the team.

Murray, who returned to the Devils in 2013, now heads in to his tenth season with the club and after the improvements made to the team in NIHL 1, Murray saw them to greatness in NIHL 2 following the league restructure in 2017, and now, heading in to the once more restructured league, Murray will be at the helm as head coach, as the Devils return to NIHL 1.

“I’m delighted to return as head coach of the Solent Devils, for what will be my seventh season in charge of the team,” said Murray. “The club is part of my DNA, growing up playing for this wonderful club, it’s been an objective of mine to change the club’s vision, ethos, professionalism and its reputation around the hockey community.  It has taken blood, sweat and tears, but I am really looking to continue to make improvements next season.”

Devils manager, Steve Ferguson said

“It is great to see Alex returning for next season, it’s good to work with him as he knows what it takes to bring out the best in the players and the staff, so the game experience for the supporters is second to none.”

Looking back over the last few years – especially their time in NIHL 2 – is somewhat bittersweet for Murray, the consummate perfectionist is happy with what the club has achieved, especially the growth the Devils have achieved, but there are always minor points where Murray feels he should have done better.

“The last few years have been wonderful for the club,” Murray begins, “the results on the ice have been phenomenal, which has allowed me and others to grow the club off the ice.  I’ve often looked back in frustration, to miss out on a league by one point one season and a head to head result another, as well as our narrow playoff loss last month!  However, if I look back overall, we have become a stable club with a solid fan base, we have developed players who have now moved to NIHL or national league, and we have a club to be proud of.”

Murray earned 87 points in the regular season (30G + 57A), and 2 goals and a further 3 assists during the playoffs, making him the second highest points producer in the team in the last year.

“My personal performance isn’t something I focus on too much, unless of course it’s having a negative impact on results,” said Murray.  “I look more closely at how I’m impacting the important games, and how well I’m doing with my plus/minus and special teams, all of which, upon reflection could have been better.  I set myself and my players, tough but realistic objectives every season, and as a result I feel maybe I could have done slightly better when the team really needed it.”

Looking forward to next year, where the league restructure will put a new national league in place, the Solent Devils will return to NIHL 1 where they will play against experienced NIHL 1 teams such as Milton Keynes Thunder and Invicta Dynamos, plus Oxford City Stars and Chelmsford Chieftains are among the group reforming this league.

“The league structure change next season is overdue,” said Ferguson, “given the obvious divide between the top seven teams and the lower seven.  With the Solent Devils returning to NIHL 1, then not only are there more games but the games will be close and tough, teams will be going for the win in regulation time, so fitness is going to be key to a successful season.”

“Next season is going to be tough, we will very likely be the only pay to play team in the league, with all of the other teams able to financially support players,” said Murray,

“it makes us handicapped before a puck is dropped.  That said, we are a determined, spirited bunch and I have players that play for the logo on the front of a jersey rather than the back, that team first attitude will win us games and that’s all I can ask of my team.  Previous to our time in NIHL 2, we were making big inroads in the NIHL 1 and beating teams regularly, and I will look for the same again this year!  We are in an awkward position because there are clubs who will stay in NIHL 2 who are financially more secure and can support players more than us, however our performance, results and ability even as a pay to play club often misleads people into thinking we operate on a budget.  Realistically, we want to challenge ourselves and test ourselves against the teams in NIHL 1, and I for one am excited to get back to where we left of two seasons ago.”

Murray will be returning in shirt #73 next season.  If you are interested in sponsoring a Devils shirt, or becoming a club sponsor, please contact devilssupporters@outlook.com.