Pittsy Picks Solent!

Tonight, the Solent Devils round off their squad to begin the season with the re-signing of fan favourite British Forward Mark Pitts!

The 35 year old will be joining the team for his 9th season in 2024/25.

Pitts’ 2023/24 began later than others, however Mark began to contribute from game 1, with him picking up a total of 15 points across just 8 regular season games! This means he was playing at just under 2 points per game! Pitts also stepped up where it counted most, playing in all 4 of the Devils’ Playoff games playing at a point per game collecting 4 points!

Mark Pitts had this to say regarding his return to Solent,

It feels good to be returning to Solent. The atmosphere is always great in the room. A lot of good friends are back and also lots of new faces. It should be a really good challenge.

Pitts continued to discuss how he will impact the new younger squad for the upcoming season,

Lots of youth in the team this season should really help compliment us older guys. I’ve always had a hard work ethic and hopefully can lead by example at training and in games to push the youngsters to the next level.

Mark concluded by stating his goals for the 2024/25 season,

My goals remain the same as every year, contribute in any way I can to help the team achieve as much success as possible.

Teammate and Head Coach, Alex Murray had this to say regarding the return of the team’s primary first line centre,

Naturally I’m delighted to have secured the re-signing of Mark for the upcoming season which I’m sure will be positive news for our fan base.

Murray discussed how he sees Pitts impacting the line-up,

Pittsy is one of, if not the best centre in the league, his work rate, skill-set and sheer grit and determination are reasons why he has flourished in his role with Solent. Not only is his on ice performances important, the confidence he brings to the team when in our line up gives even more importance to having Mark back with the team.

We are naturally short of centres losing, Ozzy, Drew and Scotty, so to have Mark back, will help balance the top of our line up.

Mark Pitts will miss the beginning of the season due to injury, Murray said the following,

Pittsy is currently recovering from an injury so will likely not be ready for the start of the season but we look forward to having in the line up soon.

Mark Pitts will continue to wear his iconic #5 jersey for the club and his jersey will be owned and loaned by The Riff Raff

Solent Devils Season Tickets for the upcoming season are still available!
If you would like to purchase a season ticket or have any questions regarding them, please contact Kerry on devilssupporters@outlook.com

The Solent Devils are looking for Own and Loan Sponsors for the up coming season as well as Team Sponsors. If you are interested in being involved and supporting the team then please get in touch now by emailing Kerry on devilssupporters@outlook.com

BASINGSTOKE’S BUCKLE JOINS FAMILIAR FACES

The offseason has flown by and its getting very close to that time of year again!
Today the Solent Devils would like to welcome yet another new face to their 2024/25 line-up with 24 year old British Forward Cam Buckle!

Buckle brings more skill and experience to the Solent Devils forward core from the Basingstoke Buffalo where he has spent the majority of his career.

Cam has collected a vast range of hockey experience at a young age having played in the league for multiple years including 2021/22 with a short stint with the Oxford City Stars and in 2018/19 and 2017/18 both of which were playing for the Basingstoke Bison as a teenager.

Buckle also comes to us from a predominantly Basingstoke past having played with them as a junior and stepping up to play for the Basingstoke Buffalo (NIHL 2) in 2016/17 at the age of 16. Since that season he has spent the majority of his time with the Buffalo but has also played a stint with the Basingstoke Bison (NIHL National) in 2019/20.

Cam is not one to shy away when the competition gets tough with him also proving to be a playoff performer with him being a key piece to the Basignstoke Buffalos NIHL 2 Playoff Championship run last season which saw him collect 2 goals and 2 assists (for a total of 4 points) across the 4 playoff games for the Buffalo before hoisting the cup.

Last season’s regular season was also a success for Buckle with him posting over a point per game with 34 points in just 21 games in NIHL 2 causing him to collect not only the Coaches’ Player Award but also the Best Forward Award at the Basingstoke Buffalo Awards Evening.

Now with the closure of Planet Ice Basingstoke, a new opportunity to develop at a higher level for Cam Buckle.

Buckle spoke on signing with Solent,

It feels great signing for a team with a history of winning. Having been at Basingstoke for 8 years now, I cant wait to get going with Muzza and the rest of the team! Watching this team in the Playoffs last year, I know its a team I could fit in with the systems and help succeed.

My main reasons for signing with Solent were to take the step up a level. I want to show I can bring what I know I can do the next division up and help bring success to a team that expects it.

Cam concluded with a few personal goals for the upcoming season,

My personal goals for this season are to cement a place in the squad and become a key part in how the team plays. Winning a trophy or two would cap that of nicely also!

Head Coach Alex Murray had this to say regarding his latest addition,

I’m really pleased to be able to bring Cam to the team. I have been an admirer for some time and have previously tried to bring him to Solent.

His point per game average at NIHL 2 is very impressive and so naturally he was ready to the make the step up to the 1st division.

Murray continued by stating what Buckle will bring to the Devils roster,

His ability to play a two-way centre game is also important as we have lost several centres this season.

I’m looking forward to see Cam contribute at this level.

Cam Buckle will be reuniting with many of his former Basingstoke Teammates including: Harry Harcup, Tom Banner, Travis Penny, Ryan Sutton, Dan Lackey, Connor Hutchison, Charlie Wedge and Coach Jock Hutchison!

Cam Buckle will wear the #51 jersey for the Solent Devils.

The Solent Devils are looking for Own and Loan Sponsors for the up coming season as well as Team Sponsors. If you are interested in being involved and supporting the team then please get in touch now by emailing Kerry on devilssupporters@outlook.com

MILLS MAKES HIS RETURN

With the season inching closer, and lots of exciting announcements taking place, the Solent Devils are adding to their squad with another signing announcement! The Solent Devils are pleased to confirm the return of 19 year old British Forward Ben Mills for the 2024-25 season!

The former Solent Junior Devil will continue to be on a two-way contract allowing him to spend time playing for the Devils in NIHL 1 and NIHL 2.

Mills’ 2023-24 season saw him spend time playing for both Solent Devils teams where he collected a total of 11 points across 27 games played. 2023-24 also saw Mills step up to NIHL 1 with his first season with the Solent Devils senior team where he excelled collecting not only his first point but his first goal at this level.

Mills, who will be entering his 2nd season on a two-way contract had this to say regarding his return,

I am extremely grateful and happy to be returning to Solent. Solent has always felt like home for me and I don’t want that to change anytime soon. I love everything that comes with wearing the logo along with the great support we get from the fans, which is what makes it so special to play for this club.

Ben continued on to reflect on his 2023/24 season,

Overall I felt like I got extremely fortunate with the chances I got this past season and with that I always tried to give my best and make an impact whenever I got the chance. And I don’t think that would of all happened without the support of everyone within the team. My teammates where there to give me guidance when necessary whether it was positive or negative and there always motivated me and pushed me to confident whenever I step foot on the ice.

Looking to next season, Mills concluded by saying,

As well as continuing on growing as a man and as a player on and off the ice, my goal this season is to continue pushing and getting better mentally and physically with a positive attitude and resilient mindset. Helping out Coach Alex and my teammates wherever I can. I know I can improve on this tremendously after my first season and I plan to prove that to everyone this year. I’m very eager to get going again with some new competition within the league which will be exciting to see how it all plays out also with a few new and exciting players within our lineup too. 

Head Coach Alex Murray had this to say regarding the return of another Solent prospect,

I’m pleased to have retained Ben for the upcoming season.
Following a positive debut year in which Ben was able to make an impact on our line up when called upon I’m excited to see him progress to the next level.

Murray continued to discuss what Ben brings to the line-up next season,

Ben has good hands and hockey IQ and is adapting to the faster paced game at NIHL 1 well. With the two way he will continue to gain impactful minutes with the Devils 2 side, to enable him to be ready when called upon for the Seniors.

There is opportunity for Ben and the other younger players to make an impact on the line up this year and I’ll be looking for him to be pushing to make the roster each week.

Ben Mills will continue to wear #4 for the Solent Devils.

There are lots more exciting announcements and reveals coming up soon, to make sure you don’t miss out, be sure to follow us on our social media pages!

The Solent Devils are looking for Own and Loan Sponsors for the up coming season as well as Team Sponsors. If you are interested in being involved and supporting the team then please get in touch now by emailing Kerry on devilssupporters@outlook.com

Solent Devils reveal Home and Season opener alongside brand new Theme Nights!

Ahead of the upcoming fixtures announcement, the Solent Devils have revealed special dates heading into the new 2024/25 season.

The Solent Devils are pleased to reveal that their first game of the 2024/25 season will take place at home in early September.

the Solent Devils Home and Season opener will take place on Saturday 7th September 2024 where they will take on the Milton Keynes Thunder at Planet Ice Gosport!

#73 Alex Murray had this to say regarding the seasons start,

I’m really excited to get the season underway and I’m looking toward to welcoming Milton Keynes for our season opener on Saturday 7th September.

With the new teams in the league our schedule is packed and every month we are jammed packed with important fixtures which I’m sure will please our supporters and fan base.

We are working hard behind the scenes to provide information about tickets and will hopefully be announcing this soon.

More information regarding the Solent Devils Home Opener including ticket prices will be revealed closer to the date above. Please pay attention to our social media pages for updates.

Solent Devils introduce brand new Theme Nights for the 2024/25 season!

The Solent Devils are introducing new Themed Nights into their calendar for the 2024/25 season!

These themed nights will allow fans to come together and celebrate special events throughout the year with the team on the ice suiting special jerseys.

The Solent Devils players will be seen wearing one-off special jerseys through the duration of warm-ups and all 3 periods of the game. These jerseys will then be auctioned off to the highest bidding fan after the game. These jersey designs will only be available for these nights only so fans and jersey collectors, to get your hands on them, start saving now!

Halloween Themed Night

The first of the Solent Devils Themed Nights will take place later this year on Saturday 26th October with the Devils Halloween Themed Night. For this game, the Devils will be facing the Swindon Wildcats 2 at Planet Ice Gosport wearing their one-off Halloween themed jerseys.

Christmas Themed Night

The Solent Devils will be celebrating the festive season with their final Themed Nights of the 2024/25 season which sees them wear brand new festive themed one-off jerseys. This night will take place towards the end of the year on Saturday 14th December where the Devils will be taking on the Streatham Redhawks at Planet Ice Gosport.

Murray also commented on the introduction of the new themed nights,

Lastly, I am looking forward to our new themed nights where we will be playing in one-off jerseys in partnership with Dunamis to provide our fan base with something special. We hope you are able to join us on our themed nights and can be in with a chance to bid for one of these unique jerseys!

More information including ticket prices and the reveals of these brand new jersey designs will be announced at a later date across our social media pages.

The Solent Devils are looking for Own and Loan Sponsors for the up coming season as well as Team Sponsors. If you are interested in being involved and supporting the team then please get in touch now by emailing Kerry on devilssupporters@outlook.com

Coach Jock Behind The Bench for 2024/25

With the Solent Devils 2024/25 fixtures being revealed soon, the Devils continue to sign contracts to form their squad for the upcoming season.

Today, the Solent Devils are pleased to announce the return of Bench Coach Jock Hutchison!

Jock returns to help the teams new younger core with his many years of diverse coaching experience.

Hutchison will returning for his 4th season on the bench for the Devils and over the past 4 years has become a key part of the Devils gameday systems. Jock will not only be reuniting with many familiar faces from seasons prior but will also be reunited with Tom Banner and Travis Penny whom he coached in 2014/15 as Under 16s for the Basingstoke Bison U16 team.

Jock’s time at Solent has seen great success with the team finishing 2nd place in the league standings twice and with the team reaching the Playoff Finals for 2 of those seasons in addition.

Jock had this to say about returning to Solent,

It’s an absolute pleasure to be asked to return as bench coach for a 4th season with the Solent Devils. I’m really looking forward to the 24/25 season.

We asked Hutchison, after several years, how it felt to lead the team from the bench,

I have the perfect working partnership with Alex on the bench.
Bench management is key throughout a game from having players ready, keeping players heads up when we’re having a difficult game, passing on key play information Alex may need after a shift or at the end of a period.

Jock had this to say regarding his upcoming squad,

I believe there is exciting times ahead for the Devils with some key players moving on and new players coming in. Alex and myself will continue to develop the Devils philosophy of a team that is stronger together. Demonstrating this is club with strong values. A family.

Lastly, when asked how he plans to help the new players settle in, Jock said,

I have been involved in hockey for 18 years and through this time I have been fortunate to work with some of the new players arriving at the club such as Travis Penny and Tom Banner. It’s a great changing room and all the new players will feel at home very soon.

Head Coach Alex Murray had this to say regarding the return of his coaching tandem,

I’m really pleased to have Jock back behind the bench. Jock is an essential part of my coaching team and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of the game and also the Devils philosophy.

Murray continued to reflect on his and Jocks coaching relationship,

I feel our relationship has flourished over the past 4 years and we are really able to informed discussions about the opposition and our own team.

Alex concluded by stating the impact Jock will have on the team for the upcoming season,

With Jock leading our bench I am able to focus on my own game and leave the organisation to him. With lots of new players this season, I’ll be looking to Jock to help bed these players into our systems and ideals.

The Solent Devils are looking for Own and Loan Sponsors for the up coming season as well as Team Sponsors. If you are interested in being involved and supporting the team then please get in touch now by emailing Kerry on devilssupporters@outlook.com

Solent Devils League Cup Group Revealed!

Following the success of the meeting on Saturday 13th July at Planet Ice Milton Keynes, The Solent Devils can confirm some information regarding their cup groupings ahead of the 2024/25 season.

The Solent Devils will fall into NIHL 1 South Division League Cup Group A, this means that we will be competing against the following teams through 2024 to play in the Cup Semi Finals in order to play the winner of the Group B Semi Finals for the League Cup in 2025.

League Cup Group A

• Streatham Redhawks
• Solent Devils
• Invicta Dynamos
• Milton Keynes Thunder
• Cardiff Fire

As stated before the winner of the Group A Semi Finals will take on the winner of Group B Semi Finals for the League Cup, Group B consists of the following teams,

League Cup Group B

• Chelmsford Chieftains
• Slough Jets
• Romford Buccaneers
• Oxford City Stars
• Swindon Wildcats 2

Please note that the League Cup is a separate trophy to the one awarded to the team with the highest points total at the end of the season, as well as the trophy awarded to the team for winning the Playoff Finals.

Cup games will work as they did in the year prior with the points from games labelled as Cup games counting towards the overall League table as well as a separate Cup table.

Cup games will be announced at a later date.

Key Dates

Other information revealed at the meeting included key dates surrounding Cup Finals and Playoffs.

The Solent Devils can announce that the League Cup Semi Finals will take place across Saturday 18th January and Sunday 19th January 2025 with the Cup Final taking place across Saturday 22nd February and Sunday 23rd February 2025.

England Ice Hockey also announced the NIHL 1 South Division Playoffs will take place across the following dates,

Playoff Quarter Finals across Saturday 29th March and Sunday 30th March 2025

Playoff Semi Finals across Saturday 5th April and Sunday 6th April 2025

Playoff Finals across Saturday 12th April and Sunday 13th April 2025

This new playoff format sees teams play each other twice in the Playoff Semi Finals playing both home and away fixtures at either clubs rink with goals being aggregated across both games similar to the previous Quarter Final structure. This new format also maintains the single Playoff Final game structure with the winner of the one game after 60 minutes is the winner of the Playoff Division (In our case NIHL 1 South Division). The Final Playoff Sunday will now see a new game in which the South and North Division Playoff champions will play each other to be awarded the Playoff Division winner which symbolises the best team in the entire division across North and South. This format is similar to that seen in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Information regarding Playoff Finals location and prices will be revealed closer to the dates above.

Please keep a close eye on Solent Devils social media pages over the remainder of this week to see more information regarding next season.