A familiar face returns to Solent!

THE SOLENT DEVILS ARE DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THE RE-SIGNING OF BRITISH CENTRE MARK PITTS.

Pitts returns for his seventh season with Solent.
Including the playoffs, Pitts made 32 appearances in last years campaign. In that time, Pitts scored 14 goals and provided the assist on 30 more.

So far Pitts has racked up 75 goals and over 180 assists during his time with Solent demonstrating why he was presented with the Coaches’ award in 2020 and in 2022 received the Best Forward award in recognition of his absolute commitment in every moment of every game to the win.

Pitts is a vetted player for the club with statistics such as:
#10 in all time appearances
#8 in all time goals
#4 in all time assists
#5 in all time points

Pitts ended the season by announcing his retirement from the sport, a formality to allow him to focus on other commitments. But now he has come to the team ready to go again.

When asked about his return, Pitts said the following,

Feels good coming back to solent, I have lots of close friends who I’ve known for a long time, so it’s a very familiar and comfortable environment to come back to.

Choosing to return hasn’t been a straightforward decision. I have a lot of other commitments outside of hockey, and it can be a juggling act trying to fit it all in. But hockey has been a part of my life for a long time, and quite simply, I missed it and missed the team. Being in room and with the boys is good fun and a great distraction from some of life’s stresses.

When asked about what Pitts hopes to bring to the team, he said,

Moving forward with the devil’s, I have 7 seasons playing for Alex, so feel like I understand his systems and style of play well and will hopefully be able to help some of the younger guys adjust and adapt.

No personal goals as such, but I have built some good chemistry over the last few seasons with certain guys, so hopefully, will be able to hit the ground running, steady the ship and consolidate the devil’s position as one of the top teams in this league.

Head Coach, Alex Murray said the following,

I’m delighted to be able to bring mark back following an indifferent start to the season.

Out of all the retired players, Mark was the one who continued to train and skate throughout the summer, so there was always a hope he would reconsider.

When asked, what Pitts will bring to the team at this stage, Murray stated the following,

Mark brings so much energy on the ice as well as a leader in the room we have been missing since his departure.

Pitts will ice for the Devils in his iconic shirt number #5 and he is looking for a shirt sponsor!

WEEKEND TEAM NEWS

Ahead of tonights close match up with the Invicta Dynamos, the Solent Devils have made some additional roster changes.

The Solent Devils are delighted to announce that after icing last night for the Solent Junior Devils (NIHL 2 South), Forward Riley Panter will be making his Solent Devils season debut tonight!

Panter began this season playing in Sweden but has since made his return to the UK to continue the rest of the 2023/24 season.

Panter picked up a goal last night playing for the Solent Junior Devils and will be making the trip up to Gillingham to join the rest of the Solent Devils team tonight.

Tonight Riley Panter will be temporarily wearing #7.

Additionally, the Solent Devils have some other roster announcements.

Solent Devils Forward #4 Ben Mills will not be icing tonight after recieving an injury playing in last nights game for the Solent Junior Devils.

Solent Devils Forward #47 Oscar Evans will not be icing tonight due to an ongoing lower body injury.

Solent Devils Netminder #98 Mark Duffy will not be icing tonight due to a lower body injury.

Solent Devils Forward #11 Lewis Lunn and Forward #77 Luke Forsyth are not in the line up tonight.

Solent Devils Defenceman #41 Mason Wild will not be icing tonight as he is expecting the birth of his first child.

The Solent Devils are on the road and face off against the Invicta Dynamos tonight at 5.45pm (Sunday 12th November) with tickets still available at https://iceaccount.co.uk/invicta-dynamos/event/?event_id=7082&fbclid=IwAR33JLHTXs8Ninr4WCxGFbhS6rcGzyj0apiZpZSfRh4B3VkY6-lfq8cR5lc

Today the EIHA have issued the following update in relation to player safety.

Neck guards will become mandatory from January 1st as part of an ongoing safety review.

The Solent Devils will look to support its players by providing neck guards for all the team and welcome any company or individuals interested in supporting this initiative by emailing solentdevils@yahoo.com

Here is what the EIHA had to say:

EIHA update: Player safety.

Undoubtedly, this moment in time casts a sombre shadow upon our global sporting community, serving as a stark reminder of our collective responsibilities as custodians of the sport.

As in all sports, the safety of our players must take precedence above all else. We are firmly committed to our obligation to exhaust every possible means to ensure that a tragic incident of this nature never befalls our sport again.

With this paramount consideration in mind and recognising the need for short, medium and long-term, the English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA) has resolved to undertake the following actions, aligning with Ice Hockey UK and Scottish Ice Hockey:

1. SHORT TERM (Immediate): The EIHA makes a “strong recommendation” that all players at all levels across English Ice Hockey use an approved Ice Hockey Neck Guard/Protector whilst participating in all on ice activities. This “strong recommendation” is in place until 31 December 2023, after which it will become a mandatory requirement. It is not mandatory with immediate effect due to anticipated supply issues. This will be under constant review between now and mandatory implementation. All protective equipment must be worn without alterations and as directed by the manufacturers’ specification.
2. MEDIUM TERM (Within 12 months): The EIHA, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, will conduct a Player Safety Equipment thorough review considering all aspects of player safety equipment including, but not limited to, the use of helmets, mouthguards/gumshields and facial protection, and the application of IIHF rules.
3. LONG TERM (Ongoing): The EIHA will provide its membership with clear guidance on the ongoing and continuous improvement of Player Safety and their duties within this area. This will include the requirement for all clubs to be able to demonstrate that they proactively manage Player Safety within their organisations.
   It is unacceptable for any player to lose their life while playing sport. Our responsibility is not only to avert the recurrence of such a heart-breaking accident, but also to pre-emptively address other foreseeable incidents in the future.
   
   We bear both a legal and a moral obligation to respond in a measured and pragmatic way. There is a distinct likelihood that comprehensive evaluations will transpire at the international level, and the EIHA is committed to taking an active and constructive role in this comprehensive process.

Come and join the Devils when they take on the Oxford City Stars tonight at 6:45pm

https://www.bracknellhornets.com/nihl2-playoff-gameday

Reminder, Meet and Greet with the Solent Devils this Friday evening….

The team would love to see you at the Fallen Acorn Brewery Tap Room from 1900 tomorrow evening, meet the players, see this season’s new shirt and hear about our thoughts for the season ahead.

Unit 7 Clarence Wharf, Mumby Road, Gosport PO12 1AJ.

http://www.fallenacornbrewing.co/contact/