Defenceman Jeff Solow (26), from Florida, and forward Brendan Walkom (25), from Pittsburgh, who arrived last Friday, are the Queenstown team’s first fly-in imports for three years.
Solow, who has been playing for a Scottish team in Britain’s national league (EIHL), said friends had played in the New Zealand Ice Hockey League a few years ago "and they were, like, ‘Queenstown is the spot you want to be’."
In turn, he brought along his mate, Walkom, who had also been in the British league, playing for a London team, since last year.
The Stampede — which came from behind to win last year’s NZIHL title — has also welcomed forward Dylan Devlin (27), who played 105 games for the Thunder over a decade, and was the Dunedin team’s leading goal-scorer last year.
Devlin also debuted for the Ice Blacks this year, but was injured in his first series, against Australia, and missed last month’s world championship tournament in Turkey.
The builder, who has relocated to Wanaka, said he was close friends with several Stampede players and had been inspired by now-coach Cam Frear.
He admitted it would be a strange experience playing against his old team this weekend.
"It’s going to be a bit of a change coming out of a different changing room and going on a different bench — I might get mixed up a bit."
While the Stampede had not lost any regular players, Frear said there would be some comings and goings for weddings and the like.
He was expecting some of his younger players to step up this year.
That included a trio who had recently been playing in North America: CJ Kemp (19), Jack Robbie (21) and Axel Ruski-Jones (18).
The captain is again Frear’s brother, Mitchell, assisted by Callum Burns and Connor Harrison. Another Frear brother, Lachlan, and Stefan Amston would step into those roles when required.
Following the southern derby at Dunedin Ice Stadium tonight and tomorrow, the Stampede’s first home games are against the Mako development team next Friday and Saturday. — Mountain Scene
Written by Phillip Chandler
