Edinburgh Capitals
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| Edinburgh Capitals | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| City | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| League | Elite Ice Hockey League |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Home arena | Murrayfield Ice Rink |
| Colours |
White, Blue, and Red |
| Owner(s) |  Scott Neil, Matthew Tailford, George Ferdinando |
| General manager | Matthew Tailford |
| Head coach |  Richard Hartmann |
| Captain |  Jan Safar |
| Media | Keith Butland |
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. The team play at the Murrayfield Ice Rink, close to Murrayfield Rugby stadium.
The team are owned by Scott Neil - who saved ice hockey in Edinburgh after the collapse of the Murrayfield Racers and Murrayfield Royals - and local businessman, Matthew Tailford.
Contents |
[edit] Elite League era
Following the demise of the British National League, Edinburgh Capitals joined the Elite Ice Hockey League for the 2005/06 season. The season saw the return of player/coach Tony Hand, having spent the 2004/05 season with the Belfast Giants. In the regular season, the team finished last with 23 points in 42 games. Since the league had only 8 teams, the Capitals qualified for the playoffs by default and were placed in a group with Nottingham Panthers, Sheffield Steelers and eventual 2005/06 playoff champions Newcastle Vipers. The team finished last in their group with 2 points in 6 playoff games.
For the 2006/07 season, Scott Neil took over as head coach after Tony Hand signed as player/coach for the Elite League newcomers Manchester Phoenix. In the regular season, the team finished tied in last place with Hull Stingrays, with 39 points in 54 games.
Under player/coach, Doug Christiansen, the Capitals qualified for the Elite League Playoffs for the first time in 2007/08. Coventry Blaze defeated the Capitals at the Quarter Final stage of the competition 4-2 on aggregate.
The Capitals struggled near the foot of the table at the start of the 2008/9 season, but showed dramatic improvement in the latter stages and qualified for a playoff position in the EIHL by finishing 8th. Sheffield Steelers defeated the Capitals 8-2 in the Quarter Final first leg, with the Capitals defeating the Steelers 5-4 in the return leg (12-7 on aggregate).
Christiansen's 3rd season in charge was injury plagued, losing key players throughout the season, including himself with a shattered kneecap. But the Capitals showed their battling qualities and set a new franchise record for amount of points in a season (52). They finished 6th in league setting another franchise record. This led to Christiansen being awarded Coach of the Year by the IHJUK. They played the Nottingham Panthers in the playoffs and got a respectable 4-4 draw at home in the first leg but were defeated 5-0 in the second leg (9-4 on aggregate).
Following the departure of Steve Thornton as coach, the Belfast Giants swiftly appointed Christiansen as coach for the 2010/11 season. On 1st July 2010, it was announced that Brad Gratton would replace Christiansen as head coach of the Edinburgh Capitals.
The 2010/11 season was a difficult one for the Capitals, which saw Gratton resign from his role as head coach after only four months in the job. It was announced that club owner and general manager, Scott Neil, would take over as head coach for the remainder of the season. This was, however, followed by a string of eight import players leaving the Capitals over the course of the season due to club financial difficulties. The Capitals finished the season bottom of the Elite League, recording only 6 wins and 15 points.
It was announced on 5th June 2011 that after nine seasons with the Edinburgh Capitals, club captain Martin Cingel was moving on to the Manchester Phoenix of the English Premier Ice Hockey League.
On the 16th August 2011 it was announced that experienced, Slovakian forward, Richard Hartmann, had signed for the Capitals. It was confirmed on the 24th of August that he would be the new player/coach for the club, becoming the Edinburgh Capitals' first European coach.
[edit] Management restructure
After 13 years as sole owner of the Edinburgh Capitals, it was announced that there would be a restructuring of management. Local businessmen Raymond Lumsden and Matthew Tailford would be joining Scott Neil as co-owners - forming a management team which would also include the Capitals Webmaster, Keith Butland.
On 26th September 2011, it was announced that Scott Neil would be stepping down as General Manager of the Edinburgh Capitals, and would be replaced by business advisor, Len Wilcox. It was revealed that Neil would remain at the club as co-owner and Hockey Director. It later transpired that negotiations with Wilcox and Lumsden had broken down and that neither would be involved with the club.
On 5th October 2011 it was announced that Matthew Tailford, would be taking over the role of General Manager.[1]
[edit] Club Roster 2011/12
| Goaltenders | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Player | Catches | Acquired | Place of Birth | |
| 1 | |
Nathan Craze | L | 2011 | Merthyr Tydfil, Wales |
| 33 | |
Craig Holland | L | 2009 | Buckhaven, Scotland |
| 34 | |
Kevin Forshall | 2000 | Edinburgh, Scotland | |
| Defencemen | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Player | Shoots | Acquired | Place of Birth | ||
| 14 | |
Daniel McIntyre - A | R | 2010 | Edinburgh, Scotland | |
| 18 | |
Joel Gautschi - Two-way contract | 2011 | Scotland | ||
| 24 | |
Jan Safar - C | L | 2010 | Prague, Czech Republic | |
| 44 | |
Frazer Goldie - Two-way contract | L | 2011 | Irvine, Scotland | |
| 55 | |
Tomas Valecko | L | 2011 | Slovakia | |
| 76 | |
Martin Petrina | R | 2011 | Slovakia | |
| 98 | |
Jozef Sladok | L | 2011 | Zvolen, Slovakia | |
| Forwards | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Player | Shoots | Position | Acquired | Place of Birth | |
| 8 | |
Jiri Hanzal | L | C | 2011 | Ceské Budejovice, Czech Republic |
| 9 | |
Bari McKenzie - A | R | F | 2010 | Dumfries, Scotland |
| 10 | |
Ian Blake | F | 2010 | Scotland | |
| 11 | |
Jordan Steel | R | F | 2007 | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| 13 | |
Peter Holecko | L | RW | 2011 | Spišská Nová Ves, Slovakia |
| 17 | |
Richard Hartmann | L | C | 2011 | Bratislava, Slovakia |
| 19 | |
Iain Beattie - Two-way contract | L | F | 2011 | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| 27 |  |
Marcis Zembergs | R | LW/RW | 2011 | Riga, Latvia |
| 35 | |
René Jarolin | L | F | 2011 | Skalica, Slovakia |
| 91 |  |
Sean Menton | R | RW | 2011 | Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. |
[edit] Honours and awards
Retired Jerseys
- Number 21 worn by Chris Kelland. On 15 December 2007, Kelland became the first player to have his jersey retired at Murrayfield after playing for the Racers for 10 seasons, totaling 676 points in 310 games.
Hall Of Fame
- Owner of the Capitals Scott Neil was inducted into British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.
2000/01
- FBNL All-Star 2nd Team - Steven Lynch
2001/02
- FBNL All-Star 2nd Team - Jason Lafreniere
2002/03
- FBNL All-Star Team - Jan Krajicek
2003/04
- FBNL Player of The Year - Tony Hand
- FBNL All-Star Team - Tony Hand & Adrian Saul
- FBNL All-Star 2nd Team - Ladislav Kudrna, Jan Krajicek & Steven Kaye
2004/05
- FBNL All-Star Team - Dino Bauba
2005/06
- EIHL Second Team All-Star - Tony Hand
- Best British Forward - Tony Hand
- Ice Hockey Annual Trophy - Tony Hand
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
- EIHL Second Team All-Star - Owen Fussey
- EIHL Newcomer of the Year - Owen Fussey
- Coach of the Year - Doug Christiansen
