Guildford Flames

The Guildford Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Guildford, Surrey and they play their home games in the Guildford Spectrum. They compete in the top-tier of hockey in the United Kingdom, the Elite Ice Hockey League. EIHL’s Guildford Flames use the NHL’s Calgary Flames

Guildford Flames
2021–22 Guildford Flames season
CityGuildford, Surrey
LeagueElite Ice Hockey League
Founded1992
Home arenaGuildford Spectrum
ColorsMaroon blue
Owner(s)Sportfact Ltd
Head coach Paul Dixon
Captain Brett Ferguson
AffiliatesGuildford Phoenix
Championships
Regular season titles6 (97/98, 00/01, 05/06, 07/08, 11/12 & 12/13)
Challenge Cups5 (06/07, 09/10, 11/12, 12/13 & 15/16)

& it was Founded in October 1992, the Flames originally played in the second tier leagues of British hockey, first the British National League until 2004, and subsequently the English Premier Ice Hockey League until 2017. On 24 February 2017 it was announced that the Flames would become the 12th Elite Ice Hockey League team, joining from the 2017–18 season.

The team's head coach is Paul Dixon, who took over after Stan Marple retired in 2007.

Formation

Barry Dow, an American who sponsored and owned the basketball team Guildford Kings and Bill Hurley established and owned the team as management – the two were new to the sport of ice hockey, and brought in Mike Urquhart as coach and Darrin Zinger as captain.

Key players signed for the first season included Canadians Sean Murphy and Dave McGahan due to their high scoring at Solent Vikings. In addition a number of British players including goaltender, Mike Kellond; forward, Danny O'Hanlon and defender, Gary Shearer.

The Flames' inaugural season began in October 1992; they began, unseeded, in the English League Division One. With the Guildford Spectrum not yet completed, the team had to train at Slough's facility. The Flames played their home games at Alexandra Palace until their new home ice was ready and played there for the first time on 23 January 1993.

When 23 January 1993 finally arrived and the Guildford Spectrum opened, the event was a big one. The area's paid-for newspaper The Surrey Advertiser described the local council's £28 million arena as "awesome". Guildford's first game at their new home showed a convincing win with Andy Sparks scoring the first goal at the Spectrum. The team went to the top of the Conference due to that game, a position they held onto for the whole season.

Elite League

The Guildford Flames were confirmed as an Elite League expansion team in February 2017, stepping up from the English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL), and began play in the UK's top division at the start of the 2017–18 EIHL season.[1]

The Flames finished in sixth in their first season (2017–18), followed by a fifth placed finish in 2018–19 - a campaign in which they finished runners-up to the Belfast Giants in the Challenge Cup final.[2]

Guildford were again in sixth when the 2019–20 EIHL season's remaining matches were cancelled in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The play-offs were cancelled with only the Challenge Cup seeing a winner (the Sheffield Steelers) crowned.[3]

Then, the 2020–21 Elite League season - originally scheduled for a revised start date of 5 December - was suspended on 15 September 2020 because of ongoing coronavirus pandemic restrictions. The EIHL board determined that the season was non-viable without supporters being permitted to attend matches and unanimously agreed to a suspension.[4] The season was cancelled completely in February 2021.[5]

In the 2021–22 EIHL season, Guildford finished the regular season in fifth place with a 25-25-4 record, reaching the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup (losing 6-5 on aggregate to Nottingham Panthers) and the play-off semi-finals (beating Nottingham 7-6 on aggregate in the quarter-finals, before losing in the last four to Cardiff Devils 3-2).[6][7] Guildford claimed third place by beating Dundee Stars 7-5 in the third/fourth place play-off.[8]

Club honours
  • Season 2021/22
    • 2021–22 EIHL All-Stars First Team: Jamal Watson
  • Season 2018/19
    • Patton Conference Champions
    • 2018–19 EIHL All-Stars Second Team: Calle Ackered, Jesse Craige
  • Season 2017/18
    • 2017–18 EIHL All-Stars First Team: Jesse Craige
    • 2017–18 EIHL All-Stars Second Team: Calle Ackered, John Dunbar
  • Season 2015/16
    • English Premier Cup
    • English Premier League Playoff Winners
  • Season 2012/13
    • English Premier League Champions
    • English Premier Cup
  • Season 2011/12
    • English Premier League Champions
    • English Premier Cup
  • Season 2010/11
    • English Premier League Playoff Winners
  • Season 2009/10
    • English Premier Cup
  • Season 2007/08
    • English Premier League Champions
  • Season 2006/07
    • English Premier Cup
  • Season 2005/06
    • English Premier League Champions
  • Season 2003/04
  • Season 2000/01
  • Season 1998/99
    • Benson & Hedges Plate Winners
  • Season 1997/98
  • Season 1996/97
    • Benson & Hedges Plate Winners

Team logo and jersey
The current team jerseys, for both away and home.

The team logo is very similar to that of the Calgary Flames of the NHL. The team jerseys mirror those used by a former NHL team, Atlanta Thrashers from 1999 to 2006 (with logos replaced and advertisements added).

Current squad

Squad for 2021-22 Elite League season[9][10]

Netminders
No. Player Catches Acquired Place of Birth Joined from Press Release
30 Adam Long L 2021 Crewe, England Haringey Huskies, NIHL2 [11]
40 Liam Hughes L 2022 Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada Fort Wayne Komets, ECHL [12]
47 Kevin Lindskoug L 2021 Trelleborg, Sweden Bodens HF, Hockeyettan [13]
Defencemen
No. Player Shoots Acquired Place of Birth Joined from Press Release
6 Kyle Locke R 2021 Aurora, Ontario, Canada Ontario Tech Ridgebacks, U Sports [14]
12 Samuel Cooper* R 2021 Portsmouth, England Raiders IHC, NIHL [15]
19 Jake Bolton A L 2021 Ellington, Connecticut, USA Bodens HF, Hockeyettan [16]
24 Alex Yuill L 2021 Wellington, Ontario, Canada Ontario Tech Ridgebacks, U Sports [17]
26 Michael Crocock L 2022 Brantford, Ontario, Canada Reading Royals, ECHL [18]
42 Jamal Watson R 2021 Calgary, Alberta, Canada Pensacola Ice Flyers, SPHL [19]
44 Spencer Trapp L 2021 White City, Saskatchewan, Canada Balcarres Broncs, QVHL [20]
Forwards
No. Player Position Acquired Place of Birth Joined from Press Release
7 Robert Lachowicz LW 2021 Nottingham, England Nottingham Panthers, EIHL [21]
13 Tristan Frei C/RW 2021 Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada Regina Cougars, U Sports [22]
14 Jordan Cownie C 2021 Dundee, Scotland Dundee Stars, EIHL [23]
16 Turner Ripplinger RW 2022 Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada Regina Cougars, U Sports [24]
17 Mac Howlett C 2021 Woking, England Coventry Blaze, EIHL [25]
18 Brett Ferguson C LW/C 2021 Vibank, Saskatchewan, Canada HC 07 Detva, Slovak Extraliga [26]
27 Ian Watters A LW 2017 Pickering, Ontario, Canada Reading Royals, ECHL [27]
50 Levi Cable LW 2021 Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, Canada Leroy Braves, LLHL [28]
51 Ian McNulty C 2021 Airdrie, Alberta, Canada Tulsa Oilers, ECHL [29]
77 Owen Griffiths C 2021 Cardiff, Wales Nottingham Panthers, EIHL [30]
88 Chris Gerrie C 2021 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Wichita Thunder, ECHL [31]
90 John Dunbar A F 2021 Calgary, Alberta, Canada Rostock Piranhas, Oberliga [32]
On Loan
No. Player Position Acquired Place of Birth Playing For Press Release
Team Staff
No. Name Position Place of Birth Joined from Press Release
N/A Paul Dixon Head coach/GM Sunderland, England Appointed in 2007
Recent departures
No. Player Position Acquired Leaving For Press Release
19 Jamie Crooks LW 2018 Glasgow Clan, EIHL
91 Jesper Alasaari D 2021 TBC

Retired numbers

The retired numbers at the Guildford Flames are:

Team captains
  • 1992–94 – Darren Zinger
  • 1994–99 – Paul Thompson
  • 1999-00 – Karry Biette
  • 2000–01 – Wayne Crawford
  • 2001–07 – Paul Dixon
  • 2007–09 – Ricky Plant
  • 2009–10 – Rob Lamey
  • 2010–15 – David Longstaff
  • 2015–17 – Jeremy Lundin
  • 2017–20 – Jesse Craige
  • 2021– Brett Ferguson

References
  1. "Guildford Flames to join elite league". Coventry Blaze. 24 February 2017. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  2. "Challenge Cup: Belfast Giants retain trophy with overtime win against Flames". BBC Sport. 10 March 2019. Archived from the original on 7 October 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  3. "EIHL cancels all matches for rest of season". eSports Media. 13 March 2020. Archived from the original on 12 September 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  4. "EIHL Board Suspend 2020-21 Season". eSports Media. 15 September 2020. Archived from the original on 16 September 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  5. "No Elite League Season 2020/21". eSports Media. 2 February 2021. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  6. https://www.eliteleague.co.uk/game/3674-car-gui
  7. https://www.eliteleague.co.uk/schedule?id_season=34&id_team=288
  8. https://www.eliteleague.co.uk/game/3676-gui-dun
  9. "Guildford Flames at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  10. "Team". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 7 October 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  11. "Adam Long completes netminding duo". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 19 July 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  12. "Netminder Liam Hughes added to roster". Guildford Flames. Retrieved 24 February 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. "Lindskoug takes Flames net". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  14. "Defensive group adds Locke". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 16 August 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  15. "Two way deal for Sam Cooper". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 17 September 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  16. "Bolton signs on". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  17. "Yuill To Debut With Flames". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 7 October 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  18. "Mike Crocock Added to Roster". Guildford Flames. Retrieved 13 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. "Watson joins blueline group". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  20. "Trapp Added to D". Guildford Flames. Retrieved 10 November 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. "Lachowicz transfers to Flames". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 15 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  22. "Tristan Frei joins Flames". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  23. "Jordan Cownie lines up with Flames". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  24. "Flames sign Ripplinger". Guildford Flames. Retrieved 24 March 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. "Howlett Comes Home". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  26. "Ferguson returns". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  27. "Watters returns". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 1 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  28. "Cable signs up for 21-22". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 9 August 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  29. "Forward McNulty added to roster". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  30. "Griffiths sticks with Flames". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  31. "Latest recruit Chris Gerrie". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  32. "Dunbar resumes for 21-22". Guildford Flames. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
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