In case you missed it see what’s in this section
We recommend
Let's Talk
Your Total Guide To sport
The Wildcats Column: The Cats' biggest ever signing
Lifelong Swindon fan and ice hockey blogger Ben Callaghan discusses the biggest talking points of Swindon Wildcats, every week on Total Sport. This week one signing announcement has dominated the headlines - The new three-year deal of netminder Stevie Lyle.
Monday’s announcement was classed as the biggest signing the Wildcats have ever made. It’s hard to disagree with that. When you break the deal down, Swindon have signed the best British netminder to have played the game to a multi-year deal. Stevie Lyle is a British legend currently playing the game, I truly believe there has been no British netminder to have ever played the game who is as good as Stevie.
He made his debut at the age of 14. Just think about that for a second, a 14 year old stood at the end of an ice pad, with adults firing pucks at him. Ever since that game, he was destined to have a very good career, and that he has. He’s won pretty much all there is to win at EIHL level, and I’m sure Stevie is eager to create his EPL trophy cabinet with the Wildcats in this season’s playoffs.
The move to keep Stevie makes total sense for many reasons. Swindon get to keep the best British netminder in the league, when many teams are beginning to look at import netminders, Stevie is probably the only import level netminder available with a British passport.
Personally, Stevie gets to keep playing at a very competitive level at a club who love him and who will build a team around him. He’s also playing close enough to Cardiff so that he can still live in South Wales and not have to travel too far for training and matches.
It’s difficult not to be happy with this news as a Swindon fan, with the re-signings of Nell and Höög already confirmed. Stevie was probably next on that list, just ahead of Tomasz Malasinski, for players we have to do everything we can to keep in Swindon.
There will be critics wondering whether Stevie can still perform at such a level in 2 years’ time when he’ll be approaching 39. However, there have been netminders who have played at a very high level when they’ve been approaching their late 30s – early 40s.
Tim Thomas won the Conn Smythe Trophy (NHLs playoff MVP award) at the age of 37 years and is the eldest recipient of the award. Martin Brodeur only retired from the NHL last season, aged 41.
Stevie is good but he’s obviously not NHL quality. My point is if he’s motivated to continue playing, puts the effort in at the gym and trains as hard as he’s ever done before he’s still going to be making the saves that frustrate the opponents.
Talent is not something you lose overnight, Stevie has bucket loads of talent. For Swindon to keep him for three years will prove to be a huge piece of business and one Steve and Aaron Nell should be praised for making. We now have real security between our pipes.
I’ll end the column this week by congratulating the Basingstoke Bison on becoming the EPL league champions for the first time in their EPL history.
It’s a massive achievement for a club that has come such a long way since they entered the EPL from the EIHL. I echo the comments of Aaron Nell after the game in that Swindon could do worse than look at Basingstoke as a club to model their set up on.
They’re competitive yearly, they win trophies and they have a very large fan base. Ultimately that is something we want to see in Swindon, hopefully the Lyle news, and having Aaron Nell as coach will be the ideal way to begin that journey which will hopefully end in a trophy of some kind.
It was incredibly pleasing to see Swindon make the Bison work for that title and if they can play like that in this year’s playoffs then they’re going to be a match for whoever they play.
Weather in Swindon
Listings