Glasgow's Ice Hockey Stars Prepare for Return

The arrival of Autumn can only mean one thing for ice hockey fans up and down the country – a new season is finally upon us.

Fans of fast-paced, bone-juddering action need look no further than the Elite League, where the best teams British hockey has to offer take to the ice for another gruelling campaign.

And for Glasgow’s Braehead Clan, the first puck of the season will drop at Braehead Arena in the next fortnight as they host Dundee Stars.

Last year saw Clan debut in the top tier and the team wasted no time in establishing themselves as a fan favourite across the UK as player/coach Bruce Richardson led his Purple Army to victory in the Aladdin 20-20 Cup and an impressive fifth-placed league finish.

The Glasgow outfit may be without Richardson for its sophomore season but the team has secured a worthy replacement in Drew Bannister who comes to Braehead with a wealth of experience on the ice. Having spent eight seasons in the NHL including stints with Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Rangers, Drew spent a stretch in various European leagues before briefly returning to America. He landed in the UK last season as player/assistant coach for Hull Stingrays.

And the new man in charge wasted no time in making an impact. Soon after accepting the job, Bannister turned several heads by securing the signing of Elite League’s top player of the last three seasons, Nottingham Panthers’ Jade Galbraith.

Considered by many to be the best offensive player in the league, Galbraith has been a vital component for the Panthers in the past and his appearance in the purple and silver colours marks a welcome emphasis on finding the back of the net.

The new season also sees Fife Flyers enter the Elite League for the very first time – taking the total number of Scottish teams in direct competition to four and paving the way for fierce inter-Scotland rivalry.

As far as the 2011/12 champions go, last year’s play-off winners Nottingham have to be considered strong contenders – despite losing Galbraith and several other key players over the summer break.

Belfast Giants and Sheffield Steelers will be the two other teams to beat but, as has been proven many times before, one of the best things about the sport of ice hockey is the unpredictability of the game. Anything can happen, after all.

Fixtures

Upcoming Braehead Clan home fixtures:
September 24th vs. Dundee Stars
October 1st vs. Cardiff Devils
October 9th vs. Nottingham Panthers
October 15th vs. Coventry Blaze

Student tickets range from £12 - £18. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster and from the Braehead Arena box office.