After announcing the capture of Swedish-Thai defenceman Likit Andersson, Vipers coach Rob Wilson is relieved to finally find a player to help his team move from zone to zone.Having a core of solid defencemen is all well and good, but successful teams need extra diversity to link with the forwards and get the puck moving quickly up the ice.Henderson's absence has thwarted the Vipers' transition game and although Wilson has former NHLer Chris McAllister alongside him, he identified the need for having a puck-moving D-man to create offence.“Next to losing Burt, not having that has been the biggest problem that we’ve faced this season,” Wilson said in an interview with skysports.com.
“We have guys like Mark Gouett, Jez Lundin and Chris McAllister and they’re all good defenceman. But their strengths are maybe not on the puck - their strengths are in the other parts of the game defensively.”
The Vipers picked up a three-point weekend after beating Edinburgh 6-3 and losing 2-1 on penalties to Nottingham to halt a seven-game losing streak in league competition.
Wilson, who has also brought in forward pair Jeff Hutchins and Ed Courtenay to improve his team, said that it was a frustrating wait for the right player to become available.
“It’s been an uphill battle,” Wilson said.
“I’ve been wanting to bring somebody in for a long time after losing Henderson for most of the year. And after looking at some of our options, Likit became available. He fits the bill, we needed a puck moving defenceman because Burt was the guy who was going to do that for us.”
Wilson, 40, has continued to play in defence for the Vipers despite his desire to act as a full time bench coach. However, when Henderson returns to full fitness Wilson is aiming to leave the ice.
“Without Burt there’s been a big hole there and bringing Likit in he can provide that for us,” he said.
“Once we get Burt back we’ll have two puck-moving defencemen and hopefully I can get back on the bench.“
If you've seen Cardiff's Derek Campbell play this year then you've seen one of the premier heavy hitters in the Elite League.Campbell's right up there with the likes of Newcastle's towering slab of granite Chris McAllister or Manchester's whirlwind winger Kyle Bruce when it comes to separating other players from their senses.Campbell notched a six-point weekend and no doubt threw in a string of checks to boot in the road wins against the Bison and Capitals, showing that he can hit the scoreboard just as hard.But what's the secret to a good check? What makes a good hit? How does Campbell do it?"Just staying nice and low and exploding through the check," Campbell told the Cardiff Devils game programme."Trying to get as much speed as you can without being called for a charge. Obviously, hitting the gym helps."Campbell's fellow glass rattler Bruce agrees."You want to stay low and if your legs are straight your centre of gravity will be higher," said Bruce, in an interview with the Manchester Phoenix game programme."You need strong legs and a strong core, which is what we’ve been working on lately in the gym – strengthening our core muscles."You want to catch guys when they’re off guard and not expecting it. You have to stay low to generate the power to knock them off their feet. Obviously, you don’t want to go straight for a guy’s head."
With only two days remaining until Team GB face Poland to begin their mission to qualify for Vancouver 2010, Newcastle Vipers coach Rob Wilson has said that depth up front will give the national side the edge they need.
In an interview with skysports.com, Wilson said that the team’s ability to rotate four forward units will be the key to success.
“Going to Poland is not going to be easy,” he said.
“There are going to be some tough teams over there, but I like how our team is put together. I think that for the first time in a long time we’re going to be able to play four very strong lines with some good hockey players.”
Two players from Wilson’s Vipers squad have been called up to play in the tournament – defenceman Jez Lundin and forward David Longstaff.
Longstaff is one of five Team GB players in the top 15 for individual points scoring in the Elite League.
“We’ve got the likes of Longstaff, Steve Thornton, Colin Shields, Greg Chambers, Greg Owen and Ashley Tait – there’s some pretty good offence there,” Wilson added.
“If we can get some good play around them, some solid goaltending and our defence step up we’ll have the offence to win some games so I think it will be interesting to see how we do.”
Tony Hand is still the elder statesman of the EIHL, but he's now got more company in the 40-plus club.
After the Newcastle Vipers today confirmed the long-rumoured signing of veteran import Ed Courtenay there's another 40-year old in the league. Courtenay will be teaming up with Vipers player-coach Rob Wilson, who can also be counted in the grey-haired gentleman category.
While the three old timers have all remained productive, often showing younger import players how it's done in the Elite League, there comes a time when they'd like to finally hang 'em up.
And for Wilson, it's arrived.
But due to the Vipers' financial position, he's not going to be leaving his patrol on the blueline at the Metro Radio Arena anytime soon.
Ahead of Thursday's game against the Edinburgh Capitals, Wilson admitted that he'd rather be watching the Vipers from the bench and not the blueline.
“For myself, I’d rather be behind the bench if I was being 100% honest,” Wilson said in an interview with skysports.com.
“But right now our budget is not really allowing us to do that. I just want to try and do the best I can, as I’m a very competitive person. If you want something bad enough you’ll keep chasing it and I like competing. We’re playing well so right now it’s been going ok.”
With Wilson continuing to play because of financial reasons, Courtenay also cited money as a reason for his return to the EIHL.
“I had planned to retire from playing but the Vipers have given me a good offer to come back and I’m really looking forward to getting back on the ice,” Courtenay told the Newcastle Vipers website.
As the old saying goes: “Age ain’t nothin’ but a number.”
And the Vipers' number was good enough for Courtenay's age.elite hockey today can now be accessed via elitehockeytoday.co.uk
