Guildford Flames

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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.

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.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

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.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

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.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

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".Script error: No such module "Unsubst". 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.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

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]

The 2022–23 EIHL season proved to be even better for the Guildford Flames, propelled by a strong start to the campaign that saw the Flames top the league for much of the first half of the season, including at Christmas. Forwards Daniel Tedesco (80 points), captain Brett Ferguson (67 points) and Ryan Tait (62 points) led the way.

The team were neck and neck with eventual league champions the Belfast Giants, with Guildford finishing in 2nd place in the Elite League with a 40-12-2 record from 54 games, good for 82 points - just two behind the Giants.[9] Belfast secured the title after a 6-1 win over the Flames at the SSE Arena on 1 April 2023.[10]

In the Challenge Cup, Guildford reached the semi-finals, before an eventual 6-3 aggregate defeat - once again at the hands of the Belfast Giants. And in the play-offs, the Flames were on the end of an upset at the quarter-final stage, losing 7-6 at the hands of seventh seed the Nottingham Panthers in April 2023.[11]

Guildford's second place league finish in the 2022–23 season saw them earn qualification for the 2023–24 IIHF Continental Cup. However, in May 2023, the club released a statement confirming they would decline their place in the competition.[12]

The 2023–24 EIHL season saw the Flames maintain a record that kept them in the top half of the league table. On 13 March 2024, Guildford finished runners-up in the Challenge Cup final to the Sheffield Steelers, losing 3-1.[13] Guildford ended the regular season in 5th with a 24-20-10 record, eventually losing in the play-off semi-finals to the Sheffield Steelers, 6-3.[14][15] The Flames also lost the 3rd/4th play-off 7-5 to the Cardiff Devils.[16]

In 2024–25, Guildford finished 6th in the league standings, thus once again qualifying for the end of season play-offs. The Flames regular season record was 25-22-7. The Flames were eliminated at the quarter-final stage by eventual champions the Nottingham Panthers, 8-6 on aggregate.

Club honours

  • Season 2023/24
  • Season 2022/23
  • Season 2021/22
    • 2021–22 EIHL All-Stars First Team: Jamal Watson
  • Season 2018/19
    • Patton Conference Champions
    • Challenge Cup runners-up
    • 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
File:Guildford Flames - Playoff Champions 2016.jpg
The team celebrates winning the 2016 Playoff Championships
    • 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
File:Guildford Flames - Playoff Champions 2011 (5610430608).jpg
The team celebrates winning the 2011 Playoff Championships

Team logo and jersey

The current team jerseys, for both away and home.
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 2024-25 Elite League season[17][18]

Netminders
No. Player Catches Acquired Place of Birth Joined from Press Release
1 Template:Flagicon Jake Kupsky L 2024 Waukesha, Wisconsin, US HKM Zvolen, Slovak Extraliga [20]
30 Template:Flagicon Adam Long L 2021 Crewe, England Haringey Huskies, NIHL2 [21]
Defencemen
No. Player Shoots Acquired Place of Birth Joined from Press Release
19 Template:Flagicon Charlie Curti L 2024 Mound, Minnesota, US Belfast Giants, EIHL [22]
20 Template:Flagicon Marcus Tesink L 2023 Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada Concordia Stingers, U Sports [23]
25 Template:Flagicon James Shearer L 2025 Brandon, Manitoba, Canada UTE, Erste Liga [24]
40 Template:FlagiconTemplate:Flagicon Sam Jones R 2024 Walsall, England CSM Corona Brasov, Erste Liga [25]
42 Template:Flagicon Jamal Watson R 2025 Calgary, Alberta, Canada ESV Kaufbeuren, DEL2 [26]
45 Template:Flagicon Travis Brown L 2024 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Belfast Giants, EIHL [27]
57 Template:Flagicon Jacob Gravelle L 2025 North Bay, Ontario, Canada Western Mustangs, U Sports [28]
Forwards
No. Player Position Acquired Place of Birth Joined from Press Release
7 Template:FlagiconTemplate:Flagicon Daniel Catenacci C/LW 2024 Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada HC Pustertal Wölfe, IceHL [29]
13 Template:Flagicon Tyler Busch C 2025 Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada Cardiff Devils, EIHL [30]
16 Template:Flagicon Jack Jacome RW 2024 Caledon, Ontario, Canada Rungsted Seier Capital, Metal Ligaen [31]
24 Template:Flagicon Ethan Strang F 2024 Cochrane, Alberta, Canada South Carolina Stingrays, ECHL [32]
26 Template:FlagiconTemplate:Flagicon Daniel Tedesco LW 2024 Maple, Ontario, Canada Belfast Giants, EIHL [33]
27 Template:Flagicon Josh Nixon RW 2025 Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Maine Mariners, ECHL [34]
28 Template:Flagicon Matt Alvaro LW/C 2023 Toronto, Ontario, Canada Fort Wayne Komets, ECHL [35]
29 Template:Flagicon Austin Glover C/RW 2024 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada Watrous Winterhawks, LLHL [36]
86 Template:Flagicon Jake Coughler C 2024 St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada Lausitzer Füchse, DEL2 [37]
88 Template:FlagiconTemplate:Flagicon Lewis Hook LW 2023 Peterborough, England Belfast Giants, EIHL [38]
91 Template:FlagiconTemplate:Flagicon Joshua Waller LW 2024 Reading, England Cardiff Devils, EIHL [39]
94 Template:Flagicon Brett Welychka C/RW 2024 London, Ontario, Canada SC Bietigheim Steelers, DEL2 [40]
96 Template:Flagicon Cole Ully LW 2025 Calgary, Alberta, Canada Glasgow Clan, EIHL [41]
98 Template:Flagicon Samuel Talbot F 2023 London, England Milton Keynes Lightning, NIHL [42]
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 Template:Flagicon Paul Dixon Head coach/GM Sunderland, England Appointed in 2007 [1]
N/A Template:Flagicon Andrew Hemmings Assistant coach Guildford, England Appointed in 2022 [2]
N/A Template:Flagicon Rob Horspool Equipment manager England Appointed in 2017 [3]
Recent departures
No. Player Position Acquired Leaving For Press Release
6 Template:Flagicon Kyle Locke D 2021 Manchester Storm, EIHL [4]
8 Template:Flagicon Ryan Tait C/RW 2022 Sheffield Steelers, EIHL [5]
18 Template:Flagicon Brett Ferguson C LW/C 2021 TBC [6]
27 Template:Flagicon Eamon McAdam G 2022 TBC [7]
46 Template:Flagicon Michael Crocock A D 2022 TBC [8]
77 Template:Flagicon Zack Hoffman D 2025 GKS Katowice, Polska Hokej Liga [9]

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
  • 2021–25 – Brett Ferguson

References

Template:Reflist

External links

Template:British ice hockey Template:Guildford

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