Deeside Dragons have signed highly-rated defenceman Matt Wainwright from Laidler Conference rivals Widnes Wild.
New head coach Lol Paul ended his summer-long pursuit of the 21-year-old this week, when he agreed on a return to Flinshire.
Wainwright, who was the Widnes captain last year, will slot into a Dragons squad that starts its first campaign under new owners Red Hockey.The young defenceman began his career at Chester Road – and Paul is looking forward to a winning return in the NIHL.
He said: “I spoke to Matt during the summer and he is Deeside trained, but went to Widnes to gain some experience of playing for other sides.“As soon as I spoke to him, he wanted to come back to The Dragons.
"I watched him a lot last season and he had a really good year at Widnes. To be honest, it was a deal done.”
Wainwright’s tender years will stand him in good stead for that first year under Red Hockey, as expectations build amongst fans.
Paul said: “Signing Matt is a great for us, as he led the Widnes team really well last season. He is only 21, so he is still learning the game, but he’s doing it properly. When it comes to maturity in ice hockey, players generally hit their peak at around 28.
“Matt is five years away from that, which makes him such a great signing for us.”
Wainwright’s addition to the Deeside roster is the start of a busy summer of team-building for Paul, following Red Hockey’s arrival.
That process continues on Wednesday night, when GB Assistant Coach Tom Watkins joins him for a second trial session at Deeside Ice Rink.
He added: “I can’t wait to see how the players react to Tom’s presence on Wednesday. He won three trophies with The Tigers last season and has a keen eye for talented players.
“Our links with Red Hockey are starting to bear fruit and next season is going to be the start of a new era for The Dragons.”
