Dundee Stars

Dundee Stars
Dundee Stars
City	Dundee, Scotland
League	Elite Ice Hockey League
Founded	2001
Home arena	Dundee Ice Arena
Colours	Navy blue, red, white;
General manager	N/A
Head coach	Marc LeFebvre
Captain	Drydn Dow
Affiliates	Dundee Comets, SNL
Website	dundeestars.com
Franchise history
2001–2008	Dundee 'Texol' Stars
2008–2017	Dundee 'CCS' Stars
2018–2022	'Kitmart' Dundee Stars
2022–present	'Trade-Mart' Dundee Stars
Championships
Regular season titles	2001–02
Conference titles	2013–14
Playoff championships	2001–02, 2004–05

The Dundee Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in the Scottish city of Dundee. They were formed in 2001 and play their home games at the Dundee Ice Arena, situated off the city's main Kingsway dual carriageway. The current title sponsor of the team is 'Trade-Mart'.^[1]

The team currently play in the top professional UK-wide Elite Ice Hockey League and have previously played in others including the British National League (BNL), Scottish National League (SNL) and The Northern League. In joining the Elite League (EIHL), they are one of three Scottish teams playing in the competition, alongside Glasgow Clan and Fife Flyers.

History[edit]

BNL years[edit]

Founded in 2001, the Dundee Stars won the Findus British National League (FBNL) and the Playoffs in their first season (2001–02) and then ranked 2nd in the FBNL 9n (2002–03), topped their playoff group and reached the semi-finals of the challenge cup the following season. Stars' third season was a disappointment compared to the previous two, with a low league position and a place in the final of the Capital Cup.^{[citation needed]}

Season 2004–05 started off disappointing for all three Scottish teams in the BNL. The National Cup, the Keyline Cup and the Challenge Cup were no better. However, the Stars turned their season around after making a few changes to the roster and won the Playoffs and also fared well in the Caledonia Cup.^{[citation needed]}

Post BNL years: SNL[edit]

In 2005 Edinburgh Capitals and Newcastle Vipers decided to resign from the BNL in order to join the premier Elite League. As this would leave the BNL with only five teams; and thus with little option but to fold, the Capitals and Vipers temporarily withdrew their applications so as to allow the remaining BNL teams to apply for EIHL status. However, terms could not be agreed between the EIHL and the remaining five BNL teams; leading the Capitals and Vipers to resubmit their original applications and join the EIHL; which ultimately resulted in the closure of the BNL. This led the Stars, along with fellow former BNL team Fife Flyers, to move to the Scottish National League. The Stars refusal of the EIHL's terms was due to their local rival, Fife Flyers, being unable to join the EIHL due to their arena not meeting the EIHL's standards. It was decided that Stars' would not join the EIHL at that time unless the Flyers were allowed to join with them. In joining the SNL the Stars had to release all of their imported players in order to meet SNL rules.

During the first season, Fife won the SNL with Stars three points behind in 2nd. Flyers also won the Autumn Cup, the Northern League and the SNL Playoffs. Season 2006–07 introduced the NHL style Zero Tolerance rules and the one import rule with the intent of making the SNL a more skillful league. The Stars have relied heavily on their junior development with many under-19s and some under-16s "playing up" as well as managing to secure the services of two of the "old" favourites, Jeff Marshall (Canada) and Patric Lochi (Italy).

EIHL years[edit]

In late April 2010, the Dundee Stars confirmed that they had been accepted into the EIHL,^[2] as the league's 2nd expansion team for the 2010–11 season.

Elite Ice Hockey League record[edit]

Season	League		Conference		Playoff	Challenge Cup
2010–11	EIHL	8th			QF	Group
2011–12	EIHL	8th			QF	Group
2012–13	EIHL	9th	Gardiner	3rd		QF
2013–14	EIHL	3rd	Gardiner	1st	QF	QF
2014–15	EIHL	10th	Gardiner	5th		QF
2015–16	EIHL	7th	Gardiner	3rd	QF	QF
2016–17	EIHL	7th	Gardiner	2nd	SF	QF
2017–18	EIHL	10th	Gardiner	3rd		QF
2018–19	EIHL	10th	Gardiner	2nd		QF
2019–20^†	EIHL	9th				QF
2020–21^††	EIHL	Cancelled	Cancelled			Cancelled
2021–22	EIHL	7th			SF	QF
2022–23	EIHL	10th				QF
2023–24	EIHL	7th			QF	Group

^† Note: The 2019–20 Elite League season was cancelled completely in March 2020, owing to the coronavirus pandemic. The season finished without a league or play-off winner and Dundee's stat line above reflects the Stars' position at the time of the cancellation.^[3]

^†† Note: 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]

Head coach history[edit]

Name	Nationality	Tenure
Tony Hand		2001–2003
Roger Hunt		2003–2009
Iain Robertson		2009–2010
Dan Ceman		2010–2011
Brent Hughes		2011–2012
Jeff Hutchins		2012–2015
Marc LeFebvre		2015–2017
Omar Pacha		2017–2022
Jeff Mason		2022–2023
Marc LeFebvre		2023–

Current squad[edit]

Squad for 2023–24 Elite League season^[6]

* Denotes two-way deal with Dundee Comets of the SNL

**Netminders**
No.		Player	Catches	Acquired	Place of Birth	Joined from	Press Release
37		Kevin Carr	L	2023	Unionville, Ontario, Canada	Sparta Sarpsborg, Eliteserien	[1]
44		Lucas Brine	L	2023	Oxshott, England	Potomac Patriots, USPHL	[2]

**Defencemen**
No.	Player	Shoots	Acquired	Place of Birth	Joined from	Press Release
6	Drydn Dow C	L	2021	Calgary, Alberta, Canada	HK Spišská Nová Ves, Slovak 1. Liga	[3]
11	Kris Inglis A	L	2016	Dundee, Scotland	Home Grown	[4]
23	Kyle Pouncy	R	2023	Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada	Utah Grizzlies, ECHL	[5]
49	Xavier Pouliot	R	2024	Saint-Isidore, Quebec, Canada	Wichita Thunder, ECHL	[6]
55	Chris McKay	R	2023	Edmonton, Alberta, Canada	Wichita Thunder, ECHL	[7]
65	Craig Moore	R	2023	Kirkcaldy, Scotland	Nottingham Panthers, EIHL	[8]
77	Elijah Vilio	L	2023	Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada	Savannah Ghost Pirates, ECHL	[9]

**Forwards**
No.	Player	Position	Acquired	Place of Birth	Joined from	Press Release
8	Spencer Naas	LW/C	2023	St Louis Park, Minnesota, United States	Savannah Ghost Pirates, ECHL	[10]
9	Ryan Valentini	C	2023	Mississauga, Ontario, Canada	Heilbronner Falken, DEL2	[11]
12	Jonathan McBean	C	2022	Dundee, Scotland	Dundee Comets, SNL	[12]
14	James Phelan	C	2023	Laval, Quebec, Canada	Trois-Rivières Lions, ECHL	[13]
15	Craig Garrigan	LW	2021	Dundee, Scotland	Nottingham Panthers, EIHL	[14]
17	Anthony Rinaldi	RW	2023	Pierrefonds, Quebec, Canada	Jokers de Cergy-Pontoise, Ligue Magnus	[15]
18	Carter Johnson	F	2023	Gimli, Manitoba, Canada	Maine Mariners, ECHL	[16]
22	Josh Brittain	C/LW	2023	Milton, Ontario, Canada	Cardiff Devils, EIHL	[17]
29	Brent Beaudoin	C	2023	Londonderry, New Hampshire, United States	HK Poprad, Slovak Extraliga	[18]
39	Tommy Parrottino	F	2023	Rochester Hills, Michigan, United States	Iowa Heartlanders, ECHL	[19]
81	Brendan Harms	C/RW	2023	Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada	Ducs d'Angers, Ligue Magnus	[20]
98	Jake Elmer	RW	2023	Calgary, Alberta, Canada	HK Nitra, Slovak Extraliga	[21]

**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	Marc LeFebvre	Head coach / Director of Hockey Operations	Kanata, Ontario, Canada	Pionniers de Chamonix Mont-Blanc, Ligue Magnus	[22]
6	Drydn Dow	Player / Assistant coach	Calgary, Alberta, Canada	HK Spišská Nová Ves, Slovak 1. Liga	[23]
N/A	Mike Ward	Director of Hockey Operations	Dundee, Scotland	Appointed in 2001	[24]
N/A	Kevin Ward	Equipment manager	Dundee, Scotland	Appointed in 2010	[25]
N/A	Chris Ward	Assistant equipment manager	Dundee, Scotland	Appointed in 2015	[26]

**Recent departures**
No.	Player	Position	Acquired	Leaving For	Press Release
3	Ryan Verrier	D	2022	Worcester Railers, ECHL	[27]
4	Sean Allen	D	2023	TBC	[28]
5	Erik Näslund	D	2022	HC Varese, IHL	[29]
8	Ben Brown	LW/D	2021	Milton Keynes Lightning, NIHL	[30]
10	Philippe Sanche A	RW/C	2021	Glasgow Clan, EIHL	[31]
13	Hugo Reinhardt A	C	2022	Anglet, Ligue Magnus	[32]
18	Ian Parker	C/RW	2022	TBC	[33]
19	Elijiah Barriga	LW	2022	Belfast Giants, EIHL	[34]
21	Johan Eriksson	RW/LW	2022	Fife Flyers, EIHL	[35]
24	Ben Sokay	C	2022	GKS Katowice, Polska Hokej Liga	[36]
25	Romans Semjonovs	LW/RW	2022	TBC	[37]
28	Anton Svensson	G	2022	TBC	[38]
37	Toms Rutkis	RW/C	2021	Milton Keynes Lightning, NIHL	[39]
38	Carter Folk	LW	2022	Remparts de Tours, FFHG Division 1	[40]
44	Brython Preece	G	2019	Bees IHC, NIHL	[41]
56	Johnny Walker	RW	2023	Allen Americans, ECHL	[42]
74	Cole Fraser	D	2023	South Carolina Stingrays, ECHL	[43]
75	Chris Lijdsman	D	2022	TBC	[44]