Ice Hockey: Capitals to be frozen out breakaway league

Published on Wednesday 1 April 2009 09:45

EDINBURGH CAPITALS' spell in ice hockey's Elite League looks over after secret talks in England.

Manchester Phoenix, coached by Edinburgh-born Tony Hand and who finished sixth, and Newcastle Vipers, who finished a place behind them, also look to have been cold-shouldered.

Hull Stingrays, who finished ninth in this season's table, are understood to be in new plans being discussed.

The Humberside club have already been strongly linked with Capitals' player/coach Doug Christiansen who guided Capitals into eighth place.

They would play in a new six-strong league. Other teams understood to be included in the breakaway are newly-crowned Elite League champions, Sheffield Steelers, second-placed Coventry Blaze, Nottingham Panthers, who were third, fourth-placed Belfast Giants and Cardiff Devils who were fifth.

Sources confirmed that the talks were held on Monday and it was invitation only. Manchester, Edinburgh and Newcastle were not invited.

A wage cap, understood to be around 7000 a week, was also discussed along with an import quota of 11 players.

Eamon Convery, chairman of the Elite League, was there along with representatives of six other clubs. The source added: "The meeting was held and decisions were taken. The six-team league means that the clubs would play each other four times home and away. There will be a wage cap."

League sponsors bmibaby have withdrawn their sponsorship so the Elite League appears to be at the crossroads.

It now appears that Manchester, Newcastle and Edinburgh want to play in a new Northern League set-up which is already being discussed at the highest level.

Such a new league formation is likely to include Scottish clubs Fife Flyers, who have won all four of the major domestic trophies so far this season, Dundee CCS Stars and Solway Sharks.