“Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time. What we really want is for things to remain the same but get better.” – Sydney J. Harris
To mix a couple of metaphors, this is essentially it in a nutshell; we want to have our cake and eat it. There’s a fantastic Friedrich Nietzsche quote about change, about a snake shedding its own skin, but it’s perhaps too early in the season for that sort of thing. I’m sure we’ll get to the nihilism at some point, but let’s ease ourselves in for now.
Over the past three seasons, since hockey came back after the pandemic, we’ve seen a steady increase in momentum and positive steps across many aspects relating to Haringey Huskies Ice Hockey Club. Think bigger and more consistent crowds, think plexiglass, think wider promotion and engagement, think player pathways from Hounds to Huskies.
But throughout all of that, a lot of the core has stayed the same, the same heart, the same faces. This is the first time in a long while where drastic change is crossing the threshold at the Palace. A change in coaching staff. A change in several key personnel. The creation of a whole new team.
Change can be good and change can be necessary and change can be scary. I was stood around the rink at Alexandra Palace earlier this year, having just watched Haringey lose their third play-off final in as many seasons, in my beer-addled despondency asking all and sundry what it would take for us to get one of these over the line.
Whatever the answer, change in some form was at the heart of the matter, and with the announcements and updates we’ve seen over the summer, Haringey, it seems, agrees.
There’s so, so much change, just bowls-full of the stuff, and it’s across the league too, from a change in the league points system to the teams registered for the new season. Cardiff Fire and Swindon Wildcats 2 move up to South 1, and Streatham Blackhawks and Basingstoke Buffalo don’t return for 2024/25. The Cardiff Canucks come in as an entirely new and unknown entity.
The big one for us is the coaching staff, with Dan, Alan and Reece Sampson stepping down after seven years at the helm, and previous assistant coach Peter Taylor taking over.
Those three have been a mainstay here for so long, as long as I’ve been following the Huskies, and a huge amount of credit has to go to them for a lot of what we’ve enjoyed as fans. That Dan has been appointed assistant general manager says a lot about his connection to this club and the passion he still has to continue to give his all for Haringey.
There are some big, big names heading out the door on the player front as well. No Tom Avery. No Pete Tóth. We knew Sam Roberts was retiring before the season ended, but Ryan Gadeke has hung up his skates too. All will be sorely missed.
Sebastian Downing and Ross Clarke move on to Lee Valley and Peterborough respectively, after only a handful of appearances. I don’t know how many of the Haringey Hounds we’ll see this year, but Alex Benson and Oliver Cooper both iced in the pre-season friendly.
Every single one of them have played their part and contributed to the Huskies’ success in some form, and respect should be given to all who have worn the black and white.
We’ve also seen both of our netminders move on, and this, for me, is the biggest talking point. Luke Clark who has comfortably been the best netminder in the league, who has kept us in so many games over the years I’ve lost count, whose shootout heroics were witnessed with something akin to idolatry, gets his move to a level that is equal to his skill set. It’s a massive loss for us but there isn’t a single Haringey fan that would begrudge him the move to the National League Peterborough Phantoms, and I wish him all the luck in the world.
I personally saw Tom Adams as his natural replacement, having had the patience of a saint as our number two whilst getting far less game time than I think he should have had. However, Tom joins the Chelmsford Chieftains in South 1, in the hope of surely being able to show more of the obvious talent he has.
Coming to replace them are David Wride, who rejoins after three previous stints with Haringey and a year out of hockey, as well as Naomi Healey from Lee Valley and Streatham Storm, and a big, big welcome to them both.
As for the other new faces, I like the look of Bradley Hildreth already. Plenty of physicality on show against Swindon Wildcats 2, and hopefully he gets the opportunity to kick-on at Haringey. Scott Anda has put up good numbers in South 2 over the past few seasons, and hopefully this year is no different, his overall play and goal in pre-season a nice introduction.
I’m extremely happy that Ryan Payne has rejoined. After recovering from a nasty injury, and then not being picked up last year, it would have been a travesty for him to end his Haringey story that way. Very glad to see him back on a defence that has lost numbers and experience.
Lastly but by no means least, the decision to include entry to the newly formed Haringey Greyhounds’ games within the price of a Huskies’ season ticket is a good one, and I’m really looking forward to getting along to as many games as I can. I think a lot of people have wondered why there hasn’t been a women’s team at Haringey before, particularly with the women’s game in general seeing a rise in profile, so this announcement will be dearly welcomed by many, me included.
I was there for the first two periods the Sunday before last against Swindon. I try not to read too much into pre-season games in general, but there were, and there remain, many questions ahead of Saturday’s curtain raiser.
Will anything be radically different under Pete Taylor’s stewardship? It’s impossible to judge on 40 minutes of hockey. We saw relatively familiar lines, with 5 or 6 players not in attendance. With all the changes to the roster, I don’t personally see us ending 2nd in the league again for fewest goals conceded, which might force our hand to play a more attacking game, but who knows.
Who will be first choice netminder? Again, no idea! David Wride got the lion share of the minutes against Swindon, but he’s been out for a year so you might argue that he needs more help getting up to speed. I’d be very happy with whoever comes in.
Who partners Jaden Boolkah on the first line? It was Corey Taylor for the pre-season game, and I imagine this will stay the same, for the beginning of the season at least.
I didn’t like either of Swindon’s first two goals. Far too soft, but it’s very early days for this new setup. To go two goals down, hang-in the game and take it to 1-3 and then 2-3 shows resilience. If I had a wish list for Haringey this year, it would be to score more goals and concede fewer when we’re on the powerplay. Our record of placing 5th, 6th, and 5th in the goals-for column makes a league campaign more difficult, but I think we have greater depth in our forward line to improve on that. From memory, short-handed goals against was something like 7 last year which is ridiculous.
I really don’t know what to expect this year though. There’s a slight sense that with all the changes going on, Haringey may not be as competitive as years gone by, compounded by the strengthening of rivals elsewhere in the league. I’ve been guilty of this at times over the summer, but you can guarantee that as soon as 5:30pm on Saturday 14th September rolls around, I will be well and truly invested in Haringey Huskies 2024/25. Hopelessly so, in fact.
I’m certain that the perennial will be true though; whatever happens, it’s going to be a whole lot of fun. Resist the temptation to despair. Embrace change for the better. Give in to hope, wildly and with abandon.
For the first time this season, Let’s Go Huskies!