ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice ...
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
. The team play at the
Murrayfield Ice Rink
Murrayfield Ice Rink is a 3,800-seat multi-purpose arena in the Murrayfield area of Edinburgh, Scotland, adjacent to Murrayfield Stadium. It was built between 1938 and 1939 and is home to the Edinburgh Capitals ice hockey team and a seven-sh ...
, close to Murrayfield Rugby stadium.
In April 2018, a consortium led by David Hand (brother of ex-Racer Tony) won the contract for ice time at Murrayfield, effectively rendering the Capitals homeless.
The newly formed
Murrayfield Racers
The Murrayfield Racers were an ice hockey team based in Edinburgh, Scotland who were founded in 1952 as the Murrayfield Royals before changing their name to the Murrayfield Racers in 1966.
The team won the British Championship four times in ...
applied to join the EIHL and take the Capitals' place but were rejected, plunging the future of top level ice hockey in the city into jeopardy.
The Racers were subsequently accepted into the Scottish National League (SNL) instead, where they remained until 2022.
However, in July 2022, four years after the Capitals had folded, it was announced that
Murrayfield Ice Rink
Murrayfield Ice Rink is a 3,800-seat multi-purpose arena in the Murrayfield area of Edinburgh, Scotland, adjacent to Murrayfield Stadium. It was built between 1938 and 1939 and is home to the Edinburgh Capitals ice hockey team and a seven-sh ...
had new management and that the Edinburgh Capitals would return to play in the Scottish National League.
History
BNL years
The Edinburgh Capitals were founded in 1998, following the collapse of the Murrayfield Royals, replacing them in the British National League (BNL).
The first three seasons for the new Edinburgh team were largely unsuccessful, finishing 8th out of 9 in their inaugural season (ahead of the
Paisley Pirates
The Paisley Pirates were founded in 1946 and are one of the oldest ice hockey clubs in Scotland and the UK (the oldest being the Fife Flyers). The Pirates were the epitome of the game in Scotland during the 1950s. In season 1953–54 they won t ...
), 8th out of 10 in their second season (ahead of the
Milton Keynes Kings
Milton Keynes Kings were an Ice Hockey team based in Milton Keynes.
History
The MK Kings originally played in various divisions of the British Hockey League (BHL) from 1990 until 1996. In 1998, two seasons after the closure of the BHL, they joi ...
and the Pirates), and 9th out of 10 in their third season (finishing once again ahead of the Pirates).
The Capitals would receive a massive boost for the 2001–02 season, with the signings of former NHLer,
Jason Lafreniere
Jason Lafrenière (born December 6, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 146 games in the National Hockey League. He played with the Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers, and Quebec Nordiques between 1986 and ...
, and
SM-Liiga
The SM-liiga (marketed as just Liiga from 2013 on), (Finnish for ''League'') colloquially called the Finnish Elite League in English or FM-ligan in Swedish, is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. It is one of the six founding leagu ...
player, Roland Carlsson. That year the club finished seventh out of 12, with Lafreniere amassing 88 points in 44 games. The following summer saw Lafreniere leave the Capitals to join league rivals, the
Guildford Flames
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 i ...
.
Over the following three seasons, the club developed a European style of hockey, recruiting most of their imports from
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the ...
and the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
. Among those included fan favourites,
Jan Krajíček
Jan Krajíček (born November 8, 1971) is a Czech former professional ice hockey defenceman.
Krajíček played in the Czech Extraliga for HC Zlín, HC Slezan Opava and HC Slavia Praha.Ladislav Kudrna, Peter Konder and long-serving captain, Martin Cingel. The 2002–03 season also marked the arrival of the popular, Elmira College graduates, Steven Kaye and Adrian Saul. The club once again made a mid-table finish, ending the season in 6th place out of 10.
The 2003–04 season saw the Capitals make a blockbuster signing. Former
Murrayfield Racers
The Murrayfield Racers were an ice hockey team based in Edinburgh, Scotland who were founded in 1952 as the Murrayfield Royals before changing their name to the Murrayfield Racers in 1966.
The team won the British Championship four times in ...
legend and league winning player and coach, Tony Hand, would be returning to Edinburgh after leaving the Dundee Stars. Under Hand, the Capitals would accomplish their best ever league position, finishing third out of seven and for the first time, make the playoff semi-finals. The forward line of Hand, Saul and Kaye would top the scoring charts, with the trio finishing as first, second and third top point scorers in the league. Adrian Saul would also finish as the league's top goal scorer, with 31 goals in 35 games.
The 2004–05 season was a very disappointing one for the club. During the summer, the league's deadliest line from the previous season was split up, with Hand signing for the Elite League'sBelfast Giants, Steven Kaye moving to
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
side
Morzine-Avoriaz
Avoriaz (, ) is a French mountain resort in the heart of the Portes du Soleil. It is located in the territory of the commune of Morzine. It is easily accessible from either Thonon at Lake Geneva or Cluses station on the A40 motorway between Gen ...
, and Adrian Saul moving to the club's biggest rivals, the
Fife Flyers
Fife Flyers is the oldest professional ice hockey club in the UK, established in 1938. The Flyers play their home games at Fife Ice Arena in Kirkcaldy which has a capacity of just over 3000 (seated and standing).
They joined the EIHL in 2011 ...
. Ladislav Kudrna, the team's goalie from the previous two seasons would also switch teams, moving to
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
based
Hull Stingrays
Hull Stingrays were a British ice hockey club from Kingston upon Hull who was a member of the Elite Ice Hockey League from 2003 until 2015. They played their home games at Hull Arena.
The Stingrays replaced previous clubs Humberside Seahawks ( ...
. The Capitals would finish this season in last place, recording only six wins, making it the club's worst season in the league.
Elite Ice Hockey League
The Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), sometimes referred to as the British Elite League or, for sponsorship reasons, the Viaplay Elite League, is an ice hockey league in the United Kingdom. Formed in 2003 following the demise of the Ice Hocke ...
, however both clubs withdrew their offers to make a joint application with the other remaining BNL clubs. Terms could not be reached between the Elite League and the BNL teams, so the Capitals and Vipers returned to their initial offers. Both clubs were accepted into the Elite League for the 2005–06 season. The BNL subsequently disbanded and the remaining teams moved into other leagues.
This season saw the return of Tony Hand as player/coach, after taking the Giants to a 2nd-place finish during the previous year. In the regular season, the team finished last with 23 points in 42 games. Due to the London Racers folding mid-season, the Capitals made the playoffs by default and were placed in a group with
Nottingham Panthers
The Nottingham Panthers are a British professional ice hockey club based in Nottingham, England. They are members of the Elite Ice Hockey League. Their main team sponsor is the Nottingham Building Society.
The Nottingham Panthers have won fo ...
, Sheffield Steelers and eventual 2005–06 playoff champions, Newcastle Vipers. The team finished bottom of the group with two points in six playoff games.
For the 2006–07 season, Scott Neil took over as head coach after Hand signed as player/coach for the league newcomers, Manchester Phoenix. In the regular season, the team finished tied for last place with
Hull Stingrays
Hull Stingrays were a British ice hockey club from Kingston upon Hull who was a member of the Elite Ice Hockey League from 2003 until 2015. They played their home games at Hull Arena.
The Stingrays replaced previous clubs Humberside Seahawks ( ...
, with 39 points in 54 games.
In the summer of 2007, the club made the announcement that 29 year old,
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
forward, Doug Christiansen, would be the team's player/coach for the 2007–08 season. Under Christiansen, the Capitals qualified for the Elite League Playoffs for the first time, finishing 8th in the league and picking up 41 points. They were seeded against League champions, Coventry Blaze, who defeated the Capitals 1–0 at Murrayfield and 3–2 at the SkyDome Arena (4–2 on aggregate) at the Quarter Final stage of the competition.
Christiansen was re-signed by the Capitals for season 2008–09, however the team struggled near the foot of the table for the first half of the season. The Capitals showed dramatic improvement in the latter stages and qualified for a playoff position by finishing 8th for the second year in a row. League champions, Sheffield Steelers, defeated the Capitals 8–2 in the Quarter Final first leg, with the Capitals defeating the Steelers 5–4 at Murrayfield in the return leg (12–7 on aggregate). This season was notable in particular for the skill and contribution of Mark Hurtubise, who finished as the league's top point scorer, recording 89 points in 54 games. Hurtubise also made the Elite League All-Star Team.
Christiansen's 3rd season in charge was injury plagued, losing key players throughout the season, including himself with a shattered kneecap in the first game of the season. But the Capitals showed their battling qualities and set a new franchise record for number of points in a season (52). They finished 6th in league setting another franchise record. This led to Christiansen being awarded Coach of the Year by the IHJUK. They played the Nottingham Panthers in the playoffs and got a respectable 4–4 draw at home in the first leg but were defeated 5–0 in the second leg (9–4 on aggregate).
2010–11 season and management changes
Following the departure of
Steve Thornton
Steve Thornton (born March 8, 1973) is a Canadian-born British former professional ice hockey player. He is currently the Director of Hockey Operations for the Belfast Giants of the Elite Ice Hockey League.
Career
Thornton was born in Glouce ...
as coach, the Belfast Giants swiftly appointed Christiansen as coach for the 2010–11 season. On 1 July 2010, it was announced that Brad Gratton would replace Christiansen as head coach of the Edinburgh Capitals.
The 2010–11 season was an especially difficult one for the Capitals, which saw Gratton resign from his role as head coach after only four months in the job. It was announced that club owner and general manager, Scott Neil, would take over as head coach for the remainder of the season. This was, however, followed by a string of eight import players leaving the Capitals over the course of the season due to club financial difficulties. The Capitals lost the remainder of their games (most of them heavy defeats) and finished the season bottom of the Elite League. They recorded only six wins and 15 points and failed to make the playoffs, making it the club's worst season to date.
There was further uncertainty when it was announced on 5 June 2011, that after nine seasons with the Edinburgh Capitals, loyal club captain, Martin Cingel, was moving on to the Manchester Phoenix of the
English Premier Ice Hockey League
The English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL) was an ice hockey league of 10 teams, all of which were based in England. Headquartered in Blackpool, the EPIHL was one of two professional ice hockey leagues in the United Kingdom (the other being th ...
.
After 13 years as sole owner of the club, it was announced that there would be a restructuring of management. Local businessmen Raymond Lumsden and Matthew Tailford would be joining Scott Neil as co-owners – forming a management team which would also include the Capitals Webmaster, Keith Butland.
On 26 September 2011, it was announced that Scott Neil would be stepping down as general manager of the club, and would be replaced by business advisor, Len Wilcox. It was revealed that Neil would remain at the club as co-owner and Hockey Director. It later transpired that negotiations with Wilcox and Lumsden had broken down and that neither would be involved with the club.
However, on 5 October 2011 it was announced that Matthew Tailford would be taking up the additional role of general manager. A further addition to the management team was announced on 27 January 2012 as George Ferdinando would become the latest shareholder of the club.
2011–12 season
On 16 August 2011 it was announced that experienced,
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the ...
n forward,
Richard Hartmann
Richard Hartmann (8 November 1809 – 16 December 1878) was a German engineering manufacturer.
Life
Hartmann was born on 8 November 1809 in Barr, Bas-Rhin, the son of a tawer (''Weissgerber'', a tanner of white leather). In his Alsace hom ...
, had signed for the Capitals for the 2011–12 season. It was confirmed on 24 August that he would also take on the role of head coach, becoming the club's first
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an coach.
Under Hartmann, the club would once again return to a predominantly European style of hockey, signing all but one of their imports from
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the ...
,
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
or
Latvia
Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...
– something unique to the Elite League. After a promising first half of the season, the club suffered a string of injuries and a loss of momentum, which resulted in the team finishing in 9th place and, once again, failing to make the playoffs. The season went out with a bang however, with the last game being against the old enemy,
Fife Flyers
Fife Flyers is the oldest professional ice hockey club in the UK, established in 1938. The Flyers play their home games at Fife Ice Arena in Kirkcaldy which has a capacity of just over 3000 (seated and standing).
They joined the EIHL in 2011 ...
, who had finished bottom in the league. The game finished 11–3 in favour of the Capitals, but was also notable for the number of fights and incidents, including a bench clearance, a player's jersey being thrown into the Fife support, and several players being thrown out of the game.
It was announced on 22 December 2011 that Richard Hartmann had agreed terms to return as player/head coach for the 2012–13 season. This positive news was followed on 5 February 2011 with the announcement that fan favourite, and league top goalscorer, René Jarolín, would also return for the 2012–13 season. Jarolín would be rewarded for his season's effort by being named to the EIHL Second All-Star Team.
2012–13 season
The 2012 off-season saw several key changes to the lineup, with the previous season's captain, Jan Safar, moving to Kazakh club HC Gornyak and
alternate captain
In ice hockey, the captain is the player designated by a team as the only person authorized to speak with the game officials regarding rule interpretations when the captain is on the ice. At most levels of play each team must designate one captai ...
Cardiff Devils
The Cardiff Devils are a Welsh ice hockey team who play in the British Elite Ice Hockey League. The team play at Ice Arena Wales in Cardiff Bay.
Cardiff are the reigning EIHL play-off champions, winning their third title in a row after beati ...
. Frazer Goldie, who had spent part of the previous season with the club on a
two-way contract
A two-way contract is a professional sports contract that stipulates that an athlete's salary is dependent upon the league in which the athlete is assigned to play. This is opposed to a one-way contract that would pay the same salary regardless of ...
, joined full-time from Solway Sharks and Willie Nicolson re-joined the club after spending a season with rivals Fife Flyers. Hartmann also continued to recruit from Europe, signing promising Slovak goalie, Tomáš Hiadlovský, and experienced defender, Michal Dobroň, who had previously played nearly 600 games in the
Czech Extraliga
The Czech Extraliga ( cs, Extraliga ledního hokeje, ELH) is the highest-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic. It was created by the 1993 split of the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League following the breakup of Czechoslovakia. The le ...
. On 3 September, it was announced that club legend, Martin Cingel, would be returning to the Capitals and would once again take over the role as captain.
The Capitals had a slow start to the campaign, spending the first couple of months in the bottom two of the league. The team roster was strengthened in November, however, when the
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
duo Curtis Leinweber and Brent Patry joined from
Chinook Hockey League
The Allan Cup Hockey West (ACHW) (formerly the Chinook League) is a multi-tier Canadian Senior ice hockey league based in Alberta, on hiatus as of 2021. The ACHW is one of two Allan Cup-eligible ice hockey leagues currently operating in Canada; ...
side Sylvan Lake Admirals and ItalianSerie A2 side HC Neumarkt-Egna, respectively. The return of alternate captain, Jade Portwood, who had been injured earlier in the season, also gave a boost to the club. The Capitals would go on to beat every team in the league at least once, and finish the season in a respectable 6th place – making the playoffs for the first time in three years. The Capitals faced Doug Christiansen's Belfast Giants at the Quarter Final stage. The first leg took place at the
Odyssey Arena
The Odyssey Complex, formerly Odyssey Centre, is a sports and entertainment complex located within the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The complex originated in 1992 and came into fruition in June 1998. It opened in December 2 ...
and finished 3–1 in favour of the Giants. The return leg saw the Giants progress to the semi-finals after beating the Capitals 4–3 at Murrayfield (7–4 on aggregate). The Giants would finish as playoff runners-up, losing to Treble winners,
Nottingham Panthers
The Nottingham Panthers are a British professional ice hockey club based in Nottingham, England. They are members of the Elite Ice Hockey League. Their main team sponsor is the Nottingham Building Society.
The Nottingham Panthers have won fo ...
.
René Jarolín was named for the second year in a row to the EIHL Second All-Star Team, while Richard Hartmann was named as Coach of the Year.
2013–14 season
After a positive 2012–13 season, the club looked to retain as much of the team as possible during the off-season. Player/head coach,
Richard Hartmann
Richard Hartmann (8 November 1809 – 16 December 1878) was a German engineering manufacturer.
Life
Hartmann was born on 8 November 1809 in Barr, Bas-Rhin, the son of a tawer (''Weissgerber'', a tanner of white leather). In his Alsace hom ...
, and forward Peter Holečko returned for their third consecutive season, while other key returnees included captain, Martin Cingel, alternative captain, Jade Portwood, goalie, Tomáš Hiadlovský, Canadian forward, Curtis Leinweber, and Slovak defenceman, Michal Benadik. It was announced that after spending the previous season in
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
, former captain, Jan Safar, would also return to the Capitals.
René Jarolín, who finished as the club's top point scorer for the previous two seasons, would move back to Slovakia to join HC Dukla Senica. Other departures included Michal Dobroň and Brent Patry signing for
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
clubs
Morzine-Avoriaz
Avoriaz (, ) is a French mountain resort in the heart of the Portes du Soleil. It is located in the territory of the commune of Morzine. It is easily accessible from either Thonon at Lake Geneva or Cluses station on the A40 motorway between Gen ...
and
Chamonix
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc ( frp, Chamôni), more commonly known as Chamonix, is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of southeastern France. It was the site of the first Winter Olympics in 1924. In 2019, it had ...
.
New additions to the club included Canadian centre,
Les Reaney
Les Reaney (born July 8, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre.
Career
Reaney began his career in the ECHL for the Stockton Thunder and the Dayton Bombers before joining the Rapid City Rush of the Central Hockey League. In the ...
Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League (CHL) was a North American mid-level minor professional ice hockey league which operated from 1992 until 2014. It was founded by Ray Miron and Bill Levins and later sold to Global Entertainment Corporation, which oper ...
and Czech duo, Tomáš Horna, who previously played for
Beibarys Atyrau
Beibarys Hockey Club ( kk, «Бейбарыс» хоккей клубы), commonly referred as Beibarys Atyrau, are a professional ice hockey team based in Atyrau, Kazakhstan. They were founded in 2009, and play in the Pro Hokei Ligasy, the top l ...
and Martin Lučka, who spent the previous season with Piráti Chomutov of the Czech Extraliga.
After a poor start to the 2013–14 season, the club announced on 29 September that Michal Dobroň would be returning to the Capitals, signing a new two-year deal. Dobroň had previously left Morzine-Avoriaz after picking up an injury in pre-season. Head coach Richard Hartmann described the signing as "one of the biggest signings I’ve made for this club... To secure Michal's services for two years is tremendous".
Despite the importance of Dobron's return, the club continued to struggle. Further changes to the roster saw Reaney, Lučka and Horna leave the club midseason, while Latvian winger Mārcis Zembergs returned to the club and Czech forward, Jaroslav Cesky, joined from the
Cardiff Devils
The Cardiff Devils are a Welsh ice hockey team who play in the British Elite Ice Hockey League. The team play at Ice Arena Wales in Cardiff Bay.
Cardiff are the reigning EIHL play-off champions, winning their third title in a row after beati ...
. The team's fortunes failed to improve after the roster shuffle, and the Capitals finished the season in last place by some distance. Curtis Leinweber would finish as the club's top point scorer, with 57 points in 51 games.
One bright spot of the season saw the Edinburgh Capitals (SNL) team win the grand-slam after finishing 1st in the Scottish National League, and winning both the Playoff and
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,Tomáš Hiadlovský, and newly promoted captain, Jade Portwood. Both players would be in their third season with the club. Former Elite League all-star, René Jarolín, would also re-join after spending a season back in
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the ...
.
As part of their new approach, the Capitals looked for players recently out of college or junior hockey, signing Swedish forward (and former college teammate of Portwood and Leinweber), Daniel Näslund;
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
winger, Dennis Rix; American, and 6'7" Canadian defenceman, Kyle Flemington. To add more pro-experience to the team, the club looked to American forward, Greg Collins; 6’8" Canadian forward, Riley Emmerson; former
Nottingham
Nottingham ( , locally ) is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east of Sheffield and north-east of Birmingham. Nottingham has links to the legend of Robi ...
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the ...
n defensive pair, Lukáš Bohunický and Marcel Petran. After the retirement of long-serving Scottish players, Neil Hay and Daniel McIntyre, the club signed Callum Boyd from Kilmarnock Storm and James Wallace from Solway Sharks (on a five-year contract) as replacements.
Despite the change of style, the 2014–15 season would prove to be an inconsistent one for the club. An early losing streak, followed by a strong points streak in November and early December, was again, followed by another losing streak which stretched into late January. Ultimately, the Capitals would finish the season in 9th place, missing out on the playoffs by 1 point. René Jarolín once again finished the season as the club's top goal and point scorer, with 30 goals and 56 points in 53 games.
Several notable events occurred during the season, including: Emmerson receiving a controversial 10 game ban after only his first game at the club; Grimaldi being released from the club after spearing Nottingham defenceman, Evan Mosey, throwing his helmet at Mosey's face, and sucker-punching him; the addition of American defenceman, Loren Barron to the team, and return of Slovak defenceman, Michal Benadik; and beating the Giants 6-4 in Belfast - their first win at the
Odyssey
The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the '' Iliad'', ...
in nine seasons.
2015–16 season
After four seasons at the Capitals, it was announced on 6 April 2015 that
Richard Hartmann
Richard Hartmann (8 November 1809 – 16 December 1878) was a German engineering manufacturer.
Life
Hartmann was born on 8 November 1809 in Barr, Bas-Rhin, the son of a tawer (''Weissgerber'', a tanner of white leather). In his Alsace hom ...
would be stepping down as the club's player-coach. Eight days later, it was confirmed that fan favourite and former
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...
draft selection, Riley Emmerson, would return to the club after being appointed player-coach for the 2015–16 season. On the announcement of his return, Emmerson stated that his goal for the club was to " hangethe culture of the Edinburgh Capitals and I want to bring guys in who want to better the club, better themselves as players and to better themselves as people, while they wear a Capitals jersey."
Emmerson's first offseason as coach saw a clear out of the previous season's roster, with defenceman Kyle Flemington being the only other import to return for the 2015–16 season. After three seasons at the club, goalie Tomáš Hiadlovský would leave to join
Basingstoke Bison
The Basingstoke Bison are an English Ice Hockey club from Basingstoke. They currently compete in the NIHL National League and have previously been members of the Ice Hockey Superleague and its successor the Elite Ice Hockey League.
History ...
of the
English Premier Ice Hockey League
The English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL) was an ice hockey league of 10 teams, all of which were based in England. Headquartered in Blackpool, the EPIHL was one of two professional ice hockey leagues in the United Kingdom (the other being th ...
. The club's top point-scorer from the previous season, René Jarolín, would also move to the EPIHL, signing for Milton Keynes Lightning. Although initially agreeing to re-sign for the Capitals, defenceman Loren Barron announced that he would be retiring to pursue a career outside of ice hockey. Other retirees from the 2014–15 season included forwards Dennis Rix, Jade Portwood, Greg Collins and Daniel Naslund.
Emmerson's recruitment during the summer brought about a change in on-ice philosophy, with the club signing players familiar with the more high-tempo and physical North American style of play. Forwards Everett Sheen and David Rutherford, alongside defenceman, Kyle Bigos, would join the Capitals from the
ECHL
The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL).
The ...
s
Ontario Reign
The Ontario Reign are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that began play in the 2015–16 season. Based in Ontario, California, and affiliated with the National Hockey League's Los Angeles Kings, the team plays ...
Utah Grizzlies
The Utah Grizzlies are a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL. They play their home games at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah.
Franchise history
The current Utah Grizzlies franchise started in 1981 as the Nashville South Stars ...
. First year pros Taylor Dickin, Nate Fleming, and Craig McCallum would join the club from the universities of
Manitoba
Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...
,
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...
, and
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...
, respectively. Other key recruits included forwards Trevor Gerling from the Elmira Jackals,
Paul Zanette
Paul Zanette (born April 8, 1988) is a Canadian-Italian professional ice hockey player. He is currently an unrestricted free agent who most recently played for the Indy Fuel of the ECHL. In 2011, while playing for the Niagara University P ...
(on a two-year contract) from Italian club HC Bolzano; and goalie Carsen Chubak, who would sign from fellow Elite League club, Belfast Giants.
It was announced on 14 October 2015 that newly named club captain, Everett Sheen, would be leaving the club with immediate effect.
Alternate captain
In ice hockey, the captain is the player designated by a team as the only person authorized to speak with the game officials regarding rule interpretations when the captain is on the ice. At most levels of play each team must designate one captai ...
,
Paul Zanette
Paul Zanette (born April 8, 1988) is a Canadian-Italian professional ice hockey player. He is currently an unrestricted free agent who most recently played for the Indy Fuel of the ECHL. In 2011, while playing for the Niagara University P ...
, was later chosen as the new captain of the Capitals. On 10 November 2015, Canadian forward Brandon Coccimiglio – a former teammate of Rutherford – joined the club as the replacement player for Sheen. The Capitals had to deal with the departures of Ryan Hayes and David Rutherford, while Nate Fleming would also leave for personal reasons. Ned Lukacevic, Ņikita Koļesņikovs, Brandon Thompson, Garrett Milan and RJay Berra would later join the club but the Capitals would finish bottom in a hugely disappointing 10th place, despite a strong start to the season, thus missing the play-offs. Emmerson would later leave the club and retire from hockey after one season as player-coach while club stalwart David Beatson, the Capitals' longest-serving player, would retire after eighteen years with the team.
2016–17 season
After the retirement of player-coach Riley Emmerson after one season in the role and two as a member of the Capitals, the club appointed Michal Dobroň in May 2016 as their new player-coach for the 2016-17 season. Dobroň had previously been a Capitals player between 2012-2014.
Dobroň began his recruitment early by signing Canadian centre Taylor MacDougall from the
University of New Brunswick
The University of New Brunswick (UNB) is a public university with two primary campuses in Fredericton and Saint John, New Brunswick. It is the oldest English-language university in Canada, and among the oldest public universities in North Amer ...
, forward Mason Wilgosh from the
University of Prince Edward Island
The University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) is a public university in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and the only university in the province. Founded in 1969, the enabling legislation is the ''University Act, R.S.P.E.I 2000.''
...
, and his former teammate Karel Hromas from HC Morzine in France.
He then added defenceman Michael D'Orazio from St Mary's University in Canada and D'Orazio's former St Mary's teammate, forward Matt Tipoff.
The marquee signing by the Capitals was arguably former NHL first-round draft pick, forward Pavel Vorobyev. The Capitals continued their recruitment with the signing of former
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conferenc ...
forward
Jared Staal
Jared John Staal (born August 21, 1990) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current coach. He is currently an assistant coach for the AHL's Charlotte Checkers.
Staal moved into coaching after retiring from playing in 2017, f ...
in July 2016, netminder Travis Fullerton and forwards Yevgeni Fyodorov and one-time NHL draft-pick Ian Schultz. The roster was completed in early September with the signings of Latvian defenceman Rihards Grigors following a successful trial with the team and Czech defenceman Jaroslav Hertl - the brother of
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertain ...
forward
Tomas Hertl Tomas may refer to:
People
* Tomás (given name), a Spanish, Portuguese, and Gaelic given name
* Tomas (given name), a Swedish, Dutch, and Lithuanian given name
* Tomáš, a Czech and Slovak given name
* Tomas (surname), a French and Croatian s ...
. Netminder Jordan Marr would later join from the
Hull Pirates
The Hull Seahawks are an ice hockey team based in Kingston upon Hull and their home ice is the Hull Arena. They compete in the NIHL National Division.
Formation
The Hull Pirates were formed when the Hull Stingrays went into liquidation in J ...
of the
EPIHL
The English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL) was an ice hockey league of 10 teams, all of which were based in England. Headquartered in Blackpool, the EPIHL was one of two professional ice hockey leagues in the United Kingdom (the other being th ...
initially on a short-term loan, before signing permanently in early 2017 on a deal until the end of the season.
Having been eliminated from the Challenge Cup at the quarter-final stage by Sheffield Steelers (the first time the Capitals had ever made it out of the group stage of the competition), a pair of defeats at Murrayfield to the Nottingham Panthers in consecutive days in March 2017 rendered the Caps unable to qualify for the 2016–17 Elite League playoffs. It was the fourth consecutive season that the Capitals have failed to make the post-season. Pavel Vorobyev finished as the Capitals' top scorer in all competitions, tallying 58 points in 60 games.
2017–18: The club's final EIHL season
After confirming their place in the expanded 12-team Elite League following the adoption of a three-conference structure, the Capitals began their search for a new coach following the departure of Michal Dobroň on 17 May 2017. Dobroň left the Scottish capital to sign for Brest (as player-assistant coach) following one season as Edinburgh's player-coach.
On 9 June 2017, the Edinburgh Capitals pulled off something of a coup to land former NHL all-star
Dmitri Khristich
Dmytro Anatoliiovych "Dmitri" Khristich ( uk, Дмитро́ Анатолійович Хри́стич, russian: Дмитрий Анатольевич Хри́стич; born July 23, 1969) is a Ukrainian former professional ice hockey player.
K ...
as their new head coach. Khristich had played over 800 NHL games and had coached in the
KHL
The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; russian: Континентальная хоккейная лига (КХЛ), Kontinental'naya khokkeynaya liga) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs b ...
, becoming Edinburgh's first bench coach since Brad Gratton in 2010.
The club quickly confirmed that fan favourite Pavel Vorobyev had agreed to return for a second season with the team, before news that Khristich was being assisted in his recruitment and scouting by two former NHLers in Darius Kasparaitis and Khristich's former
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, a ...
teammate
Andrei Nikolishin
Andrei Vasilievich Nikolishin (russian: Андрей Васильевич Николишин; born March 25, 1973) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player who last played for Sokil Kyiv of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine. Ov ...
.
The first new import signing was confirmed on 23 June 2017 with the capture of centre Mike Cazzola, the 2016–17 top
ECHL
The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL).
The ...
rookie points scorer, on a two-year deal from
Fort Wayne Komets
The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey team in the ECHL. They play their home games at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This team was previously a member of the Central Hockey League, the original Inte ...
.
Despite the renewed optimism, however, the on-ice fortunes quickly unraveled from October after Duncan Speirs, Taylor Stefishen and Julius Nyqvist were released by the club - quickly followed by Alexander Islamov - with the Capitals embarking on a desperate run of 13 consecutive defeats before their second league victory of the season arrived with a win against Coventry on 19 November 2017. To compound their predicament, the club suffered the added blow of losing top scorer Marek Tvrdoň who requested to be released owing to a family illness.
In December 2017, things went from bad to worse for the club when Khristich left the Capitals by mutual consent with the club cut adrift at the bottom of the league. Captain Michael D'Orazio and long-time bench coach Jock Hay were confirmed as the interim coaches for the foreseeable future charged with the unenviable task of turning around the on-ice fortunes.
The Capitals would finish with their worst-ever record in the Elite League era, finishing 12th with just five wins from 56 games and with only 11 points to their name.
The 2017/18 season proved to be the final EIHL season for the Capitals after the team lost the Murrayfield Ice Rink ice-time contract to a rival bid, under the Murrayfield Racers name, led by David Hand in April 2018.
Capitals return and join the SNL
2022–23 season
In July 2022 it was announced by the new management of
Murrayfield Ice Rink
Murrayfield Ice Rink is a 3,800-seat multi-purpose arena in the Murrayfield area of Edinburgh, Scotland, adjacent to Murrayfield Stadium. It was built between 1938 and 1939 and is home to the Edinburgh Capitals ice hockey team and a seven-sh ...
(which will henceforth be known as Murrayfield Ice Arena), that the Edinburgh Capitals would be making a return and they would be joining the Scottish National League (SNL). Former Capitals captain Steven Lynch was named Head Coach.
Current Roster
Squad for 2022–23
SNL
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
* 1998–1999: David MacLean
* 1999–2000: Angelo Catenaro
* 2000–2001: Jock Hay
* 2001–2003: Scott Neil
* 2003–2004: Tony Hand
* 2004–2005: Scott Neil
* 2005–2006: Tony Hand
* 2006–2007: Scott Neil
* 2007–2010: Doug Christiansen
* 2010: Brad Gratton
* 2010–2011: Scott Neil
* 2011–2015:
Richard Hartmann
Richard Hartmann (8 November 1809 – 16 December 1878) was a German engineering manufacturer.
Life
Hartmann was born on 8 November 1809 in Barr, Bas-Rhin, the son of a tawer (''Weissgerber'', a tanner of white leather). In his Alsace hom ...
* 2015–2016: Riley Emmerson
* 2016–2017: Michal Dobroň
* 2017:
Dmitri Khristich
Dmytro Anatoliiovych "Dmitri" Khristich ( uk, Дмитро́ Анатолійович Хри́стич, russian: Дмитрий Анатольевич Хри́стич; born July 23, 1969) is a Ukrainian former professional ice hockey player.
K ...
* 2017–2018: Michael D'Orazio & Jock Hay (interim coaches)
* 2022–: Steven Lynch
Club captains
* 1998–1999: Doug Marsden
* 1999–2000: Jason Heywood
* 2000–2005: Steven Lynch
* 2005–2006: Jim Vickers
* 2006–2011: Martin Cingel
* 2011–2012: Jan Safar
* 2012–2014: Martin Cingel
* 2014–2015: Jade Portwood
* 2015: Everett Sheen
* 2015–2016:
Paul Zanette
Paul Zanette (born April 8, 1988) is a Canadian-Italian professional ice hockey player. He is currently an unrestricted free agent who most recently played for the Indy Fuel of the ECHL. In 2011, while playing for the Niagara University P ...
* 2016–2017: Jacob Johnston
* 2017–2018: Michael D'Orazio
* 2022–: Joel Gautschi
Most games played for the club
''Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points''
''Last updated: September 2016.''
Club scoring leaders
''Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points''
''Last updated: September.''
Honours and awards
Retired jerseys
* Number 21 worn by
Chris Kelland
Chris Kelland (born December 22, 1957) is a Canadians, Canadian retired ice hockey Defenceman (ice hockey), defender who played his entire professional career in the United Kingdom. He also played for the Great Britain national ice hockey team, G ...
. On 15 December 2007, Kelland became the first player to have his jersey retired at Murrayfield after playing for the Racers for 10 seasons, totaling 676 points in 310 games.
* Number 9 worn by Tony Hand. On 29 November 2015, Hand, became the second player to have his jersey retired at Murrayfield after playing for the Racers and Edinburgh Capitals. Hand played 14 seasons with the Murrayfield Racers and 2 with the Edinburgh Capitals.
Hall of Fame members
*Former
Murrayfield Racers
The Murrayfield Racers were an ice hockey team based in Edinburgh, Scotland who were founded in 1952 as the Murrayfield Royals before changing their name to the Murrayfield Racers in 1966.
The team won the British Championship four times in ...
captain,
Chris Kelland
Chris Kelland (born December 22, 1957) is a Canadians, Canadian retired ice hockey Defenceman (ice hockey), defender who played his entire professional career in the United Kingdom. He also played for the Great Britain national ice hockey team, G ...
, was inducted into the
British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame
The British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame was founded in 1948 and is the third oldest ice hockey Hall of Fame in the world, behind the Russian and Soviet Hockey Hall of Fame (also founded in 1948) and the International Hockey Hall of Fame (founded in 19 ...
in 2002.
* Former Murrayfield Racer, and owner of the Edinburgh Capitals, Scott Neil, was inducted into British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.
Season awards
2000–01
* FBNL All-Star 2nd Team – Steven Lynch
2001–02
* FBNL All-Star 2nd Team –
Jason Lafreniere
Jason Lafrenière (born December 6, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 146 games in the National Hockey League. He played with the Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers, and Quebec Nordiques between 1986 and ...