Telford Tigers bring in Ollie Lord

The Tigers have brought defenceman Lord in on a two-way deal from Elite League side Coventry Blaze, meaning he will spend most of his time with Telford but also be available for the Blaze if called upon.

The 18-year-old will continue to train full-time with Coventry throughout the season and Tigers head coach Tom Watkins believes the move will benefit all parties.

He said: “I am pleased to add Ollie to the roster for the forthcoming season.

“I’d like to thank Coventry for allowing Ollie to join us and hopefully we will all benefit from the deal. Ollie will get regular ice time here and a chance to develop his game and go back to Coventry a better player.”

Lord has already appeared in two Elite League games for Coventry, also taking part in their pre-season training camp. He was also named in the NIHL 2 All-Star side after an excellent campaign for the Blaze’s second string and has made 10 appearances in NIHL 1 South – the equivalent level to Telford – for Milton Keynes Thunder.

Lord, who will wear the No.15 shirt, said: “I am pleased to be joining Telford on a two-way deal and look forward to getting to meet the rest of the team when pre-season training starts.

“I hope to be competing for silverware in the new league and know that this move will aid my development as a hockey player.”

And Coventry head coach Danny Stewart added: “Having Ollie train with us full-time and playing games at a slightly better level than he has before is exactly what he needs.

“He still needs some time to mature and learn before he is Elite League ready and training at this level helps get him there.

“Playing in Telford for a good club and coach will help with his progress and allows him to play those game minutes rather than sitting on the bench.

“He has lots of raw talent and the right mindset. He may be a year or two away from being ready for this level, but he is certainly taking the right strides to get there.”