Marc Lovell Joins D2 Dragons

Marc Lovell
(Photo by Keith &
Jenny Davies)

The Deeside D2 Dragons have announced the signing of long term Deeside favourite Marc Lovell for the forthcoming 2026/27 NIHL Laidler Division season. 

Lovell played for the senior Dragons team - as well as the erstwhile Flintshire Freeze - for 18 seasons and was captain of the team that won the Laidler Division league and play off double in the 2015/16 season. He also played two seasons with Telford in the EPL and has notched up an impressive total of 448 competitive appearances over a 27 year period.

Lovell is also closely involved with the junior Dragons on the coaching side and his involvement with the D2 Dragons this season will help bring experience and stability to an otherwise youthful Development team.

Deeside Dragons Confirm Coaching Team For New Season

Dragons Head Coach Mike Clancy
(Photo by Paul Breeze)

The Deeside D1 Dragons have announced that Head Coach Mike Clancy will return for his 5^th season in charge of the team for the forthcoming 2026/27 NIHL Moralee Division campaign. 

Clancy joined the Dragons as Head Coach for the 2022/23 season when the club re-opened after the Coronavirus closures, following spells in junior hockey and with Widnes Wild, Blackburn Hawks and the Women’s GB team.

In that time, he has overseen them progressing from a 6^th place finish in that first season to being runners up in the league and play offs last season, along with winning the Moralee Cup.

Mike will be re-joined by last season’s assistant coaches Steve Hirst, Matt Compton and Dave Clancy.

There are also two exciting new additions to the coaching team for this season with the arrival of Mike Morin and Mark Thomas.

Canadian Morin comes from a college and minor pro hockey league background in North America but most UK fans will know him for his 6 seasons with the original Manchester Storm in the Superleague.

He then had stints with Hull Thunder in the British National League and Manchester Phoenix in the Elite League making some 472 competitive appearances in total in this country before hanging up his skates to concentrate on coaching.

Mike Morin with Manchester Storm (Photo by All Sports Photography)

Morin has been a coach with the modern day Manchester Storm for the past 10 seasons and brings a huge amount of experience to the Dragons.

Mark Thomas – who, incidentally, is the father of Deeside Dragons player Bailey Thomas – played 10 seasons with Sheffield Steelers in the Elite League and also enjoyed spells with Haringey/London Racers, Telford Wild Foxes and Manchester Phoenix, with some 825 competitive matches at Elite League and EPL level to his record.

He is a former GB international player, having taken part in 5 World Championships and one Olympic qualifying tournament, and was Director of Player Development at Manchester Storm from 2018 to 2025.

Sledge Hockey 2026: Weekend Round-Up #7 (5th July)

Manchester Mayhem remain second in the British Para Ice Hockey League table after a 1-3 victory away to the Sheffield Steelstings development side at iceSheffield on Saturday.

Karl Nicholson, Felicity Gregory and Anthony Booth scored the Mayhem goals while Jurrian Raa fired in the Steelstings’ strike.

The Mayhem are now level on points with league leaders Sheffield Steelkings although they have played more games - and the Kings hold on to top spot due to the head to head results between the two teams.

There are two games this coming weekend as Friday 10^th July sees the first all-Sheffield derby of the season as the Steelkings take on the Steelstings, 6.40pm face off, and on Sunday 12th July the Peterborough Phantoms play their first home game of the season – after three away games - when they entertain Cardiff Huskies at Planet Ice Peterborough, 5.30pm face off.

For more information about the British Para Ice Hockey League, check out the official website at www.paraicehockey.co.uk