Invicta Dynamos Head Coach Kevin Parrish has challenged defenceman Adam Copland to prove that he still ranks amongst the best in the NIHL South after he today re-signed the blue liner to the club for a third successive year.
Adam Copland first appeared for the Dynamos in 2003/04 before later crossing the Atlantic and icing as part of a touring side in Canada for two seasons. On his return to the UK in 2006 his services were then acquired by the Elite League’s Basingstoke Bison for whom he featured 20 times.
In 2007/08 the now 21 year old Copland would next switch to the Romford Raiders and he would be near ever present for the Essex based outfit as he played in the all but one of the team’s league outings, managing to tally six points in the process.
The following term he was then offered the opportunity to return to Kent and, back with the Dynamos, he played a major role as the side swept their way to both the Southern and National Championships in the ENIHL. His excellent form would see him step back into the EPL for the start of 2009/10, as the Raiders provided him a with roster spot once again, but the well travelled skater would later finish the campaign at the Riverside with the Chelmsford Chieftains.
Finally, in 2010/11, Dynamos Head Coach Kevin Parrish invited the blue liner back to Medway and, after 18 points from 41 appearances in his first season and 23 from 42 games in his second, the defenceman is now set to enter his third successive year at the Silver Blades Ice Rink Gillingham.
Speaking on the return of blue liner Adam Copland Head Coach Kevin Parrish lay down a challenge to the experienced 26 year old as he looked to draw the best out of the skater over the course of 2012/13.
Parrish said, “This is going to be a massive year for Adam. He knows himself that he wasn’t playing to his peak last season and his challenge this term is to get back to the form that sees him ranked amongst the best in the NIHL South. I firmly believe that, when he’s in shape and on his game, Adam is one of the best ‘stay at home defenceman’ at this level and now I want him to go out with confidence, put himself about and show the rest of the competition what he has to offer”.
Parrish then highlighted the player’s strengths when he added, “Adam is a big, strong unit with the abilities to make it very difficult for opposition forwards in his own zone whilst he has a more than useful slapshot when perched on the blue line up the other end of the ice. Should he rediscover his top form come the puck drop in September I have no doubt he will be a very influential part of the team in 2012/13 and help us be a little more competitive in the race for silverware this time around”.
The re-signing of defenceman Adam Copland takes the Dynamos roster to twelve ahead of the new campaign with the skater joining Jack Tarczycki, Tim Smith and Arran Strawson on the team’s rear guard.
Picture by David Trevallion