16 year old skater and Invicta Dynamos Forward of the Year Owen Dell is back with the club for the new campaign having penned a contract to keep him at his hometown team for 2019/20.

Owen Dell is a homegrown talent and a product of the junior setup in Kent. In 2018/19 he made the step up from hot prospect to first team regular whilst also icing for the Invicta Mustangs in the NIHL South Division 2, the Invicta Colts Under 18s and the Southeast at the EIHA Junior Conference.

Having made his competitive senior debut for the Mos over the season’s opening weekend against the Bracknell Bees in September, Dell then featured a total of 37 times for the side across the campaign. Not content with just trying to find his feet, the young forward proved to a be one of the club’s successes in an otherwise difficult year – scoring his first ever senior goal on the road against the Basingstoke Bison in December and then finding the target a further 7 times during 2018/19.

Two of the 16 year old’s tally came in the dramatic penalty shot shootout upset of the Peterborough Phantoms in Gillingham in March.

In addition to his 8 goals, Owen Dell claimed 4 assists to end his first season in the NIHL South’s top tier with 12 points. He also picked up fewer penalty minutes than any other player with just 4 to his name.

His excellent performances saw him compete for the club’s Supporters’ Player of the Year accolade before he then scooped the Forward of the Year trophy at the end of season awards in April.

Speaking on his return to the team, Owen Dell said, “It was an easy decision to stay with the Mos. The passion I have for this team and the joy I get from playing for my local club is something that I wanted to experience again. Icing for the Dynamos means a lot to me because of how long I’ve been with the club – the years I’ve spent in the junior setup.”

“Last year was difficult for the team as a whole but it was still special for me. I was very pleased with my first year of senior hockey considering the level of the league we were in and that I managed to reach double digit points which is something I am proud of”.

When asked on his hopes for the new campaign, Owen Dell said, “This year I hope that as a team we can win a lot more games and be known as a real threat for the other sides. We definitely need to turn Gillingham back into a fortress as it was when I used to watch from the stands.”

“Fingers crossed we can end the season with some silverware as that’s what everyone involved with the club and the fans deserve after a difficult year”.

Meanwhile Owen Dell’s new Player-Coach Anthony Leone was equally pleased with the forward’s return saying, “Last year was a great opportunity for Owen as he had plenty of game time and proved that he is able to compete at this level.”

“He’s still very young but he has a smart hockey brain and all the tools to be a great player. I want to see him play plenty of minutes again this season, learn from those around him and continue maturing into the top quality player he can be. This is going to be a big year for Owen and I’m excited for him”.

Owen Dell will once again wear the number 22 jersey for the Invicta Dynamos.

Picture supplied by David Trevallion.