24 year old Welsh forward Nicky Lewis has become the latest player to commit to the Invicta Dynamos ahead of the 2012/13 season.
Head Coach Kevin Parrish secured the skater’s services for a fourth term and has awarded him the ‘A’ of alternate captain.
After rising through the ranks back home in Cardiff, and appearing in both the ENIHL and Elite League for the Devils, forward Nicky Lewis travelled across the pond for the 2008/09 season to spend a year icing in the Canadian ‘A-League’ the other side of the Atlantic.
On his return to the UK the following term, the energetic skater then arrived in Kent and managed 44 goals and 27 assists for 71 points in a fantastic debut year for the Dynamos. His exceptional form caught the attention of the Sheffield Steeldogs in the EPL, and so, in 2010/11, Lewis stepped up a league to make 19 appearances for the South Yorkshire outfit.
He would be back in the South East before the campaign was through though as his new side suffered both on and off ice issues prompting the forward to seize the opportunity for a Dynamos return.
Now in Kent, he managed 18 points from 25 fixtures before then committing to the club for a further year ahead of 2011/12.
Unfortunately Lewis would go on to suffer a serious shoulder injury early on in the campaign but, after overcoming a separated acromioclavicular joint (AC joint), he still managed 12 goals and 34 assists for 46 points in 39 outings and his efforts were rewarded at the end of season presentations as he scooped the ‘Player of the Year’ award.
Now the energetic skater will be hoping for an incident free season as he commits to the Dynamos for another year looking to add to his all time record of 63 goals, 72 assists and so 135 points from 102 fixtures.
Speaking on the return of Welsh forward Nicky Lewis, Head Coach Kevin Parrish revealed that he saw the Cardiff born player as a growing influence on the side and a skater who embodies the attitude he wants from his team.
Parrish said, “Nicky has become a mainstay of our attack since he first joined us back in 2009 and is one of those players that, as a coach, you know exactly what you’re going to get from him. He battles tirelessly, chases everything and never gives up and you’d be hard pushed to find a coach at any level of the game that doesn’t want players of his commitment and desire at their disposal. On top of that he’s a great character to have in the changing room and it is for these reasons he will wear the ‘A’ of alternate captain next season”.
Parrish then went on to suggest that there might still be better to come from his latest re-signing when he added, “Nicky is still only 24 and yet he has numerous years of experience behind him both at this level and above. I’m very confident that, should he have a little more luck and avoid injury, he will have a big year for us and play a major role for the Dynamos in 2012/13”.
Nicky Lewis is the third forward to make the roster ahead of the new season but the first of last season’s attack to be announced before of the first puck drop in September.
News of other player announcements will be made over the coming days as Head Coach Kevin Parrish continues to mould his side in the build-up to the upcoming campaign.
Picture by David Trevallion