Invicta Dynamos Head Coach Kevin Parrish has wasted little time in beginning his preparations for the 2012/13 campaign by tying 23 year old defenceman Tim Smith to his sixth year at the club.
Sheffield born Tim Smith initially joined the Dynamos from the Peterborough Islanders as a promising 18 year old at the beginning of the 2007/08 campaign and has since gone on to make 165 appearances in Invicta colours.
After scooping the ‘Defenceman of the Year’ Award at the close of 2010/11, he originally signed on for another term in Kent before returning north and home to Sheffield in October for personal reasons. Whilst in South Yorkshire the defenceman iced for the Steeldogs in the league above making 22 appearances in the EPL before eventually securing a return to Gillingham in late January.
He saw out the remainder of the 2011/12 campaign with the Dynamos, with a total record of four goals and 27 assists for 31 points in 20 outings, and will now continue his hockey career in Kent as he pens a contract for another term.
Speaking of his first signing of the off-season, Head Coach Kevin Parrish revealed he was pleased to have defenceman Tim Smith back at his disposal for another year and added that the blue liner was the perfect fit for his new plans ahead of 2012/13.
Parrish said, “I’m looking to build a team of players committed to taking the Dynamos back to the top of the ENIHL South and Tim fits the bill exactly. Far from concerned with the name on the back of the shirt, Tim always battles for the logo on the front and I rate him amongst the best in the ENIHL South Division 1. He plays strong, physical hockey, has a good eye for a breakout pass and will always step in and defend his teammates should it be required”.
The Head Coach then added that moving to secure the return of Smith was an easy decision when he said, “Tim was a great loss when he returned to Sheffield near the start of last season but he came back to us all the better for his time a way and put in a number of great performances over the second half of the campaign. Asking him to stay then was a no-brainer and I’m pleased to say that he was more than happy to extend his time with us in Gillingham”.
Defenceman Tim Smith is the first player to be announced by the Dynamos ahead 2012/13 as Head Coach Kevin Parrish reshapes his side in a bid to overhaul new league champions Romford. To date Smith has 19 goals, 129 assists and so 148 points from 165 outings for the team. He has also accumulated 414 minutes of penalties.
Picture by David Trevallion