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Mark Thomas makes it five on the blueline

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Stockport-born defenceman Mark Thomas has become the fifth defenceman to join the Manchester Phoenix for the first season of Elite League ice hockey.

Twenty-year old Mark Thomas, with a successful playing career in roller hockey with the Macclesfield Meltdown and the Great Britain national team, confirmed his signing for the Phoenix saying, “I’ve a very simple ambition where hockey is concerned and that is to play at the highest level possible. As soon as I heard about the trials that the Phoenix were planning, I wanted to give it a go and thankfully they saw something in me that they like. Now I want to train as hard as I can and earn a regular shift for the team.”

Mark Thomas has travelled around since taking up hockey a little over six years ago and as well as playing for the Altrincham U-19 Tigers and senior level Aces, has also spent a year in Canada playing Junior B level with the Banff Icemen and playing last season for the Haringey Racers in the English Premier League.

Rick Brebant, head coach of the Manchester Phoenix noted, “Mark is a big, strong player with very definite potential. He skates well for a big lad and uses his body strength well. As with the other local players, he’s been working on our strength and conditioning programme and I’m looking forward to seeing him on the ice as soon as possible and working with him to develop his game still further. In Mark and Russ Richardson, I think we’ve signed two of the leading younger British defencemen.”

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