Vipers signing is very good Storey

Aug 14 2007 by Lee Ryder, Evening Chronicle

NEWCASTLE Vipers coach Rob Wilson today revealed his delight at signing a player of “top calibre.”

Wilson has added Ben Storey to his line-up as one of the star turns in the Canadian’s proposed defensive rearguard.

Thirty-year-old Storey is a graduate of Harvard and was drafted in by the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.

His professional career has seen him play in the AHL and ECHL in North America before moving to Europe with spells in Germany and Austria.

Last season, with EHC Linz in the Austrian League, Storey scored 21 goals and 18 assists for 39 points from 48 games.

Wilson indicated that Storey will play alongside Mark Gouett as the first defensive pairing this season.

The club have also revealed the deal has been made possible thanks to assistance from the Newcastle Arena and Northumbria University.

Storey will study for an MBA at Northumbria University alongside three other Vipers players as the club complete a valuable tie-up to provide education deals as part of the packages players receive.

Wilson said today: “It is very rare a club of the relative small size of the Vipers is able to sign a player of the calibre of Ben, so I am delighted to have secured his signature.

“Ben is coming to us from the Austrian League, which I believe to be of a higher standard than the Elite League, and I am sure he will prove to be one of the best defencemen ever to play in Newcastle.

“To score 21 goals and nearly 40 points from defence is a great return in any league, to have done it in the Austrian League is an outstanding performance.”

Wilson, who has also been running the rule over New Mexico Scorpions’ Aaron MacInnis, added: “I am looking forward to working with Ben this coming season, and with him studying at Northumbria, perhaps for seasons ahead. I would also like to thank Colin Revell at the Arena for giving us the support to make the deal financially viable.

“The Arena have been a supporter of ice hockey at the venue for almost 12 years, and again they have come forward to help us make a big signing.”

Storey was delighted to be coming to the UK.

He said: “I have been talking to coach Wilson for two weeks, and was certainly interested in a move to the UK.

“I spoke to other players in Austria who know the league and the Newcastle area, and had no real hesitation in joining the Mobilx Vipers.

“The coach has said the club has won three major trophies in its five seasons to date. Hopefully I can be part of the team which can add a fourth.

“As well as playing for the Vipers, one of the things which made the deal was the chance to study at Northumbria University.

“I have attended Harvard and have been looking to build on my schooling, and this is an outstanding opportunity for me.”