Ice Hockey: Widnes Wild season review

Team photo on Ice after Moralee Cup win

Written by Paul Breeze
Photos by Geoff White

Widnes Wild have had their best ever season in terms of league performance, having finished the 2021/22 campaign in third position in their first ever season in the NIHL Moralee Division.

It has been a superb achievement for player coach Richard Haggar and his new look team and back room staff – especially as they also won the Moralee Cup, seeing off stiff opposition in the group stage, overcoming Solway Sharks in the semi-final final and then beating Dundee Comets over two legs in a closely contested final.

The Wild entered the season as the new boys in the division but they already had a growing reputation at the higher level after a successful mini season in the “behind closed doors” streaming series saw them secure the North 21 Cup and the National Division 1 Championship Title.

However, a full length league season playing against long established teams was a different prospect all together and Haggar had the daunting task of putting together a squad that would be able to consistently compete at that level.

Many of the old fan favourites from the Laidler Division team returned for the new season and they were boosted by signings from Hull Jets such as Kieran Beach, Jay Robinson and Tom Brierley, along with Sheffield sharpshooter Nathan Britton, Vlads Vulcanovs and Joe Wyatt from Altrincham and, later in the year, Matty Barlow from Bradford.

The Wild also attracted major National Division talent with the signings of Chris Wilcox and Tom Stubley from Hull Pirates and Liam Charnock from Leeds Chiefs and all three have gone on to be key players this season.

In goal, Harrison Walker continued the fine form that he showed in the streaming series games and Evan Coles has been a very worthy back up. The Wild also encouraged youth development with the signing of several under 23 players on two way…