Details Ice Hockey

Description: Ice Hockey

The Edinburgh Capitals are a Scottish ice hockey club, playing in the UK-wide Elite Ice Hockey League. They are based in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. The team play at the Murrayfield Ice Rink, close to Murrayfield Rugby stadium. The team are owned by Scott Neil - who saved ice hockey in Edinburgh after the collapse of the Murrayfield Racers and Murrayfield Royals - and local businessman, Matthew Tailford and George Ferdinando. The Edinburgh Capitals were founded in 1998, following the collapse of the Murrayfield Royals, replacing them in the British National League (BNL). The first three seasons for the new Edinburgh team were largely unsuccessful, finishing 8th out of 9 in their inaugural season (ahead of the Paisley Pirates), 8th out of 10 in their second season (ahead of the Milton Keynes Kings and the Pirates), and 9th out of 10 in their third season (finishing once again ahead of the Pirates). The Capitals would receive a massive boost for the 2001/02 season, with the signings of former NHLer, Jason Lafreniere, and SM-Liiga player, Roland Carlsson. That year the club finished 7th out of 12, with Lafreniere amassing 88 points in 44 games. The following summer saw Lafreniere leave the Capitals to join league rivals, the Guildford Flames. Over the following three seasons, the club developed a European style of hockey, recruiting most of their imports from Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Among those included fan favourites, Jan Krajicek, Ladislav Kudrna, Peter Konder and long-serving captain, Martin Cingel. The 2002/03 season also marked the arrival of the popular, Elmira College graduates, Steven Kaye and Adrian Saul. The club once again made a mid-table finish, ending the season in 6th place out of 10. The 2003/04 season saw the Capitals make a blockbuster signing. Former Murrayfield Racers legend and league winning player/coach, Tony Hand, would be returning to Edinburgh after leaving the Dundee Stars. Under Hand, the Capitals would accomplish their best ever league position, finishing 3rd out of 7 and for the first time, make the playoff semi-finals. The forward line of Hand, Saul and Kaye would top the scoring charts, with the trio finishing as 1st, 2nd and 3rd top point scorers in the league. Adrian Saul would also finish as the league’s top goal scorer, with 31 goals in 35 games. The 2004/05 season was a very disappointing one for the club. During the summer, the league’s deadliest line from the previous season was split up, with Hand signing for the Elite League’s Belfast Giants, Steven Kaye moving to French side Morzine-Avoriaz, and Adrian Saul moving to the club’s biggest rivals, the Fife Flyers. Ladislav Kudrna, the team’s goalie from the previous two seasons would also switch teams, moving to Yorkshire based Hull Stingrays. The Capitals would finish this season in last place, recording only 6 wins, making it the club’s worst season in the league.