The Guildford Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Guildford, Surrey. They play their home games in the Guildford Spectrum and compete in the top-tier of hockey in the United Kingdom, the Elite Ice Hockey League.
Founded in October 1992, the Flames originally played in the second-tier leagues of British hockey, first the British National League until 2004, and subsequently the English Premier Ice Hockey League until 2017. On 24 February 2017 it was announced that the Flames would become the 12th Elite Ice Hockey League team, joining from the 2017–18 season.
The team's head coach is Paul Dixon, who took over after Stan Marple retired in 2007.
Formation Barry Dow, an American who sponsored and owned the basketball team Guildford Kings and Bill Hurley established and owned the team as management – the two were new to the sport of ice hockey, and brought in Mike Urquhart as coach and Darrin Zinger as captain.
Key players signed for the first season included Canadians Sean Murphy and Dave McGahan due to their high scoring at Solent Vikings. In addition a number of British players including goaltender, Mike Kellond; forward, Danny O'Hanlon and defender, Gary Shearer.
The Flames' inaugural season began in October 1992; they began, unseeded, in the English League Division One. With the Guildford Spectrum not yet completed, the team had to train at Slough's facility. The Flames played their home games at Alexandra Palace until their new home ice was ready and played there for the first time on 23 January 1993.
When 23 January 1993 finally arrived and the Guildford Spectrum opened, the event was a big one. The area's paid-for newspaper The Surrey Advertiser described the local council's £28 million arena as "awesome". Guildford's first game at their new home showed a convincing win with Andy Sparks scoring the first goal at the Spectrum. The team went to the top of the Conference due to that game, a position they held onto for the whole season.
Elite League
The Guildford Flames were confirmed as an Elite League expansion team in February 2017, stepping up from the English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL), and began play in the UK's top division at the start of the 2017–18 EIHL season.
The Flames finished in sixth in their first season (2017–18), followed by a fifth-placed finish in 2018–19 – a campaign in which they finished runners-up to the Belfast Giants in the Challenge Cup final.
Guildford were again in sixth when the 2019–20 EIHL season's remaining matches were cancelled in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The play-offs were cancelled with only the Challenge Cup seeing a winner (the Sheffield Steelers) crowned.
Then, the 2020–21 Elite League season – originally scheduled for a revised start date of 5 December – was suspended on 15 September 2020 because of ongoing coronavirus pandemic restrictions. The EIHL board determined that the season was non-viable without supporters being permitted to attend matches and unanimously agreed to a suspension. The season was cancelled completely in February 2021.
In the 2021–22 EIHL season, Guildford finished the regular season in fifth place with a 25-25-4 record, reaching the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup (losing 6–5 on aggregate to Nottingham Panthers) and the play-off semi-finals (beating Nottingham 7–6 on aggregate in the quarter-finals, before losing in the last four to Cardiff Devils 3–2). Guildford claimed third place by beating Dundee Stars 7–5 in the third/fourth place play-off.
The 2022–23 EIHL season proved to be even better for the Guildford Flames, propelled by a strong start to the campaign that saw the Flames top the league for much of the first half of the season, including at Christmas. Forwards Daniel Tedesco (80 points), captain Brett Ferguson (67 points) and Ryan Tait (62 points) led the way.
The team were neck and neck with eventual league champions the Belfast Giants, with Guildford finishing in 2nd place in the Elite League with a 40-12-2 record from 54 games, good for 82 points, just two behind the Giants. Belfast secured the title after a 6-1 win over the Flames at the SSE Arena on 1 April 2023.
In the Challenge Cup, Guildford reached the semi-finals, before an eventual 6-3 aggregate defeat – once again at the hands of the Belfast Giants. And in the play-offs, the Flames were on the end of an upset at the quarter-final stage, losing 7-6 at the hands of seventh seed the Nottingham Panthers in April 2023.
Guildford's second place league finish in the 2022–23 season saw them earn qualification for the 2023–24 IIHF Continental Cup. However, in May 2023, the club released a statement confirming they would decline their place in the competition.
The 2023–24 EIHL season saw the Flames maintain a record that kept them in the top half of the league table. On 13 March 2024, Guildford finished runners-up in the Challenge Cup final to the Sheffield Steelers, losing 3-1. Guildford ended the regular season in 5th with a 24-20-10 record, eventually losing in the play-off semi-finals to the Sheffield Steelers, 6-3. The Flames also lost the 3rd/4th play-off 7-5 to the Cardiff Devils.
In 2024–25, Guildford finished 6th in the league standings, thus once again qualifying for the end of season play-offs. The Flames regular season record was 25-22-7. The Flames were eliminated at the quarter-final stage by eventual champions the Nottingham Panthers, 8-6 on aggregate.
Club honours
Domestic Benson & Hedges Cup
1996–97, 1998–99
British National League
Champions: 1997–98, 2000–01 Playoffs: 1997–98, 2000–01, 2003–04 Southern Conference: 1997–98
Challenge Cup
Runners-up: 2018–19, 2023–24
Christmas Cup
2000–01
English Premier Ice Hockey League
League: 2005–06, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2012–13 Playoffs: 2010–11 Cup: 2006–07, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2015–16
Patton Conference
2018–19
Individual EIHL All-Stars First Team
2017–18: Jesse Craige 2021–22: Jamal Watson 2022–23: Daniel Tedesco
EIHL All-Stars Second Team
2017–18: Calle Ackered 2017–18: John Dunbar 2018–19: Calle Ackered 2018–19: Jesse Craige 2022–23: Brett Ferguson 2022–23: Ben O'Connor 2025–26: Mathieu Gosselin
Team logo and jersey
The team logo is very similar to that of the Calgary Flames of the NHL. The team jerseys mirror those used by a former NHL team, Atlanta Thrashers from 1999 to 2006 (with logos replaced and advertisements added).
Current squad Squad for 2026–27 Elite League season
+ Netminders No.PlayerCatchesAcquiredPlace of BirthJoined fromPress Release1 Brad Arvanitis L 2026Holliston, United StatesMaine Mariners, ECHL30 Adam Long L 2021Crewe, EnglandHaringey Huskies, NIHL 240 Justin Fazio L 2025Sarnia, CanadaAsiago Hockey 1935, AlpsHL
+ Defencemen No.PlayerShootsAcquiredPlace of BirthJoined fromPress Release5 Jonathan Racine L 2025Montreal, CanadaCSM Corona Brasov, Erste Liga8 Dustyn McFaul L 2026Waterdown, CanadaFort Wayne Komets, ECHL26 Nate Kallen R 2026San Diego, United StatesVienna Capitals, ICEHL45 Travis Brown A L 2024Winnipeg, CanadaBelfast Giants, EIHL59 Jake Willets R 2026Erie, United StatesReading Royals, ECHL71 Karl Boudrias L 2026Châteauguay, CanadaBelfast Giants, EIHL77 Jordan Power L 2026Ottawa, CanadaCoventry Blaze, EIHL
+ Forwards No.PlayerPositionAcquiredPlace of BirthJoined fromPress Release13 Tyler Busch A C 2025Lloydminster, CanadaCardiff Devils, EIHL16 Jack Jacome A RW 2024Caledon, CanadaRungsted Seier Capital, Metal Ligaen19 Elliot Lewis C 2025Southampton, EnglandMilton Keynes Lightning, NIHL24 Zack Milton F 2025Ashford, EnglandBasingstoke Bison, NIHL27 Chase Gresock F 2026Powell, United StatesDragons de Rouen, Ligue Magnus28 Matt Alvaro C LW/C 2023Toronto, CanadaFort Wayne Komets, ECHL63 Mathieu Gosselin RW/LW 2025Quebec City, CanadaCincinnati Cyclones, ECHL67 Justin Ducharme RW/LW 2026Mirabel, CanadaFife Flyers, EIHL68 Brett Neumann C/RW 2026Toronto, CanadaGlasgow Clan, EIHL91 Joshua Waller LW 2024 Reading, England Cardiff Devils, EIHL95 Cole Sanford RW/C 2026Vernon, CanadaCardiff Devils, EIHL98 Samuel Talbot F 2023London, EnglandMilton Keynes Lightning, NIHLTBC Alexandre Lavoie C/RW 2026Anjou, CanadaDragons de Rouen, Ligue Magnus + Team Staff No.NamePositionPlace of BirthJoined fromPress ReleaseN/APaul DixonHead coach/GMSunderland, EnglandAppointed in 2007 N/AAndrew HemmingsAssistant coachGuildford, EnglandAppointed in 2022 N/AMatty SimpsonEquipment managerEnglandAppointed in 2024 + Recent departures No.PlayerPositionAcquiredLeaving ForPress Release6 Ben Solder D 2025Fife Flyers, EIHL7 Sean Comrie D 2025Norfolk Admirals, ECHL17 Tyler Preziuso RW 2025Wichita Thunder, ECHL19 Charlie Curti A D 2024Herlev Eagles, Metal Ligaen20 Marcus Tesink D 2023Trois-Rivières Lions, ECHL27 Josh Nixon RW 2025Indy Fuel, ECHL29 Nick Seitz F 2025Gothiques d'Amiens, Ligue Magnus42 Jamal Watson D 2025ECDC Memmingen Indians, DEL286 Jake Coughler C 2024Selber Wölfe, Oberliga88 Lewis Hook LW 2023Manchester Storm, EIHL93 Ethan Strang F 2024Atlanta Gladiators, ECHL96 Cole Ully LW 2025TBC
Retired numbers The retired numbers at the Guildford Flames are: 3 Stan Marple 10 Ryan Campbell 11 Fred Perlini 9 Terry Kurtenbach 15 Andy Sparks 22 Paul Dixon
Team captains 1992–94 – Darren Zinger 1994–99 – Paul Thompson 1999-00 – Karry Biette 2000–01 – Wayne Crawford 2001–07 – Paul Dixon 2007–09 – Ricky Plant 2009–10 – Rob Lamey 2010–15 – David Longstaff 2015–17 – Jeremy Lundin 2017–20 – Jesse Craige 2021–25 – Brett Ferguson 2025-Current - Matt Alvaro
References
External links Official Guildford Flames website