The Peterborough Phantoms are a British ice hockey team that play at the Planet Ice Peterborough Arena, in Bretton, Peterborough. The Peterborough Phantoms ice hockey club was founded in 2002. It replaced the former city based team, the Peterborough Pirates, and plays in the same arena. The team currently competes in the semi-professional National Ice Hockey League, the second tier in British ice hockey below the fully professional Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL). They previously played in the English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL).
The team won the English Premier League and Cup Double in its first season (2002–03) and retained the Cup the following year. After four years, they won the 2007–08 Knock-out Cup followed by the 2008–09 season in which the Phantoms won the English Premier League, English Premier Cup and the play-offs. In the 2018–19 season, the Phantoms won the NIHL 1 Autumn Cup, NIHL 1 South Cup and NIHL South Playoff competitions, and also finished as part of the NIHL 1 National Playoff Final Four. In the 2023-24 season, the Phantoms won the NIHL National Play-offs.
Club history Ice hockey in Peterborough started in 1981 when the first ice rink built in the UK since the 1960s was opened. The Peterborough Pirates was formed in the summer of 1982. The team joined Division One of the three division National League and two seasons later won promotion to the top level of UK ice hockey. Attendance topped the 1,000 mark on a regular basis and the Pirates reached the 1991 championship play-off final at Wembley, appearing live on mainstream TV. They played in the final again in 1992, but struggled in the increasingly competitive 1990s as new arena based teams arrived.
In 2002, the Peterborough Pirates folded and was replaced with the Peterborough Phantoms in the lower division English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL). The Phantoms secured a league and Cup championship in their debut season and retained the Cup the following season. They won the Knockout Cup in season 2007–08, and won all three major honours in 2008–09.
The Phantoms joined the National Ice Hockey League (NIHL) after the EPIHL folded in 2017. In 2019, a new ten-team division was approved to sit above the existing Division 1 (North and South). Alongside the Phantoms, the National League contains Basingstoke Bison, Bracknell Bees, Hull Pirates, Leeds Chiefs, MK Lightning, Raiders IHC, Sheffield Steeldogs, Swindon Wildcats and Telford Tigers.
Club honours EPIHL Play-Off Championship winners: 2008–09, 2014–15 English Premier Cup winners: 2002–03, 2003–04, 2008–09 League winners: 2002–03, 2008–09 Knockout Cup winners: 2007–08 NIHL Autumn Cup winners: 2018–19 South Cup winners: 2018–19 South Playoff winners: 2018–19 National Cup Winners : 2022–23 NIHL National Playoff Winners : 2023-24
Club roster 2022-23 (*) Denotes a Non-British Trained player (Import) NetmindersNo.Nat.PlayerCatchesDate of birthPlace of birthAcquiredContract33 Jordan Marr L Lochgelly, Scotland 2018 from Fife Flyers22/2342 Tyler de la Bertouche L London, England 2022 from Raiders IHCTwo-Way44 Ryan Bainborough R Nottingham, England 2017 from Raiders IHC22/23
DefencemenNo.Nat.PlayerShootsDate of birthPlace of birthAcquiredContract2 Tom Norton R Nottingham, England 2013 from Nottingham Panthers22/234 Archie Salisbury England 2022 from Peterborough Phantoms U18Two-Way11 Scott Robson R Beverley, England 2014 from Hull Stingrays22/2323 Brad Bowering L Peterborough, England 2017 from Peterborough Phantoms U1822/2325 Billy Thorpe R 2005 (age 15/16)Peterborough, England 2021 from Peterborough Phantoms U1824/2535 Joe Gretton L Nottingham, England 2019 from Nottingham Lions22/2345 Callum Buglass 'A' L Cardiff, Wales 2018 from Cardiff Fire24/2590 Tom Barry R Sheffield, England 2021 from Sheffield Steeldogs22/23
ForwardsNo.Nat.PlayerShootsDate of birthPlace of birthAcquiredContract12 Nathan Pollard L Peterborough, England 2018 from Peterborough Phantoms 222/2319 Leo Markey 2004 (age 18) England 2022 from Peterborough Phantoms 2Two-Way21 Luc Johnson L Milton Keynes, England 2020 from Swindon Wildcats22/2324 Austin Mitchell-King L Warwick, England 2022 from Telford TigersTwo-Way29 Will Weldon 'C' R Nottingham, England 2011 from Nottingham Lions22/2334 Ralfs Circenis L Riga, Latvia 2022 from Lindefallets SK22/2338 Duncan Speirs L Irvine, Scotland 2020 from Dundee Stars22/2371/ Corey McEwen L Cardiff, Wales 2018 from Telford Tigers22/2372 Glenn Billing 'A' L Romford, England 2017 from Milton Keynes Lightning22/2391 Lukas Sladkovsky*L Prague, Czech Republic 2022 from Raiders IHC22/2393 Aleš Padělek* L Jihlava, Czech Republic 2021 from BK Havlíčkův Brod22/2395 Jasper Foster 2003 (age 17/18) England 2021 from Swindon Cougars22/2396 Jarvis Hunt R Aylesbury, England 2017 from Peterborough Phantoms U1822/23
Team StaffNo.Nat.NameAcquiredPositionPlace of birthJoined from/Slava Koulikov2013-14Head Coach/Director of Hockey OperationsYekaterinburg, RussiaSlough Jets, EPIHL2Tom Norton2017-18Player-Assistant CoachNottingham, EnglandLee Elias2014-15Development CoachHavertown, Pennsylvania, USAKristian Kenny2021-22Equipment ManagerEnglandDavid O'Meara2017-18Equipment ManagerEnglandRochelle Owen2021-22Physical TherapistEngland
2021/22 outgoing + OutgoingNo.Nat.PlayerShootsDate of birthPlace of birthLeaving For40 Petr Stepanek L Žďár nad Sázavou, Czech Republic SKLH Žďár nad Sázavou, Czechia375 Ross Clarke R Peterborough, England Raiders IHC 2, NIHL 191 Nathan Salem L Whitley Bay, England Hull Seahawks, NIHL
Season-by-season record Season League GP W T L OTW OTL Pts. Rank Post Season2002-03EPIHL423435 - -711Final Loss2003-04EPIHL322525 - -522Semifinal Loss2004-05EPIHL3218410 - -402Final Loss2005-06EPIHL4823619 - -529Did not qualify2006-07EPIHL4425113 -5566Semifinal Loss2007-08EPIHL4422 -1233534Quarterfinal Loss2008-09EPIHL5436 -1323791Champions2009-10EPIHL5424 -2325576Quarterfinal Loss2010-11EPIHL5424 -2036616Semifinal Loss2011-12EPIHL5417 -2737478Quarterfinal Loss2012-13EPIHL5418 -2853498Quarterfinal Loss2013-14EPIHL5418 -2709459Did not qualify2014-15EPIHL4821 -1962564Champions2015-16EPIHL5435 -11 -8782Semifinal Loss2016-17EPIHL4829 -17 - 2604Did not qualify2017-18NIHL 1 South3223 -3 4 2562Conference Final Loss2018-19NIHL 1 South4224 -8 4 6622Conference champions2019-20NIHL National5028 -17 3 2643Playoffs Cancelled2021-22NIHL National4822 -2132526Semifinal Loss2022-23NIHL National00 000000TBD
Retired numbers Peterborough Phantoms retired numbers No.PlayerPositionCareer 6 Lewis Buckman RW 1999–2010 7 Doug McEwen F 1980–2006 9 John Lawless F 1982–1999 10 Kevin King C 1984–2004 15 Jason Porter D 1986–2003 17 James Ferrara F 2000–2020 20 Randy Smith C 1981–2000 22 Dwayne Newman D 1986–2014 39Maris Ziedins F 1992–2013
22/23 head to head League, Cup & Play Offs - Record (0-0-0) TEAM Basingstoke Bison000 000Bees IHC000000Bristol Pitbulls000000Hull Seahawks000000Leeds Knights000000MK Lightning000000Raiders IHC000000Sheffield Steeldogs000000Swindon Wildcats000000Telford Tigers000000TOTAL000000
22/23 statistics (source:) Top ten scorers League, Cup & Play Offs; as of 24 August 2022
PlayerNo.Nat.PlayerGames PlayedGoals 12345678910
Top ten assisters League, Cup & Play Offs; as of 24 August 2022 PlayerNo.Nat.PlayerGames PlayedAssists 12345678910
Top ten point scorers League, Cup & Play Offs; as of 24 August 2022 PlayerNo.Nat.PlayerGames PlayedTotal Points 12345678910
Top ten penalty minute ratios League, cup & playoffs; as of 24 August 2022 PlayerNo.Nat.PlayerGames PlayedMinutes AssessedMinutes/Games Ratio 1 2 345678910
References