The Key & Eagle-sponsorered Blackburn Buccaneers are on the verge of returning to action for new season and there have been plenty of changes in personnel over the close season with a mixture of new blood and the return of a few old faces being added to the squad.

Firstly, we welcome Callum Rose and Bram Coghlan who have joined us from the Widnes Wild and Blackburn Hawks juniors respectively. Ellen Tyrer also came through the junior system at Widnes and has now made over 30 appearances for the Widnes Wild Womens team in both the Premier and 2nd Divisions of the Womens National Ice Hockey League. Ellen also plays for University side Manchester Metros.

Also representing the team for the 2024 season are some Buccaneers of old. Brothers John and Tommy Smith join Gareth Fogarty in returning to the club after a number of years. Both Tommy and John had time away from the game whilst Gareth represented the Blackburn Hawks 2 in their brief stint in the NIHL2 league.

Mark Higson left the club in 2014 to sign for the Widnes Wild in the NIHL 2 division. He then signed for the Bradford Bulldogs in 2016 and went on to make over 130 appearances for the Yorkshire club before calling time on his league career this year. He has been the Buccaneers head coach since 2018 and this year will again pull on a club jersey. Unfortunately, Mark will be unable to take part in our Summer Classic games due to competition rules but will feature for the club in any games outside of the Summer Classic, starting next weekend when we make the trip to Deeside to play our first ever game against Connahs Quay Cobras.

Our first Summer Classic games of the season come on 4th and 5th May as we play an away double header against Sheffield Mavericks on 4th May before taking on the Sheffield Ice Tigers on Sunday 5th May.

Our first home game comes on Sunday 26th May as we welcome Shropshire Huskies to Blackburn Arena.