Fife Flyers: Jonas Emmerdahl 'excited to get started' in Glasgow Clan test

A summer of rebuilding has gone on behind the scenes, and the fans will get their first glimpse of the roster when it takes on Glasgow Clan.

The puck drops at 7:30pm - and that can’t come soon enough for the fans.

The rivalry with Clan has withered in recent seasons, and they will be keen to see it re-ignited from the very start of the 2022-23 campaign.

Sunday takes Flyers across the Tay to face Dundee Stars, and while pre-season match results are quickly forgotten, there is a real desire to get things of to a winning start ahead of the EIHL Challenge Cup next weekend.

Defenceman Jonas Emmerdahl - one of just three imports retained from last season’s roster - is keen to lace up and hit the ice.

He is joined by five other imports from Scandinavia, and is looking forward to seeing how the team gels.

“It’s exciting to get started,” he said.

“We’re getting to know each other, the guys look good and sharp, and it’s a case of getting to know each other out on the ice.”

Emmerdahl iced with two of Flyers imports - Lucas Sandstrom and Janne Kivilahti - playing for Östersunds in the Swedish Division Three during lockdown, and has been a go-to person for the lowdown after spending the last three seasons in Kirkcaldy.

After the trials and tribulations of last season, the defenceman is looking ahead to a brighter season.

“It was tough last year,” he said. “A lot of the guys hadn’t been on ice for a long time because of the pandemic, and they were also new to the country.

“Coming to somewhere new is a big transition for a lot of guys.

“This year there are a lot more experienced players who will bring a lot to the team.

“We’ve also been able to all get a full summer of training as normal.

“We have a lot of good skill sets in the team and it all looks good on paper.

“It was good to get on the ice for practice this week and we will see how things gel, but the guys are looking sharp.”

Canadian forward Chris Lawrence will miss the pre-season games as he wraps his coaching stint with Melbourne Mustangs in Australia - his team are contesting the AIHL’s play-off finals this weekend.

Fans will also get their first glimpse of Clan’s roster for the new season.

Head coach Malcolm Cameron has wrung the changes, and his roster includes three former Fifers - import Colton Waltz, plus British forwards Craig Peacock and Joran Buesa.

Dundee Stars also begin a new era following the departure of Oma Pacha, coach and GM, with former Belfast Giants’ player Jeff Mason now at the helm.

Tickets for Friday’s game at the door or in advance online at http://ow.ly/6VHY50KrTC0