Fife Flyers: Shane Owen returns for 2023-24 season and outlines his aims

The netminder’s return was confirmed as part of the two-year deal he signed at the start of the 2022-23 campaign which ended with the team missing out on play-offs.

Owen was one only handful of players who stood out in an ultimately disappointing campaign which saw the club finish ninth in the ten-team EIHL after failing to find a consistent spark on the ice. He recorded a 90.87% save average in a season which saw him log the most minutes of any netminder – 3235 in total - just ahead of Matt Greenfield of Sheffield Steelers on 3162. Owen also faced 1961 shots - significantly more than any other netminder.

In an interview with the club’s online TV channel, Owen confirmed his return, and looked back on the past season.

“We had our ups and downs, but it was a tough season all in all,” he said. “There were positives but we were plagued with injuries which made things tough. We faced adversity and battled through it.”

Looking ahead, he wants to see Fife re-established as a top half of the table team - and one that pushes for play-off and Challenge Cup success.

“We want to win every game and do as well as we can in the Challenge Cup. A .500 team is realistic, definitely. We have to aspire to be in the upper half of table and that starts from day one. It came down to the last game but there were 50 other games that were just as important - we need to get the mindset right on day one and go from there.”

The forthcoming campaign - due to face off in late August/early September - will be Owen’s third since returning to the club. He previously iced in seasons 2016-17 and 2018-19, with spells in the ECHL, Poland, Sweden and Belfast in between. The goalie is a three-times winner of the Fife Free Press’ Mirror of Merit trophy which is awarded to the team’s most consistent and valuable player each campaign, and dates back to the early 1950s.