Fife Flyers: Tim Wallace on building a new team where players’ focus is on the ice
Signing by signing, a new roster is starting to emerge for Fife Flyers - one the club wants to see draw a very clear line under the troubles which detonated last season’s ambitions.
New head coach Tim Wallace is three weeks into his role and has already been in town for meetings with the local management team, and will be back again before pre-season gets underway in August.
“Things are going really well,” he said. “Everyone is on the same page. We have a plan to turn this around and have a well run organisation.”
The changes on the ice have been mirrored off it with the club’s North American ownership group re-aligning after the chaotic decision making that plunged Flyers into financial turmoil. With a restructure has come a new ethos - a reset. with a pledge for action, not just words.
“There were a lot of things to clean up, but, three weeks in, we have come a long way,” said Wallace. We have a plan to turn this into a great place to play hockey.”
Wallace’s move to Fife sees him reunited with Garet Hunt, the first confirmed returnee, and the dressing-room’s de facto leader.
They iced together with Alaska Aces in 2016 and also teamed up for the NHL Alumni games at Murrayfield at the end of April.
“I have seen first hand what Garet brings to the team and the community. He is a hockey guy through and through, and I am really excited to work with him.” Alaska was home to Wallace - he grew up in Anchorage - and his season with Aces also marked his departure from North America for the UK where he iced in 55 games with Sheffield Steelers, followed by a second season in the EIHL with MK Lightning where he went on to become player-coach.
Wallace was appointed head coach at Nottingham Panthers in 2019 before being relieved of his duties in 2022, returning to Lightning for a second spell where he also acted as director of hockey development.
His career also took him into the NHL where, as an undrafted player, he made 101 appearances between 2008 and 2013, icing with Pittsburgh Penguins for three seasons as well as New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes.
He also played two seasons with Orebro HK in Sweden followed by a season in Germany and then back to Alaska and a season with Hunt and the Aces.
Wallace’s knowledge of UK ice hockey has already delivered a new British core with Ben Solder on board from Guildford Flames, and Reece Kelly and Kyle Watson from Sheffield. Ethan Hadden is also on board for a second season with his home town team.
“You need a solid British core,” said the coach. “They are an important piece of the puzzle.”
He has also returned to the NIHL to snap up record breaking goal-scorer Cameron Hough from Peterborough Phantoms, along with Finnish defenceman Joona Vainio as the roster takes on a very different look.
His goal is simple.
“I want players to come in and have nothing to think about other than where they are meant to be on the ice. I want a great environment with good people in a club professionally run.We are working hard to achieve that.
“I’m speaking to everyone just now and doing background checks, I want guys who want to come to Fife and be part of this process, and make it a great place to play.”