Ice hockey team in Oxford, Oxfordshire
The Oxford City Stars are an ice hockey team based in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England.The team was founded in 1984. They currently play in the NIHL South Division 1 at Oxford Ice Rink, Oxford
History
The British Hockey League (1984–1996)
The Oxford City Stars made their debut in 1984 and had an instant impact winning the BHL Division 2 (Midlands) as well as the post season playoffs and moved into the BHL Division 1 where they were unable to repeat their success, succumbing to a 9th placed finish in their first season. The following season would see them finish 15th and return back to the BHL Division 2. They would however endure more success in the 1990–91 and 1995-96 seasons as they claimed First Place, but nothing in the post season.
The Turbulent Years (1996–2000)
After the formation of the National Ice Hockey League in 1996, the Oxford City Stars were placed in the Division One South where the finished 6th and failed to qualify for the Playoffs. The following season due to issues with the Ice Rink, they moved to Swindon under the guise of Swindon Chill. The 1998-99 season saw the Stars return under the name of Oxford Blades, losing all 32 games in a dismal season with only worse to come as they folded midway during the 1999-2000 season.
ENHL Years (2001–2012)
The City Stars returned to the ENHL for the 2000-2001 season and would endure mid range results over the coming years, finishing in highs of 2nd and lows of 9th with one quarter final playoff appearance as the highlight of the performances.
NIHL Years (2012–present)
The Oxford City Stars found traction in the newly formed National Ice Hockey League where they won the Southern Division 2 Title back to back in 2012-13 and 2013-14 with no Playoffs being played. The Stars struggled the following season in Division 1 garnering just 7 wins from 36 games on their way to a 9th place finish. They picked up the following year finishing 4th and losing in the Quarter Finals of the Playoffs. The Stars would then return to Division 2 for the next 3 seasons, picking up One League Title in the 2017-18 season.
Covid Pandemic in Ice Hockey (2019–2021)
In late 2019/early 2020 the World was rocked by the emergence of a respiratory disease across the world eventually dubbed the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected the world in a major way as governments struggled to control the outbreak. The Stars were due to play the Invicta Dynamos but the visiting team cancelled due to a positive test amongst the team. Shortly after this the Government announced that measures would be taken to contain the outbreak including the cancellation of all sporting events as well as other measures. Thus the 2019 Season was incomplete and halted and the post-season was cancelled as well. The outbreak would go on to claim the 2020-21 season as well.
Returning to Hockey (2021–present)
After the culmination of Covid19, the League announced the 2021 season would go ahead as planned. The Stars had moved back into the NIHL South Division 1 at this point and the season would commence with 9 teams due to the closure of the John Nike Leisure Complex, home of the Bracknell Hornets who since folded. The Stars struggled in their return to action, finishing 8th of 9 with just 18 points and an elimination in the Quarter Finals of the Playoffs
Club roster 2023–24
(*) Denotes a non-British trained player (Import)
| Defencemen
|
| No.
|
Nat.
|
Player
|
Shoots
|
Date of birth
|
Place of birth
|
Acquired
|
Contract
|
| 4
|
|
Charlie Roche
|
R
|
(2006-01-01) 1 January 2006 (age 18)
|
Oxford, England
|
2021
|
23/24
|
| 9
|
|
Christopher Cooke
|
R
|
(1994-11-13) 13 November 1994 (age 29)
|
Guildford, England
|
2021
|
23/24
|
| 13
|
|
Marcus Mitchell
|
R
|
(1998-01-04) 4 January 1998 (age 26)
|
Guildford, England
|
2023 from Basingstoke Bison
|
23/24
|
| 19
|
|
Tom Stephens
|
L
|
(2003-08-19) 19 August 2003 (age 20)
|
Milton Keynes, England
|
2023 from Bristol Pitbulls
|
23/24
|
| 26
|
|
Darcy Flanagan*
|
R
|
(1999-04-24) 24 April 1999 (age 24)
|
Melbourne, Australia
|
2023 from Melbourne Ice
|
23/24
|
| 79
|
|
Ben Nethersell
|
R
|
(1998-01-05) 5 January 1998 (age 26)
|
Worthing, England
|
2023 from Swindon Wildcats
|
23/24
|
| 80
|
|
Will Harding
|
R
|
(1996-08-21) 21 August 1996 (age 27)
|
Swindon, England
|
2023 from Swindon Wildcats II
|
23/24
|
| 84
|
|
Tom Ravenscroft
|
R
|
(2000-07-01) 1 July 2000 (age 23)
|
Oxford, England
|
2019
|
23/24
|
| Forwards
|
| No.
|
Nat.
|
Player
|
Shoots
|
Date of birth
|
Place of birth
|
Acquired
|
Contract
|
| 8
|
|
Danny Williams
|
L
|
(1994-08-11) 11 August 1994 (age 29)
|
England
|
2023 from Swindon Wildcats 2
|
23/24
|
| 12
|
|
Ollie Harris
|
R
|
(1999-05-05) 5 May 1999 (age 24)
|
Coventry, England
|
2023 from Milton Keynes Thunder
|
23/24
|
| 21
|
|
Matt Lawday
|
R
|
(1991-05-04) 4 May 1991 (age 32)
|
Basingstoke, England
|
2017
|
23/24
|
| 22
|
|
Theo Bundock
|
R
|
(1999-07-01) 1 July 1999 (age 24)
|
England
|
2021
|
23/24
|
| 33
|
|
Aaron Moody
|
L
|
(2002-03-29) 29 March 2002 (age 21)
|
England
|
2023 from Bristol Pitbulls
|
23/24
|
| 34
|
|
Bailey Hind-Pitcher
|
R
|
(2003-07-09) 9 July 2003 (age 20)
|
England
|
2023 from Bristol Pitbulls
|
23/24
|
| 42
|
|
Travis Penny
|
R
|
(2003-01-01) 1 January 2003 (age 21)*
|
England
|
2023 from Basingstoke Bison
|
23/24
|
| 71
|
|
Dax Hedges
|
R
|
(1990-05-14) 14 May 1990 (age 33)
|
Oxford, England
|
2012
|
23/24
|
| 77
|
|
Darren Elliott
|
R
|
(1980-07-07) 7 July 1980 (age 43)
|
Oxford, England
|
|
23/24
|
| 78
|
|
Brad Watchorn
|
R
|
(1989-09-24) 24 September 1989 (age 34)
|
London, England
|
2022
|
23/24
|
| 86
|
|
Dylan Hullaby*
|
R
|
(2001-10-11) 11 October 2001 (age 22)
|
Columbia, Maryland, USA
|
2023 from Southern Maine Huskies
|
23/24
|
| 95
|
|
Loris Taylor
|
L
|
(1993-08-01) 1 August 1993 (age 30)
|
Swindon, England
|
2023 from Swindon Wildcats
|
23/24
|
| ??
|
|
Jan Košťál*
|
R
|
(1980-04-13) 13 April 1980 (age 43)
|
Karlovy Vary, Czechoslovakia
|
2023
|
23/24
|
| Team Staff
|
| No.
|
Nat.
|
Name
|
Acquired
|
Role
|
Place of birth
|
Joined From
|
|
|
|
Shannon Taylor
|
2023
|
Head coach
|
Swindon, England
|
|
|
|
|
Darren Elliott
|
2012/13
|
Assistant coach
|
Oxford, England
|
|
|
|
|
Josh Florey
|
2024
|
Assistant coach
|
Oxford, England
|
|
|
|
|
Shane Moore
|
2021/22
|
Assistant coach/Director of Hockey Operations
|
Swindon, England
|
|
|
|
|
Jo Mundy
|
2018/19
|
General Manager
|
England
|
|
Honours
- British Division 2 (South) Champions – 1984/85, 1990/91, 1995/96
- British Division 2 Playoff Champions – 1984/85
- National Ice Hockey League, Division 2 (South) Champions – 2012/13, 2017–18
- English National League Runners-up – 2003/04, 2004/05
- English National League Cup Runners-up – 2003/04
National Championship Trophy 2017/18
Season-by-season record
| Oxford City Stars season-by-season record
|
|
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; PTS = Points; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against
|
|
'*Stars folded midway through the campaign and all of their results were expunged.
'# Oxford Chill were forced to relocate to Swindon just prior to the start of the league campaign due to a major ice plant failure at the rink. After this happened, they were renamed the Swindon Chill.
- Post-season cancelled due to the 2019 Covid Pandemic—2020-21 Season cancelled due to the ongoing Covid Pandemic
Season-by-season record (reserve teams)
Over the seasons the Stars have periodically iced teams in division as a reserve teams and a season by season list is below:
| Oxford reserve teams season-by-season record
|
|
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; PTS = Points; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against
|
|
Other associated teams
The Oxford City ice hockey club also has junior and women's teams as follows:-
- Under 9s (English League South)
- Under 11s (English League South Division 3)
- Under 13s (English League South Division 3)
- Under 15s (English League South Division 3)
- Under 18s (English League South Division 3)
- Under 20s
- Oxford Midnight Stars (Women's League Division 1 South)
- Oxford Rising Stars (NIHL South Division 2)
