Whitley Warriors are delighted to announce the re-signing of respected defenceman Adam Wood.
Although spending most of his ice time on the blue line, 34-year-old Wood also has the ability to cause trouble for opposition netminders. He started his junior ice hockey career in Cardiff and after a season away from the sport, made his senior debut with the Devils’ ENL team in 2009, notching 6 goals, 4 assists and 173 penalty minutes in 16 league games in his first campaign.
After playing two more seasons for the Devils either side of a second break from ice hockey, Wood switched to Streatham in 2014 and collected 26 points in 34 league games. He then played a further five seasons for the side, fulfilling the role of alternate captain from 2016 to 2020 whilst recording a total of 23 goals, 33 assists and 410 PIMs.
In 2021 he moved north and joined the Warriors, notching 17 points in his first season in the Maroon and Gold. He announced his retirement just before the Playoff Final against Solway Sharks in April in 2023 but was persuaded to step back on the ice the following season.
“I’m glad to be back at Hillheads again next season,” Adam told us. “I am still enjoying my hockey and feel like I’ve still got more to give.
“The effort was always there last season but we can definitely improve on some of the performances and results. We have an exciting group of young players coming into the team and I’m looking forward seeing their progression over the season, and as an ever so slightly more senior member of the team, I hope I can aid in the development of these players who are new to senior hockey.”
“It was no accident that Adam received the Players’ Player of the Year, Hillheads Player of the Year and my own Player of the Year,” Head Coach Tony Hand said. “Adam is a born winner and brings leadership on and off the ice. He is a big presence for us and I think he will excel in the SNL.”
Adam also spoke of the opportunities in the Scottish National League: “The prospect of playing our hockey in Scotland is exciting to me. It’s going to be fun playing new teams/players, going to new rinks and forming new rivalries. I think the Scottish league has become pretty strong over recent years, teams like Edinburgh and Dundee have proven this in our cup clashes.”
Welcome back Woody!