Published: Thursday, 5th June, 2008 09:00
Bicks delighted with Jasik capture
By Charles Watts
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Peter Jasik has taken a cut in wages to remain with the Bees for another season.
BRACKNELL Bees coach Adam Bicknell has praised Peter Jasik for taking a reduction in wages just so he can stay at the club for another season.
Bicknell is having to work with a reduced budget this season compared to that of his predecessors and many expected highly-rated Jasik to be one of the first out of the door this summer.
But instead the Slovakian has taken a cut in his salary and penned another deal to return to The Hive for the 2008/09 season to play under Bicknell.
The new Bees coach said: “Peter’s settled in here, he enjoys the league and he likes the people of Bracknell.
“Importantly for us he also has a job outside of hockey which he’s doing well in so he said he’d work with our budget changes and that’s really helped us out.
“I think we’ve lucked out a little bit that he’s fond of his job so he’s happy to continue doing that while playing for us for another year.
“But he’s not the only one. A lot of the players we’ve signed have given a bit back to the club and are willing to sacrifice a bit of their wages just to stay at Bracknell and that’s a great sign.”
The return of Jasik ensures the Bees will have a real goal threat next season but Bicknell is keen to see the 28-year-old shake off the injury troubles that blighted his first campaign at The Hive.
He missed about 20 games due to injury, most notably at the end of the season when a groin problem kept him out of the title run-in, but he still managed to score 61 points from his 48 appearances.
Bicknell said: “The only thing that concerned me about Peter was his injuries. He missed 18-20 games but the points tally he still managed to rack up spoke for itself.
“So if we can keep him fit and get him playing some more games he’s going to be a vitally important member of the squad.”
One person who won’t be icing with Jasik next season is Tom Carlon who this week opted to move to the Telford Tigers.
The 21-year-old struggled to make an impact during his 12 month stay at Bracknell but Bicknell was still disappointed to lose him.
He said: “I spoke to Tom and made him an offer but he’s been offered a full-time job in Coventry so he’s decided to return to Telford.
“I always advise the young British lads to get a job outside of ice hockey as well so I can’t blame him. He would have liked to have come back but he couldn’t really live on what we were offering alone.
“He maybe didn’t show us his full potential last season so I was looking forward to trying to get some more out of him this year. We all wish him luck and look forward to playing against him.”
Bicknell has been a very busy man since being announced as the new coach at the club’s AGM last Wednesday and is happy with how his transfer dealings are progressing.
He is in discussions with a number of players and is confident he will have put together a very strong squad in time for the start of the season.
He said: “It’s been a challenge but I’m happy with what I’m doing and I don’t feel the money is forcing me to get players I don’t want.
“I’ve got five or six players that I’m currently dealing with. When I first got the job I wrote a list of names who I wanted to get tied down straight away and I’m getting there with all of them.
"It’s difficult with a tight budget, I accept that, but I’m quite happy with where I’m at.”
In other news from The Hive it was announced this week that the man Bicknell replaced as coach of the Bees, Dwight Parrish, has signed for Elite League side Manchester Phoenix.
Parrish, who returned to the north with his wife and child, had said he was unsure whether or not he would return to hockey following his departure from Bracknell.
Meanwhile, the Bees have announced details for their season tickets for the coming season. Applications can be picked up at the rink reception or downloaded from the club’s website.
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