Great Britain under-18s had a two-day training camp in Dumfries, Scotland. Credit: Ihukmedia

Great Britain Turn To Barry Ice Hockey Prospect Bayley For World Championships In Estonia During March

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Barry-born Bayley Harewood, a 16-year-old former Cardiff Devils junior, has been selected for Great Britain’s under-18 ice hockey squad.

Forward Harewood, who has a burning ambition to play NHL hockey in the future, has experience of competing in North America and currently plays senior hockey for Basingstoke Bison.

Bayley’s parents, Craig and Dina, are rightly proud of his achievements so far and his dad said of his GB selection: “It’s an amazing achievement for a young Welsh lad who attended an academy school in Ontario, Canada for two years. 

“He also made the GB u-20 as a reserve and will be representing South West at the Sheffield tournament during June.”

Harewood was 14-years-old when he went to the Canadian International Academy, an organisation committed to identifying the next big stars in the sport.

He was spotted playing for the Devils and England youth teams. Harewood, who was appointed assistant captain of his team at the academy and was leading scorer at one stage, was first invited to Canada 18 months earlier, but his parents felt he was too young at the time.

The family went to Canada and Craig said: “It really blew us away. Everything is under one roof. He was on the ice first thing in the morning, off to school, back on the ice and then studied before bed.

“As well as giving them the opportunity to develop their skills and earn recognition by the top clubs, the academy teach valuable life skills. The facilities are first class.

Centreman Bayley started playing ice hockey at the age of seven. He represented the South West and England, while he has now achieved GB recognition.

Britain travel to Tallinn, Estonia for their World under-18 Championship challenge to play the hosts plus Korea, Lithuania, Romania and Serbia.

The six-team IIHF tournament will be held in the Tondiraba Ice Hall and runs from March 22 to March 28.

Bayley Harewood.

“After our training camp in Dumfries, we all head to Estonia with a strong belief that we can achieve great things,” says head coach Sean Easton.  

“Two years ago we won gold in this tournament and we are aiming to repeat that achievement.

“We have a great mix of talent and characters this year.

Bayley isn’t the first Barry-born player with ambitions to play at the top level of  ice hockey and the ability needed to progress,

Wilf Cube (born July 4, 1906, died May 5, 1968) was a goaltender from Barry who Played 10 seasons (1930-1941) for Philadelphia Quakers, Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens.

In those years ice hockey goalies did not wear face masks.

Cube’s family relocated from Wales to Winnipeg, Manitoba in search of employment and he started playing ice hockey there.

Other Welsh NHL group members are:

Cy Thomas (August 5, 1926 to January 2, 2009) was a professional ice hockey player from Dowlais, Wales. He played 14 NHL games for Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Black Hawks.

Jack Evans (April 21, 1928 to November 10, 1996). Born Garnant, Wales. Defenceman. Played for New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks between 1946 and 1972. His family emigrated to Drumheller, Alberta in his youth. Only spoke Welsh when he arrived in Canada and when he learned English spoke with an elongated drawl that earned him the nickname ‘Tex’.

Started playing ice hockey at the age of 14 and quickly became a leading junior league D-man. He was a member of Chicago’s 1961 Stanley Cup winning team and played in the 1962 NHL AllStar game in Toronto.

Nathan Walker (born February 7, 1994). Aged 23. Cardiff-born forward who has played for Australian club Sydney Ice Dogs and HC Vitkovice in the Czech Republic plus North American teams Youngstown Phantoms, Hershey Bears and South Carolina Stingrays. Has played NHL hockey for Washington Capitals, Edmonton Oilers and St Louis Blues.

Great Britain under-18 squad:

Netminders

Lucas Brine – New Hampton Huskies

Harrison Walker Bradford/Blackburn

Defence

Bradley Bowering – Peterborough

Aren Francis – New Hampshire Monarchs

Jordan Griffin – Sheffield Steelers/Steeldogs

Rhodes Mitchell-King – Hill Academy

Ethan Reid – Murrayfield

Liam Steele – Guildford

Liam Stenton – Solway Sharks

Forwards

Jack Brammer – Sheffield Steeldogs

Owen Dell – Invicta

Alex Graham – Sheffield Steelers/Steeldogs

Bayley Harewood – Basingstoke

Ewan Hill – Romford

Jack Hopkins – Nottingham

Finley Howells – Telford

Tommy Huggett – Romford

Jarvis Hunt – Peterborough

Juha Lindgren – Slough

Logan Neilson – West Coast Renegades

James Spence – OHA Canada

Callum Wilkinson – Billingham

Bayley Harewood

Long List Reserves

Henry Adams – Solihull

Massimo Agostini – Telford

Sam Cooper – Guildford

Ben Davies – CIHA

Jack Goodchild – Okanagan UK

Jack Henderson – Dundee City

Dan Hitchings – Romford

Alex Oldale – Sheffield

Fynn Page – OHA Canada

Bradley Windebank – Romford

GB Under-18s World Championship schedule

March 2020

Sunday 22: Estonia v Great Britain (4pm local time, 2pm UK time)

Tuesday 24: Great Britain v Romania (4pm, 2pm)

Wednesday 25: Great Britain v Korea (12.30pm, 10.30am)

Friday 27: Serbia v Great Britain (4pm, 2pm)

Saturday 28: Great Britain v Lithuania (4pm, 2pm)

Great Britain’s under-20 team are currently in World Championship action at the Pramogu Arena, Vilnius, Lithuania

They are third in the table, one point behind second-placed Lithuania, with one match to play. On Sunday, GB play bottom team Serbia, who have yet to earn a point after four matches (Noon local time, 10am UK time), while Lithuania take on 100 per cent group leaders Japan (7pm local time).

The third group match is Romania v Spain (3.30pm local time)  and GB are already guaranteed a top three finish at least.

GB World under-20 Championship group results so far: Spain 3, GB 4 (after penalties); GB 5, Romania 3; Japan 6, GB 3; Lithuania 3, GB 6.

Great Britain stayed in the hunt for medals when they defeated Spain 4-3 after overtime and a penalty shootout in Vilnius.

GB took a three-goal lead, before Spain netted three goals in seven minutes to tie the game going into the final period.

During the penalty shootout, netminder Tyler Perre was not beaten by any of the four attempts on him as GB grabbed the extra point.

Swindon Wildcats’ goalie Perre had a brief loan spell with Cardiff Devils this season, filling the back-up role behind Ben Bowns when Thomas Murdy was missing.

Alex Graham, Zach Milton and Tyler Cooper scored Britain’s goals during regulation time, while Alderson Biddulph and Milton scored in the shootout as GB secured victory.

STANDINGS

RNK TEAM GP W OTW GF:GA PTS
1 Japan 4 4 0 32:5 12
2 Lithuania 4 3 0 18:12 9
3 G Britain 4 2 1 18:15 8
4 Spain 4 1 0 7:19 4
5 Rumania 4 1 0 11:23 3
6 Serbia 4 0 0 9:21 0

GB

Great Britain under-20 roster

Netminders

Will Kerlin – Sheffield Steelers

Tyler Perre – Swindon Wildcats

Defence

Ed Bradley – Philadelphia HC

Reece Cochrane – Sheffield Steeldogs

Jordan Griffin – Sheffield Steeldogs/Steelers

Joe Hazeldine – Nottingham Panthers

Oliver Lord – Coventry Blaze/Telford

Sam Russell – MK Lightning

Ben Solder – Islanders HC

Liam Stenton – Solway Sharks

Forwards

Mason Biddulph – Berwick Academy

Jordan Buesa – Fife Flyers

Louis Chabot – Nepean Raiders

Tyler Cooper – Northeast Generals

Alex Graham – Sheffield Steeldogs/Steelers

Ethan Hehir – Leeds Chiefs

Patrick Larkin – Nepean Raiders

Zack Milton – Bracknell Bees

Austin Mitchell-King – Hill Academy

Cade Neilson – Aberdeen Wings

Caly Robertson – Bracknell Bees

Finlay Ulrick – Manchester Storm

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