DOUG CHRISTIANSEN spent a staggering 8,000 minutes on his mobile phone during the summer recruiting fresh talent for ambitious Edinburgh Capitals.
The American was determined to build a team which could make the final four in the traditional showpiece finale of the season at Nottingham. That's why the phone was switched during his holidays.
Capitals' director of hockey believes he will be
able to drastically cut his phone bill if the team can continue its upward path and that would help the affable American build an even stronger unit next season.
"Success breeds success," said the 6ft 4in playcaller, who is currently devoting all his energy to building the Murrayfield outfit into a real force in Britain's top ice hockey league.
The 31-year-old arrived as a virtual unknown three years ago and, in that time, has built sides which have caught the eye. He has also received praise from a number of unlikely quarters, his rivals.
The opposition don't take Edinburgh as a soft touch these days. Sheffield Steelers, the reigning champions, were cut down last week and Nottingham Panthers, one of the powerhouses of the modern game, left the Riversdale rink to think again after being tamed by upbeat Capitals last Sunday.
A national television audience can judge the team for themselves when Sky Sports screen the game tomorrow at midnight and again on Saturday (10am).
The TV cameras will be back at Murrayfield on Tuesday when Panthers are again the visitors. Two visits in such a short space of time underlines the team's advancement, but it is not just in collective performance that Christiansen has received accolades.
East Kilbride-born Mark Garside has become one of the most talked about young players in the United Kingdom. Edinburgh electrician Ross Dalgleish was snapped-up by Nottingham on a full-time contract in the close season after being spotted playing for Capitals.
Christiansen has now brought five former national Hockey League (NHL) players to the club in the last three seasons, sending out a message to the ice hockey world that Capitals mean business.
Christiansen continues to develop the club despite a low budget and would dearly love to see more fans regularly attending games.
That's why he is putting so much energy into the Great Capital Skate at Murrayfield on Tuesday, December 29. Last season, Capitals attracted their biggest gate of the season – around 1,500 – to watch Basingstoke Bison in a league match after the event.
Today, Christiansen said: "We're looking for progress this year. We're looking to attract 2,000 people to the skate and then the league match the same day with Newcastle Vipers, our closest neighbours. Of course, many of our fans will come to skate with their heroes, but we're also looking to attract other people who have heard about us but never come to watch."
He added: "When I first came here (to Edinburgh) it was a culture change. We had two former NHL players in the team and the first year the goal was to make the play-offs. We did that.
"We also made the play-offs in the second year and that was a phenomenal achievement. This year we have set our target of getting to Nottingham for the final four – that's progress.
"We've got three players with NHL experience in the team. Simon Lambert has just been voted the Elite League's Player of the Week. Cody Rudkowsky is, we believe, the top goaltender in the league and Owen Fussey is a match for anybody. We've got Mark Garside, who is the top 20-year-old playing in Britain and Ben O'Connor, also 20, who has already played for Great Britain. Ben left us to go to a bigger club in Coventry but has come back this time to develop his game.
"If we make the final four that will allow me to recruit more quality players. Edinburgh, in my view, is the No.1 city in the league and I tell players about how good the lifestyle is here. Three of the players are also involved in a graduate programme at Heriot-Watt University. Other clubs do something similar but the reputation of Heriot-Watt gives us a leg-up there.
"We're also looking to develop young talent to follow in Mark Garside's footsteps. Jordan Steel and Mark Paterson are really starting to move up. They understand what it takes to be a professional ice hockey player and the commitment it requires. We want to develop our junior development system more and that will benefit the Capitals in the long term. Everything is geared towards a long-term plan to improve this club."
CAPITALS ACE SIMON IS ALREADY A HIT IN THE ELITE LEAGUEEDINBURGH CAPITALS' quicksilver hitman Simon Lambert is the Elite League's Player of the Week.
The 26-year-old Canadian is in his debut season in British ice hockey and scooped the award having picked up two goals and two assists in the weekend double-header against high-flying Nottingham Panthers.
Lambert, who has played 14 games for the Murrayfield men – scoring nine goals and helping set up 14 others – currently tops Capitals' individual statistics and has climbed to ninth spot overall in the scoring charts.
He has previously played in the East Coast Hockey league with Victoria Salmon Kings and with Oklahoma City Flyers in the Central Hockey League.
With Capitals, he has been inspirational and has already netted two penalty shoot-out winners.
