Left Field

In his second article for TCW, Ben Ellington looks at the appointment of Danny Stewart as the new Head Coach of Nottingham Panthers…

It was an announcement that came straight out of left field, no-one really expected it and the reaction has been somewhat mixed (along with a ridiculous opinion that someone would rather have Saddam Hussein as head coach, but the less said about that particular bit of nonsense, the better!) 

For those that are unaware, Danny Stewart has left Coventry Blaze to take up the Head Coach position at Nottingham Panthers, succeeding Jonathan Paredes who has returned to France. Was it expected? No. Has it been met with universal acceptance? Certainly not.

Many have pointed out that Stewart has won nothing from eight seasons behind the bench in Coventry, but to be fair, Blaze are thought to have one of the smallest player budgets in the Elite League. On that basis it could be argued that Stewart has produced teams that have over-achieved in the West Midlands over the past few seasons. Indeed, one of the hallmarks of Stewart’s Blaze squads is a strong work ethic. 

I personally feel that some of the criticism levelled at the appointment is unfair and misplaced. Many called it a lazy appointment, but I don’t see how that is the case. Stewart has nearly twenty years of EIHL experience as a player and a coach. He also has three Elite League championships on his CV as a player, so he knows how to win a championship. Stewart has also shown loyalty, 12 seasons at the Blaze as a player and coach added to 5 seasons in Fife as a player/coach. The Panthers organisation has been crying out for stability and an end to the revolving door of players and coaches each season since Corey Nielson left the club for the first time in 2018.

For me, stability is the key factor here. Some have said it is a ‘safe’ appointment, and in some respect, I can see where those opinions are coming from, but I think safe is what the club needs right now. After the shambolic on ice performance in 2022/23 which was the followed by the tragic events of 2023/24, the organisation needs to put roots down and keep a head coach for more than a season. I firmly believe that Danny Stewart will do that, while also having a player budget greater than he had at Coventry. It is now imperative that Panthers start to challenge at the top end of the EIHL table once again. Hopefully Stewart will be given the tools to allow him to do that, along with some of the squad from last season. Otto Nieminen was a great start to recruitment, hopefully more will follow.

That’s not to say that Stewart doesn’t know what he’s doing in the recruitment department. He has brought some key talents to this country including the likes of Ben Lake, Marc Oliver Vallerand, CJ Motte and Nathanael Halbert amongst others. It’s also worth pointing out that Luke Ferrara had a career season at Blaze under Stewart’s management. Personally, I’m excited for the future with Danny Stewart at the helm. I think with the right coaching support around him (Kevin Moore?) along with a competitive budget, we could hopefully achieve the potential that was so evident in Jonathan Paredes’ squad before an awful fate intervened. While far from being last chance saloon, this appointment needs to be successful, long-term and continue to build on the positive relationship that has been forged between the club and the fan base. The 2024/25 season promises much, I really hope it can deliver.