Edinburgh Capitals revived and preparing for Murrayfield Ice Rink return under new coach

Former player Steven Lynch said it was an “easy decision” to accept the job of reviving the Edinburgh Capitals, who hope to be back on the ice by September.
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Following news that Murrayfield Ice Rink is set to reopen in October, Lynch has been appointed head coach and is charged with the responsibility of forming a squad to play in the Scottish National League from September.

The former Capitals, Fife Flyers and Ayr Scottish Eagles forward is already looking for players and is excited about the resurrection of his former team, who folded in 2018.

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The landscape gardening contracts manager last played for the Capitals around 15 years ago, but he revealed: "I always said to myself I would be back in Edinburgh one day.

Edinburgh Capitals in action against Dundee Stars in 2018, just before they folded. They will be back on the ice this year. Picture: Derek BlackEdinburgh Capitals in action against Dundee Stars in 2018, just before they folded. They will be back on the ice this year. Picture: Derek Black
Edinburgh Capitals in action against Dundee Stars in 2018, just before they folded. They will be back on the ice this year. Picture: Derek Black

“When this opportunity came I could not turn it down, the opportunity to mould a club, a club that have not played for several years but a club at a rink with history.

“When I got the call and I really started to talk about it it was, in all honesty, an easy decision to make.”

Lynch coached Kirkcaldy Ice Hockey Club for eight years and was also a coach in the national programme with the Scotland set-up. Last year he also ended up coaching youth players at Dundee.

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He is looking for what he called “the right mix” of players and explained: “I’ve been involved in junior hockey for the last few years and we're looking for some of the best 16 to 18 year-old players.

“I am also looking to bring in some experienced guys – players who have been around the leagues for some years. And we are looking at brining in a couple of imported players to give us a chance of competing. We want to challenge for the league.”

The projected opening date for the ice rink is mid-October and the Lynch said team will have to train and play away from the Capital until then. Training will start, possibly at The Fife Ice Arena, from the beginning of September.

"We will be looking to play league games away and then we'll have the big homecoming in mid-October. I don't see why we can't ring the great days back to Murrayfield Ice Rink.

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"Hopefully, that will attract fans, fans of the Murrayfield Racers, fans of the Edinburgh Capitals, and hopefully ice hockey fans in the surrounding area will buy-in."

Overall, he is pleased that the famous rink, which has housed Torvill and Dean, The Harlem Globetrotters, and the Commonwealth Games boxing in 1970, will be opening again.

He added: "This is great news for Edinburgh that the rink is re-opening and, frankly, I think the whole of Scottish ice hockey has missed having a team at Murrayfield so it is fantastic news and it is great for the Murrayfield junior ice hockey club who have been playing with hands tied behind their backs for a few years just trying to survive.

"This is an exciting time. You'll have local rivalries back, like Kestrels v Capitals, Capitals v Dundee, Capitals v Paisley. That's great for the sport and after the announcement went out the amount of messages I've received has underlined how popular the sport is and how people have missed competitive hockey at Murrayfield."