DUNCHURCH brothers Austin and Rhodes Mitchell-King have signed two-way deals with Elite League ice hockey club Coventry Blaze.
Products of the Coventry Blaze Academy, the pair have each spent two years enhancing their development at The Hill Academy in Canada.
The pair will have different parent club’s with Austin tied to the Peterborough Phantoms of the NIHL and Rhodes to Telford Tigers.
Blaze Head Coach Danny Stewart said: “Austin has obviously spent some time with us the past two years. He’s got great size and much upside to his game. He skates well, plays heavy and can shoot the puck.
“He had a great first year pro last season, and I’m sure will improve again this season. He will train with us as and when his University schedule allows, and also be an option for us when Peteborough aren’t playing.
“Rhodes is new to us, but we know quite a bit about him. He’s another big kid with good skills. He skates well, and also has a great ceiling.
“He will attend Warwick University this year and will train with us as and when his schedule allows. He’s in good hands down in Telford and I think we will see both players feature in our line-up at some point.
“Them, along with the addition of Will Bray gives us three academy players that have come through here in Coventry. Hopefully this will become more of a direct line in the future.”
Austin, aged 20, has previously been part of Blaze’s squad and scored in pre-season against the Manchester Storm to start the 2021/22 season before playing in the Elite Series.
The 6ft 2in winger spent last season with the Tigers scoring 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) in 47 games to help the team win the NIHL league title.
In the NIHL cup he added 14 points (six goals, eight assists) and in the playoffs five points (four goals, one assists) as Telford reached the semi-final of each competition.
Rhodes, aged 19, has returned to the UK following a season in the USPHL with the Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings where he contributed six points (three goals, three assists) in 31 regular season and five playoff games.
The 6ft 3in defenceman was selected to represent Great Britain under-20’s at Division 2A during which he had two assists in five games.
Austin has also been called up to the GB under-20’s and under-18’s playing in three World Junior Championships.
