The Solway Sharks and Dundee Stars have started an exciting partnership as part of both club’s player development pathways after both teams agreed a deal to bring talented 18 year old forward, Jonathon McBean to Dumfries on a two-way deal for the 2022-23 season.

For the upcoming 2022-2023 Elite League campaign, Jonathan McBean will be involved with the Stars team throughout the season but will also play regular hockey with the Sharks as part of the two-way deal.

The 18-year-old will train with Dundee Stars and if opportunities arise, then he can be called into action by Stars GM and Head Coach, Jeff Mason.

Discussing the opportunity to further develop and utilise one of Dundee’s top local talents, Mason said: “Johnny is going to train with us throughout the season and we are going to help him out in any way we can with his development, and if we need to call him up to play, then they he be available to us.

“Ultimately, we are trying to build for the future, as these young guys can be the future of this club, so we are committed to helping them continue to progress and grow into the professional hockey players they can be.

“It is a great opportunity for us to aid in their development and for us to invest in hopefully the Stars of the future and for them it is an opportunity to learn and develop, whilst learning closely from myself and our players.

“It is a model that has worked well in the past and I saw the benefits of it during my time at Belfast for both the players and the team.”

Jonathan McBean will begin his first full season of training with Stars but will also play with Solway Sharks in the National Ice Hockey League Division 1, where he will be coached by Martin Grubb, who also leads Team GB’s Under 20 side.

McBean spent all of last season with the Dundee Comets and was the second highest point scorer in league play, with 30 points (21G, 9A) from 14 games, which was only one point behind Stars legend, John Dolan.

The centreman also added two more goals and two assists in five NIHL 1 North Cup fixtures and has spent one season over in Canada with the Ontario Hockey Academy.

Speaking about his two-way deal with Dundee and Solway, McBean said: “I am delighted to get this opportunity to train with the team I grew up watching and I just need to work hard to show that I will be ready if they need me.”

He continued: “I am excited to get started under both coaches!

“Martin has led Solway to many achievements and Jeff played a big role in the Belfast Giants success last year. so, it will be good to learn from them this season.”

Jonny then discussed his own personal aims for the season ahead and he said: “After seeing how successful Solway were last year, I would love to win a few trophies this year.

“For the Stars, my goal will be to give 100 per cent every session and hopefully make my debut for my hometown team.”

McBean’s new coach in Solway, Martin Grubb then added: “I know most people in Scottish hockey have known who Johnny is and known of the abilities he has.

“For a good number of years, he has been one of the shining lights coming through, along with the likes of Ben Brown and some of the others in the Stars and Comets youth development setup.

“I have had him with me in the Great Britain programme and last year he was unlucky not to make the team, but I saw something in him, and it is key for me that young Scots and Brits get an opportunity to go to the highest level they can.

“I have a previous relationship with Jeff from when he worked in Belfast, alongside Adam Keefe and we done a two-way deal with Kell Beattie and a bit with Mack Stewart and their development was incredible through the year with both teams.

“So, we felt it was important to look and find a way for Johnny to progress and go to that next level, then having spoken to Jeff, he was delighted to look at not only a young Scot but a local player, that has the ability to grow and who has huge potential.

“Johnny is now going to get the best of both worlds, where he will work hard, be around the Stars and learn how to be a professional and work with the great players they have and obviously be working with a great coach in Jeff, but he will also still get the game time and get to that next level in the NIHL with ourselves.

“It really is a great opportunity and I know he is excited about it, and Jeff is excited to work with him, as are we.

“So, it ticked all the boxes and like any other young player, if we can provide opportunities and open the door for them, then in the future I think they can become regular Elite League players.

We then discussed the benefits of two-way deals and his positive experiences of them in the past.

“Ultimately, the long-term the plan is to help Dundee and the Stars, and these two-way deals give both clubs the opportunity.

“If Johnny impresses, then we have already had that conversation that there will be opportunities to potentially get Elite League ice time and that is the carrot that is dangled for him.

“So, the opportunity is there for him, but ultimately he will still be able to play, rather than just training with no end product and as I said, that experience is invaluable for him.”

Martin continued: “I see huge potential in Johnny and if I am honest, he is my type of player because he is skilled and plays with his head up.

“We saw him in the NIHL Cup and the Comets did a great job getting to the final and were unlucky not to win it, but he was one of the shining lights, even as a young player.

“We have had experience of working with Glasgow Clan and the Giants, and my own experience through the game, but the way I look at it is, my job and my club’s job are to try and get these young players to the highest level they can possibly play.

“So, if we can do some deals that not only help us but more importantly help the player and allow them to go on to work with these Elite League teams, then it can only be of benefit to the game as a whole and certainly to the game in Scotland.

“I have no doubt, after working with Jeff before, that this will benefit us all and importantly, somewhere in the future I would like to think that Johnny McBean will be a regular feature in the Stars line-up.”