It’s with great sadness that Edinburgh Capitals are to announce that netminder Craig Chalmers has decided to call it a day and retire from the sport. Chambo has been a huge part of the club since our return in 2022, backstopping us to many victories along the way.
Craig arrived at the club from Kirkcaldy Kestrels, having previously played several seasons in Aberdeen with the Lynx. He was also part of the Dundee Stars roster in 2013-14 in the Elite League, gaining valuable experience that stood him in good stead throughout his career.
We are sure all you Caps fans will have great memories of Craig’s performances and none more so when he gave us two massive performances at the end of season 2023-24, leading us to Play Off glory here at Murrayfield.
Craig played in 102 games for the club, playing 4599 minutes in the net and facing 2422 shots.
We caught up with Craig recently, and he wanted to pass on this message to thank all the fans. “I would first of all like to thank everyone involved with the Edinburgh Capitals organisation for having me as part of the team for the last 3 seasons.
“When Lynchy first phoned me and asked me to come onboard for a rebuild, it was an exciting thought, and you could tell it was the beginning of something special. There was a buzz that the Caps were back, and the fans support from the get-go was nothing short of unbelievable.
“For me, the team quickly grew into a second family and gave me some great memories and friendships over my last 3 years on the ice. Skating onto the ice in front of a packed Lion’s Den is something that I’ll never forget, and my best memory by far had to be celebrating the Play Off win on our home ice in front of the fans.
“From as far back as I can remember, hockey has always been a part of my life. I’ve been playing hockey for around 26 years now, and hanging the skates up always seemed to be something that was in the distant future, so it’s a strange feeling that the day has finally come! This was never going to be an easy decision, but I now feel that it’s the right time for me to step away from the game. I have a busy life away from the rink, and now my wife and I have the excitement of a newborn baby, due to arrive at the beginning of August.
“To finish off, I’d like to wish the team good luck on next season’s campaign, and I would also like to wish Chad the best of luck in his first season as Assistant Coach.
“I can’t say I’ll be away from the rink forever, and hopefully I will see some familiar faces when I take in the occasional game.”
The club would like to wish Craig and his wife Natalie joy and happiness in August when their new arrival comes along.
Thanks for the memories Chambo 🦁
