Edinburgh Capitals would like to announce that, due to ongoing knee injuries, defenceman Ben Coughtrie will step away from playing duties ahead of the new season and take on a coaching role with the club.
Ben has been an important part of the Capitals setup since joining back in 2022, proudly representing the team on the ice over the past four seasons.
During his time with the Capitals, Ben made 97 appearances, scoring 2 goals and 30 assists for a total of 32 points.
After four seasons in a Capitals jersey, Ben has unfortunately been forced to make the difficult decision to call time on his playing career due to injury.
While this brings his time as a player to an end, Ben’s involvement with the club will continue as he moves into a coaching role for the upcoming season.
His experience and understanding of the club make him a valuable addition to the coaching staff, and the Capitals are delighted that he will continue to play an important role within the organisation.
Reflecting on the move, Ben said, “Unfortunately, my playing days are now over due to injury. While I never got the chance to retire on my own terms, I couldn’t have asked for a better way to go out than I did last year.
“After having a think over the summer about what I was going to do with my free time and weekends, I realised I wasn’t quite ready to walk away from that locker room just yet.
“I’m extremely excited and grateful to Lynchy and Chad for giving me the opportunity to remain part of this great club, this time in a coaching capacity.
“To be able to stay involved, give something back, and hopefully play a small part in helping the club continue to grow means a lot to me.”
Head Coach Steven Lynch had this to say, “Ben has had to make a very difficult decision and call time on his playing career due to injuries, which has to be difficult and gut-wrenching for a guy his age to make.
“After having a couple of chats with him recently, he told me that he still desperately wants to stay involved in the game and with the club, so we have agreed that he will become a member of the coaching team this year.
“He is also going to get involved with the new Caps Academy with the U12s and start the process of learning all about coaching. It may not completely fill the void of playing, but it’s the next best thing.
“As a club, we want to recognise Ben’s contribution to the Edinburgh Capitals over the last four years. I know he’s looking forward to it, and Chad and I are excited to work with him this season.”
The Capitals would like to place on record our thanks to Ben for his commitment, dedication and contribution over the past four seasons. While we are disappointed that injury has brought his playing career to an end, we are delighted that he will remain part of the team and continue his journey with the club from behind the bench.
LET’S GO CAPITALS!
