Forward Ben Washburn will return to the Telford Tigers NIHL North 1 team as Assistant Captain for the upcoming season, however, he is not anticipated to join the line up until early 2026 having undergone surgery on a long-standing injury.
The 28-year-old underwent a major surgical procedure yesterday afternoon on a recurring injury that he has played through for a number of years and unfortunately, became increasingly more severe throughout last season.
Ben had 48 points in 38 competitive games during the club’s treble winning campaign for Tigers 2.
Everyone at the club is pleased to hear that Ben’s surgery was a success and wishes him a speedy and smooth recovery.
Ben commented on his return following his surgery saying:
“To say I’m gutted that I will not be starting the season on the ice, with the lads is an understatement and ultimately, I have a long journey ahead of me. Despite my personal adversity, I cannot wait to watch the boys hit the ice in September and for when the time comes to get back in the fight myself.
We have such a strong core that has had a major injection of elite quality, expertise and leadership. I’m excited to see where this journey takes us.”
Telford Tigers 2 coach Jason Silverthorn added:
“Ben was an important player for us to bring back this year as we moved to up to the next level, as a returning Assistant Captain, he has the ability to play up and down the forward lines and can play multiple positions up front. Although he will be missing for the first part of the season due to surgery, he is a team first player and brings quality, depth, and experience to our forward group. Last season he played through injury and never complained where he was in the lineup, he’s always looking at putting the team first and trusting the process which is was we need moving forward.”
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