Veteran utility man Grant Baxter has become the latest player to commit to the Invicta Dynamos ahead of the 2012/13 campaign.

Head Coach Kevin Parrish has tied the 35 year old to the club for another year to take his roster to sixteen.

Grant Baxter first donned the colours of the Dynamos in 1998/99 but he became a more permanent presence in Kent from 2003 after securing a return to Gillingham that would then see him remain at the Silver Blades for seven consecutive years. He would make 275 appearances in those seven seasons, notching 34 goals and 91 assists for 125 points in the process.

Meanwhile the skater’s robust approach to the game and willingness to defend his teammates also saw him accrue a total of 958 minutes of penalties. Come 2010/11, Baxter then opted to spend a season away from Kent as he switched to nearby Essex and the Romford Raiders.

Here he featured 35 times for the Rom Valley Way outfit before later securing a return to Gillingham for the start of
2011/12. Now, back with the side that he had previously captained between 2007 and 2009, Baxter iced a further 34 times and
tallied 8 points to take his all time Dynamos’ tally to 36 goals, 97 assists and so 133 points from 309 outings. He has also
amassed 1053 minutes of penalties.

Speaking on the return of veteran Grant Baxter, Head Coach Kevin Parrish revealed the importance of having a player on the
roster who knew both the club and the league inside out.

Parrish said, “It’s fair to say that Grant isn’t one the youngest lacing up his skates in the NIHL these days but with his years comes invaluable experience – both of the competition at this level and of what is expected here at the Dynamos. He might be 35 but he still brings the energy and enthusiasm to the ice of a youngster desperately looking to impress and it’s this desire to be involved and make an impact that ensures he is still a valuable asset to the squad”.

Parrish then outlined further reasons for his latest capture when he added, “Grant is a player that can play as or forward or back on the blue line should we need the cover but he is equally important off of the ice in the changing room. Having been there and done it all before for this club he is a good guy to have around influencing the younger members of the side and I have no doubt we’ll see more of the same again throughout 2012/13”.

The re-signing of utility man Grant Baxter has seen Dynamos Head Coach Kevin Parrish move a step closer to finalising his side
before training resumes on the 14th August and the club’s supremo is expected to announce the remainder of his 2012/13 squad
in the days before then.

Picture supplied by David Trevallion