Player-Coach Anthony Leone has tied up the future of another of the club’s longest serving players by securing the return of 25 year old defenceman, and newly appointed alternate captain, Harrison Lillis who will now enter his ninth term on the Invicta Dynamos roster.
Few personify the phrase ‘one of our own’ quite as well as Harrison Lillis with the skater having risen through the junior ranks in Gillingham before making his senior debut for the Mos in 2011/12 aged 18. Then began a senior hockey career that has so far covered eight seasons which were spent almost exclusively with the Dynamos but for a half year stint with Streatham IHC in 2013/14.
Heading into 2019/20, Lillis has already featured 306 times for the Mos – an impressive tally of games that only eight other players have surpassed in the club’s 22 year history.
In that time he has featured predominantly on the blue line, but also in attack when required, and found the target and on 14 occasions whilst chipping in with 31 assists for a total of 45 points. In addition, the combative skater has amassed 399 minutes of penalties.
In 2018/19 Lillis was hampered by injury which ultimately cut short his campaign but he still managed 8 points in 31 games which included 2 goals and 6 assists in what was British Ice Hockey’s second tier.
Now, fully recovered and raring to go, the skater is back for a ninth consecutive term in Gillingham looking to help restore the club to recent but former glory under Player-Coach Anthony Leone.
After committing his immediate future to the Dynamos, Harrison Lillis reflected on the last campaign and the new season to come saying, “Last year was a tough one not just for the club but also for me personally as I suffered a shoulder injury that ruled me out of the last six weeks of the league campaign and the playoffs.”
“There were positives too though and I feel both I and the team learned a lot from playing at the higher level. Next season I want to maintain that higher standard in the new league. I expect there will be significant changes made both on and off the ice but I hope to help put this club back at the top where it belongs.”
With the ink still drying on his new contract, Harrison Lillis then detailed why he signed on the dotted line saying, “As a junior my goal was always to play for the Dynamos even though I knew it would be a difficult task with only a few elite juniors making it to the top at Invicta.”
“Being able to look back on not only taking that step but playing for the club for so long is an achievement I’m proud of. When new Coach Anthony Leone called me then, asking me to be a part of his squad for 2019/20, I agreed in a heartbeat.”
“Leone is the best captain I have played under and I have a lot of respect for him as a player, a friend and now a coach. I’m looking forward to working with him next season. It’s an absolute honour to put on a Dynamos jersey every week and I don’t plan on stopping that any time soon.”
Having appointed Harrison Lillis as an alternate captain, Player-Coach Anthony Leone said, “This is an exciting year for Harry. He’s a dependable defenceman who has proven himself over time, will do anything for the team and he has a big part to play this year.”
“I know I can trust Harry, that he will work hard every week and that he’d run through walls for this club. He fully deserves the ‘A’ on his jersey. He’s another home-grown player that is a fan favourite and a core part of our defence. I’m glad he’s back and look forward to working with him”.
Harrison Lillis will once again don the number 87 jersey for the Invicta Dynamos when the new campaign gets underway in September.