Peterborough Phantoms have made two new signings, star forward to return, pre-season games revealed

Forward Austin Mitchell-King (20) has joined from Telford Tigers, and fellow attacking Ralfs Circenis, a 24 year-old Latvian, has also moved to Planet Ice for the 2022-23 season.

Forward Duncan Speirs has also re-signed for Phantoms who will play pre-season games against the Raiders on September 3 (away) and September 4 (home), and MK Lightning on September 10 (away) and September 11 (home) before the National League season starts on September 17.

Mitchell-King is a product of the Coventry Blaze Junior system, where he played all the way up to U20 level and has represented the Blaze a handful of times in the Elite League.

The former Great Britain U18 and U20 International played in Canada for two years between 2018-2020, for the Hill Academy U18 Prep Team.

He returned to England for the EIHL Elite Series, icing once again for the Blaze, before signing for the Telford Tigers for the 2021/22 season. He was part of a successful team in Telford, playing his part in their NIHL National League title winning side of last season.

In 47 games last term, Mitchell-King scored 14 goals and added 21 assists for a total of 35 points, a good return for a 20 year old in his first full season in the league.

He has been signed by Phantoms on a two-way contract with Coventry.

Circenis played most of his junior hockey in the south of England, representing Solent & Gosport, Basingstoke and Guildford, before taking a step into senior mens hockey with the Solent Devils in 2014/15.

The former Latvia U18 International also spent three years in Canada, where he iced for the Toronto Attack, Niagra Whalers, North York Renegades, Almaguin Spartans and Temiscaming Titans in a fruitful spell in the GMHL.

Circenis played 106 regular season games in Canada, scoring 58 times and assisting 76, for a total points tally of 134 points.

In 2019, he returned to Solent to play for the Devils once again and had another impressive scoring season, 29 goals and 30 assists saw him pick up 59 points in just 23 games. Last season, his time was split between the Devils and Lindefallets SK in the Swedish Second Division. In total last term, he played 25 games, scored 13 goals and assisted a further 10 for 23 points in 25 games.

He did play a few games for the Sheffield Steeldogs in their Streaming Series, but this will be his first taste of a regular NIHL National season.