Coventry NIHL Blaze are delighted to confirm that goaltender Owen Chester will return to the club for the 2026/27 season.

The young netminder will continue his development with the Blaze after making the step up into senior hockey during the 2025/26 campaign, adding further depth and competition to Coventry’s goaltending group.

Chester made the move into the full-time senior Blaze setup ahead of the 2025/26 season after previously developing within the club’s pathway. Having trained with the team during the previous campaign, the 20-year-old earned the opportunity to continue his progression at NIHL level.

The 2025/26 season proved to be a valuable learning year for Chester, as he gained his first regular senior experience with the Blaze. Elite Prospects records him making eight NIHL 2 appearances during the campaign, including five regular-season starts, where he posted an impressive 1.26 goals-against average and .951 save percentage.

Those performances demonstrated Chester’s potential when called upon, providing strong competition alongside veteran netminder Hayden Laverick. His development also continues a long tradition of the Blaze supporting and progressing young British goaltending talent through the organisation.

Before stepping into senior hockey, Chester impressed within the Blaze academy setup, recording a .907 save percentage across 16 appearances for the U19 side before making the move into the senior environment.

With another season of senior hockey ahead, Chester will be looking to continue his growth, gain further experience and push for more opportunities between the pipes.

His return gives Head Coach Sean Alderson another strong option in goal as Coventry continue building towards the 2026/27 campaign.

Welcome back, Owen!