The Hangar club have been affected by a number of off-ice problems lately, resulting in the release of key members of their roster.

Head coach Slava Koulikov, captain Dan Scott, Ciaran Long, Dan Davies, Lee Richardson will be the latest to leave the club after the game with Basingstoke Bison on Sunday.

But Smital, who was appointed as Bees head coach last week in the wake of Gareth Cox’s departure, told the News: “There won’t be any signings from Slough.

“It’s a hard situation over there at the moment but I haven’t thought about it and don’t think we will be.” Smital enjoyed a winning start as head coach when his side beat Sheffield Steeldogs and Telford Tigers last weekend.

The results keep Bees fifth in the English Premier Ice Hockey League, and Smital has challenged his side to keep up the good work.

“I have said to the guys we are there for a reason, because we have earned it. If we want to stay there and get higher we have to earn that too, it won’t be given to us,” he explained.

“We are going day by day rather than looking at big jumps up and down the table. We have to be alert, hockey is funny, you can have a great weekend then lose the next weekend, but the guys are confident and in good form.” Reflecting on the depature of Cox, Smital added: “It was unexpected for everybody but that’s hockey and we have to do what we have to do to keep going.

“We want to carry on the work he has done. If you give the job to someone inside then you don’t have to change a lot, we are going to continue what we were doing, no wholesale changes or anything too distracting.” Bees go to Sheffield on Saturday for their only game of the weekend (7.30pm f/o).

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