Former Guildford Flame Kruise Reddick says GB netminder Ben Bowns will have nothing to worry about when he heads to Slovakia to play for Dukla Trencin.
The 30-year-old spent the second half of 2020/21 with the club, along with Flames team-mate Calle Ackered so knows what Bowns can expect when he moves there later this summer.
And Reddick couldn’t have been more positive about his own experience, but hopes the ex-Cardiff Devils goalie will get to experience something he didn’t.
“It’s a great organisation to play for and I was treated well over there,†Reddick told The BIH Show podcast. “It’s a very professional atmosphere and I think Ben will have no problems settling in at Trencin.
“It was a great place to play and a good spot. I’d planned to return to Guildford, but it didn’t happen because of the pandemic and I had to play somewhere.
Good luck in Slovakia, Ben Bowns! @Bownsy21 will spend the 2021-22 season with HK Dukla Trencin ???#DevilsFamily pic.twitter.com/R4GR8HJT4f
— Cardiff Devils (@cardiffdevils) June 16, 2021
“It took a while to find a contract and was lucky enough to find a spot there at the end of December and I enjoyed it a lot.
“We couldn’t play in front of the fans, but the interaction over social media was good. From what I gathered, Trencin have a very passionate fan base and hopefully Bownsy can experience that.â€
Reddick however won’t be returning to Guildford ahead of the possible new Elite League season after deciding to end his career on the ice, which will disappoint Flames fans.
He revealed what life will be like for him in retirement, but praised coach Paul Dixon and the organisation for the way he was looked after during his three years in Surrey.
“We had a good core of players that kept coming back to Guildford and the fact we kept re-signing showed how well Paul and the organisation treated the players,†he added.
LISTEN: The new episode of The BIH Show features Kruise Reddick, Rob Wilson and Allan Crow, who discusses Fife Flyers
“Everyone who plays for him wants to go back. He treats you with respect and encourages you to be yourself on and off the ice.
“It was a tough decision (to retire) and one you have to make eventually. Part of me wants to always keep playing, but that isn’t always going to be the case.
“I’m getting married in August and look to start the family life, but I have a new career working for an oilfield chemical company.
“I’ll still look to keep in the game somewhere, maybe play in a team over here, but it was time to give it up professionally.
“I don’t know about coaching right away. As for now, I just want to concentrate on the new career and I’m looking forward to that.â€
