Sat 22 Aug 2026 - 07:30AM

WEEKEND LOWDOWN: ANGERS KICK-OFF PRE-SEASON

By Jono Bullard

After 133 days, hockey returns to the Motorpoint Arena this Sunday as Nottingham Panthers take on French Ligue Magnus side Ducs D’Angers as both teams battle for the Aladdin Cup.

Angers already have one game under their belts this pre-season, having lost 3-0 to league rivals Rouen in Rouen last Friday, and will also face Cardiff Devils at Vindico Arena on Saturday night as part of a short UK tour.

Panthers will be taking to the ice for the first time in 2026/27 in front of a huge Motorpoint Arena crowd which will almost certainly be a sell-out.

The game will see a return to Nottingham for former Panthers Head Coach Jonathan Paredes and former netminder Alex Debeau, who signed in France from Romanian Erste Liga side Corona Brasov where he has spent the past two seasons.

The French side are no strangers to the Motorpoint Arena, having played three games here in the Continental Cup back in January.

Several members of the Angers team that were in the tournament will once again be gracing the ice on Sunday, including their joint-top point=scorers from the tournament, Jonathan Charbonneau and Phillipe Halley.

Panthers will have a different look to them as up to 12 new faces will take to the ice for the first time in black & gold, along with defencemen Jaakko Niskala and Joe Hazeldine who return to the club after spells away.

Fans will also have the opportunity to wish a happy birthday to returning forward Chase Pearson who turns 29 on Sunday.

Limited tickets remain, so be quick to be part of what promises to be a huge pre-season crowd on Sunday afternoon. Face-off is at 16:00.