One To Watch – Nathan Salem
Name: Nathan Salem
DOB: 17/09/1991
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 13st 12lbs
Nationality: British
Position: Forward
Shoots: Left
Tonight’s one to watch is a high scoring British forward, Nathan Salem is a product of the Whitley Bay junior system and he played there right up until he was 18 years old.
It was at this point Salem got his first call up to the Elite league with the Newcastle Vipers, he played the full 2009-10 season with them and he scored 10 points in 51 games which was very impressive for someone so young. While finding his feet in senior hockey Salem was called up to the GB junior sides, U-18 in 2008 and U-20 in 2009, he scored 9 points and 7 points in the respective tournaments where he represented GB.
Following his breakout year in the Elite League Salem signed again for the Vipers but only played for half a season before joining Edinburgh and latterly the Telford Tigers in the EPL. After this tumultuous season Salem moved to the Solway Sharks who initially played in ENL2 and Salem destroyed this league, proving he was far to good for that level, he scored 104 points in just 27 games! His second season with Solway in NIHL 1 saw him once again score freely, this time returning 66 points in 30 games.
Following his time with Solway Salem joined up with Telford in the EPL and he was a key member of their trophy winning season under the ownership of Red Hockey and Wayne Scholes. Unfortunately, when the Telford ownership went bust Salem was one of the casualties and he left for the Hull Pirates. For the final year of the EPL Salem was in Hull and he captained the Pirates side, he recorded yet another point per game season in the EPL.
With the collapse of the EPL and the move of teams into the existing NIHL structure he decided to join Peterborough in NIHL South 1, it was to be another successful scoring season for Salem which has become a theme in his career so far.
After the one year stay in Peterborough, Salem signed for Sheffield, first in NIHL North 1 and now the NIHL National division. Last season Salem managed a return of 50 points in only 34 games making him one of the most dangerous forwards in the league. Salem is a go to player for Sheffield and expect him to be a threat all night for the Swindon defence.
