BASINGSTOKE, UK – Bison boss Steve Moria has wasted no time in finding a replacement for the departed defenseman Mindy Kieras who has signed for the Herd’s bitter rivals Slough, by snapping up Slovakian blue line Marcel Petran.
The 24-year-old will make his debut in the British game this autumn and looks a useful signing having played most of his career in his home land.
He did however, spend on season in the MOL Liga playing for Budapest’s Ujpesti TE where he returned an impressive +28.
He also racked up 29 points from 25 games which shows he has some offensively talent as well, which was just what Moria was looking for.
Petran a 216 pounder who stands 6ft 2in played for HK32 Liptovsky Mikulas in Slovakia last season.
“He is a player who have only heard good things about. He has good vision, moves the puck well as well as being a good skater. He is excited about coming to Britain and we are about him coming, said Bison player/coach Moria.
Petran joins Kurt Reynolds, Sam Oakford and Tony Redmond who is moving back to the blue line after last season playing almost entirely as a forward.
The Herd are also close to signing another new British defenseman to the club which will off set the loss of Carl Graham to Bracknell and Ricky Skene to Peterborough.
“I think we will have a solid defence and I have no hesitation in moving Tony back as he has done such a good job there for me at both Slough and Basingstoke.”
The Bison forward lines are starting shape up well with Ollie Bronnimann, captain Nicky Chinn, Chris Wiggins, Moria and new boy Liam Chong already signed.
To add to that will be two imports, but it remains to be seen if Slovak snipers Viktor Kubenko or Ondrej Lauko will return, but Moria has a good record in signing excellent Eastern European imports and there should be no reason to think it cannot do it again.
Contact the author Graham.Merry@Prohockeynews.com
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