BELFAST, UK – Belfast Giants head coach Doug Christiansen continues to build a side he hopes to challenge for EIHL silverware with the signings of American defenseman Rich Seeley and former Edinburgh Capital player Dan Welch. The standout defenceman Seeley joins the Giants from Austria, where he returned from injury in the 2009/10 season to play 28 regular season and 11 playoff games for Medvescak Zagreb.
In Seeley, Coach Doug Christiansen is delighted to have found the defensive leader he has been searching for:
“Rich Seeley h as been a captain of 8 of the 11 professional teams he has been on. The fact that he has captained 3 different American Hockey League (AHL) teams shows the quality of person and player he is. He was also nominated 3 times for AHL Man of the Year. He is a strong defender who can play on the power play but he is known as a steady defender who can play against other teams top lines.” “I am looking for Rich to be a leader on our defensive core. He brings experience at many levels and can help our d-core improve over the course of the season. He has a great hockey mind and is someone who will help us in crucial games throughout the season.” Christiansen continued, “One of my main goals is to have a much improved road record and I believe adding leaders helps the team find ways to win on the road. Rich has seen it all and will be a player who will rise to the occasion in those tough road games.”
Forward Dan Welch returns to the Elite League for a further season, having played for Christiansen in Edinburgh last season, scoring 16 goals and 24 assists in 44 games.
Christiansen has a specific role in mind for Welch: “Dan Welch is a well known player in our league. He is a player who has great skill and can make something happen out of nothing. He has played 3 seasons in the AHL, had a point a game in the ECHL, and won an NCAA University Championship. Having coached him last season in Edinburgh, I know what he brings to the table. He is a player who can play any line and can kill penalties. He gives us depth on all 3 lines and can play a defensive role when needed. Dan is excited to be coming to Belfast. Of all of the players I recruited this summer, he was the one who wanted to come to Belfast the most. He was great in the contract talks and said that he understands that his role for the Giants will be different than it has been in other places. I think his role as a depth forward allows him to produce but helps our team by having someone with his pedigree on every line.”
Commenting on the latest signings, GM Todd Kelman said:
“Bringing Rich Seeley to Belfast gives added strength and depth to our defensive core for this season. I think Seeley completes the strongest defensive unit in the league and last year we built a championship team around solid team defence. He is a proven penalty killer who will notch up significant ice time over the season against the opposition’s top lines. Dan Welch joining the Giants also ensures we are bringing depth to our forward lines. I know Dan Welch can put points up and can play on all three lines. When you look at our forward lines, we are shaping up nicely and will have three lines that can put the puck in the net. I think getting Dan is a great move for us.”
Contact the author Pete.lewis@Prohockeynews.com
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