BELFAST,U.K- Elite league Belfast Giants General Manager Todd Kelman further added to his 2008-09 Team with the return of Giants Legend and former Coach, Rob Stewart. Stewart will fill the role of Assistant Coach and take his place behind the Giants bench once again.
‘Stewy’ played with the Giants from 2000 until 2003, before becoming Coach in the inaugural Elite League season (2003-04). Stewart was succeeded by Tony Hand, but went onto Coach the Sheffield Steelers in 2004-05. Stewart returned to the Giants the following season after Shane Johnson went out of action with an injury. Stewart helped the Giants to their second League Title.
Stewart has played in integral part in every Giants roster he has been apart off; He was one of the top defencemen in the Superleague (ISL) when the Giants picked up their first piece of silverware, led the team to their only
Rob Stewart (Photo courtesy of www.michaelcooper.com)
“I won four championships in my ten years of pro hockey, and everyone of them was with Rob Stewart,” Kelman said. “He is another person that Steve (Thornton) can bounce ideas around with and someone that we know will have the understanding to run the bench and make the decisions that Steve can’t always make when he is on the ice.”
“I know how difficult the player-coach role can be and I think it was a very smart move for Steve to want someone behind the bench this year,” Stewart said. “I think this will be a great year of hockey here in Belfast and I hope I can add as much to the Giants behind the bench as I did on the ice,” “I’ve known both Todd and Steve for a long time and I know we will work well together, It should be a great year ahead for all of us.”
The Giants will take to the ice this weekend (August 30) to play two exhibition games against the Dundalk Bulls/Latvian Hawks select teams, in preparation for their opening League match in the Odyssey Arena in September against Cardiff Devils. Contact the author at Aaron.stewart@prohockeynews.com
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