Final pieces of Blaze jigsaw in place

COVENTRY, UK – Coventry Blaze Head Coach Paul Thompson has snapped into place the final pieces of the team for the forthcoming EIHL campaign with the signing of a new blue liner and the re-signing of two Blaze veterans and fans favourites. The new guy is Canadian defenceman Jeff Smith who has spent the last two seasons with Nijmegen Devils in Holland where he was the Captain last season and led them to the league championship. The huge 6’6” Saskatchewan 29 year old knows how to win and his record in North America is impressive with a Calder Cup winners medal taking pride of place in his trophy cabinet which he won playing for AHL team Philadelphia Phantoms in the 2004/05 NHL lockout season. Prior to this Smith won the ECHL Kelly Cup with Trenton Titans in 2002/03 season so this guy is a winner. Smith has a history of being more that willing to drop the gloves and no doubt he will be mixing it up with some of the tough guys in the EIHL this season so fans across the UK are in for some dramatic hockey this season. He is a stay at home blue liner but can if required play as a forward and this give Coach Thompson some very useful flexibility. Thompson said “I’m delighted that Jeff will be joining us in Coventry, he’s a really huge man and throughout his career he’s used his size really well.  He’s played both as a forward and as a defenceman but it’s at the back that he’s really been able to make the most of his size.  He’s very much a stay at home defenceman, with a massive reach and with his size and presence he will add the toughness to compliment our back end.  He also has the advantage that if I feel I need to shuffle the pack and play him up front for certain games, he has the ability to do that.

“Everyone knows that I really like to bring players to Coventry who have a track record of winning and in Jeff we’ve brought in a player who has contributed to teams winning at every level he’s played at – junior, East Coast, American League and in Europe.  He also has tremendous leadership qualities and that was recognised in Holland last season where he captained the side.  I think he’s going to fit in very well to our line up next season.” Smith said “Signing with the Coventry Blaze is a fantastic opportunity for me and I can’t wait to play in the Elite League next season, having played in Europe for the last two years, I’ve obviously heard quite a lot about Coventry and the league and the added opportunity to take part in the Continental Cup next season means I’m really looking forward to the season. “I’m a big, stay at home defenceman and I compete hard every time I’m on the ice.  I’m joining to add a solid presence to the back end hopefully that will compliment the players that we have already.  The roster looks great for next season and I’m looking forward to helping the team continue the winning tradition it’s established in recent years.” Forward Dan Carlson and blueliner Matt Soderstrom have re-signed for Coventry Blaze for the forthcoming season. American Carlson has been with Blaze since the grand slam winning season when Blaze won the EIHL championship, the play-off finals and the Challenge Cup. Carlson formed his incredible partnership with Canadian team-mate Adam Calder and they became known as AC/DC with many t-shirts bearing that identity in Coventry referring to these two Blaze legends. This partnership was broken up in 2005/06 season when on the back of the incredible success of the previous season Carlson was tempted away to play in Germany and Calder went to play in Sweden. However they both returned to Coventry the following season and picked up where they left off and resumed their phenomenal partnership. Calder has left the Blaze after leading them to the EIHL championship last season which disappointed many Blaze fans but they will be delighted to see Carlson return. He has great skating skills and creates good scoring chances for his team mates as well as scoring great goals himself. Carlson has been in all four of the Blaze teams that have won the EIHL championships along with other major trophies. “I’m excited to be back for a sixth season with the Blaze,” said Carlson “The Blaze organisation has always been great to me and I know coming back, that the goal will be to challenge for more trophies.  Coventry’s been a supporting and welcoming home for my family and I over the years so as always we are thrilled to be returning once more.  With the added bonus of the Continental Cup and defending last season’s championship there is a lot to look forward to in the upcoming season.Swedish defender Soderstrom has been with Blaze since 1999 although he spent three seasons playing for other teams in the UK and Italy so his career with Blaze has not been continuous.   He returns to Blaze for another season and will be a dependable blueliner who can get forward and make a difference on offence. Soderstrom has played over 500 games for the Blaze and he gets another season to add to his tally. “I’m really glad to be back again, I love the club and as long as the Coach believes I can do a job for the team, I’ll be here.  I’m certainly not ready to retire yet ! We’ve brought in some great new players and I’m just as excited ahead of this season as I was when I first came over from Sweden.  Playing in the Continental Cup again is something else to really look forward to and I’m as determined as ever to help to club defend our league title.” Thompson is delighted to have the two Blaze stalwarts back in the team.  “Both Dan and Matty have been a huge part of the success that we have had since we came to Coventry and I’m really happy that they will both be back in the line up next season.  They are two of the hardest working and committed players around and with over eight hundred games for the club between them, they have the vast experience that is invaluable over the course of such a long and high pressure season. “Dan’s record speaks for itself.  He’s been a prolific point getter for us and I still believe he’s as good as any other two way centre in the country.  Matty is still one of the smartest and dependable defensive defencemen around and after his performances last season, he really deserves his new contract.  They are two players who know what it takes to win and if you look at their trophy cabinets, they both have been very good at doing just that.” So Coach Thompson has just about completed his roster for the new season and now it is just a matter of the team meeting up, training, drilling and getting to know each other. Coventry Blaze has a great tradition of integrating new players into the club and the city of Coventry, this is a vital part of the clubs continued success. Other bigger clubs in the EIHL have seen how Coventry do it and are trying to emulate the Blaze way of doing things. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. Contact the author Stephen.Williamson@Prohockeynews.com