BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND – Storied NHL team Boston Bruins will warm up for the new NHL season by playing a game against the UK Elite League’s Belfast Giants in the latter’s home Arena, the Odyssey Arena. The five time Stanley Cup winners, who play in the 18000 capacity TD Garden, were founded in 1924 and became famed through legends including Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Eddie Shore, Cam Neely and Ray Bourque. They’ll face up to a Belfast Giants side founded in 2000, in the Odyssey Arena with an expected sell out crowd of just over 7000. Twice league champions and twice play off champions in those 10 years, Belfast Giants legends include Paxton Shulte, now General Manager Todd Kelman and NHL legend Theo Fleury. The Giants will be bolstered by some star names from around the Elite League yet to be named but expected to include Great Britain captain Jonathan Weaver of Coventry Blaze, Sean Selmser of the same whilst Jade Galbraith and David Clarke of Nottingham Panthers could also feature. Belfast are coached by former AHL player Doug Christiansen and include former NHL player Colin Hemingway amongst their ranks as well as many players with strong AHL experience. However, they will be severe underdogs against a Boston Bruins side including star NHL names such as giant Captain Zdeno Chara, Slovak legend Miroslav Satan alongside Shawn Thornton, Patrice Bergeron and Marco Sturm – although the Boston side is likely to feature a number of their drafted prospects. Amongst the highest profile professional teams of any sport to play in Northern Ireland, the coming of the Bruins is sure to be a big event and prove a real boost to the already successful Giants franchise in a key year for the Elite League.
The game itself is scheduled for October 2nd, with the Giants expected to play the Nottingham Panthers the following night in league action. Giants General Manager, Todd Kelman, is currently in Boston and Prohockeynews will provide updates from the negotiations and announcements from the TD Garden. Contact the writer phil.andrews@prohockeynews.com
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