Doyle signing bolsters small but talented group of new Steelers

New Sheffield Steelers Head Coach Doug Christiansen answered back at questions over the team’s offseason progress this week, making a big splash acquiring experienced Goalie Frank Doyle, moving in as Doyle’s deal with the Cardiff Devils fell through earlier this summer.

The Doyle signing no doubt comes as a great relief to Steelers fans, after last year’s Goaltender John DeCaro’s departure left question marks over who would be in the net in Sheffield this season.

In Doyle, the Steelers get a man experienced in both the European and American game, who has had no shortage of practice stopping shots for struggling Italian side HC Fassa over the last three years, no doubt worth the wait for Steelers fans.

Doyle joins a small yet gifted pool of new additions for the Steelers this year, which includes celebrated home grown talent Rob Dowd. Great Britain standout Dowd rejoins the Steelers much to the delight of the Steel City faithful, after a successful stint in Sweeden, before which he played under Doug Christiansen in Belfast having left Sheffield in 2010.

Dowd will be looking to establish a potent attacking threat with fellow new signing Ryan Menei, who joins the Steelers full of promise having led the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League in scoring this past year.

Aside from these additions the Steelers have been slightly thrifty with their offseason business, with fans being used to slightly more action by this stage of the summer. That being said, several key names have been brought in, none more key than Christiansen himself, who of course came to Sheffield from the Belfast Giants in April. Christiansen brought with him a championship winning pedigree after his EIHL victory in 2012, as well as former Giants defenseman Chad Langlais who joined the Steelers on an initial one year deal in June.

Also joining Christiansen in Sheffield is 23 year old winger Aaron Nell. Although still being touted as a raw talent, Nell is certainly worth the risk for the Steelers having scored 115 points for the EPIHL’s Swindon Wildcats in 2012-13, leading to his first full Great Britain appearance in April.

Key contributors rejoining the Steelers this year include goalie Geoff Woolhouse, and skaters Mark Thomas, Jonathan Phillips and, crucially, Jeff Legue, who led the team in scoring last season. All have signed extensions to their contracts.

These four, as well as the rest of the returning roster will then be joined by a new class of players that may not yet be as deep as in previous years but that certainly has enough quality, in Doyle, Dowd and Menei in particular, to push an already very capable Steelers side into the early  championship discussions.