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Clan's gain could be Corey's biggest mistake
For my 50th blog for BIH, I give you something different by my standards. When Braehead Clan announced the signing of playmaking forward Jade Galbraith from the Nottingham Panthers, I must admit that I still feel jealous about it. For this is a signing and half and one that may prove to backfire completely on Corey Neilson’s team planning for the new season ahead. Jade is quite simply, a tremendous acquisition for new Clan player-coach Drew Bannister. Corey has gone on record by saying that Jade has “the softest hands in the game” which is hockey speak for saying he’s a superb individual player that anyone would have in their roster. Never mind, what he is apparently like off ice – Galbraith is a joy to behold when he is on form and pulling the strings for whatever team he ices for. The amount of assists he has racked up in the last three seasons whilst being a Panther is nothing short of brilliant – a staggering 168 of them and 69 goals too added to his name then you can see why I am a big fan of his. There had been reports and rumours, as always, that Jade was going to leave the Dark Side and travel up the M1 to become one of the Steelers “family” and also that Belfast wanted him too. Many a fan I talked to here in Sheffield, all said the same thing: “We don’t want him, he’s not good enough to be a Steeler” but what they don’t see is what he brings to a team – offensively he is really that good and you really can’t argue with the numbers he’s put up over the years since turning pro. He would have been a perfect fit for us in the Ryan Finnerty era. The thing that divides a lot of people about him, is what he is apparently like off the ice. He wasn’t involved in an away game over at the Odyssey last year due to going on a massive bender apparently with then team-mate Ian McDonald which culminated in the latter’s sacking from the NIC. There is also reports allegedly of his fondness of the old puck bunny or two, namely those female hockey fans who fancy the team. Imagine if he was a footballer playing for either Celtic or Rangers, the press would have a field day in this goldfish bowl of a city where he now plies his trade. I can only hazard a guess and think that the above events are the ones that meant he was out of the picture this season when Corey sat down with Rick Strachan, Gary Moran and Neil Black in deciding who to keep and who to cut. But then again that’s just unfounded speculation. Jade will have a hell of a point to prove, just like Derek “Soupy” Campbell did last season when icing for us against Coventry – and you can imagine the delight that will ooze from every pore in his body should he score a game winning goal against the Panthers for the Clan. It has all the making of being the perfect script. Jade goes to Glasgow with my best wishes, and I hope he has a breakout year which makes those who jettisoned him think again about the decision they reached. He quite easily could be the difference that means a first league since 1956 for the Panthers or the pain to be stretched through to a quite mind blowing 56 years. Corey Neilson, you have been warned – Jade’s out to get you and he won’t let you forget it. Far from it. Follow me also on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/hockeybhoy See you soon, Mark
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| Club | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts |
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