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Coventry make HUGE signing
Photograph of Jeff Smith lifting the Dutch Championship with the Nijmegen Devils last season.
With the confirmation that personal circumstances would prevent Jason Robinson returning to the Blaze defensive unit for a second year, Coventry Head Coach, Paul Thompson has turned to 6’6” Canadian, Jeff Smith to add size and presence to his blue line for the forthcoming Elite Ice Hockey League season.The twenty nine year old Saskatchewan native joins the Blaze after two seasons with the Nijmegen Devils in Holland, winning the Dutch Cup in his first season before captaining the side to the Dutch Championship last season.
Smith had an outstanding junior career with the Red Deer Rebels which included scoring the overtime game winning goal to secure his team the 2000/01 CHL Memorial Cup Championship. He then turned professional, signing a three year contract with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers organisation and became the first player in franchise history to play more than 50 games for both their East Coast Hockey League (Trenton Titans) and American Hockey League (Philadelphia Phantoms) affiliate teams.
The 02/03 season saw Smith land the ECHL Kelly Cup Championship with Trenton and two seasons later during the NHL lock out season, he added the AHL Calder Cup Championship to his trophy cabinet with the Phantoms. After three further seasons in the ECHL with Columbia Inferno, Alaska Aces and Phoenix Roadrunners, Smith made his move to Europe in 2008 to sign for Nijmegen.
“I’m delighted that Jeff will be joining us in Coventry,” said Thompson. “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.”
“Signing with the Coventry Blaze is a fantastic opportunity for me and I can’t wait to play in the Elite League next season,” added Smith. “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.”
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| 11th February 2012 19:15 | ||
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| 12th February 2012 00:00 | ||
6-2 |
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| 5th February 2012 18:30 | ||
4-5 |
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| 5th February 2012 18:00 | ||
2-4 |
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| 5th February 2012 17:00 | ||
6-1 |
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| 4th February 2012 19:30 | ||
4-1 |
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| 4th February 2012 19:00 | ||
6-2 |
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| 4th February 2012 19:00 | ||
| Club | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belfast Giants | 41 | 33 | 8 | 3 | 167 | 83 | 69 |
| 2 | Nottingham Panthers | 40 | 30 | 10 | 2 | 182 | 87 | 62 |
| 3 | Sheffield Steelers | 35 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 133 | 77 | 60 |
| 4 | Coventry Blaze | 40 | 25 | 15 | 1 | 153 | 113 | 51 |
| 5 | Cardiff Devils | 39 | 20 | 19 | 10 | 124 | 112 | 50 |
| 6 | Braehead Clan | 39 | 22 | 17 | 2 | 146 | 127 | 46 |
| 7 | Hull Stingrays | 41 | 11 | 30 | 4 | 107 | 165 | 26 |
| 8 | Edinburgh Capitals | 38 | 11 | 27 | 3 | 89 | 170 | 25 |
| 9 | Dundee Stars | 40 | 7 | 33 | 5 | 95 | 163 | 19 |
| 10 | Fife Flyers | 39 | 7 | 32 | 5 | 79 | 178 | 19 |
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| 8th February 2012 19:45 | ||
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| 11th February 2012 17:45 | ||
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| 11th February 2012 18:00 | ||
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| 11th February 2012 18:30 | ||
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| 11th February 2012 19:00 | ||
3-0 |
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| 5th February 2012 18:30 | ||
4-2 |
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| 5th February 2012 18:00 | ||
6-3 |
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| 5th February 2012 17:30 | ||
6-8 |
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| 5th February 2012 17:30 | ||
3-0 |
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| 4th February 2012 19:30 | ||
1-3 |
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| 4th February 2012 19:00 | ||
| Club | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guildford Flames | 38 | 26 | 12 | 3 | 172 | 111 | 55 |
| 2 | Manchester Phoenix | 39 | 24 | 15 | 3 | 145 | 123 | 51 |
| 3 | Slough Jets | 37 | 24 | 13 | 2 | 167 | 117 | 50 |
| 4 | Sheffield Steeldogs | 38 | 22 | 16 | 4 | 119 | 101 | 48 |
| 5 | Milton Keynes Lightning | 37 | 22 | 15 | 1 | 116 | 99 | 45 |
| 6 | Basingstoke Bison | 38 | 21 | 17 | 2 | 135 | 126 | 44 |
| 7 | Swindon Wildcats | 39 | 15 | 24 | 5 | 126 | 134 | 35 |
| 8 | Bracknell Bees | 37 | 13 | 24 | 8 | 107 | 142 | 34 |
| 9 | Peterborough Phantoms | 38 | 14 | 24 | 2 | 123 | 164 | 30 |
| 10 | Telford Tigers | 39 | 9 | 30 | 2 | 106 | 199 | 20 |
- Thompson hails Cowley
- Nylander hopes to play his part
- Fussey fires Blaze to victory
- Blaze demolish Stingrays at the Hull Arena
- Blaze too hot for Stingrays
