Braehead Clan have secured the services of Canadian forward Mike Hammond for the remainder of the 2016/17 Elite League season.

The 26-year-old joins Clan after spells in the ECHL with Cincinnati Cyclones, where he played alongside Cody Carlson, and Brampton Beast.

Head Coach Ryan Finnerty said: “Since we moved Jay Rosehill into the defensive lines, we had a hole to fill in our offensive line-up and we’ve been looking for the right guy.

“Mike has one year as a pro under his belt and we wanted someone with youth and energy. While he doesn’t have a ton of experience, he can play in either wing and is highly skilled.

“It’s exciting to work with players with enthusiasm and keen to move up the ladder. But he hasn’t played this year so he may take a bit of time to get going.

“Mike’s a relative unknown, but had great feedback from the coaches he worked under last year and we’re very positive about him and what he can bring.”

Hammond turned pro just last year, spending the season between Cincinnati and Brampton, but he previously played for four years at Lakehead University.

Finnerty says he won’t make a decision on whether Hammond will play any part of Friday’s game against Sheffield Steelers until he’s seen him on the ice.

He added: “Mike landed early on Thursday, so we’re hoping to get him on the ice if we can. We’ll certainly get him involved in the pre-game skate on Friday and make a decision from there.”