The Fife Flyers have landed their second midseason reinforcement.
Giordano Finoro has inked a one-year contract with the Elite League side, joining from the Swedish Allsvenskan’s IF Troja-Ljungby.
The 27-year-old holds four seasons of professional experience, plus six more campaigns split evenly between the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and USports.
“We’re really pleased to be able to bring in a player of Gio’s calibre,” Flyers president and general manager Max Birbraer said.
“Apart from deepening our line-up, this addition will also help us in areas of need, such as in the face-off circle and goalscoring. I’m super excited to see Gio in action.”
Who is Fife Flyers forward Giordano Finoro?
The Guelph-born Italy international started his major junior career with the OHL’s Barrie Colts, recording 31 points (16 goals, 15 assists) in 110 appearances.
Finoro switched to the Gatineau Olympiques (and the QMJHL) in 2017 and went on to record 90 points (43 goals, 47 assists) in 125 outings.
The University of Guelph was his next stop, for whom he recorded 24 points (13 goals, 11 assists) in 26 games in his only full collegiate season.
Finoro joined Asiago in 2022, kick-starting his senior career with 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in 12 AlpsHL games as a rookie.
He spent the next three seasons with Italian sides, scoring 100 (54 goals, 46 assists) in 141 ICE Hockey League appearances.
Finoro signed for Troja-Ljungby ahead of this campaign, providing one assist in four games before swapping life in Sweden’s second tier for the Elite League in October.
How will Giordano Finoro bolster the Fife Flyers’ attack?
Giordano Finoro, Fife Flyers (Image: AlpsHL)
Finoro boasts championship-winning pedigree from his time in Italy, winning the Alps Hockey League, Italian Championship, and Italian Super Cup with Asiago.
And he produced offence in bucketloads for the Veneto-based side, scoring 66 points (35 goals, 31 assists) in his first 60 appearances on the continent.
But Finoro’s scoring touch has waned in the years since: 26 points in 47 games in 2023-24, falling to 20 points in 46 outings last term.
His stint in Sweden was short and not entirely sweet, hence his midseason move to rebuilding Fife.
The Flyers are betting on Finoro’s ability to rediscover his peak potency levels — and there are reasons to believe he will thrive in the Elite League.
Capable of playing through the centre or on the wing, Finoro has a sharp release and isn’t afraid of going to the dirty areas of the ice.
Whether he proves to be a transformational signing remains to be seen — but there is no doubt he will uplift the Flyers, who are already 19 goals underwater in regular-season play.
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