Esders keen to make lasting impression

The 23-year-old had spent the previous four seasons with hometown club Hull Stingrays but felt it was time for a change in the summer, one of a number of British players to leave Hull Arena as player-coach Sylvain Cloutier made wholesale changes in preparation for his third season in charge.

With Sheffield Steelers’ player-coach Ryan Finnerty in the process of putting together his roster, Esders impressed enough to earn a deal with the defending Elite League champions and, with a month of the season gone, has made a noticeable impression.

While never one to rattle the scoreboard on a regular basis - four years in Hull produced 31 goals and 22 assists in 219 games - Esders has proved most effective on the penalty kill at his new club and is pleased with the amount of action he is seeing under Finnerty.

“Coming into the Steelers I knew it was going to be tough to get ice time, but I’m pleased with the way things are going,” he said.

“I’m getting regular shifts on the penalty kill and I think I’ve fitted in quite well.

“We’ve got a good dressing room, which always helps and I noticed that from the first day I walked in.”

Steelers’ bench coach Neil Abel has been impressed with Esders since his arrival for pre-season and believes the winger is capable of further improvement.

“Since he came to us, he’s improved immensely under Finners,” said Abel.

“Everything about his game has improved - he always gives 100 per cent, both in training and on match nights.

“He’s easy to coach because he is so willing to learn. He’s been given a chance to prove he can do it and he’s taken it.

“He’s very effective on the PK because he’s got good positional sense and is a quick skater. He’s never going to get you as many points as a Jeff Legue, say, but you need a roster with players who have different strengths.”

Esders has already returned to the ice where he first made his name in East Yorkshire, coming through the Kingston Jets before - after a short spell in the North East - he ‘graduated’ to the Elite League strugglers under then coach Rick Strachan.

While lining up at the opposite end of the ice to the home team at Hull Arena was initially “strange” Esders was able to help his side emerge as 6-2 victors on a night which saw Cloutier’s team push them hard for 50 minutes before two quickfire goals for the Steelers ended the home team’s resistance.

Stingrays visit the Motorpoint Arena on Saturday night (7pm start) intent on seeking some kind of revenge and Esders acknowledges the home side can’t afford to take a shift off if they are to secure another two points in their title defence.

“Under Clouts you’re always going to get a hard-working team,” said Esders.

“He’s a born winner and he’s the right guy to turn them around and see them getting the right results.

“It did feel weird when I went up there earlier this season, warming up on the other end of the ice, but we managed to grind out a good result and it would be nice if we can do that again this weekend although it will be tough.”

Steelers remain in South Yorkshire for the whole weekend when they welcome Fife Flyers to the Arena on Sunday night (face-off 5pm).

For ticket information contact the Motorpoint Arena box office on 0114 256 5656 or visit https://www.sheffieldboxoffice.com/

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Twitter: @philarra