Hull Seahawks boss Matty Davies keen to nurture Tom Stubley’s offensive upside in NIHL National

The 23-year-old defenceman became the latest addition to player-coach Davies’s Hull Seahawks roster at the weekend, returning to the rink where he spent his formative years.

His initial development saw him make a handful of Elite League appearances for Hull Stingrays before their demise paved the way for the Pirates, where he played for four seasons.

Like many of his Pirates’ team-mates, Covid ensured Stubley missed the entire 2020-21 season, returning to action one level below with Widnes Wild the following year, with Hull owner Shane Smith having opted out of icing a team in the NIHL National’s 2021-22 campaign.

He got a brief taste of life in the second tier again with a single appearance for Leeds Knights, but enjoyed a stellar year in Widnes, posting 48 points – including 14 goals – in just 40 appearances, with Rich Haggar’s team going on to win the North Cup.

It was his increased productivity that caught the eye of former team-mate Davies, making him one of the Seahawks boss’s first ports of call when putting together his 2022-23 roster.

“He’s got a good two-way game that we want to make the most of,” said Davies. “He’s got a lot of skill, has good lateral movement on the blue line and can make that big first pass.

“He’s actually got some real offensive upside to his game which I want him to show this year because I feel he’s got more than what he has shown in the past at this level.

“He was one of the first, probably the first guy that I spoke to about next season. He has a really good presence in the dressing room, too, and is another guy who has come through the junior system here, so it will matter more to him playing for us. Playing for your hometown team just gives players that little bit of extra incentive I believe and Tom is no different in that respect.”