Hull Seahawks coach Matty Davies on why roster changes make team genuine play-off contender

But with the signing of Finnish netminder Aleksanteri Heiskanen on Thursday, Davies believes his team’s chances have not only increased of making it to the SkyDome Arena in April but also of winning the thing.

It remains to be seen the impact 27-year-old Heiskanen’s arrival has on the Seahawks’ campaign, but Davies felt it was his only option, given the season-ending upper-body injury defenceman Brock Bartholomew suffered in last Saturday’s 5-1 win at Basingstoke Bison.

Frustrated with the lack of consistency provided by netminding duo Jordan McLaughlin and Dimitri Zimozdra over the past season and a half, Davies used his ability to replace import Bartholomew by parting company with the former Sheffield Steeldogs goalie.

Zimozdra’s exit to make way for Heiskanen came on the same day as the return of defenceman Lee Haywood, coaxed out of retirement by Davies, who says one more signing will be announced next week ahead of the trade deadline.

Confident that Haywood - who contributed six goals and 23 assists in 47 league and play-off games for Hull last season - will quickly adjust to being back out on the ice, Davies is even more assured that his new goaltender could prove to be a game-changer.

“From everything I’ve seen, everyone I’ve spoken to and everything I have watched, I think he’s going to be a real elite goalie in this league,” said Davies, of a netminder who spent last season with Celje in the AlpsHL, posting a save percentage of .902.

“I just don’t want to get to Coventry, I want to win when we get there.

That’s the reason why I’ve made the signings that I have - but this signing, of Alek, actually gives us a chance to win in Coventry.

“I’m excited for him to come in, I think he’ll be a real eye opener for the fans. I’ve spoken to Alek a couple of times, he seems like a great lad.

“He’s not played this season because he’s been waiting for the right contract. I think he wanted to go to a higher level than this but at this point he thinks this is a great opportunity come in and really make a statement

“He looks like a really solid goalie, really fast in the net and quite athletic. I thought it was the biggest thing I could have done to make us a really solid and potential threat going into the play-offs.”

Heiskanen is unlikely to have had his paperwork go through in time in order to make his debut in either of the two games against Bristol Pitbulls this weekend, although Haywood will return to the fray on Sunday when the Seahawks play host to a team seven points behind them in the standings and sat just outside the play-off spots.

"I honestly think we’re playing as well as anyone in the league right now," added Davies. “And these changes should make us even better.

"Bristol are a better team this season and are playing pretty well at the minute.

"They’ve obviously got some firepower and some good players but I like our game at the minute and I think we’ve got the right game to go in there and win. A four-point weekend would be nice.”