AARON FOX is hoping Sheffield Steelers can “set the tone” when they kickstart their season today at home to Coventry Blaze in the Challenge Cup.

Tomorrow sees the Steelers head to Guildford Flames in the same competition playing host to Nottingham Panthers next Saturday before launching their regular season Elite League campaign at Glasgow Clan the following day.

The Cup may come third in the list of priorities for most EIHL teams but Fox has won it twice before and is determined to lift it a third time come March.

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“You don't want to look past this weekend because it's the Challenge Cup and points count right now,” said Fox.

“You don't want to put yourself in a hole where you're trying to claw your way back out of it to advance. It is an important trophy.

“It kind of sets the tone for the year with it being the first weekend. We feel like it's important and the goal is that we're hoping to reach the final.”

Having had four pre-season games to work on systems and line combinations, Fox is happy with what he has seen so far from his group, although he acknowledges it remains a work in progress during the early part of the campaign.

OPENING SALVO: Sheffield Steelers are looking to hit the ground running when they launch their 2026-27 Elite League campaign with a Challenge Cup game at home to Coventry Blaze on Saturday night. Picture: Hayley Roberts/Steelers Media/EIHL.

placeholder image — OPENING SALVO: Sheffield Steelers are looking to hit the ground running when they launch their 2026-27 Elite League campaign with a Challenge Cup game at home to Coventry Blaze on Saturday night. Picture: Hayley Roberts/Steelers Media/EIHL.

Two defeats to the Cardiff Devils were followed by a pair of wins over Manchester Storm last weekend, the second coming in front of more than 11,00 spectators at their rivals’ new AO Arena home.

“I think, after two weeks, you've still not reached a full conclusion on where things are at,” added Fox.

“But I think we've taken positive strides from day one. There was some pretty good hockey played by us against Manchester for a majority of that weekend.

“That first period on the road there, you could tell that they were coming hard and trying to make a statement in their new building and in front of 11,000 fans

NEW CHALLENGE: Sheffield Steelers' head coach, Aaron Fox. Picture: James Assinder'Cardiff Devils Media/EIHL Media.

“It wasn't a great 20 for us but, in saying that, we came out for the start of the second and found our game and started playing the way we needed to play - and we scored three goals in 10 minutes.

“It says a lot about the character of the group. And it also shows that when you're doing things the right way, you'll get rewarded too, coming back to win from where that game was.

“There's no points in the pre-season, but I still think it was a big positive for the identity and culture of our group.”