Sheffield Steelers star Matt Greenfield on why he was so keen to stick around for three more years

Every summer, the Steelers were able to ease their followers’ fears by announcing the Florida-born stopper had put pen to paper on a new deal.

This summer, they have gone even further, tying down the 30-year-old stopper to a three-year deal.

Greenfield has proved himself the Elite League’s top goalie ever since he first set foot in the UK nearly three years ago, the statistics time and time again backing up what everyone already knew.

This close-season was no different for Greenfield in that he had plenty of offers to continue his career elsewhere, attractive deals packaged to take him to various destinations across Europe.

But, ultimately, nothing came close to the life he and his wife Sydney have made for themselves in South Yorkshire, content off the ice as much as Greenfield is on it.

There is no shortage of motivation for Greenfield as he prepares for a fourth campaign with the Steelers, the desire to replicate the treble-winning 2023-24 season being one and the wish to avoid the near-misses that saw them end the subsequent campaign with nothing to show for their efforts.

“When you’re playing in Sheffield it feels like you’re playing for something bigger than yourself,” said Greenfield.

“And that is something I have felt from the very first time putting on the jersey.

“It is a feeling that I don’t take for granted and I don’t want to lose and hold on to for as long as I can.”

On the options that he had to go elsewhere next season, Greenfield added: “It is such a short career and such a brutal industry and that is just the reality of it, so whenever you get the chance to talk to teams that covet you, I think you owe it to yourself as an athlete to explore those options and to hear everyone out.

“So we definitely explored our options but, at the end of the day, the Sheffield offer made the most sense for my wife and I – the other offers we were getting, they just weren’t as good as what we had in Sheffield.”

Head coach Aaron Fox struggled to contain his delight at signing Greenfield to such a lengthy deal.

“To get Greener back on a long-term deal is an extremely important piece to our group for the short and long-term,” said Fox. “He is not only a great player on the ice, but just a great person and team-mate off it and in the room.

“I’m glad we could stay patient and get this done.”