Tanner Eberle producing goods for Sheffield Steelers to delight of head coach Aaron Fox

The Canadian winger endured an up-and-down first campaign in the UK – initially under former head coach Paul Thompson and then replacement boss Tom Barrasso – eventually posting 31 points, including 13 goals, in 65 appearances.

He often proved a favourite with the Steelers’ faithful because of his willingness to put his body on the line, but many wondered whether he had done enough to earn a second term in Souuth Yorkshire.

But new head coach and GM Fox was clearly impressed enough to ask him back and is currently being rewaraded for his faith in the 25-year-old, who has already posted 10 goals in a 17-point haul from just 17 games so far this season.

“Ebs has been great for us,” said Fox in a post-match local radio interview after seeing his team beat Dundee Stars 4-2 on Sunday night, with Eberle scoring twice.

“He is just such a battler right now and I think, last year, pucks weren’t going in for him whereas now, this year, he’s being rewarded. That is great to see.

“It just seems like he is the glue guy on any line I put him on.

“He can play on my top line, he can play on my third line. He’s been awesome and is truly a coach’s dream.”

Fellow forward Robert Dowd, meanwhile, says he is proud to have moved fourth in the Steelers’ all-time scoring list, his goal against Dundee taking him above club legend Ken Priestlay.

Dowd now has 473 points – including 236 goals – in 574 appearances, but still has a long way to go to catch up with former Steelers’ team-mate Jeff Legue, sat third in the list, who left the club having posted 609 points in 550 appearances, 266 of which were goals.

“Yes, it was a proud moment,” said Dowd. “Sheffield is home, it has been for my family for the past 10 years even when I was in Sweden, it is where I lived in the summers, so to go into the history books at home is really nice a really nice feeling.”