Simon says Globke will be perfect Steelers fit

Former Florida Panthers forward Rob Globke completes the Steelers roster following a turbulent summer for the South Yorkshire club and signals somewhat a change heart for rookie coach Simon, who had initially indicated he would wait until the Elite League season had begun before deciding on his final import.

The Steelers will open their campaign on Saturday by welcoming last season's play-offs runners-up Cardiff Devils to Sheffield Arena.

Following the on-ice difficulties that have dominated the close season, most notably the liquidation of the club's former operating company and the resignation of the previous management team, most fans will probably be relieved to see a team on the ice given the concerns about the club's financial situation.

But 32-year-old Simon has been nothing but positive about the club's ability to compete this season and sees 27-year-old Globke – who played 46 games for Florida in the NHL between 2005-08 – as a high-calibre final piece of the jigsaw.

"Rob has an outstanding resume," said Simon.

"He has the potential to be one of the best players in this league.

"Knowing him personally, I am excited to add such a high-calibre player that also brings quality characteristics off the ice as well.

"I had said that I wasn't in any particular hurry to sign anybody as my last import, but if the right player came along I would go after them.

"Rob was that kind of player and he will be a tremendous asset both as a player and as a person.

"A player of Rob's quality doesn't come around too often for this league and I didn't want to miss this opportunity."

As well as playing in the world's top league, Globke also has bags of experience in North America's second tier – most notably with Rochester Americans, Florida's AHL affiliate.

In 2008, his first experience of European ice hockey took him to Frederikshavn White Hawks in Denmark, before switching to Germany's DEL with Krefeld Penguins where he posted five goals and seven assists in 48 games.

Hull Stingrays' player-coach Sylvain Cloutier believes his team's delayed start to the season provides an advantage over their Elite League rivals.

The East Yorkshire club looked doomed earlier this month after former owners Mike and Sue Pack were forced to shut the club down due to a lack of funding.

But as the result of a rescue package put together by rivals Coventry Blaze enabling the club to ice this season, Stingrays will now not start their campaign until early October – a month later than all of their rivals.

"We're going to be busy recruiting players to replace those who have gone elsewhere because of the initial closure," said Cloutier.

"I'd like to have my roster finished so I can plan my gameplan for the season to see what kind of team we're going to have. Obviously we'll have to see what becomes available.

"But I'm also going to use this month to go and see some games and see what the other teams have in their locker. I'll go and scout them so that when we do play them we'll be well-prepared for them."

After missing out on early summer signings Matt Suderman, Chris Korchinski, Guillaume Lepine and James Archer, Cloutier received a further blow at the end of last week when defenceman and prospective captain Josh Mizerek decided not to take up his offer to play at Hull.

The news was tempered somewhat by defenceman Trevor Read committing himself to the club, along with returning winger Konstantin Kalmikov and 24-year-old Canadian rookie forward Andrew Coburn.