VIDEO: Payette has his Steeldogs primed and ready

SHEFFIELD Steeldogs’ player-coach Andre Payette believes his team’s intensive pre-season schedule will give them the edge when their English Premier League season begins this weekend.

The 36-year-old Canadian, recently appointed as GB Under-20s coach, takes his side to reigning play-off champions Slough Jets on Saturday night before welcoming Swindon Wildcats to Ice Sheffield a day later (5.30pm).

The Steeldogs proved the surprise package last term, finishing third in the regular season as well as being Cup runners-up before reaching the play-off semi-finals.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Despite losing key players in the summer – most notably goaltender Ben Bowns and free-scoring forward Janiz Ozolins to Elite LEague outfit Hull Stingrays – Payette is not unduly worried about his team’s chances this time around.

That confidence is partly borne out of the acquisition of two experienced players heading out of Hull, forward Derek Campbell - winner of three Elite League titles in the past four years – and Estonian captain and defenceman Dmitry Rodin.

Add that know-how to the fact his young ‘Made in Sheffield’ team now have another year’s experience under their belts and Payette’s self-belief is not surprising.

“People are picking us to finish in eighth place and nobody really gives us any credit,” said Payette.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We lost the league’s MVP and the league’s best goalie but I genuinely think that, despite that, we have a better team this season.

“Credit to Bownsy and Ozi, they had great seasons with us last year. But Ozi was very much an individual player and what we have done this year is re-enforce the team ethic.

“We don’t need to score 10 goals to win a game. If we score one goal and stop the other team scoring then we win.

“I believe that everything is from the back end. I feel we have the best defence in the league and we have the most physical team in the league. And I’ve always said that a team that plays physical can win championships and that’s what we plan on doing this year.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Payette deliberately opted out of a gentle pre-season programme, first taking on Hull over two legs in the Bradfield Brewery Cup, before their traditional ‘War of the Roses’ showdown with arch-rivals Manchester Phoenix, coached by GB coach Tony Hand.

A narrow 7-5 aggregate defeat against Hull, was followed by a 3-2 win in the first Roses leg over Phoenix. A 0-0 draw in the return leg on the road was enough for Steeldogs to lift the trophy for the first time.

“I seem to be the only coach in the league that tries to put his team through proper tests in pre-season,” said Payette.

“The games against the likes of Hull are invaluable for our preparations. They are a good skating team and for our guys to play against a team with 10 imports in is good for them, with the speed and everything.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“That then got us ready for the Manchester games which are like play-off matches anyway.”

The tenacity and will to win shown in pre-season, has given Payette the belief that his side will be better prepared come the first puck drop Montem Lane on Saturday.

He added: “We need to hit the ground running this weekend.

“We’re expecting two tough games, but I don’t see how they can play at the same intensity level as us because of the tough pre-season we’ve had.”

Related topics: