Currently there are 4 known ex-Giants players playing, 1 player coaching and 1 just bench coaching in the Elite League today.  Some of these players will be very well known to you all and at least one of them, you probably wont even remember..  Giants-History.com takes a look at how these 7 guys are doing this season with their respective teams…

In no particular order:

Rod Stevens - Nottingham Panthers
Rocket Rod played 176 times for the Giants over their first 3 seasons before moving on to mainland Europe to play his trade.  He’s now back in the British leagues with Nottingham and has made an excellent start.  You could say he’s picked up where he left off when it comes to torturing Elite league defences.  In his first 6 games with Nottingham he’s scored 1 goal and 5 assists for 6 points.  He’s played against the Giants on two occasions scoring a goal and two assists in one of them meetings.  Currently he’s off playing in the Continental cup with the Panthers - he’s got experience of that competition from his days with the Giants in Lugano.

Tony Hand - Manchester Phoenix (player coach)
Tony played and coached for one season in Belfast taking the team to an impressive 2nd place in the league but failing to make the playoffs final four.  He was soon on the move however to Edinburgh who where then just joining the league for the following season.  However, after a terrible season that seen the Capitals finish in last place Tony was on the move again signing this time with another new team, the Manchester Phoenix as player/coach again.  So far this season Tony has got Manchester off to a reasonable start, they currently sit 6th in the Elite league with 9 points and Tony is continuing his impressive individual play, scoring 14 points (4 + 10) in 9 games.

Paul Sample - Cardiff Devils
Paul was one of the first British born and trained players to sign with the Giants as part of the new Elite League initiative of having British players in each team along with the imports.  He was at the time the Giants most impressive ‘local’ player.  In his sole season with the Giants he won the coaches player of the year award before moving on to play for two seasons in Sheffield.  He never matched his scoring form that he showed in Belfast during that 03-04 season and now finds himself playing his hockey in Wales with the Cardiff Devils where through 9 games he has struggled scoring just 1 point.

Paul Ferone - Newcastle Vipers
Paul was one of the original Giants, playing in their first ever league season.  He only stayed for that one year but has remained in the British leagues ever since and mainly with the Newcastle Vipers where he appears to have found a home.  Last season he helped lead the Vipers to 2nd place in the league behind the Giants and to victory in the playoff championship.  Currently this season he has played in just 1 game where he has went scoreless after coming in to replace the axed Brantt Myhres.

Tom Carlon - Coventry Blaze
This is the kid many will raise an eye brow when reading about, but Tom did appear for the Giants.  He played one game on the road during the Rob Stewart coaching era when the Giants where short of players due to a number of injuries.  He and fellow Brit Adam Brittle joined the Giants team to help them out for that one game but never registered a point.  Tom then joined the Coventry organisation where he played a bit part for a couple of years before winning a regular spot on this years team.  To date in 10 games played he has scored 2 goals.

David Matsos - Sheffield Steelers (Coach)
Dave remains one of the most popular players of all time with the Giants fans from his two years in Belfast where he is still regarded by many as one of the best defensive forwards we’ve had.  He won a playoff championship in Belfast and helped lead the team to the Continental cup finals in Lugano.  In 117 games in Belfast he registered 66 points.  On leaving Belfast at the end of the ISL era, Matty joined Bracknell in the BNL for a season before linking up with the Cardiff Devils as an assistant player coach for two years.  After a terrible back injury last season Dave had to hang up the skates and went directly into coaching with the Sheffield Steelers.  It’s been a mixed season to date for Dave in Sheffield as the Steelers have won 4 of the 10 played and sit 5th in the league on 9 points.

Category: Former Giants » » |

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