Remember Steve Thornton? If you only remember Elite League hockey then you wont remember this guy. That is unless you follow the Bison. No, Stevie Thornton was a player who played 3/4 of a season for the Giants in the 2002-2003 season. He helped us to 6th place in Lugano at the Continental Cup then returned with his team to push, and miss the league title by a single point. He the stepped up his game during an outstanding playoff run which eventually ended with our one and only playoff championship to date.

Now Stevie Thornton is back with the Giants, five years on as our player-coach to replace the formidable Edward Courtenay. Rumors had been doing the rounds about this move for a week or so until we all arrived in Nottingham and then the secret could stay safe no longer.

GM Todd Kelman dropped the most unsubtle hint by passing out bars of Thornton’s chocolate meaning that it could only have been one of two people. Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks or Steve Thornton. We definitely got the better of the two. Stevie Thornton was then spotted in the rink with Todd by his side watching the playoff final game. Chants then broke out of “There’s only one Stevie Thornton” and after about three renditions Stevie turned and waved to his new, and already adoring, fan base.

Now that the fun and games are over and all the chocolate has been eaten it’s down to the nitty gritty for Thornton. He has moved his family and himself to Belfast for what must be a sign of the long haul and now must get on with player recruitment. Following the early re-signings of Coach Ed Courtneay over the last few seasons the Giants have clearly learnt their lessons of yesteryear - getting the coach onboard early to recruit the best team possible.

A fine player himself, no doubt Stevie can put around him a title challenging team.

Welcome back to Belfast Stevie Thornton.

Category: Player Signings » » Steve Thornton |

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