Fife Flyers new coach Tom Coolen assured success-hungry fans that his team building for the new season is well under way.
The newcomer already has top netminder Shane Owen in his line-up next season and his Canadian countryman was outstanding last term.
Coolen (pictured) believes Owen is the best in the Elite League and the 33-year-old and the 6ft 2in, Ontario-born hot-stop is undoubtedly a key man as the Kirkcaldy club bid to make a real impact on the division this term.
No other player has yet to put pen to paper but the playcaller said that having a top netminder is a good place to start re-building and he revealed that he is close to securing another five players.
The 69-year-old coach added: “I know Shane. When he is on and playing his game he is consistent, but he is also very good. That is a great place for us to start.”
Coolen told fans on Fife’s social media platforms that he plans to re-build the defense and is keen to bring back two players. He also wants to recruit at least three or four newcomers.
They are not players to sit on the end of a bench and who go out there and swings a few punches. That, he said, is passe, and added: “We need hard-nosed players and the guys I want to bring in here are guys who can compete. If it gets tough we need to be tough too.”
Halifax-born Coolen is pleased with the progress he has made in finding new faces and he said: “I like the progress I am making and i believe I have five commitments who need to sign on the dotted line. They are all good players and I believe they will all fit in well in the league.”
He stressed that they can all skate which, he added, is a really good place to start.
Meanwhile, Flyers bosses have confirmed that they will take part in a pre-season schedule with arch rivals Dundee Stars, Romanian side, CSM Corona Brasov and Dutch club, Tilburg Trappers.
And Flyers’ regular season will start with a double-header against Glasgow Clan on September 23 and 24 in the Challenge Cup.
The first league match on home-ice is on Saturday, October 14 against Belfast Giants.
Other big home games are the Boxing Day clash against Stars and a Hogmanay game with Glasgow Clan. Both games will start at 5pm.
The regular season games will end with another double-header, Flyers travelling to Dundee on Saturday, April 6 then returning to the Fife Ice Arena 24-hours later.
All Flyers’ Sunday home games will have an earlier face-off time of 5.15pm and this change has been made in response to fan requests and in an effort to offer a more family-friendly start time.
Season tickets are available for fans to purchase until July 28 and the package includes all 30 regular season home games but pre-season matches are not included.
Individual game tickets will go on sale approximately two weeks ahead of each match and game night tickets are adult £22, concession £16, child £11, family £58.
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