Campbell and Lyle In, Cameron Injured

Coors Belfast Giants today announced the signings of 28 year old Canadian centre Peter Campbell and 28 year old Welsh netminder Stevie Lyle from the Basingstoke Bison.

Ontario born Peter is spending his 3rd season in UK Hockey having previously played not only with Basingstoke, where he scored 62 points in 02/03, but also Bracknell where he was voted Player of the Year for the 04/05 season. So far this season Peter has 14 points from 11 games for the Bison, including 5 goals.

Campbell's hockey experience extends to the OHL, UHL, CHL and one season in the short lived “Wiffle” (WPHL) with the Central-Texas Stampede. Two Seasons ago he scored 104 points for German side EV Ravensburg, scoring 87 times in 99 games while helping his team to promotion. He becomes the 3rd player to join the Giants in the last couple of weeks, as part of changes promised by Ed Courtenay following a string of losses this season.

Stevie Lyle made his debut with the Cardiff Devils in the 1993 Europa Cup aged just 14, and was subsequently voted “Best Netminder” for the quarter finals tournament of the competiton. Voted ISL Player of the Year in 96/97, Lyle backstopped the Cardiff Devils to the ISL title that same year. Stevie has spent time at the Manchester Storm, Bracknell Bees and the Guilford Flames before embarking for a period of time in Europe, playing for Appiano in Italy and winning the French Elite League title with HC Morzine Penguins before returning to the UK with Basingstoke.

Lyle has also been a staple member of the Great Britain international squad, representing the team at the World Championships in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2006 and 2007.

Lyle and Campbell’s first job as Giants players will be to face the club they have just departed, Basingstoke Bison, at the Odyssey Arena, tomorrow night. The Giant’s supporters will be looking for no leniency on their behalf as Courtenay looks to kick his team out of their poor early run of form.

The Giants latest signings come on the back of the unfortunate news that Scott Cameron has been ruled out for 6 weeks due to a foot injury. He joins Gavalier and Johnson on the sidelines, with his import place on the squad being filled by Peter Campbell.

Campbell becomes the 14th import signing for the Belfast Giants, who now under EIHL rules only have the ability to sign one other imported player for the remainder of the season. With Roman Gavalier and Trevor Johnson and now Scott Cameron on the injury list, there will need to be a reshuffling of the current misfiring forwards as a result of Campbell’s arrival, and a further cull at the return of the crocked defensemen.

Lyle, a British player, comes in at the expense of Philippe DeRouville, the Canadian netminder unable to find the form that he showed when he replaced Mike Minard at the back end of last season. Lyle joins Hugh Smyth to form the Giant’s first all British netminding unit.

With the recent signings of Shaun Sutter, Shane Johnson and now Peter Campbell and Stevie Lyle, Ed Courtenay has signalled his intent to lift the Giants up the table and back to winning ways. The Giants play back-to-back games against the Bison on Thursday and Saturday, before returning to Dundalk the following weekend for a home fixture against the Manchester Phoenix.

Patrick Smyth

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