Giants Begin the Import Signings

You would be forgiven for thinking we had vanished around these parts lately, unless you are an avid reader of the message boards (if not why not?) and have been enjoying the off-topic talk that has been used to fill the hole of a lack of Giants news in recent weeks. Well, hole-fill no more, we have some real news to get our teeth into.

No doubt you’ve already heard it but too bad, you’re hearing it again. After a few months of locking up our British section of the team, new coach Steve Thornton has turned his attention to the imports and has finally gave us a couple of new names. Step forward, and welcome to Belfast, Andrew Martin and Bobby Robins.

I always love it when we sign a new player to the team, even more so than a returning name, because you get to see everyone scramble around the internet search engines looking for information on the player, stories about him and fight clips. It’s like getting a new electronic device at Christmas – there is so much to find out, learn and enjoy.

Well with these TWO signings it is like getting a new I-phone and a Sat Nav system at one go. Naturally the research has begun, hell it had begun before I even found out we had made another signing, and the YouTube clips, articles, opinions of fans who have seen the players play and stories are out there for us all to digest.

I wont lie and tell you all I know these players, that I’ve drank with their friends and that I know their upsides, downsides and have seen them play in some minor league in North America. I’ll keep it to what I do know, and that is what I have picked up from hockeydb in the last 15-minutes.

Both players have come through the University of Massachusetts-Lowell program in the NCAA as team-mates in the early part of the decade before going their separate ways to kick start their professional careers. They played under and received top reports from the same man who coached Steve Thornton back in his college days at Boston University.

Andrew Martin, a 5’11, 195lbs, Left Wing, has been learning his pro-trade in the East Coast Hockey League the past two seasons with Toledo, Cincinnati and Idaho. Not overly known for his goal scoring, Martin comes across as the consummate team-player with speed to burn and according to Todd Kelman, captain material (take note George Awada). At 25-years of age he still has many years as a pro ahead of him and now embarks on his European journey.

Bobby Robins, 26, is an American from Wisconsin who stands bigger than that his old college pal at 6’1 and 220lbs, he plays centre and will be the physical presence down the middle that the Giants are looking for. Like Andrew he comes with leadership qualities but also carries a nasty streak. After his college days he went straight to the American league with the farm team of the Ottawa Senators in Binghamton. He ruffled some feathers at training camp but didn’t quite make the Senators. Still, he was good enough to continue in the A.H.L. for that season before spending last year in the East Coast league with Elmira.

These two signings confirm Coach Steve Thornton’s desire to bring some fresh blood into the Giants lineup after an inconsistent season last term. It is not yet known who, if any, of last years imports will return but with a number of new Brits in the line-up this really does look to be a new era of Giants hockey that Thornton is taking us into.

Personally, from a brief look at these two players, it appears to be a big step in the right direction.

We’ll just have to wait two-and-a-half long months to find out.

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