Brendan Connolly joins Giants for 2017/18 season
The Stena Line Belfast Giants have announced the signing of Brendan Connolly for the 2017/18 season. Connolly, a forward with a left shot, will bring both skill and grit to the Giants lineup.
Connolly, whose father hails from Newry, Co.Down, joins the Giants from Rungstead in Denmark where he helped the team to the Danish Championship. In 2016/17 Connolly was the league’s most penalised player with 187 penalty minutes as well as finishing fifth in the league’s points standings with 20 goals and 28 assists, good for 48 points in 42 games.
Connolly iced with Ryan Martinelli in 2015/16 with Fehérvár of the Austrian Hockey League and was also a teammate of Blair Riley when the pair played NCAA hockey together at Ferris State University 2006-2009.
The 31 year old Canadian helped the Alaska Aces to the ECHL’s Kelly Cup in 2013/14 while he was an Assistant Captain with the American team.
Adam Keefe on the signing of Brendan Connolly:
“In Brendan the Giants are getting a real exciting player to watch. He is a fierce competitor who will be a thorn in the side of everyone who he plays against. He is fast, highly skilled & can play wing or centre which will help us have some versatility throughout the lineup.”
Brendan Connolly spoke with A View From The Bridge ahead of his first season in Belfast:
“Coach Keefe was keen to have me in Belfast and talked very highly of the organisation. Former teammates of mine, Blair Riley and Ryan Martinelli, both had nothing but great things to say about the fans and the organisation.”
“I play with a lot of speed and try to take advantages of any opportunity I get. I’m a scorer who has an edge to my game - I am not afraid to get into the corners or in front of the net and mix things up. I will play hard and Giants fans will see the best effort from myself on every game night.