Netminder trio commit to another season with the Giants
Boost for Belfast side ahead of new season
With just a few weeks until the start of another season, the Stena Line Belfast Giants continue to bolster their squad.
And last night netminders Stephen Murphy, Jackson Whistle and Andrew Dickson became the latest players to commit for 2017-18.
Murphy returns for his ninth season with the Giants, Whistle will play his second season in teal while Dickson, from Ballymoney, will ice for his seventh season in-a-row in Belfast.
Stephen Murphy originally joined the Giants in 2009 from the Manchester Phoenix and the Scot played a vital role in helping the organisation to the Playoff Championship at the end of his first season in Belfast. Murphy famously starred in the decisive shootout in the grand final against the Cardiff Devils.
Since Murphy’s debut season in Northern Ireland, he has collected All-Star awards and winning the British Netminder of the Year award on eight occasions on his way to backstopping the organisation to Elite League titles in the 2011/12 and 2013/14 seasons.
He also helped Team GB win their first World Championship Gold Medal in 24 years during the 2017 tournament in Belfast.
Whistle (22), joined the Giants in 2016 from the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League. In 2014/15 the 6’1” netminder backstopped the Rockets to their first WHL championship since 2009.
Head Coach Adam Keefe said: “Stephen Murphy has been the Giants backbone since 2009 and has led the team to a Playoff championship as well as two Elite League titles.”
“I am excited to have Jackson Whistle return to for a second season. He was great for us in his first season as a Giant. He's a big goalie at 6’1” and I expect a healthy Jackson to share the work load with Murph this season.”
“I am pleased to have Andrew Dickson back with the Giants again. Andrew works hard and compliments his goaltending counterparts well. He is a great teammate to have in our locker room and The Giants fans should be proud of one of your own and how he continues to improve year on year.