The Excel Hull Stingrays have signed their first British defenceman to replace outgoing trio Luke Boothroyd, Stevie Lee and Dave Phillips and its Great Britain international utility player Paul Moran that has joined the Rays.Moran, 25, joins the Stingrays after spending a year with the Belfast Giants where he recorded 4 assists in 51 games in a season reduced because of a shoulder injury, prior to his season long spell in Belfast he spent three and a half years with his hometown Nottingham Panthers in the EIHL. In 2006/07 he also spent 16 games with Nottingham's arch rivals the Sheffield Steelers in a highly controversial move down the M1.
His first full pro season came in the inaugural Elite League season in 2003/04, after appearing for the Panthers in 10 ISL games. As it happened his rookie year turned out to be one of his most succesful years in hockey as he helped the Panthers lift the Challenge Cup, whilst personally he took away the Best British forward in a Nottingham team which included David Clarke and Marc Levers.
This will be the third season that Coach Rick Strachan has had Moran under his guidance after previous campaigns with Milton Keynes Kings, where he scored 23 points in 44 games, and Solihull MK Kings, where he scored 8 points in 26 contests, both of which came in the BNL.
Therefore Coach Rick Strachan is sure of what he will get from Moran:
"If you ask Paul to run through a brick wall for you he will. I know he will give everything he has every night. I have had him before [at MK Kings and Solihull MK Kings] and I know exactly what to expect from him and he knows what I expect of him."As the Stingrays have shored up their forward slots for British players (with Lee Es
"He can play defence or forward but will predominantly play defence as we need a fifth guy back there. But over the course of a long season his versatility will be a bonus for us. He competes hard and he will do a good job."
ders expected to become a 10th and covering forward), Moran will slot in on the Stingrays defensive unit as most likely a 5th defenceman, although it is possible he could be a 2nd line D man if Jonathan Bernier begins as a 3rd line D (provided the Stingrays sign another British defenceman). With bruising Bernier expected to act as main enforcer Moran will likely slide in to his slot on defence when he is otherwise occupied, if Bernier begins as 2nd line D, or similarly if any of the Rays top 4 defencemen go down with injury or suspension.Likewise if 2 or more of the Rays forwards go down with injury, and Moran is the extra defenceman, he will slip into their spots after Lee Esders (although as I say it has yet to be 100% confirmed) has joined the expected 3 lines. Strachan confirmed as much to the Hull Daily Mail:
"Paul can play defence or forward but will predominantly play defence as we need a fifth guy back there. But over the course of a long season his versatility will be a bonus for us.He's a good, solid, very competitive player and good in the dressing room. We have got guys who have been in the league for numerous years. He's not 20, he's 25. He's got a lot of experience under his belt and that's the kind of guys we are looking for."
