Experienced 25 year old year defenceman James Sanford has signed for the Excel Hull Stingrays as a replacement for Ryan Jorde, who is expected to be out for over four weeks with a broken arm, in a shakeup of the current team, which has lost six consecutive games.The Canadian, who has extensive experience in the AHL and ECHL, is a former junior international at U18 level and joins after originally signing to play for HYS Den Haag in the Dutch capital.
He was released by Den Haag prior to the seasons start after failing to live up to expectations as the team's highest paid player during pre-season, but that decision has played into the hands of Rays coach Sylvain Cloutier, who believes he has pulled off a coup to get his signature, the second year coach said, "he is going to be a number on or number two defenceman in this league".
After an very impressive junior career, in which he represented his country at the Junior World Championships in Slovakia and scored 55 goals and added 132 assists in 272 games in the QMJHL, he failed to get drafted into the NHL, primarily because of his apparently small 5'10 stature. Two years later, however, he was signed by the Montreal Canadians to a two-year, two-way contract.
Sandford scores for Moncton
The blueliner, who hails from Moncton, New Brunswick, failed to make an appearance in the NHL, but did go on to compete in 123 AHL games, scoring 51 points, and 102 ECHL games, adding 69 points.
It is this sort of experience that Cloutier believes the Stingrays require to shore up a, so far, frail defence that has conceded 45 goals in all competitions.
"I am really excited about this signing. If you play that many games in the AHL then you are a pretty decent hockey player. He has got all the tools. He is a defensive-minded defenceman but he is also strong offensively. He will improve our transition which is something we needed to do and will improve our powerplay as he moves the puck well."Last season he split his time between Utah (ECHL), where he scored 18 points in 24 games, Chicago (AHL), where he was called up to appear in seven games, and the St Georges CRS Express (LNAH), where he offensively excelled scoring 15 points, including six goals, in 14 games.
He said, in an official press release, that he is excited to be joining the team, even if they are currently struggling to find any semblance of form.
"I am really looking forward to it....I cannot wait for the first game. I have been in touch with the coach and some of the players and I know they have been having a tough time with injuries and suspensions so I hope I can help them out and get the team going"He went on to describe what sort of player he is:
"I am an offensive defenceman and powerplay specialist. I have made my living out of running powerplays. I feel I am good at reading the play and being in the right position. I just do all the little things right"The signing leaves significant question marks over a number of the Stingrays current squad, particularly the defencemen that have allowed netminder Tommy Sandahl's goal to be breached so frequently.
They, particularly favourite to leave Pavel Gomenyuk and Stephen Burns, are now left fighting for their jobs ahead of Sanford's arrival next weekend and Jorde's return to action in around a month.
