Excel Hull Stingrays player-coach Sylvain Cloutier has today made 31 year old Canadian forward Jason Silverthorn his second import signing of the summer ahead of the 11/12 Elite League campaign.
Owen Sound, Ontario native Silverthorn, who joins Jereme Tendler and Sylvain Cloutier in a, thus far, three strong import contingent, came mightily close to setting a career best in points last season, falling just one short of his best of 52, set in 38 games in the 04/05 SPHL season, hitting the 51 point mark in 55 games in his sixth consecutive year in the Elite League.
Although for just the second time in five years the former Cardiff Devil and Edinburgh Capital fell just short of the point per game mark, he once again remained one of the most consistent performers game-in, game-out for the Stingrays as they completed the year in an Elite League era high seventh place.
Surprisingly to some he began the year as one of the club's top performers, claiming the October FBB Player of the Month award having registered six goals and seven assists in the club's opening month of the season.
Unfortunately, a massive hit from would-be Stingray Guillaume Lepine in a Stingrays fixture in Nottingham put paid to that impressive start to the season and, in truth, it took the centre a number of months to fully recover from the resulting concussion.
Nevertheless, Silverthorn bounced back and once again proved a useful utility player for Cloutier filling in on defence following the absence of a number of blueliners as usual playing in an unfavourable position with minimal fuss and few mistakes.
However, as the 10/11 season drew to a close it was clear his form had dropped, partly due to what must have been the long lasting effects of his concussion and partly due to the Stingrays' own poor form, and he finished the year on a notable low with goals hard to come by and the club overly reliant on the goalscoring prowess of Tendler and to a lesser extent Andrew Coburn.
Cloutier clearly highly rates Silverthorn's professional attitude, versatility and consistent performances as the Stingrays player-coach awarded him with Coaches Player of the Year at the end of season awards dinner despite a perhaps disappointing end to the season.
That and his decision to remain in the city this summer all but confirmed his return for a third term and Cloutier was therefore delighted when the Elmira College graduate agreed to re-sign.
"I am really pleased to have Silver back. He is a big part of our team, he brings a lot of experience and leadership and he is a total professional. I expect Silver to have a big season for us and for him to be one of our offensive leaders. I think if he had not got hurt this past season his numbers would have been different and he would have had a lot more, something I am expecting from him this year."Silverthorn has previously talked about his desire to play with younger brother Steve Silverthorn, last season netminder for German second tier Bundesliga side Schwenninger Wild Wings, and with time running out on both of their careers the rumour mill has once again thrown up the 30 year old tenders name.
At this point, that would appear largely dependent on Steve Silverthorn's unlikely decision to move to the UK and with all signs pointing to a return for unremarkable but solid netminder Christian Boucher, the brothers may have to wait a while longer before playing together at a professional level for the first time.
Silverthorn joins British defencemen Daniel Scott and Sam McCluskey, British forward Tristan Cameron-Harper and imports Tendler and Cloutier on the Rays 11/12 Elite League roster.
