Davies backs goalies to ‘make an impact’
PLAYER-COACH Matty Davies believes new Hull Seahawks netminding duo Jordan Mclaughlin and Curtis Warburton will have an instant impact on the National League.
The pair - who both have Elite League experience - will battle it out for the starting role when the season gets underway.
Mclaughlin, 22, has NIHL, SNL, NIHL1 and EIHL experience with Edinburgh and Glasgow Clan, while 20-year-old Warburton has played in the NIHL and EIHL.
Davies said: “Jordan will make an instant impact in the National League and I expect him to be up there with any other netminder in the league.
“Curtis is young, still developing as a player, but his talent is showing through already. He is not just a great prospect but a netminder I know can step into the NIHL with no difficulty and will perform. He already has game experience under his belt so I see him stepping up this year to a whole new level.”
Davies said he had been in talks with Mclaughlin for several months, having played alongside him for Leeds last season. He was so impressed that it was a “no-brainer” to tempt the keeper to Hull for the brand-new Seahawks.
“I played with him in Leeds where he put up stats of 90.9 per cent. Once we formed the Seahawks, I knew that the netminder position was crucial. This position is pivotal to our success and it has been a careful choice,” he said.
“I looked at some NIHL options but once Jordan showed interest in signing for us, I did not hesitate. These two players are going to impress the Hull fans and they both have a great part to play in our plans for the new season.”
Such is the EIHL interest in the netminders that Sheffield Steelers have signed a two-way agreement to train and play them.
They have call on the players but in a way that does not disrupt the Seahawks’ ambitions.
Both players will be with Hull for games unless needed by the Steelers.
It has been agreed that if a player is required to start a game with Sheffield, the Steelers will have the choice of either. If the player is required to back up for Sheffield, Hull will have the choice of which player goes.
Davies said: “We worked hard on the detail of the two-way. This works very well for us. Both lads will receive training support from the Steelers and this will accelerate their development at a fast rate.
“Game-time with us can only sharpen their skills. I anticipate that most of the time we will have both netminders to call upon but we will always have one or the other on match nights.”
Seahawks are also running trials for young, aspiring keepers on June 16 at Hull Arena.