Stars’ coach hails ‘exciting’ Gerrie

Head coach Jeff Mason admits he is excited by the prospect of seeing new signing Chris Gerrie take to the ice for Dundee Stars next season.

The 26-year-old Canadian iced with Guildford Flames last season, putting up 34 points in 68 games – with two of those goals coming against Stars.

Mason says Gerrie will get the “quality minutes” he craves as the Tayside club rebuild their squad after the departure of longserving head coach Omar Pacha last month.

Mason said: “Chris is someone who was very exciting to me.

“He was a player that had a very solid first season in the Elite League and he has the ability to do even more.

“He is very driven and he was looking for opportunities and felt like Dundee was a good fit for him, as did I and we are both looking for the same thing, which is for him to be a large part of our forward group.

“There will certainly be the opportunity for him to play those quality minutes and to have a large impact on our team offensively.”

Mason continued: “So, I am extremely excited to have him join us and I think he is one of the players that I have seen over the years that is primed to take an even bigger step forward in year two, having experienced the league and being familiar with certain things.

“Experience in the league is something that is very important and our model of bringing in younger import players, who are looking for an opportunity, does not always lend itself to that.

“So, when you have a younger player, who has played in this league and is driven to take steps forward with their development and in their career then, it is really a no-brainer.

“I have always found that guys take a good jump forward in their second

year in the league, just from being familiar with it and how it is formatted and how other teams play.

“Getting someone with that experience is important and certainly his prior knowledge from his time with Guildford will come in handy.”

Once he finalised his move north of the border, Gerrie said: “I am beyond excited to be joining the Stars.

“It seems like the club is moving in the right direction and Jeff is bringing a ton of knowledge from Belfast.”

Gerrie will be sponsored by Dundee University, where he will study over the course of next season.

He added: “I will bring positive energy inside the locker room and to the fans of Dundee.

“We all have to come together, to continue to move this club forward, with the hope of bringing a championship to Dundee.”

Gerrie also revealed how he contacted a number of his former team-mates – Spencer Dorowicz, Colton Kroeker, Fabrizio Ricci, Charlie Combs and Anthony Beauregard – who

have played in Dundee to get their views on their time in the city.

“I did reach out to several ex-stars and all of them had nothing but great things to say about the city, team, fans and university.

“It was definitely a club they recommended, so I am grateful for the opportunity.

“The team is moving in a great direction, which is something to be very excited about.”

Gerrie is the Stars’ third signing of the summer and joins Craig Garrigan and Philippe Sanche on the roster for next season.

MOVING NORTH: Chris Gerrie said he was looking forward to playing for Stars.