Cloutier: No new import for Stingrays
ICE HOCKEY
COACH Sylvain Cloutier admits he has abandoned plans to bring in a new import forward to pep up Hull Stingrays' chances of making the play-offs.
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SEARCH OVER: Coach Sylvain Cloutier.
Cloutier has been searching for a new sniper since before Christmas, and had seen several deals fall through.
The Mail understands Cloutier finally found his man late last week – believed to be a Latvian – but the club have now decided not to go ahead with the move before the February 15 signing deadline, apparently on financial grounds.
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The situation seems to have been complicated by the season-ending injury to Canadian Cale Tanaka.
Cloutier said: "Right now we will go with what we have got.
"We made the play-off semi-finals last year despite having a short bench. We have enough depth with Tom Squires and Danny Wood.
"We just have to find a way to compete with the squad we have.
"Last year we did it with two-and-a-half forward lines. There's no reason why these guys can't do it again."
Tanaka's injury in Belfast came just days after the release of out-of-form Latvian Janis Ozolins, who has joined this weekend's opponents Dundee.
"Ozolins was an extra import but we couldn't afford to keep him," said Cloutier.
"We didn't expect Tanaka to get hurt, but that's the way it goes."
With British-born Ben Bowns away on GB duty this weekend, Stingrays will ice a full import quota anyway.
Bowns' starting role will be filled by Canadian Greg Blais, who is classed as an import, even though he holds a British passport.
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