Coventry Blaze Ice Hockey team have signed former NHL enforcer, Boris Valabik for the upcoming 2015/16 Elite Ice Hockey League season.
The 29 year old Slovakian born defenceman joins Blaze has been playing for Arlan Kokshetau in Kazakhstan and has played for Atlanta in the NHL,
“Boris is a great signing for our club,” said Blaze Director of Hockey, James Pease to the Blaze website. “He is a very physical player who makes great use of his size and uses his body well. He’s a great penalty killer, very strong defensively, has a good first pass and a strong slapshot.
“He’s also a fearsome fighter and will ensure that our skilled players have the freedom to play their own game. There are some highly rated enforcers in our league, especially in our conference so it’s important that we aren’t able to be pushed around in games. Boris will make sure that doesn’t happen. He absolutely loves to play a big, physical game.
“He has had a fantastic career so far and is looking forward to making a big impact with the Blaze. He’s represented his country at the highest level, been a first round draft pick, played 80 games in the NHL, fought the biggest and the best and won a Calder Cup so we are absolutely delighted to have been able to bring a player of his pedigree to Coventry. He is a real character and the Blaze fans are going to love him.”