Sheffield Steelers light on bodies as they get ready for ‘grind’ of Elite League title run-in
OVER a hectic Christmas and New Year period which saw his Sheffield Steelers team produce a maximum return from eight games in 15 days, there isn't anything head coach Aaron Fox could find fault with. His only gripe - and it is an understandable one - was that he came out of the period lighter on bodies, with three key players currently sidelined through injury. Of those, defenceman Sam Jones[1] was already out having picked up an injury in the 4-0 win at defending champions Belfast Giants on December 4.
He is expected back in a couple of weeks. Forward Brandon Whistle has been out since the Boxing Day home win over Nottingham Panthers with a lower-body injury and is expected to remain sidelined for another month.
SIDELINED: Import forward Brett Neumann is one of three players Sheffield Steelers currently have out injured. Picture: Mark Ferris/EIHL Media.His aim will be to put himself in the frame for selection for the Great Britain squad that will compete in the Olympic Pre-Qualifying tournament in Cardiff between February 8-11. Forward Brett Neumann was unavailable for the two wins over Glasgow Clan with Fox not sure when the influential 24-year-old right-hander will return.
The knock-on effect was that the Steelers effectively played three lines for the first time this season in Saturday's 3-2 home win against the Clan, Cole Shudra having to drop back into defence once Zach Vinnell was ejected from the game in the first period for spearing. "If I'm going to nitpick on anything about this recent spell, it's just the fact that we've lost bodies," said Fox, who has given his players some deserved downtime since the narrow triumph over Glasgow and won't return to training until Wednesday morning.
DOWNTIME: Sheffield Steelers' head coach, Aaron Fox. Picture: Dean Woolley/Steelers Media."Right now we're without Brandon and Sam, who are two crucial national team Brits out of our line-up right now. "And then we've lost Neums as well, so it's not like we've got two extra healthy guys sitting in the stands right now, we're at a tough part of the year right now from an injury side of things, so us grinding these wins out is huge."
That "grind" saw the Steelers pushed closer on home ice by Glasgow than at any point in their previous 10 games on their way to recording an 11th straight league win which took them 12 points clear at the top of the regular season standings, with a game in hand on second-placed Cardiff. As they chase a first regular season crown since 2016, it's an extremely promising position that the Steelers find themselves in, but a lot will depend on how they come through the current injury situation, starting with Saturday's trip to Manchester Storm and the visit from Dundee Stars the following day.
INJURY BLOW: Sheffield Steelers' forward Brandon Whistle is expected to be out for another month. Picture: Dean Woolley/Streelers Media."I don't have an exact timeline on Neums yet because it is so recent," added Fox. "We'll see how he feels coming off the break, but he's progressed well already and so I'm hoping it's not going to be long, long-term, but it's not day-to-day either. "Jonesy is coming off the back of having had a pretty good month here and I'm hoping maybe in two weeks, potentially, we could see him back if things go well.
"And then Whis' is a little bit longer-term so we'll probably be without him for another month I'd say. "So it's not an easy period there, it's not like we can replace those guys with imports. Thankfully, Cole (Shudra) has done a great job and jumped in nicely, as has Fin Ulrick when he's played but now there's not a lot of chance for us to use Fin with our schedules not matching up."
Of those he will have at his disposal - and two-way British forward Ulrick is unlikely to be so, given his commitments to parent team Hull Seahawks - Fox said it was crucial they got some rest time at what is essentially the halfway stage of the campaign.
"There is no national team break this year, so you've got to let the guys recharge the minds, recharge the batteries, especially when you are chasing what we're chasing right now," added Fox. "It's a little bit different if you're not in the hunt, you can take a night off here and there but right now it's a grind for us - but we're up for it."