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Belfast Telegraph
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
‘Every year feels more like home': Belfast Giants winger confirms return for sixth season
A day after line-mate Scott Conway was announced as the first returnee for the new season, the 33-year-old American has followed suit to complete two-thirds of the Giants' dynamic top line that is rounded out by dead-eye winger J.J. Piccinich. An experienced operator who has iced in the Finnish Liiga and Sweden's second division, the Allsvenskan, former Giants captain Goodwin has signed back for his sixth season with the organisation where he has become a fan favourite. And they will be relieved to see the No.64 on the roster from the start of the season rather than making a mid-season return, the St Louis native having re-joined the team midway through the last two campaigns, scoring five goals and 33 points in 33 games as the Giants won the Elite League and Challenge Cup double. Goodwin has been a serial winner in Belfast, lifting three League titles, three Cups and a Play-Off crown, and was the man with the 'C' on his jersey when the Giants clinched the Grand Slam in 2023. As well as that, the Penn State alum is no stranger to helping put the puck in the net having scored 79 goals and 266 points in 230 games for the Giants, a role he will likely be expected to assume again in the upcoming campaign. 'I'm really happy to be back in Belfast for another season. Every year I come back, it feels more and more like home. There's something special about playing here – the fans, the city, the pride that comes with putting on that jersey,' said Goodwin. "I'm excited about the group we're building and the opportunity to fight for trophies again. I know what this club is capable of, and I want to be part of bringing more success to Belfast.' Goodwin first joined the Giants in the Covid-19-shortened 2019/20 campaign as a mid-season acquisition from Allsvenskan outfit Mora IK, following two years with Liiga outfit SaiPa, and he would then return to the club for the 2021/22 season, this time as captain. His first season as the team's leader would see him lift the League and Cup double, but his third season at the SSE Arena was both statistically and in terms of silverware his best, Goodwin notching 23 goals and 95 points in 68 games as the team swept all before them on their way to a stunning Grand Slam success. Despite his success in Belfast, the winger shocked most people when it was announced he would be moving to Spanish side C.H. Jaca for the following season, but he would return to the Giants in January 2024, almost helping them to Play-Off joy only for them to fall short against the Sheffield Steelers. But his third mid-season arrival, in January just past after taking some time away from the game, proved to be his most successful in Belfast, Goodwin proving to be a massive boost as the team regained their League title and clinched another Cup crown. 'Goody is a pro in every sense. He brings a calm, focused presence to the locker room and delivers in big moments. He's played a huge role in our culture since arriving and continues to lead by example every day,' added Giants head coach Adam Keefe. "We know what we're getting with him – consistency, character, and a guy who does whatever it takes to win. I'm very pleased to have him back with us.'
Belfast Telegraph
a day ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
‘There's no place I'd rather be': Belfast Giants' leading scorer becomes first player to return for new season
Bringing back last season's leading scorer and a former Elite League Player of the Year Scott Conway represents a fantastic start to the Giants' off-season business, the 30-year-old centreman agreeing a one-year contract extension at the SSE Arena for his fourth season with the team. One of the deadliest finishers in the British game at present, the Basingstoke native netted a team-leading 33 goals and 74 points in 70 games last season, with his goal tally ranking fourth in the entire Elite League. Anchoring a line with linemates J.J. Piccinich and, for the latter half of the season, David Goodwin, Conway helped the Giants to the League and Challenge Cup double, scoring the vital tying goal in the game that won them the League title in Nottingham, and was named British Player of the Year and to the Second All-Star Team as well. 'There's no place I'd rather be. Belfast is a special city, and this organisation means a lot to me. From the moment I arrived, the fans have made me feel like one of their own,' commented Conway on his re-signing. "I'm proud to wear the Giants jersey and incredibly motivated to help bring more success to this club. We were pleased to win back two trophies last season, but it didn't end the way we wanted, so the hunger and fire are there – we've got unfinished business for sure.' Following a successful college career with Providence College, and two years in the pro ranks in North America, Conway first joined the Giants in the first season back after the Covid-19 pandemic and was an instant hit, rifling in 41 goals in 69 games that season on his way to a League and Cup double, scoring the League championship-winning goal in Sheffield, and a First All-Star Team nomination. If his first season was good, then his sophomore season at the SSE Arena was even better, Conway named the Elite League Player of the Year for helping the Giants win the Grand Slam thanks to his unstoppable form, bagging 53 goals and 113 points in 66 games as the team defended their trophies and then added the Play-Off title. That also included a star turn in the Giants' Champions League games that season, the 10-times capped Great Britain international scoring on home ice against both Davos and Ocelari Trinec, two European powerhouses. And he returned after spending the 2023/24 season away in Slovakia with Dukla Trencin to lead the Giants to more success last campaign, once again playing a significant scoring role in bringing two trophies back to the organisation. 'We're very pleased to have Scott back for the 2025/26 season. He's been a key part of our success in recent years, and his work ethic and leadership, on and off the ice, make him an invaluable asset to this team,' said Giants head coach Adam Keefe. "Cons is a proven competitor and having him commit to another season is a big statement about where we're headed and the standards we're setting from the outset.'
