Post by Steph Cowley on Apr 21, 2009 11:15:10 GMT 1
....Blaze have signed Hirsch. 
from www.coventryblaze.co.uk
Great news!
from www.coventryblaze.co.uk
Hirsch in for Blaze
21/04/2009
Thompson makes Danish international keeper Peter Hirsch his first summer signing
Coventry Blaze Head Coach, Paul Thompson has today confirmed that he has completed the signing of Danish international netminder, Peter Hirsch, from AaB Aalborg of the Danish Elite League.
Hirsch becomes Thompson’s first summer signing as he begins his team rebuilding in preparation for the 2009/10 Elite League ice hockey season. The thirty year old, native of Copenhagen has been capped over sixty times for his country, during which time he helped Denmark to reach to top division of World Championship hockey in 2002.
He has since helped Denmark to remain an ever present amongst the world’s Elite, making over thirty appearances against the top countries in the world between 2003 and 2008. Highlights of his international career include a 2-2 tie with Team Canada and a 5-2 win over Team USA in the 2003 World Championships in Finland.
Hirsch’s domestic career has seen him play several seasons in both the Danish and Swedish Elite Leagues, playing for Malmo Redhawks and MoDo in the Swedish Elite and for Rungsted, Nordsjaelland Cobras and Aalborg in the Danish Elite. During the 2007/08 IIHF Continental Cup, Hirsch backstopped Aalborg to a berth in the competition’s Superfinal, a run that included a 3-0 victory over the Blaze in his home arena. Last season he also spent time on loan at Timra in the Swedish Elite League and Oskarhamm in the Swedish Allsvenskan League.
Hirsch, who will combine his playing duties with the Blaze with a course of study at Coventry University, will replace outgoing stopper, JF Perras as Coventry’s number one starting netminder. Thompson is also on the lookout for a new backup keeper with Steve Fone set to sign a contract with a club in the English Premier League as a starting goalie.
“I’m delighted to have Peter on board,” said Thompson. “He’s a very, very experienced goalie who has played in some of the top leagues in the world and against some of the best players in the sport. He’s one of a number of goalies that I’ve been following for a few years now and I saw firsthand just how good he can be, when he shut the Blaze out playing against us in the Continental Cup a couple of years ago.
“We are all excited by the signing of Peter and I know he is as excited and motivated about making his mark in the Elite League. He is used to playing in high pressure situations and in Coventry, you face that in just about every game. I believe that this is not just a great signing for the Blaze, but for the Elite League as a whole as it shows we are now attracting high quality players from higher quality leagues.”
“I’ve only heard positive and great things about Coventry, especially from my team mate last year, Neal Martin,” said Hirsch. “Coventry are a great team in the UK and having played against them in the past, I know what a good and professional organisation they are. As hard as the players work and play there, it always looks like they are having fun and enjoying the game and that’s one of the big reasons I’m really excited about joining the Blaze. I’m also really pleased to have the chance to study at Coventry University as I think that will really help me further on in my working life.”
“Much as I’d love Steve Fone to stay here,” concluded Thompson, “It’s time for him to move on and get himself a starting job at another club. He’s a very talented young goalie and he’s learned a lot in his time here but now he’s ready for the responsibility of being the number one goalie at an English Premier League team. He has no shortage of clubs chasing his services and wherever he goes I’m sure he will do very well. We wish him nothing but the best of luck in the next stage of his career.”
21/04/2009
Thompson makes Danish international keeper Peter Hirsch his first summer signing
Coventry Blaze Head Coach, Paul Thompson has today confirmed that he has completed the signing of Danish international netminder, Peter Hirsch, from AaB Aalborg of the Danish Elite League.
Hirsch becomes Thompson’s first summer signing as he begins his team rebuilding in preparation for the 2009/10 Elite League ice hockey season. The thirty year old, native of Copenhagen has been capped over sixty times for his country, during which time he helped Denmark to reach to top division of World Championship hockey in 2002.
He has since helped Denmark to remain an ever present amongst the world’s Elite, making over thirty appearances against the top countries in the world between 2003 and 2008. Highlights of his international career include a 2-2 tie with Team Canada and a 5-2 win over Team USA in the 2003 World Championships in Finland.
Hirsch’s domestic career has seen him play several seasons in both the Danish and Swedish Elite Leagues, playing for Malmo Redhawks and MoDo in the Swedish Elite and for Rungsted, Nordsjaelland Cobras and Aalborg in the Danish Elite. During the 2007/08 IIHF Continental Cup, Hirsch backstopped Aalborg to a berth in the competition’s Superfinal, a run that included a 3-0 victory over the Blaze in his home arena. Last season he also spent time on loan at Timra in the Swedish Elite League and Oskarhamm in the Swedish Allsvenskan League.
Hirsch, who will combine his playing duties with the Blaze with a course of study at Coventry University, will replace outgoing stopper, JF Perras as Coventry’s number one starting netminder. Thompson is also on the lookout for a new backup keeper with Steve Fone set to sign a contract with a club in the English Premier League as a starting goalie.
“I’m delighted to have Peter on board,” said Thompson. “He’s a very, very experienced goalie who has played in some of the top leagues in the world and against some of the best players in the sport. He’s one of a number of goalies that I’ve been following for a few years now and I saw firsthand just how good he can be, when he shut the Blaze out playing against us in the Continental Cup a couple of years ago.
“We are all excited by the signing of Peter and I know he is as excited and motivated about making his mark in the Elite League. He is used to playing in high pressure situations and in Coventry, you face that in just about every game. I believe that this is not just a great signing for the Blaze, but for the Elite League as a whole as it shows we are now attracting high quality players from higher quality leagues.”
“I’ve only heard positive and great things about Coventry, especially from my team mate last year, Neal Martin,” said Hirsch. “Coventry are a great team in the UK and having played against them in the past, I know what a good and professional organisation they are. As hard as the players work and play there, it always looks like they are having fun and enjoying the game and that’s one of the big reasons I’m really excited about joining the Blaze. I’m also really pleased to have the chance to study at Coventry University as I think that will really help me further on in my working life.”
“Much as I’d love Steve Fone to stay here,” concluded Thompson, “It’s time for him to move on and get himself a starting job at another club. He’s a very talented young goalie and he’s learned a lot in his time here but now he’s ready for the responsibility of being the number one goalie at an English Premier League team. He has no shortage of clubs chasing his services and wherever he goes I’m sure he will do very well. We wish him nothing but the best of luck in the next stage of his career.”
Great news!
