Blaze sign Phoenix favourite Fulghum (From This Is Lancashire)

Blaze sign Phoenix favourite Fulghum

3:48pm Monday 8th June 2009 in

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Coventry Blaze Head Coach Paul Thompson has confirmed the signing of American winger, Luke Fulghum from Manchester Phoenix ahead of the 2009/10 Elite League ice hockey season.

Twenty-nine year old Fulghum joins the Blaze after an outstanding season in Manchester, where he recorded 34 goals and 50 assists for an 84 point total from his 67 games for the Phoenix. He helped his team to reach the final of both the Challenge Cup and the Knockout Cup and finished in the top ten of the Elite League scorers.

After a standout, four year collegiate career with the University of Denver, during which the 6’0” 195lbs right winger helped his team to two National Championship titles, Fulghum turned professional and played around 150 games in the East Coast Hockey League for Columbia Inferno, Stockton Thunder and Elmira Jackals.

His 64 goal return over the three seasons led to try outs at two Toronto Maple Leaf training camps, which saw him twice receive call ups to the NHL team’s farm team, the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.

The Colorado Springs native, who will wear number 27 for the Blaze, will also take advantage of the links the club has with Coventry University, by combining his playing duties with a course of study next season.

Fulghum said: "I’m really excited to be returning to another season in the Elite League.

"I believe that we are going to be a very talented team and we have a great chance to contend for some silverware this upcoming season.

"I’m looking to make a big contribution to the team next season. I feel I’m strong, both on scoring and on moving the puck around and I hope that this can help get the team back to a title winning level.

"I think I had a good season in Manchester on a sixth place team so by moving up the table to Coventry, I’m looking to contribute even more.

"It will be great to play with some of the guys that I played against last season and I’m looking forward to playing with my old team mate from Stockton, Brian Lee. It should be an interesting season ahead and I really believe that with the line up that Paul Thompson is putting together, the fans in Coventry should be really excited about the Blaze team for next season."

Head Coach Thompson, who said he faced stiff competition from other Elite League teams for the signature of Fulghum, believes that he’s going to be a great asset to the team.

He said: "I liked the look of Luke as a player from the first time we saw him play for Manchester last season, and he’s a player I’ve been keeping a close eye on ever since. Every time he was on the ice, he got my attention. He’s very comfortable on the puck, has a great shot and a work rate that really impressed me.

"I like the fact that he can create goals as well as score them and that he’s another player who has won championships in the past. He really is a good all round package and he’s definitely my type of player.

"Last season he was a player that we always talked about before games as a real threat. Now we can leave that worry to other teams.