Nathanael Halbert swaps Canada for Coventry, puts pen to paper with the Blaze

Coventry Blaze head coach Danny Stewart has predicted that new signing Nathanael Halbert will bounce back from injury after signing for the Skydome Arena outfit.

Halbert, 25, arrives in Coventry after spending the rest of his career in Canada, where he made seven appearances and registered one assist for the Montreal Canadiens’ AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket.

Before entering the professional ranks, the 6’0” stay-at-home defenceman played a key role in McGill University’s USports hockey programme, tallying 29 points (four goals, 25 assists) in 78 appearances. Halbert also has three seasons of QMJHL experience under his belt, where he put up 69 points (16 goals, 53 assists) in 199 games for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and Sherbrooke Phoenix.

In 2015, the Canadian-British dual national was invited to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ rookie camp, thanks in part to the leadership credentials he amassed during his two-year stint as an associate captain in Blainville-Boisbriand.

“Halbert is a big addition for our back-end,” Coventry Blaze head coach Danny Stewart said, “he’s very good defensively and another guy that moves well and can make plays going forward.”

“He had a good stint after university in Laval, and although an injury restricted his game time this past year, he spent the whole time up in the AHL and is now at full health and ready to get going with us in the new season.”

The 1995-born defenceman will make his home debut for Coventry against the Manchester Storm in an exhibition game on Wednesday 15 September. Halbert will then make his competitive bow in the Challenge Cup against the Guildford Flames in a double-header on Saturday 18 and 19 September.

Blaze Signings So Far:

C.J. Motte – 29-year-old goalie, USA

Jordan Hedley – 24-year-old goalie, GBR

David Clements – 26-year-old defenceman, GBR

Justin Hamonic – 27-year-old defenceman, CAN

Dillon Eichstadt – 27-year-old defenceman, USA

Nathanael Halbert – 25-year-old defenceman, CAN-GBR

Ross Venus – 27-year-old forward, GBR

Alex Forbes – 25-year-old forward/defenceman, GBR

Luke Ferrara – 28-year-old forward, GBR

Johnny Curran – 26-year-old forward, CAN

Janne Laakkonen – 39-year-old forward, FIN

Alec Marsh – 25-year-old forward, USA