Telford Tigers lure defenceman Adam Jones
Telford Tigers have lured highly-rated defenceman Adam Jones to Shropshire from the tough North American Junior Leagues.
Jones, who trained in Telford as a youngster, has spent the last two seasons playing for Summerland Steam in the KIJHL.
The 20-year-old has been in North America for six years, but was born in Birmingham – meaning he qualifies as a home-grown player in the English Premier League.
Head coach Tom Watkins was given a preview of Jones's talents with Great Britain Under-20s in 2014 and moved quickly to secure his signature.
He said: "Adam impressed me a lot when he played with GB Under-20s and was one of the most talented defencemen on that team in Scotland.
"He's steady on the puck, very calm and reads the game well. He just comes out and plays hard, which is one of the things I like about him.
"Adam will bring with him that tough North American style of play, and he'll certainly play with an edge."
Jones's height, at 6ft 2in, will add more size to a Telford squad that already boasts 6ft 5in Canadian Doug Clarkson and Polish netminder Ondrej Raszka, who stands at well over 6ft.
Watkins added: "Size is certainly important, especially in this rink, which is slightly smaller than some others in the league.
"Adam has good size, which is great, but his main attribute is his overall defensive play."
