Belfast Giants: Elite League champions sign Canadian trio as Doggett departs

Chad Butcher has been told Belfast is "an unbelievable place to play and a great place to live"

Belfast Giants have signed Canadian trio Colby McAuley, Steven Owre and Chad Butcher as Slater Doggett's departure from the Elite League champions was confirmed.

McAuley, Owre and Butcher have been team-mates in Canada and also played with Giants squad member Sam Ruopp.

"Colby, Chad and Steve were eager to sign in Belfast because they want to win," said Giants coach Adam Keefe.

The Giants coach also thanked Doggett for his "valued contribution".

"Slater Doggett was a core member of our winning squad last season," added Keefe, who "wished him well in his future endeavours".

"We're confident in this [new] trio of players, they will match the intensity and competitive drive that the organisation has ingrained in its core," continued the Giants coach.

"They're well rounded players who have a built-in chemistry from playing around western Canada and the ECHL together.

"Belfast will love Colby's physical style and Steve and Chad are proven goal scorers, determined to be a nightmare for opposing goalies."

Butcher said that he had options both at home and Europe before deciding on moving to the Belfast team.

"What jumped out to me was what I heard about Belfast from previous team-mates was that it was just an unbelievable place to play and a great place to live," said Butcher, 26, who is a native of Kamloops in British Columbia.

"They're playing in the Champions League this year, which is a really good opportunity for us. It was an easy decision in the end."