Stewart sign new deal with play-off bound Panthers

Danny Stewart oversaw 30 wins from 54 regular season EIHL games as Nottingham head coach

Nottingham Panthers head coach Danny Stewart has signed a new "multi-year" deal after guiding the club to the Elite Ice Hockey League play-offs with a third-place finish.

In the 46-year-old Canadian's first season at Motorpoint Arena he has Panthers challenging for their first piece of major silverware since 2017.

Nottingham, who reached the the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup earlier in the season, face Guildford Flames in the quarter-finals over two legs this weekend.

"We talked a lot about putting this team back on the map and fighting for those trophies and so far we have certainly done that," Stewart told the Panthers website.

"I am excited to see how we can push this forward."

If Panthers get past Guildford they will advance to the play-off weekend at their home arena, where both semi-finals and the decider take place next week.

Nottingham are six-time play-off title winners, but have not claimed the showpiece honour since 2016.

Panthers chief executive Omar Pacha said Stewart has had "a great first season" as Nottingham boss after his arrival from EIHL rivals Coventry Blaze - where he spent more than a decade as both a player and coach over two spells.

"I said when we appointed Danny it was part of a long-term vision and I truly believe we can build something special here with Danny," Pacha said.