New Sheffield Steelers’ goalie raises eyebrows north of the border

The former Steelers winger had Canadian goalie Carsen Chubak at his (now defunct) Edinburgh Capitals side.

In fact, that was Chubak's last season, and that was back in 2015-16, when he played 48 games and enjoyed a .882 per cent save ratio.

Chubak, who had suffered an ongoing injury, then disappeared off the professional radar.

Now the 29-year-old has resurfaced as the "insurance" policy at Steelers, competing alongside Brad Day for the back-up netminder role to number one choice Jackson Whistle, according to coach Tom Barrasso.

Neil said: "He is a good kid, although he had this long term hip condition when he was with us.

"He did pretty well and I kept in touch for a while after he left.

"I know he had an operation and hasn't played professionally. I don't know what he has been doing on the ice but it won't have been at a high level, so I was astonished to find he's at Steelers.

"Having said that, he's a capable goalie, an intelligent guy too.

"He is smaller than a lot of netminders, more of a reaction style than anything. Technically, he is very sound. 

"He gets across the crease quick and if he is fit and ready, he can win you games."

Chubak arrived at Edinburgh from Belfast Giants, where Whistle made his name.

Coach Barrasso initially brought in Matt Climie to compete for the number one spot with Whistle at Sheffield.

But he felt Climie had lost an edge in concentration or attitude and his arrangement was terminated after 13 games.

An injury to Whistle now would be a huge blow to the South Yorkshire club, thus barrasso’s “insurance policy.”