Sheffield Steelers' top scorer catches coronavirus

The dynamic Great Britain player was due to return to the Challenge Cup winners for season 2020-21, but that was scuppered by the pandemic.

Instead, he signed for a year at one of his former teams, Greenville Swamp Rabbits, in South Carolina, USA.

But after 10 games there, he has had to pull out of the ECHL squad because of Covid 19.

Taking part in World Championships with no playing time would be 'nightmare', Sheffield Steelers skipper Jonathan Phillips says

Steelers' coach Aaron Fox said he understood that several of his Greenville team-mates had also been ill.

"Danny Mawer (Sheffield's fitness and conditioning coach) let me know Conns had got Covid and so he missed out last week.

"He didn't get off to a hot start at Greenville, then he had a nice game and then got Covid. Apparently five of their guys had it and they had to bring in some young kids."

Canada-born Connolly was third highest points scorer in the EIHL last term with 55 points from 48 games.

At club level, he tied with Anthony DeLuca and Marco Vallerand on goals.

Meanwhile, Fox remains hopeful that the EIHL can overcome obvious health and safety challenges and provide a behind-closed-doors hockey tournament, in the next few weeks.

Covid, of course, remains rife in the community - Steelers' photographer Hayley Roberts has been a victim, for instance - but a huge amount of work is going to provide EIHL and NIHL ice hockey behind closed doors and streamed over the internet.

Management at Steelers, Manchester Storm, Nottingham Panthers and Coventry Blaze all have varying obstacles to overcome, but the clubs are keen to get the show back on the road, as long as they are not likely to incur any financial losses.

Steelers have not had a home gate since February 29 and they and others are feeling the pinch.

"The appetite is there for us to do something as long as it is right for the clubs," said Fox, who stressed he was not privy to talks between the EIHL and the Government advisers.

"I think I have always been excited that we can find a way to get something going."

Talks continue over Steelers' possible season

As to what any short-season squad might look like, the coach said: "Once they tell us what roster size is, how many Brits how many imports, the clubs will go into internal conversations."

The teams will be looking to ice all available Great Britain national team players - with an eye on getting them as sharp as possible before the World Championships in May and June.

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