“It’s Good to Be Back” – Brandon Whistle on his return 'home' to Sheffield Steelers
Brandon Whistle can’t wait to get back out on the ice for Sheffield Steelers’ exhibition match against Cardiff this weekend
Brandon Whistle pulled on an orange jersey, stepped onto the Utilita Arena ice on Tuesday and summed up his feelings in five simple words.
“It’s good to be back.”
After five seasons, 270 appearances, 51 goals, 102 points and an unforgettable Grand Slam with the Sheffield Steelers, Whistle broke the hearts of many supporters last summer when he left the club to join the Belfast Giants.
Twelve months later, #74 is back in Sheffield and admits returning to the city and club he calls home feels every bit as good as he hoped it would.
Whistle insists there was never any unhappiness behind his decision to leave. Instead, it was an opportunity he felt he couldn't turn down, the chance to spend a season playing alongside his brother, Giants goaltender Jackson Whistle.
“Leaving was really about wanting to experience a year playing with my brother,” he explained.
“Jackson has a life in Belfast and it was pretty cool to have that opportunity. You never know when your career is going to be over, so when you get the chance to spend a season playing alongside your brother, it's something you want to experience.
“But our hearts were always here in Sheffield. Myself, my girlfriend and my dog have had too many great times and experiences here to simply walk away from it.
“Coming back now, I immediately feel at home again and I can't wait to skate out in front of the fans this weekend.”
Whistle returns to a significantly different Steelers dressing room from the one he left 12 months ago.
Aaron Fox has undertaken major recruitment work during the summer, adding nine new imports to a returning core that includes captain Robert Dowd, Matt Greenfield, Mitchell Balmas, Mikko Juusola and Dominic Cormier.
Whistle likes what he sees but after enough years in professional hockey, he also knows that impressive names on a roster don't guarantee anything.
“Everything looks good on paper, that's for sure, but paper doesn't really mean anything once the season starts,” he said.
“We've had a couple of skates together now and everybody looks really good. There's a lot of quality in the group and I'm excited to see what we can do once we start playing games.”
What Whistle does know is what it takes to win in Sheffield.
“We all look back at 2024 and winning those three trophies.
“Once you've experienced something like that, you want to experience it again.
“Ultimately, that's what all of us care about. We want to win hockey games, compete for championships and lift trophies.
“That's what drives us every day.
“I've come back to Sheffield to do that again.” Steelers open their season this Sunday against Cardiff Devils at the Utilita Arena. Face Off 4.00pm