Could Coventry Blaze signing be one that got away for Sheffield Steelers?

They have loved seeing South Yorkshire natives like Liam Kirk, Cole Shudra, Alex Graham, and Curtis Warburton flourish on Arena ice.

There have been the occasional 'miss' when players like Yorkshiremen Ben Bowns, Matt Towe and Matt Haywood left the area without ever really appearing much on the Steeler radar.

In that last category, you can now add the name, Nathan Ripley.

The 20-year-old from Kimberworth, Rotherham, has signed his first professional contract in the Elite League, with Coventry Blaze.

He played for Sheffield Steeldogs, previously, (NIHL) but caught the eye when he played four loan games at Blaze in the top division.

Ripley, a 6ft left winger, scored twice in that short try-out and has now been handed a full-time deal.

The prospect says he is delighted to have agreed terms with the Midlands side, and says, as far as he knows, there has never been any interest from Steelers, the team he and his family followed when he was growing up.

"I was a Steelers' fan - but that's no longer the case - you can't can you?" he said.

"My parents were Steelers' fans but when I played for Steeldogs, they left to watch us.

"I do like the Steelers' team because I am local but when I play them I definitely won't be a fan then."

If the forward matures and does well in the EIHL, could he ever see himself playing in orange?

"It was the team I grew up watching but it was Coventry who offered me a contract, and that is something I will never forget.

"We will see what happens, I'll take it bit by bit and do everything I can in Coventry to stay there."

Steeldogs' co-owner Ali Cree said he hoped the supply of players into the top flight will continue, from iceSheffield.

"We will continue doing what we do and bring the youth on," he said.

He added that he did not think there was any other current interest from Elite teams on any of his players but added: "Maybe next year there will be a couple more players of interest for EIHL teams - as long as import numbers don't increase."

Steelers' coach Aaron Fox had been aware of the Rotherham lad's development.

"I watched him on some of the Sheffield Steeldogs' games," he said.

"He's a kid that skates well and plays hard but with the Brit core we have and the two-way guys we have there wasn't a ton of places there."

Ripley's most-liked part of the game is forechecking and his favourite player on the domestic scene has been Jason Hewitt, the Steelers and Steeldogs' veteran. "I have learned a lot from him."

Steeldogs were among the trophies last season and Ripley predicted: "They will do the same as this year, they have a good set-up, they know what they are doing."