D-day looming as Sheffield Steelers wait to find out if league will go ahead

That verdict will likely be officially announced on Tuesday, although many people are fearing there have not been enough positive developments across the UK to support moves for a December EIHL start-up.

The latest national edict, that people should only attend places in groups of up to six people, was not the news the EIHL owners would have wished for.

Steeldogs coach will look into icing Sheffield Steelers players if season can't go ahead

If their regular programme is cancelled, teams like Sheffield Steelers will press ahead with plans for a slimmed-down version of the season, a tournament possibly involving five teams, hopefully in January or February.

The National Ice Hockey League, which includes Sheffield Steeldogs, says it is "still working to return to competition safely despite restrictions being reimposed on gatherings in England."

They want to play games from late November.

That has opened the door to the notion of homegrown Steelers keeping fit and icing at iceSheffield for the Dogs, if England's second tier of clubs can meet all current government-ordered coronavirus obligations and players can obtain the appropriate level of insurance.

Steelers' apprentice Alex Graham is due to play for Dogs, should their campaign beat the lockdown.

And the idea of getting back on the ice with his EIHL mates is a thrilling one.

As is the thought of Steelers fans filling some socially-distanced seats at iceSheffield, to get their hockey fix.

"It would be amazing for the Steelers fans to come just over the road and support the other local team," said the young winger.

"And it would be good if we were joined by some of the Elite League Brits if the Elite League doesn’t go ahead."

Senior ice hockey could return to Sheffield in November

Graham is a considerable talent but recognises he has to impress Steelers' coach Aaron Fox if he is to make the grade at EIHL level.

Any hockey in 2021 would amount to: "my most important year so far" he said, adding that he wanted to prove "myself to Foxy next season to hopefully give myself a better chance of getting a regular spot on the roster in the next couple of years."

Part of that plan was to work on the "need to round my game off defensively, to take myself to the next level."

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