The 'ridiculous' situation Sheffield Steelers are having to deal with ahead of opener

But the word "ridiculous" seemed to sum it up most, after an exceptionally unlucky issue put import goaltender Oskar Östlund out of the squad.

Bizarrely, the 30-year-old new recruit hurt himself in a warm up routine before Saturday's home game against Coventry Blaze.

Short of alternatives, Fox had to put him on the bench as a back-up for the match - thankfully not having to call on his restricted services.

Since then, Fox has been awaiting results from tests to discover how seriously he is hurt, how long he will be out...and whether a replacement should be brought in.

Last season, among a series of other injuries, Fox was unable to play Barry Brust as often as fans had expected, Brust only managed to finish three full games in the first nine.

Now Fox is having to come to terms with Östlund's situation.

A spot of dark humour helps.

"I got a message on Monday morning, asking if there were any injuries from Sunday's game at Coventry," said the coach.

"I said no! But I'm not sure that is something we should get excited about on a nightly basis. It is like: 'Yay, we got through a game without injury!' "

The coach had planned to split netminding duties on Saturday, so Östlund could make his home debut.

That plan soon went out of the window.

"It is ridiculous, but it is what it is," he said.

"Oskar is devastated, it is an injury where there was nothing pre-excisitng, it was completely random."

Clearly Fox now needs to keep an eye on a possible short-term replacement for the Swede, should medical news confirm worse fears.

But the market - at the start of a new season - is "not optimal" he admits.

The one ray of sunshine is that American goalie Matt Greenfield has been solid in between the pipes for Sheffield.

He shut out Coventry in a man of the match performance on Saturday and "played real well" on Sunday, according to his team boss.

Greenfield will backstop Sheffield on Saturday, in the home opener against Cardiff Devils, with either Curtis Warburton or Jordan McLaughlin on the bench.

The 27-year-old from Florida should cope well with the pressure of being starting netminder.

The business degree graduate plays chess and finds it sooths his mind.

"I play a lot of chess, I got into it four or five years ago," he told The Star, recnetly.

"It has a calming influence. I love the strategy and so many different variations, setting up moves in advance, one move right or wrong can completely turn a game. I am very into it."

As for his style on the ice he has been described as aggressive.

"I explode, sometimes. If I make a read I go for it and trust my gut and battle - not sit back and second guess myself."

As for his longer term ambitions, Greenfield, a former team mate of Anthony DeLuca at Kansas City Mavericks, said: "I take it on day at a time and play my best, do my job and let the chips fall where they may, just do my business and whatever happens, happens."