Why Brandon McNally was the man that did the chasing in Sheffield Steelers move

He is the type of gritty competitor who never knows when he is beaten and just loves getting under an opponent's skin.

He won't take 'No' for an answer.

And he showed that same dogged determination when it came to pursuing a spot on Aaron Fox's Sheffield Steelers' line up.

The 6ft 2ins American winger came clean when asked what coach Fox had said to convince him to join the Arena club.

“He didn’t say anything, I did all the chasing," he admitted.

“I told Aaron he needed a player like me in his team and it was what he was missing, I was all over him!

“I can bring toughness and skill, I think it took a while but he must have agreed as he signed me!

"I think he appreciates my hunger and I’m coming to Sheffield wanting to make a statement.”

Fox bided his time before giving McNally the one-year contract the 30-year-old was desperate for.

"He was a guy who had been in touch with his agent early in the summer and I waited around to see what I needed down the stretch and he was still available" said the team boss.

"I watched a bunch of tape before and after his injury (McNally was placed on injured reserve last October by his team Cardiff Devils, after he'd been injured the previous month in a game against Guildford Flames. He missed 13 games.)

"His role got diminished a bit after he came back from injury, but I loved his game early on" Fox continued

"He holds guys accountable, sticks up for team mates; he was playing 20-22 mins a game before the injury and was playing very well he is one of those guys that I got with a pretty good deal and he can only outplay expectations, I think."

Fox said the injury to McNally has not recurred.

And he said the same about his two other latest signings, Brett Neumann and Daniel Ciampini, who both had ailments last season.

"Brett got hurt in training camp last season, it was upper body but he is fully healed and there is zero issue there.

"He didn't get to Czech until January (Orli Znojmo) and played every game and play offs.

"Daniel had a lower body injury but recovered fully."