Why ex Steeler Ben O'Connor signed for Sheffield Steeldogs

The 380-game Steelers veteran is joining the neighbouring NIHL club, should their league be given the green light.

O'Connor explained: "I did not want to go away to Europe and I don't foresee there being any hockey in the Elite League; you have to do what you've got to do. We are having a second kid in December so I want to be close to home."

The EIHL have been pinning their hopes on a New Year tournament, in the seemingly now less-than-likely chance that the pandemic subsides over the autumn and winter months.

Tuesday's announcement of the pausing of trials of spectators at sports fixtures has hardly helped the EIHL's stated ambition.The 31-year-old defenceman said: "The EIHL are saying they might be able open in January or February but I just don't see it.

"Where are they going to get the British players that have all gone abroad?

"If they get new imports in, what kind of standard is it going to be?

"If it all goes down the pan again (in the UK) there are too many variables for EIHL clubs, like the news we got this week (second coronavirus spike.)

"Then if you look at (Steeler) Marco Vallerand, whichever team he goes to, in Europe or wherever, he is going to be a key, influential player and they are not wanting to let him go if the EIHL re-starts.

"That team is just not going to want to release him and let him go.

"If he signs a deal with no get-out in it, are they going to release him from his contract?"

O'Connor said all his former team-mates at the Arena were: "Gone or trying to go.

"At the end of the day as much as people might love the Elite League and playing over here they have mortgages, bills and families, they have to do best for themselves."

As for chances of second-flight hockey in the UK he said: "All the recent news has not helped but some sessions are and have taken place, hockey practice, trial games in basketball, things of that nature.

"The NIHL don't have all these visas and flights and overheads that Elite League teams do, it's less risk than EIHL, so there is a lot more chance of it going ahead.

"The NIHL is going to be a good league; there are a lot of players going to be playing from the Elite League

"It will be a good standard, I just want to play hockey.

"At the end of the day, I am going to enjoy myself playing for the Dogs until there is an Elite League once more, then there are options I could assess."