THE Belfast Giants have announced the signing of Canadian goaltender Tyler Beskorowany for the 2018/19 Elite League season.
The 28-year old will vie for the starting jersey at the SSE Arena next season with veteran British backstop Stephen Murphy having agreed to join from the now defunct Edinburgh Capitals.
After the departure of netminder Jackson Whistle to rivals the Sheffield Steelers, head coach Adam Keefe has moved quickly to fill the vacancy behind the blueline with another veteran operator.
Beskorowany logged an .894 save percentage in 15 games for the Capitals last season, sporting an unsightly 4.06 goals against average albeit behind a league-worst defense, suggesting he’s better than the stats imply.
That’s further backed by the fact he is only three years removed from an excellent season in the DEL with the Nürnberg Ice Tigers where he recorded an impressive .920 save percentage with a 2.81 GAA.
The netminder is a former second round draft pick in the NHL having been taken at #59 in the 2008 Draft by Dallas, however he didn’t make it to the big leagues with the Stars.
Having bounced between the Stars’ AHL and ECHL affiliates for three seasons, posting strong numbers at both levels, Beskorowany spent time with the San Francisco Bulls and Orlando Solar Bears before heading to Europe.
In 67 games across two seasons for Düsseldorfer and Nürnberg in the DEL, the Canadian was one of the standout goalies with back-to-back seasons with a .920 save percentage, and was named DEL Goalie of the Year in 2015.
He made the move to Edinburgh midway through last season to aid the failing franchise’s efforts, and despite the below-average stats, his performances earned rave reviews and he quickly became a favourite at Murrayfield.
Having had experience in the EIHL already, bringing Beskorowany in to plug the gap appears a shrewd move from the Giants, who will hope he can bring his performances from Germany to Belfast this season.
Factfile
Name: Tyler Beskorowany
Age: 28
Hometown: Sudbury, ON, Canada
Height: 193cm / 6’4”
Catches: Left
Squad number: #34
Drafted: 2008 round 2 #59 overall by Dallas Stars
Former teams: Texas Stars, Idaho Steelheads, San Francisco Bulls, Orlando Solar Bears, St. John’s IceCaps, Düsseldorfer EG, Springfield Falcons, Norfolk Admirals, Nürnberg Ice Tigers, Edinburgh Capitals
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