COVENTRY Blaze have granted a testimonial game to current head coach and former player Danny Stewart to honour his services to the club.
Stewart, a native of Fort McMurray, Canada, first joined Blaze in 2006 and over four years played a big part in Blaze’s major successes.
He won the Elite League Championship on three occasions, while also securing the Challenge Cup and Knock-Out Cup.
In 287 total appearances for Blaze, the competitive Stewart scored 201 points (75 goals, 126 assists) and, as a player who was not afraid to drop the gloves for his team, amassed 698 penalty minutes.
He retired from playing in 2016 and returned to Coventry as head coach and, two years later, he was also made Director of Hockey Operations, a position which he still holds.
The 43-year-old is in his sixth straight season as Blaze coach and seventh year, which includes leading the club in the Elite Series during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chairman Andy Buxton said: “Danny is one of those people who wears his heart on his sleeve. What you see is what you get. A tremendously committed, passionate and loyal human being who cares deeply about the club, his players and his staff.
“He was that way as a player for us and he has returned as our coach exactly the same. We’re very proud to have him as a key member of our leadership team and grateful for all he has brought to the Blaze, on and off the ice.
“When we were approached about a testimonial for him, we had no hesitation in supporting it. His service to our club has been exemplary and we hope he has a really enjoyable and rewarding testimonial game alongside many friends from across the years.”
After 11 years of service to the club, Blaze felt Stewart deserved the honour of a testimonial game as tribute to his dedication, outstanding contribution both on and off the ice and his commitment to the club over a substantial period of time.
The testimonial will also serve as a celebration of Blaze history with a host of popular players committed to coming back to the city to support Stewart and reconnect with fans.
The game will take place on Saturday, July 1 at the Skydome Arena with the face-off at 7pm.
Events surrounding the testimonial including news of returning players will all be confirmed in the coming weeks and months.
Tickets for the testimonial can be purchased at: iceaccount.co.uk/coventry-blaze
