MATTY DAVIES believes new import signing Bobby Young has the kind of all-round quality game that can make him a big hit in NIHL National for Hull Seahawks next season.

The 24-year-old became the second import signing to be announced by head coach Davies for the 2023-24 campaign on Saturday, joining fellow forward Emil Svec, the Czechian who proved a big hit last time around.

Davies envisages Young being his first line centreman, spearheading the drive to overcome a disappointing inaugural campaign for the Seahawks which saw them finish bottom of the standings.

But whereas last summer was one where Davies and the organisation were constantly playing catch up with their second-tier rivals, the Seahawks have been one step ahead in terms of putting together next season’s roster.

INCOMING: Centre Bobby Young is signed with Hull Seahawks in NIHL National for the 2023-24 season. Picture courtesy of Mark Seliger/College of the Holy Cross

The third permitted import is already signed and will be revealed in the coming weeks, but Davies is excited about the impact Ontario-born Young can have on the league once he lands in the UK, particularly after seeing off interest from NIHL National rivals to land him.

The 5ft 11 ins left-hander comes to East Yorkshire on the back of four years of NCAA Division One hockey with College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts.

“This kid is coming over here and is fresh and ready to go,” said Davies. “Bobby is somebody who I believe will do everything very well and he is coming in as my first line centre .

“Your imports need to be your best players. And that isn’t just about scoring goals or making goals, it’s about everything - he’ll be good on draws, he’ll hit guys, he can penalty kill, he can play on the power play.

NEW CHALLENGE: Canadian centre Bobby Young (left) heads to Hull Seahawks following four years of NCAA Division One hockey with College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts. Picture courtesy of Eliza Phillips/Holy Cross Crsuaders

“And it’s his first year pro so you’re getting somebody who is coming over here hungry to be successful and prove a point.

“You saw it last year with (Grant) Cooper and (Zach) Brooks at Leeds and with (Matthieu) Gomercic at Raiders - players like that coming here, either for their first or second year as a pro, or semi-pro, they were coming here to be professionals and all of them had a major impact.”

As any good coach recruiting imports for an NIHL National team would do - given you only get three chances to get it right and have less room, if any, for error - Davies did extensive research on Young, talking to various contacts as well as having a number of conversations with the player himself.

Everything he heard and saw he clearly liked, particularly once the Canadian chose Hull as his preferred destination.

EXCITED: Hull Seahawks head coach, Matty Davies Picture courtesy of Seahawks Media

“I know other teams in the league were after him and he still chose to come to us, even after offers from another team that were worth more financially than we were offering,” added Davies. “Despite that, he still wanted to come to us and that showed faith in me and what we’re trying to build and do here.

“And that just makes me think that he’s definitely the right player for us as a club. He sounds like a great lad and the things that he was talking about to me were exactly the kind of things I wanted to hear from a player that we’re signing.

“I’m really looking forward to getting to work with him.”

Hull Seahawks coach Matty Davies on why new import forward Bobby Young will prove a big hit in NIHL National