As we edge closer to the start of the 2024/2025 season all eyes have turned to the statement signings of Scott Conway and Zach O’Brien by the Belfast Giants and Cardiff Devils. Both teams will be looking to re-assert their dominance after the Sheffield Steelers took home the Grand Slam last time out.
Scott Conway is no stranger to the Elite League as he himself has won five trophies in his previous two seasons with the Giants including a grand slam in the 2022-2023 season. Last season, Conway represented HK Dukla Trencin of Slovakia where he scored 39 points in 42 games. However Zach O’Brien may be a stranger to the Elite League but everyone knows what to expect of the Newfoundland Growlers (ECHL) all time appearance maker and point scorer. O’Brien played for two teams last season. Firstly with HC Slovan Bratislava, where he scored 12 points in 16 games, before finishing the campaign with his beloved Newfoundland Growlers hitting the 60 point mark in just 54 games.
Across their widespread careers, Conway and O’Brien have played in numerous leagues but have only come across each other three times. In the ECHL, Conway only played 83 games which is just a smudge compared to O’Brien who has played over 300 games on the coast. Over their spells, Conway racked up a huge average of 1.62 points per game with 30 goals and 25 assists. O’Brien still has an impressive average of 1.24 points per game with 141 goals and 241 assists. It is important to remember that Conway has played a lot less games in the ECHL which will affect the outcome of the average.
Both of these two players have had their best ever seasons in fairly similar leagues as Conway had his record breaking campaign in the EIHL and O’Brien the ECHL. During the 2022/2023 season, Scott Conway became the EIHL forward of the year with his 90 points across 51 games. The 6 '0'' centre had the best goal scoring season of any Giants forward in history with his 40 goals just beating the previous record holder Darcy Murphy by one goal. This is not too dissimilar to Zach O’Brien’s 2022/2023 season which is also his best ever. During the season O’Brien tallied 87 points in 59 ECHL games for the Growlers. This season saw the Canadian sharpshooter hit the net 23 times, whilst he assisted teammates on 64 occasions.
The 64 assists broke a franchise record for O’Brien as his impressive season demolished the previous holder Ben Finkelstein by 13 assists.
The players around both Conway and O’Brien will also be crucial as their teams hunt for trophies. Already this off season, the Giants have announced that fan favourites JJ Piccinich and Gabe Bast will be returning alongside Conway. This is a huge advantage to the Giants as all of these players can produce well. The Devils have also made some stand out signings of their own to partner up with O’Brien as local hero Gleason Fournier will wear the Devils jersey once again along with new signing but familiar face Brett Perlini.
Overall, both players will be coming to the Elite League to score big and win trophies which both players are capable of doing. I would expect both players to play a major top line role and both hit over a point per game average during the season. However I believe experience will be key during the campaign and Scott Conway has bundles of it in the EIHL which may be a deciding factor into who has the better season and eventually walks away with silverware.
Sent and made for us by Joe Maciag.
Author of Article: WIll Harris
Editor: Calan Yule
© EIHL News Central
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