NHL in the EIHL: Belfast Giants

As a Giants fan, of course I’m going to start my EIHL blog posts here!


The EIHL has increasingly been able to attract NHL stars and Belfast have boasted a number of NHL talent including Theo Fleury, Kevin Westgarth and Jim Vandermeer, to name a few.

The Giants currently have 5 players on their roster with NHL experience; Liam Reddox, Bobby Farnham, Matt Pelech, Jordan Smotherman and Curtis Hamilton. Not only players, but Head Coach Adam Keefe has also been around the NHL.

Liam Reddox- The Giants’ #85 was drafted in 2004 by the Edmonton Oilers and would go on to play 100 regular season games for the Oilers and accumulate 24 points, coming as a result of 6 goals and 18 assists. Reddox is a recognized leader and has been named one of the Giants’ alternate captains this season, after spending the previous four seasons as captain of the Växjö Lakers of the SHL.


Bobby Farnham- Farnham has established himself as a fan favourite since he joined the Belfast Giants prior to the 2019/20 campaign. Farnham, who has been described as the Tasmanian Devil on skates, split his 67 NHL regular season games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils. Farnham is loved for his physical style of play and his ability to get underneath the skin of opposition players.


Matt Pelech- Matt Pelech, brother of Islanders defenceman Adam Pelech, was named as the Giants captain for the 2019/20 campaign. Matt was drafted #26 overall by the Calgary Flames in 2005 and would play 13 games in the NHL, scoring one goal and notching three assists, alongside 38 PIMs. The former Flame and Shark, Pelech is a tough competitor and is not afraid to make a hit. An interesting fact is that in 2011, Pelech fought against Giants Head Coach Adam Keefe while both players were in the AHL.


Jordan Smotherman- Smotherman, also a 2005 draft pick, played 4 games in the NHL with the Atlanta Thrashers and has 0.5PPG. Smo made an instant impression with the Giants’ loyal as when after seeing a future teammate get injured, got on a plane to make the lineup the following day, a few days earlier than planned. This dedication and his open love for the club on social media are just a few of the reasons why there are so many Smotherman jerseys dotted around the SSE Arena this season.


Curtis Hamilton- Hamilton, also an Edmonton Oilers draft pick, played one NHL game for the Oilers in 2014/15 where he collected 5 PIMs. Aside from the NHL, Hamilton has made an impact in many other leagues, especially in Europe, where he has a PPG average of over 0.7 in both the Czech and EBEL leagues and has represented Canada at both the U18 and U20 levels.


Adam Keefe- Adam Keefe had an NHL tryout and played in exhibition games until a fight led to a linesman landing on his shoulder. Keefe played through the next couple of games like the warrior we know but the injury would soon lead to him missing six months of the season. Adam Keefe is a hero among Belfast fans. Keefe is a true warrior for the club and always held other teams accountable. He was a true leader and followed his fights with his signature elbow pad flick that Giants fans will always associate with the era where Keefer was captain. Although having made it to an NHL tryout in his own right, Adam also has another NHL connection as his brother Sheldon coaches the Toronto Maple Leafs.


The Giants are known for their ability to recruit great hockey talent from leagues all over the world but here was just a wee bit of insight into the guys we get to watch this season that have played in the NHL and now are part of the EIHL.