COACH Matty Davies says new import signing Owen Sobchak reminds him of himself as he backed the Canadian to fire Hull Seahawks up the NIHL National standings.

The 30-year-old Ontario-born centre will be in the Seahawks’ line-up for Saturday’s home clash (5.30pm) against Bees IHC, the first of a double-header between the two teams this weekend which sees Hull visit Slough on Sunday.

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Space was made for Sobchak after Davies decided to axe Canadian Bobby Young on Wednesday morning.

INCOMING: Canadian centre Owen Sobchak will be in Hull Seahawks line-up this Saturday to face-off against Bees IHC. Picture: Jacob Lowe/Knights Media.

The 25-year-old centre was signed in the summer but, after an impressive start, had found points hard to come by in recent weeks.

Sobchak arrives in East Yorkshire after spending the majority of the season with Strömsbro IF in Sweden’s third tier HockeyEttan.

He started off the 2023-24 campaign back at Hull’s NIHL National rivals Bristol Pitbulls, where he had been so impressive the previous year when posting 50 points, including 22 goals in 37 games, but left for Sweden after just one game.

Prior to his arrival in Bristol, left-handed Sobchak had spent three seasons in Sweden - fluctuating between the second and third tier - as well as a season in Australia’s short-lived Pacific Hockey League at Brisbane Rampage.

GONE: Bobby Young scored 27 points - including 10 goals - in 30 games for Hull Seahawks before being released on Wednesday. Picture: Adam Everitt/Seahawks Media.

“I saw him play last year for Bristol and I thought he was really good, their best player by far,” said Davies. “He reminds me a little bit of myself, a small centreman who can make plays, is gritty, intense and wants to win.

“He’s been around a bit and has put numbers up in good leagues and he had a really good year with Bristol in what was - much like ourselves - a struggling team.

“His production, his goal scoring and his creativity is what he is about primarily - but he also plays hard. He can play anywhere but I’m signing him because we need somebody to create, make plays and help with the scoring.”

Young found himself out after struggling to make the kind of impact coaches want from their import players at this level. He leaves Hull - his first time playing outside North America - having posted 27 points in 30 appearances, 10 of them goals.

“Bobby’s a great lad, a really good player, but he just hasn’t produced the numbers that I need him to as an import and as a first line centre,” explained Davies.

“He’s been great in other areas of the game, but we haven’t got enough scoring up and down the line-up and right now that’s what we’re missing.

“So I needed to make that decision. It’s just unfortunate, these things happen but we couldn’t quite get the most out of him and he didn’t put the numbers up that we needed.”

Hull Seahawks coach Matty Davies on why Bobby Young had to make way for Owen Sobchak