Belfast Giants: Adam Keefe adds Bobbo Carpenter to his squad ahead of new campaign
With the pre-season and the start of the 2024/5 campaign a matter of weeks away Belfast Giants’s head coach has been busy again this week finalising his squad.
With numbers of players left to be signed diminishing he has announced the signing of 27-year-old forward Bobo Carpenter, yet another Friendship Four alumni.
From North Reading in Massachusetts, Carpenter arrives in Belfast off the back of three seasons in the ECHL with the Florida Everblades, during which he was named as one of the club’s alternate captains for the 2023/24 season.
In 107 games in all competitions, Carpenter posted an impressive 97 total points for the Everblades, with 69 of those coming in his final season for the Estero-based side.
Before joining the Everblades, Carpenter spent four seasons in the AHL with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Milwaukee Admirals between 2018 and 2022, recording 20 total points in 60 appearances.
Remarking on the signing of Carpenter, Keefe said: “Bobo is a winner, and he comes from a great hockey family. He is fresh off the back of an ECHL championship, in which he was the leading goal scorer in both the league and playoffs for Florida.
“He has a great shot and isn’t afraid to do whatever it takes to win. Bobo’s work ethic will make him a fan favourite here in Belfast. We are excited to have him.”
Before turning professional, Carpenter played four seasons of NCAA ice hockey with Boston University, tallying 102 total points in 134 games for the Terriers between 2015 and 2019.
Having claimed the Hockey East championship in his junior season, Carpenter went on to be named as one of the team’s alternate captains in his penultimate season and captain in his final year at Boston.
No stranger to playing at an elite level, Bobo is the son of former NHL forward, Bobby Carpenter, who was drafted third overall by the Washington Capitals in 1981 and went on to play 1,178 NHL games in a career spanning 18 years, winning the Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 1995.
Commenting on signing for the Giants, Carpenter said: “The professionalism from all the staff to help my wife and I with our transition to playing overseas has been incredible.
“One of my best memories from college was playing in the Friendship Four tournament at The SSE Arena, Belfast and experiencing what Belfast had to offer.
“I’m extremely excited to be coming back and to have the opportunity to join the Giants.”
Earlier this week Keefe had also announced the signing of veteran forward Pierre-Olivier Morin from the Aalborg Pirates in Denmark.
From Trois-Rivières in Québec, Morin arrives from Aalborg Pirates in the Metal Ligaen, having recorded over 180 total points in more than 250 appearances in all competitions across five seasons with the Danish side.
Keefe said: “Po comes from a winning programme in Denmark. He’s a proven winner. A two-way centre who plays the right way which is required to win.
“He’s great in the face-off circle and can put the puck in the net. We are excited to bring him to Belfast.”
Before making the move to Scandinavia, Morin spent five seasons with the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières between 2012 and 2017, posting 133 total points in 108 games.
In his final two seasons for Les Patriotes, Morin was appointed as one of the team’s alternate captains, an achievement that he would replicate at Aalborg during the 2021/22 season.
Commenting Morin said: “I am excited to join the Giants next season. I’ve heard a lot of good things about the organisation and the fanbase, which makes me really look forward to the new season.”
He added: “The team has high expectations to bring trophies back to Belfast, and it’s always motivating to play for a club that aspires to win championships.”
Tickets for all Belfast Giants’ 2024/25 home games at The SSE Arena, Belfast are on sale now.
The Giants kickstart their pre-season schedule against the Cardiff Devils on Saturday 24 August, before welcoming Canadian sides Carleton University and the University of Alberta the following weekend on Friday 30 August and Sunday 1 September.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please click here.