Belfast Giants celebrate return of 'trusted presence' Mike Lee
Defenceman Mike Lee – celebrated as “a trusted presence” – is back on board with Belfast Giants.
The 29-year-old proved impressive across his first campaign in Northern Ireland – with the Giants viewing Lee as “a composed mobile defenceman" and “trusted presence”.
“Mike came in last year and proved himself to be a really dependable defenceman for us,” said Giants head coach Adam Keefe. “He plays a smart, composed game, bringing a lot of poise to our back end.
"Having him return gives us a strong foundation to build from and we’re looking forward to seeing him to continue to lead by example.”
The Giants celebrated news of Lee’s fresh contract as “his return brings stability, experience and calm leadership that will be vital heading into the new season” with his “versatility and high hockey IQ” key to the Belfast club’s progress.
Lee highlighted how “I really enjoyed my first season with the Giants”.
"I’m excited to be back,” he said. “The city, the fans, the organisation...everything about Belfast made it a great place to play.
"I’m looking forward to getting back in the mix, building on what we started and pushing for success again this year.”
The Giants’ August schedule will include a pre-season double-header against Stavanger Oilers from Norway.
The Norwegian Elite Hockey Ligaen outfit visit Belfasy’s SSE Arena over August 22/23.
The Oilers, based in the coastal city of Stavanger, are a well-established force in European ice hockey, having claimed multiple Norwegian championships, the most recent of which came in 2023.
The Stavanger Oilers are also regular participants in the Champions Hockey League (CHL), having featured seven times between 2014 and 2024.
“Bringing in such a quality club like Stavanger will give us great competition to help prepare us for what’s to come in the Champions Hockey League,” said Keefe. “Stavanger have won the Norwegian League nine times in the last 15 years, so they have a winning pedigree and will be a great challenge for us.”
Paul Higson, general manager of Stavanger Oilers, said: “The Belfast Giants have quickly established themselves as a formidable force in European hockey.
“Facing a team that has qualified for the CHL three times in the last four seasons is a tremendous challenge for us.
“We truly look forward to these two games, as the trip to Belfast is the highlight of our pre-season schedule.
"Not only will we compete against a strong opponent, but we’ll also have the chance to experience a vibrant city and explore the stunning north coast.”