Fife Flyers look to sign cover as defenceman out long-term with head injury

The Swedish blueliner has been sidelined with a head injury, making just two appearances since pre-season.

The club has no specific timescale for his return, and is now in active talks with several possible signings as it looks for injury cover.

Fernholm iced across one weekend in defeats at the hands of Manchester Storm and Coventry Blaze, but has been an absentee in the early weeks of the 2022-23 campaign.

The six-foot six blueliner - a 2012 sixth round NHL draft for Nashville Predators - has skated in training, but his return to competitive action is now on ice.

Todd Dutiaume, head coach, said: “We have no specific timeline for his return, and we will be looking into possibility of injury cover.”

The club is looking at possible players in North America and Europe - and it may also move to make further signings to “make the necessary improvements to the line-up.”

“There are a number of names out there we could pull the trigger on, but it has to be the right one,” said Dutiaume. “We are looking at cover to give this team the support it needs to be successful.”

Swedish forward Mikael Johannson will ice this weekend as Flyers prepare for Saturday’s road trip to face Nottingham Panthers in a league game before facing troubled Glasgow Clan in Kirkcaldy in their last Challenge Cup qualifier.

“Johansson was part of a high paced practice today and looked good,” said the coach.

“It was designed to improve our compete level over 60 minutes as well as preparing guys who have been out injured to go in against teams that are six or seven weeks into the season.”

The movement off ice comes as Flyers look for their first win on home ice, but also towards possible qualification for the quarter-finals of the cup.

A win over Clan would secure that goal - any other outcome could leave them dependant on the outcome of games in other sections.

The Glasgow side have been mired in off-ice controversy following the signing of Finnish defenceman Lasse Uusivirta.

His link to a rape allegation in 2013 sparked a huge backlash among fans which saw coach Malcolm Cameron and MD Gareth Chalmers suspended.

Following an investigation, Cameron will return to the bench this weekend, while the deal to bring the player to the club has been torn up.

Clan are also on a nine-game losing streak and out of the cup, but Dutiaume expects a tough game, and his focus solely on the ice pad.

“These are two crucial points for us to get us to the next round,” he said. “Getting to the quarter-finals would be a successful beginning for us.”