Fife Flyers land proven scorer Thinel

Sébastien Thinel comes with a hugely impressive track record of finding the net in leagues in North America and Europe – a player whose stats stand well above the rest.

The French-Canadian winger joins Flyers from French outfit, Grenoble.

At the age of 35 he is also a hugely experienced player to join Todd Dutiaume’s new look team which hits the ice in pre-season against German lower league outfit EC Peiting at the end of the month.

His hockey CV contains many landmarks.

In 2011 he was signed by CHL outfit, Missouri Mavericks and went on to become the first player in the team’s history to score at least 80 points in a season – Thinel’s 82-point haul included 23 goals and 59 assists.

He also broke the franchise’s record for most points in a season.

Two years ago he netted his 300th CHL – one of only six players to reach that milestone – went on to become one of only three players in the league to notch 900 career points, and by March 2014 he was second in the list of all-time players when it came to assists.

Mavericks’ fans voted him the club’s number one greatest ever player in a poll of skaters from the first five years of its existence.

Other awards followed – everything from MVP to best playmaker, most gentlemanly player, and best powerplay to name but three, as well as twice being named the CHL’s MVP

Thinel swapped north America for Europe when he joined Grenoble in 2015 and continued his record of more than one point per game.

He now arrives in the UK to begin a new chapter in his career, and in doing so is following in the footsteps of several former Missouri team-mates EIHL ex-pats including David Rutherford who iced with Edinburgh and Belfast, Colt King who was a huge hit in Sheffield, Ed McGrane at Braehead, and former Fife defenceman, Zac Carriveau.

He also iced alongside Riley Emmerson, player-coach with Capos last season, and, interestingly, Shane Owen, the name widely discussed among fans as Flyers’ new netminder.

Todd Dutiaume, head coach, believes, Thinel is the key delivering Flyers’ firepower this season.

“I’m pleased to add Sébastien to the team. He is another experienced guy with good size who will strengthen our right wing.

‘‘He comes highly recommended by his peers and I am sure the Fife fans will like him.”