Injured Flyers star Shayne Stockton flies home

The Fife Flyers forward is returning to the USA after missing a host of games since sustaining an injury in training in October.

The club says the move will allow him to ‘‘take some extra time to rest and recuperate after the New Year’’ – but it has no timescale for any possible return.

Stockton, who hails from Rochester, New York, was seen as a key signing in summer, returning after a strong finish to the 2015-16 campaign, and his absence on the ice has been felt.

The club has, until now, given little information or updates on his progress, leading to widespread speculation his season could be over, with others suggesting February as the earliest possible return date.

Confirming he was heading home, Flyers gave no definitive timeline for a return.

Its statement said: ‘‘Shayne has a lower body injury which needs rest and time to heal before any treatment can take place.

‘‘At this time we don’t know how long Shayne will be out for, but we will keep in contact with him during his recuperation.

Unfortunately we have to let nature take its course and we don’t know how long it will take for his injury to heal. ‘‘