Matt Foley is heading back to Belfast.

The Junior Thunderbirds Preseason Training Camp co-director, who previously spent two seasons in the ECHL with the Wheeling Nailers, and had AHL call ups with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Tucson Roadrunners, has signed with the Belfast Giants.

The defenseman was a part of the 2018 NCAA D1 Yale Bulldogs team who crossed the Atlantic to take part in the annual college hockey showpiece at The SSE Arena, Belfast.

Commenting on the signing of Matt Foley, head coach Adam Keefe said: “This signing is a welcome addition to the 2022/23 roster. Coming through NCAA hockey with Yale, and his experience in the ECHL with the Wheeling Nailers for the last two seasons, I have no doubt that Foley will be a robust asset in our defensive zone. We look forward to welcoming another new face to Belfast this season.”

Eager to bring his game to Belfast, Foley said: “I’m defensive first, but I like to make a pass and move up the ice with my legs, try to stay connected to the rush and contribute to the offence. First and foremost, it’s about keeping the puck out of my net and being hard to play against. That’s something I take a lot of pride in.”

Speaking of his experience playing NCAA College hockey with Yale, Foley said: “We had a great group of guys. We didn’t always win, but we were competitive every year. It was a great four years for me, I developed both as a player, and as a person... I was in Belfast in 2018 for the Friendship Four and I loved Belfast as a city. The club and the Arena made a good impression on me, at that point it struck up the idea in my head that this would be a cool place to play. It’s exciting to know that I'm coming back.”

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