TOM Stubley will be handed a late 16th birthday present when he makes his debut for Hull Stingrays.
The young defenceman has risen through the ranks of the local junior system and looks set to be on the bench as the Rapid Solicitors Stingrays take on rivals Coventry Blaze at Hull Arena on Saturday (6.30pm).
He follows in the footsteps of local products Sam Towner and Bobby Chamberlain who are currently in Estonia for the Division 2A under-20s World Championships, along with former Hull junior Declan Balmer.
Hull Stingrays owner Bobby McEwan said: "We'll be bringing Tom up and dressing him for games, similar to Lee Bonner, who is now in Iowa.
"As a club we are trying to help the junior development system here, instead of losing players to Sheffield.
"Tom has been training with us on Fridays, but we could not put him in the match-day line-up until his 16th birthday and he turned 16 on November 30.
"I have been watching him for years and coaching him through the juniors.
"The next step up in his development is to join us and we want to keep pushing it."
Stubley is unlikely to see more than the occasional shift as he continues his ice hockey development.
McEwan, though, says just being in and around the Stingrays' dressing room and on the bench on match-days is an important stepping stone for the young defenceman.
"It's part of the experience of getting him in with the first team, seeing how our guys work, and the mental side of things," he said.
"Tom has great vision on the ice, sees the plays, makes good passes and skates well.
"His all-round game is good, but he will have to work on his size.
"We will hopefully develop that with him, and see how he goes.
"We will give him an opportunity to produce and see what he does. If he doesn't have a junior game he will come with us.
"We want him on the ice as much as we can."
Meanwhile, Stingrays coach Omar Pacha confirmed he is still on course to sign a replacement for Canadian CJ Chartrain, who quit the club a month ago citing homesickness.
Although Chartrain was a defenceman, it is looking likely Pacha will plump for a forward.
"I think we are closer than before, and hopefully we can get it done sooner rather than later," Pacha told the Mail.
"We are very close, but the guy hasn't signed and confirmed 100 per cent."
