Belfast Giants: Netminder Tom McCollum looking forward to his Giants challenge

The ex-NHLer McCollum who has moved to Belfast after a season with Eisbären Regensburg in DEL2 and the previous season at HC Innsbruck in Austria.

Speaking to the News Letter after practice earlier this week he said: “Everything has been great so far since we moved over.

“When we first arrived we had a chance to explore the city a little bit and every interaction that I have had with people here has been fantastic.”

He added: “One of the biggest challenges has been driving on your side of the road, but to be honest it was easier than I had thought and I soon got used to driving that way.”

Explaining how the move Belfast came about he said: “I took some time to think about it. I wasn’t sure if I was going to come here or to go back to Regensburg.

“But at the same time, once Adam had text me, it was around about the time of the playoffs, it was a hard opportunity to turn down, especially from a family standpoint.

“I have known Adam for sometime and he is someone that I really trust. The more than I looked into move it was hard to find a downside to coming to Belfast.

“When you get an opportunity to join a team of this calibre and which is always winning trophies its an extremely exciting prospect.”

McCollum admits that coach Keefe can be very persuasive when he comes knocking on your door.

He said: “Adam is a very persuasive person, he is not quite as scary as when I first played with him.

“When he called me he was very convincing and really sold the Giants and Belfast to me.

“Having that past experience with Adam I know that he's a honest person and that he wasn't going to tell me something just to get me to sign, I knew he was going to tell me how it actually is.”

McCollum added: “It is such a big commitment, obviously with me playing but also making sure that my family is taken care off, he was very straight forward throughout the whole process.”

He believes that he can bring his experience playing in Germany and Austria to the Giants.

“It was a great experience for me. I got to experience different cultures which is great to do. My family and I really enjoyed living in those two countries. When you move to a new club you can always carry with you experiences and lessons from previous teams to your new place of work. I hope I will be able to add that to the locker-room and help anyone in anyway that I can.”

As it stands most of McCollum’s knowledge of the EIHL comes from players he knows who have played in the league.

“I really don’t know that much about the league, but I have spoken to a number of players who I know who have played in the EIHL.

“But at the same time, hockey is hockey, thankfully as a goalie my job is pretty simple no matter where I might be playing.”

McCollum is looking forward to the season with netminding teammates Jackson Whistle and Andrew Dickson.

He believes that there will be a very healthy competitive each between the goalie setup for the Giants.

He said: “It is going to be a really exciting challenge for us all. I have them in the last week and I think its going to be great for the team.

“We are going to be battle each other for starts but at the same time we will be extremely supportive of each other when the other guys playing.

“That will help to push the team forward knowing that whoever you have in net that night will be battle their hardest to stay there.”