EIHL Jeff Szwez signs for the Belfast Giants

[OneilltheGiant]

Jeff Szwez has just signed for the Belfast Giants. Not only will Szwez be one of the tougher guys in the league he will be a very good player as well.

Szwez has played most of his career between the AHL and the ECHL were his numbers are very impressive in both leagues for a power forward.

He's also fought regularly over the last couple of season's in the AHL, and will be one of the tougher guys in the EIHL this season.. He has names like Peter Vandermeer, Paul Bissonnette, Sami Helenius, Kevin Westgarth, Aaron Downey, Jimmy Bonneau, Krys Barch, Matt Carkner, Matt Kassian, Nathan Perrott and many more decent tough guys on his fight card..

I think the Giants have just signed my idea player.. Hits, fights, scores.. and it helps he was a Phantoms player last season...

[OneilltheGiant]

Here's a few Szwez fights

YouTube - 12-20-08 Jeff Szwez vs Vladimir Mihalik

YouTube - Szwez vs Jackman

YouTube - 4-1-09 Jeff Szwez vs. Benn Olson

[Vasara]

Crap! Szwez played for Blues in FEL in 07-08. He played 10 games in the regular season with 5 points (2g+3a) and 25 PIM and 5 games in the playoffs 5 with no points and 2 PIM. He fought with former NHL enforcer Sami Helenius. The fight was result of cheap shot by Kim Hirschovits of Jokerit on Oskar Osala (Blues). Hirschovits got suspended for 6 games. The cheap shot can be seen in the video below before the fight. Ever since he played here I've wished him back here. Great guy!

vs Sami Helenius, Jokerit-Blues March 1, 2008, Szwez in white

1.3.08 Hirso-Osala, Helenius vs. Szwez

[Podollan]

you are a real lucky guy and I hate the coach/gm from my team.

[OneilltheGiant]

Originally Posted by Podollan

you are a real lucky guy and I hate the coach/gm from my team.

Yes McMorrow and Szwez is a good one /two combo for my team.. They will get to test themselves next weekend against the Nottingham Panthers, as Szwez arrives on Tuesday.. Panthers have Dominic D'Amour, Kevin Bergin, Corey Neilson, Bruce Richardson in their side.. Should be a physical game, with McMorrow showing a few Panthers a thing or two about fighting again..

[The Rover]

Jeff Szwez is a great guy to have riding shotgun to McMorrow. He is a great team guy too and I was disappointed that he left Syracuse midseason a few years ago.

I vaguely remember that fight he had with Peter Vandermeer but mostly remember the events leading up to it. Vandermeer sucker punched Ole Kristian Tollefsen in a late season game in 2006 and Tyler Kolarik went to the aid of OKT and proceeded to get beat pretty badly. Vandermeer is ejected from the game and that was the last time Hamilton played Syracuse that season. Vandermeer signs with Hershey over the summer and as luck would have it, the Bears came to the War Memorial for Syracuse's second home game of the 06-07 season. During opening night, they play a commercial for the Bears game featuring Brandon Sugden, with him essentially calling out Vandermeer in the process and saying there is still unfinished business. Still on opening night, Sugden jumps Matt Carkner and, as punishment, is scratched for the match-up with Hershey.

Szwez steps up against Hershey and finds Vandermeer early in the game and gives him a bump into the penalty box boards. The two drop their gloves and Vandermeer controls most of the fight but Szwez gets a couple good shots in. I thought Szwez would have been beaten badly but he held his own and impressed me that night. Vandermeer won the fight but Szwez showed he was game for anyone and wasn't afraid to step up for his teammates.

Bottom line is you're getting a quality player who will put up points, hit, and fight and do whatever it takes to protect his teammates. You won't be disappointed.