Marco Vallerand focuses on helping Sheffield Steelers win silverware

Vallerand has scored two goals and two assists in the four games he's played since returning to Sheffield and has shown a great deal of respect for colleagues old and new at the Arena.

There are several skaters he has not played with before, but he feels there are comparisons to be made with Steelers' teams of previous years.

Vallerand made his home debut last Sunday against one of his former clubs Coventry Blaze.

That followed two outings on the road at Belfast Giants.

He said it was good to be back but it had been a "crazy" first week, with a lack of sleep and a flu-like bug he'd picked up after the Belfast trip.

Asked how the 2022-23 side compared with the one he left (which featured the likes of John Armstrong and Tanner Eberle) he said there were similarities and he hoped they would be capable of providing the "very good hockey" that was needed for the season to be successful.

"It is a very good group probably as good as two years ago when we won the Challenge Cup" he said.

This year's team was more offensively potent from the defensive zone, he added.

"It is going to be hard for other teams to defend, we are just going to have to be careful and make sure we are on the same page to not make turnovers and give opportunities back."

On a personal front, he stressed: "I don't want to disturb this locker room - it has been a good stretch for those guys," referring to the fact Steelers have been at or near the top of the league most of the season and are in the semi finals of the Cup.

He said they'd endured a disappointing spell of results over the previous few games but they "were back on the winning side and I just want to help out and win a trophy here down the stretch.

"I know I will bring what I can bring, as everybody knows, and play hard every night."

Vallerand said the welcome back from fans, both home and away, had been "very heart-warming."