ICE hockey's worst kept secret is out with the confirmation by Milton Keynes Lightning of the name of their last import.

He is forward Andre Smulter whose name appeared on internet forums a couple of months ago as having signed for Lightning, although the club refused to confirm it at the time.

But this week Lightning head coach Nick Poole revealed that the 29-year-old Finn who played for IF Troja Ljungby in Sweden's First Division last year will be on the team roster.

He is seen as a replacement for fellow Finn Toni Alasaarela who, as already announced, will not be returning.

Poole said: "Smulter is a very skilled forward and is an offensive player who gets both goals and assists. He put up similar numbers to Toni Alasaarela when he played in Sweden so I think he will be a big asset to us."

Lightning have also signed young Scottish defenceman Lewis Christie.
Christie who is 20 on August 30 spent last season with Elite League Belfast Giants after learning his trade in his home country with Edinburgh Capitals and previous to that Dundee Stars and Murrayfield Racoons.

He played in Great Britain Under 18s World Junior Championship team last year and is now part of the GB Under 20 squad.

Lightning tried, unsuccessfully, to sign Christie last summer.

Christie is the sixth defenceman signed by Lightning and Poole said, with nine forwards on the books, he plans to play three straight lines this season.

"With the way the English Premier League has developed I believe that is what we need to do to be successful," he said.

Meanwhile the club has agreed a new sponsorship deal with Newlands based David Lloyd Centre which will allow players to use their fitness facilities including weights, swimming pools and tennis courts.

"I'm delighted with the agreement as it is a great help to us," said Poole.

Lightning have added a further two pre-season challenge matches to their programme with games against Telford Tigers over the weekend of September 13 and 14. They play Tigers at home on the Saturday and go to Shropshire the next day.