With several seasons under his belt playing for the Sheffield Steelers, this year is a little different for Belfast Giants’ British forward Cole Shudra.

He admits that when last season wrapped up in Sheffield last season he made a decision that a change of city and of course a change of team would do his career good. And hence he made the swap from Yorkshire to Belfast.

“It has been amazing so far and I have had a very warm welcome,” he explained. “We have settled in well to Belfast and we love the city and the surrounding area.”

Reflecting on making the move from Steelers to the Giants, Shudra remarked: “By the end of last season I had been thinking about making a move elsewhere just, I saw it as an opportunity to have have a fresh start, to try and re-spark something in myself and my career.

“I wanted to move somewhere I could go and get a different experience and the Giants were a very attractive option for me.”

He added: “I had a look around my other options when I was away playing for Team GB, I spoke to a few people. And then I got speaking with with Keefer and straight away I knew that Belfast was where I wanted to be.”

Cole agrees with such a small league as the EIHL, sometimes players to move around the league to different teams regularly.

He said: “I had been been playing in in Sheffield for so long. Sometimes you know you can get a little bit to comfortable. You get used to your surroundings, and that is not always best for you and your game.

“There was a few things that happened which made me think that maybe moving somewhere was what I needed, to help rejuvenate myself.

“I wanted to find my love for the game again and so far Belfast has been just perfect for that.”

Obviously Shudra is familiar with the Giants having played them many teams down the years with the Steelers.

But he says it has only been since he arrived in the city that he has come to appreciate just how professional the setup here is.

He said: “When the option of moving was first discussed I reached out to other players in the league who had played here. All of them had nothing but amazed things to say about it.”

He continued: “But having played here many times as an away team you get to see some of what make it a great organisation.

“The way they run things is super professional and but to be honest, you don't really know just how professional it is until you get to play for the Giants.”

He added: “It has been like nothing but class, from all the staff and those who helped us to settle in to living here in Belfast.

“All I have to do is to show up each night and play a good game, everything else is taken care of and that is really appreciated.”

While Shudra brings a wealth of experience to the Giants locker room he agrees that it is also full of hardy veterans and players who know how to win.

Indeed he concedes that the positive ethos in the locker room is contagious and will no doubt drive everyone's game this season.

He said: “I have been fortunate to have lifted some trophies in the past but there are guys in the locker room have won the championships several times in a row.

“Everybody in the locker room knows how how to win and even it you haven’t won before it becomes contagious.

“You learn from those guys how to win. I am really excited to see what we can do this season.”

Shudra says that the team has been gelling well since the start of the season but that there is still some way to go.

He said: “I think we have been gelling really well so far. Obviously with the returning guys, they all know each other and you know, you can see that they've got a very, very good bond.

“For me it has been super easy to integrate into the team. There is a very good atmosphere in the room already and I can tell that that it is only going to get better.

“We will continue to gel and build the team throughout this season. That's the way to win, right? But it always starts in the locker room.”

Shudra believes that the Giants have responded positively to the early adversity that they have faced this season.

He said: “Adversity is always bound to happen to a team over the course of the season. It has happened to us and no doubt other teams will also face it in the future too.

“But having said that, having faced that adversity early is a good thing. It has given as that preparation for when it might happen again maybe in mid-season or late season.

“Being through it early the team has learned how to handle it and how to work through it.

“Indeed, it gives the team confidence that they can play through and get wins even when it is a couple of bodies down.

“The season is not always going to be plain sailing, you are going to have those ups and downs.

“It only makes us stronger as a group when we have to go adversity in the future.”

Along with success with the Giants this season, Shudra is hoping that he can continue being part of Team GB.

He said: “I take a lot of pride from playing for Team GB and I have hopes that playing for my country will continue this season.

“Every time I get called up and get to pull on the Team GB jersey is an honour, who wouldn't take pride in playing for their country? It is a huge honour.

“Hopefully I can have another good season and get that call up again.”

Belfast Giants host Glasgow Clan tonight (Saturday) at 7 o’clock then hit the road to play the Manchester Storm on Sunday afternoon from 4pm.