WIDNES Wild have signed Manchester-based 19-year-old Sheldon Cassidy.

Head coach Scott McKenzie is pleased to have him on board.

He said: "Sheldon is a good kid, he is a big powerful forward that skates well and makes smart decisions on the puck.

"He is a two way player that plays hard in both ends. It’s really important to have offensive players on your team that play D-Zone as well as the O-Zone.

"He is young, full of enthusiasm and excited to pull on the Wild jersey come August."

Cassidy has spent the last 7 years playing ice hockey for a range of teams including Manchester Phoenix Juniors, Trafford Metros and Manchester Minotaurs.

He made 74 junior appearances, scoring 82 points and at the age of 16 he made his senior debut with Trafford Metros.

In the 2014/15 season he played his first full senior season with Manchester Minotaurs and played parts of previous seasons with the Metros.

Cassidy's enthusiasm is infectious.

He said: "My aim is to help contribute to the team's success this year and most of all I want to be seen by the players and coaching staff as someone who can be relied on in all situations.

"I feel when myself and my line mates get to know each other properly over the next coming months, we will be able to contribute to the success of the team.

"I like to play a fast paced, physical and offensive game. I like to make plays in the opponents zone and shoot the puck when possible.

"And I like to be responsible in our end, making sure we shut the opponents down and limit their scoring chances, this will be a huge thing for us in the coming season.

"Despite the fact I’ll be one of the younger guys on the team this season, I want to bring some leadership and set an example of how to play the game properly."

And he is really impressed with the setup at Widnes,

"Having spoken to many of the Wild players past and present, the one thing that stuck in my mind was that it is a first class setup," he said.

"It’s somewhere that the players enjoy playing and I wanted to be part of that.

"I’ve really enjoyed my time with Manchester Minotaurs as that was the team that gave me my first ever experience of senior hockey. I now feel that the next step in my development as a player is to join Widnes Wild.

"I’m really excited to play with a bunch of guys who have experienced success last season narrowly missing out on promotion and I want to help the team achieve their goals.

"The arrival of Scott McKenzie as the new player coach also attracted me to the team, having followed EPL closely over the last few seasons I know his leadership and example will be priceless.

"When the season ended last year I took a few weeks away from the Hockey world just to have a break, as last season was a very frustrating season for me personally.

"So coming back I wanted to be a much stronger person and a better player all round.

"I started training in the gym more frequently and I’ve tried to be on the ice at least 3 times a week.

"Now I have signed for Wild I’m eager to start with the pre-season camp and then get some games underway with the new team, we will then be ready to hit the ground running once the season comes round."