Joe Cassetti arrived in Belfast along with his Western Michigan University teammate Zak Galambos in the summer having been recommended to head coach Adam Keefe off the back of several impressive seasons in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) league.
The 25 year-old Californian has wasted no time in settling in with his new teammates and environment, scoring three goals and getting one assist in three games for his new side.
With three wins on the bounce and 17 goals for the Giants so far this season, early signs are positive for Adam Keefe’s much-changed side following a sub-par 23/24 campaign.
However, defence is where the coaches will be focusing their attention, with the Giants having leaked 10 goals in three games.
Cassetti is confident defensive lapses can be resolved, explaining that there will inevitably be teething issues at the start of the season for any side, especially given the turnover of players in the off-season for the men in teal.
“We’ve scored a lot of goals but the big focus is to become more defensively sound and minimize defensive breakdowns in future.” Cassetti explains.
“It’s still very early in the season and the team is still learning, still adjusting to new systems. It can take a bit of time but I feel like the team has gelled really well and we’ll continue to get better.
“This weekend we face Dundee Stars who we have already played twice this season, so we’re pretty familiar with them and we’ve had a bit more time to practice and prepare these first few weeks.”
Cassetti explained to the Irish News what a typical day in preparation for a game looks like for a Belfast Giants player.
“We either train at the Ice Bowl in Dundonald or the SSE Arena. The rinks are bigger here than in North America so the pace of the game is a bit different,” Cassetti explains.
“However, it doesn’t matter too much where we’re training and playing because at the end of the day, ice is ice and hockey is hockey.
“I get to the rink at about 8.15 in the morning, do my stretches and an activation warm-up and get onto ice a bit early and just get used to the feel of the puck and mess around with a bit of skating before training starts.
“We practice for about an hour and 15 or hour and a half. Then afterwards we’ll do a team workout before we get showered and then we pretty much have the day to ourselves.”
Cassetti - who had only lived and played in the States before arriving in Belfast - was excited to join Adam Keefe’s rebuild project not only to win trophies, but to explore his Irish roots from his grandmother’s side of the family who all hailed from Cork.
“I’m part Irish so, apart from hearing about the great reputation of the Elite league and the Giant’s set-up, I was keen to connect with my Irish heritage.
“I’ve really enjoyed exploring Belfast, walking around and finding new places to eat and having a look in the shops as I get used to the city. It has been fun playing golf at a few different courses and it has been a good bonding experience for the squad.”
Standing at 6′4″ and 93kg, Cassetti is physically imposing and can handle himself anywhere on the rink, but so far in his career has switched between playing on the wing and or as a centre.
Given his large stature and the intense nature of the league and training schedule, quality nutrition - and plenty of it - is required to fuel his performances.
“I love food and eat as much as I can but I pretty much eat an athlete’s diet which can be quite bland - chicken, rice, steak. On game days I’ll have a couple of breakfast wraps and ensure I’m staying properly hydrated because you lose so much water when you’re playing and training.” Cassetti explains.
“On game days we’ll do a morning skate then I’ll always try and have a nap on game days - I’ve always done that. It helps me relax and is important to get that extra bit of rest before a game.
“When I get to the arena, I get some stretching done and we try to keep the atmosphere pretty light, cracking jokes and trying to stay laid back until we approach game time.
“When we get on the ice we are zoned in and serious and of course that can be pretty intense. You have to strike the right balance beforehand because you can’t be that intense all the time.
“When you’re out there all you’re thinking about is fulfilling your objectives and how you can help your team win.”
“The facilities here are great and I have had a taste of the home crowd - I can’t wait to play more at our arena because we have been away a lot in the first part of the season.
“As for ambitions for the campaign ahead, I try to not put too much pressure on myself in terms of hitting certain statistics, but my goal day in, day out is to have a great attitude, have as much fun as possible and do the little things that help my team win.
“I want to be the best version of myself and of course the ambition for the team this year is to win all the trophies back.”
The Belfast Giants face the Dundee Stars on Saturday at 5pm on the Dundee Ice Arena and stay on the road the following weekend with games against Manchester Storm on Saturday and reigning treble champions Sheffield Steelers the following night.