Coventry Blaze will honour another of their greatest ever players this Sunday, with the retirement of Dan Carlson’s number 26 jersey.
Carlson joined Blaze at the start of the 2004/05 season and went on to score 177 goals with 382 assists in 430 games. He remains the all-time leading point scorer in Coventry colours.
He was a key member of all four of Coventry’s Elite League title successes and added a further two Challenge Cups, one Knockout Cup and one Elite League Play-Off Championship to his list of achievements.
He formed perhaps the greatest ever goalscoring partnership with Canadian forward, Adam Calder, between them setting numerous club records that still stand today.
As well as being the club’s all-time leading point scorer, he also holds the club all-time records for assists and short-handed goals (24).
Carlson, who retired from the sport in Blaze colours at the end of the 2010/11 season, also holds club records for the most assists in a season (84) and the most assists in an EIHL competition season (81) – which still stands as the all-time league record.
He also holds club records for all-time EIHL points (510), all-time EIHL assists (352) and all-time EIHL short-handed goals (19).
He is one of only two Coventry players to have recorded more than 90 points in a season on three separate occasions, is the only player to have recorded 5 assists in a game on two occasions and has recorded four assists in a game on nine occasions – more than any other Blaze player.
James Pease, Blaze Director of Hockey, commented: “It’s very fitting that Dan’s number 26 jersey is going to hang from the roof of the Skydome alongside that of his partner in crime, Adam Calder.
“Dan was one of the best all-round players that this country, and certainly our club, has ever seen and between the two of them they dominate the club’s scoring record books.
“It is a privilege to be able to honour Dan with his shirt retirement and we are delighted to have been able to fly him over with his family for this special occasion.
“We would like to thank the Blaze Booster Club for their contribution to flying the Carlson’s over – they really wanted to support the event and we appreciate their support.
“As always, anyone who is a member of the Booster Club has effectively contributed to bringing back one of our all-time greats, so we hope they all enjoy the occasion.”
Carlson’s jersey retirement ceremony will take place before face-off when Blaze take on Sheffield Steelers at the Skydome on Sunday.
(Image permission: Mark Tredgold)
