New Fife Flyers signing Craig Moore says Saturday’s game against Glasgow Clan is the first step towards pushing for a Great Britain spot for the World Championships.
The 23-year-old has joined his hometown club for the remainder of this campaign from Cardiff Devils, where he has been since the start of season.
And he’s aiming for a seat on the plane to Slovakia at the end of the season, starting when he comes up against GB coach Pete Russell and his Glasgow Clan team on Saturday.
“It’s a big year for the national team, going to those World Championships and it’s going to be a really tough roster to crack for a chance to come up against the best in the world,” he said.
“I’m certainly going to be giving it my best shot and hopefully I can show what I can contribute. Hopefully Pete Russell sees that on Saturday when we play the Clan.
“By the end of the year, I’d like to be in the running, but if I’m not, I’ll use that as motivation and something to build on, but Saturday’s game gives me the chance to get on that road.
“I’m sad to leave Cardiff, but I’ve got a chance to prove my worth and hopefully become a top GB prospect and crack that roster for the World Championships.
“It’s going to take a lot of hard work, so I have to take this opportunity and see where it can take me. Who knows where things are in the summer, but I want to prove my worth here.
“It’s just a case of taking it one game at a time and seeing what happens further down the line.”
Speaking of his move, Moore admits he was sad to leave the Devils, where he was part of the league and play-off winning team last season, but injury curtailed his impact.
But he’s excited to be heading home to his boyhood team and admits the move is purely about getting more ice time as he looks to improve.
He added: “It’s a great opportunity for me to play for a team I watched growing up as a kid, it’s a really exciting time.
“What brought it on was being at Cardiff, I love it down there and I’ve had a good time, but at 23, I need ice time. It’s a huge part of development and I wasn’t getting that.
“To get that opportunity, I had to make that move. I was injured for much of last year and I knew, this year, it would be my last season as an Under 23 and get the chance to show what I can do.
“It’s a shame it didn’t work out, but I’ve got a great opportunity in Fife and I think exciting times can lie ahead for me.”
