For Sheffield Steelers’ Mason Mitchell every day is a school day

A pre-season injury robbed him of playing in the first 13 games of Sheffield's season.

He has now been eased into the side by coach Aaron Fox and has shown flashes of what he was brought in for - a pacey power winger with elite skating and an ability to make things happen around the opposition crease.

Mitchell's debut was a home defeat against Dundee Stars.

But he notched an assist on Brandon Whistle's goal at Nottingham Panthers last Saturday and played his part in the 6-0 thrashing of Manchester Storm a day later.

The Canadian said he had been helped in his rehabilitation by Sheffield's strength and conditioning coaches and was gradually making the adjustments required after playing in north American hockey, where the rinks are generally smaller and there were slightly different systems.

"It has been a good change and I am slowly coming along here," said the 28-year-old former Hershey Bears skater.

"I am learning lots of new stuff every day. Systems, workouts, different rehabs, the way they play, and staying in tune with it

"I've been like a sponge trying to absorb everything and then try to put it on to the ice."

The forward has been playing on the fourth line with Whistle and Jonathan Phillips.

He said he is not concerned about playing down the lines.

"It doesn't matter, I will do whatever it takes to win, I don't really care as long as we are winning."

He said the loss in the debut game against Dundee was: "Just a hump in the road, a good learning curve. I think we have learned from it now."

Mitchell has been around long enough to appreciate the qualities shown by another new boy, Danny Kristo, who seven points in his last four games.

"He is a good mentor for myself; he gives me advice while we are on the bench

"He is very calm, cool, and collected, and an amazing guy, it is awesome to have him here and he has done nothing but help me."

Mitchell's time at AHL team Stockton Heat in California overlapped last season with Sheffield's goalie Matt Greenfield, who boasts a 92.87 percent save ratio in both the EIHL League and Challenge Cup.

"He is one of the nicest kids I have ever met, I met him at Stockton last year, he is very easy to play for."

Meanwhile, Mathieu Roy's Glasgow Clan are in deep trouble after a 6-2 defeat at Nottingham Panthers on Wednesday night.

The bottom-of-the-league, injury-hit side has lost all of their 10 league games and has scored fewer goals than any other EIHL team.

Roy, who iced 273 times for Sheffield, is holding his form up well though, he has 3+2 in six cup games and 2+5 IN 10 league outings.