Todd Dutiaume believes Fife Flyers’ success could have a massive impact on talent spotting for next season.
Flyers’ head coach is expecting a flood of inquiries from around the globe after the Kirkcaldy club’s success.
Making seventh spot in the Elite League table after the regular season was progress but qualifying for the final four in Nottingham this weekend was the icing on the cake, particularly in the club’s 75th anniversary season.
Dutiaume thinks that will not go unnoticed around the ice hockey-playing world and that’s even if Fife fail to make Sunday’s final.
The experienced Canadian claims it sends out a signal that Fife mean business.
He said: “It will make it much easier (to recruit) now that we have made the final four. It shows that we’re going forward and we’ve put ourselves on the map.”
Dutiaume will start talking to players soon but his focus this week is making a big impact at Nottingham.
Flyers must get past Belfast Giants, the newly crowned Elite League champions, if they want to make history by being the first Scottish club to make a play-off final in the modern era.
He said: “It will be tough but the guys are playing with confidence.”
The Northern Irish side, who were runaway winners of the league, are the favourites for the play-off title but Dutiaume said: “It’s a one-off game and anything can happen.”
Meanwhile, Dundee-born netminder Stephen Murphy has been boosted by winning two major awards with Giants.
Murphy claimed the most valuable player and the players’ player of the year titles.