Gomenyuk will hope to impress at the Hull Arena this season

Hull Stingrays have confirmed the signing of Ukranian defenceman Pavel Gomenyuk for a third time.

Stingrays coach Rick Strachan told BBC Radio Humberside: "He can play a lot of minutes, he is tough, physical, he has a good shot.

"If he plays the way we know he can he will be a rock for us him and he will be a key player on the powerplay."

The 30-year-old played for Newcastle in the Elite League last season and is the Stingrays' fourth new defenceman.

Gomenyuk first came to the UK as an unknown player, and joined the MK Kings, the Stingrays signed him for the first time in June 2003 and he was a star performer in the now defunct British National League.

He is a proud person and he will want to show he can do the job Rick Strachan

But when Newcastle Vipers offered him the chance to step up to the Elite League, he grabbed the chance.

After one season playing in the North East, the hard-hitting defenceman returned to Hull for a second time but that did not go as planned, according to Strachan.

The Stingrays coach added: �The last time he was with us he probably had the worst year of his career so he will have something to prove and he will do that.

"He is a proud person and he will want to show he can do the job, you talk to forwards in the league and they will tell you they hate playing against him."