Jake Riddle scored 21 goals last season for the Stingrays

Hull Stingrays have released forward Jake Riddle with immediate effect for disciplinary reasons.

The 24-year-old American will not play for the club again despite being second top scorer for the Rays last season.

Coach Rick Strachan told BBC Radio Humberside: "His on-ice discipline cannot be tolerated.

"We've tried to talk to him about it but it's just not sinking in. To be successful you have to be disciplined and he couldn't come to grips with it."

Riddle, who is a former United States Under-19 international, was a big hit with the Stingrays fans last season but has only scored two goals in five weeks this term and has taken some dreadful penalties which have put his team up against the powerplay consistently.

That is something that Strachan says he just has to take action on.

He added: "Last weekend against Nottingham he only played one period and took a bad penalty and didn't play the rest of the game.

"We've got one game this weekend [at home to Sheffield] and things are going to be tough but we'll just stick together and see what happens."

The Stingrays coach confirmed that they are already talking to an unnamed Canadian forward to replace Riddle.

"We are talking to a player and hopefully we can get something done quickly."