Doug Christiansen has his first match in charge of the Giants on Wednesday

Belfast Giants open their season with Wednesday's Charity Shield away clash against Coventry Blaze (1945 BST).

The season opener in Coventry comes as both clubs have made the initial selections for the clash against the Boston Bruins in Belfast on 2 October.

Captain Colin Shields and defenceman Jon Gleed are the opening Giants picks for the Elite League select.

Coventry duo Luke Fulghum and Jonathan Weaver will also be in the squad which will be added to in the coming weeks.

Fulghum was the Elite League's leading goal-scorer with 54 goals in 65 games last season while Weaver was the top defencemen in the league with 77 points.

Weaver also captained the Great Britain team at the World Championships.

His Great Britain team-mate Shields led the league in overall points last season with 106 - which included 39 goals in 68 games.

Shields captained the Giants to the Play-off title in April while summer signing Gleed is included after an impressive season with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the American Hockey League.

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