Newcastle Vipers player-coach Danny Stewart has revealed retaining a local core to his roster was a priority when he took charge this season.

Stewart has added Newcastle-born Paul Sample to a squad containing developing North East players such as Sam Zajac, Jamie Tinsley and Nathan Salem.

"You want to bring the guys up through the system and give them a chance," Stewart told BBC Look North.

"Hopefully we can develop these guys into better players."

After succeeding Rob Wilson in the post at the end of the last Elite League season, Stewart has worked from a blank canvas to create a promising roster of players from a variety of sources.

Among the European imports are Latvian forward Toms Hartmanis, Finnish winger Patrik Forsbacka and Poland attacker Jaroslaw Rzeszutko.

The Canadian has also raided his native country to sign defencemen John Schwarz, Blair Stayzer and Scott Langdon.

"The recruitment process has been something new, but it's been fun to put together your own team and get the guys you want," Stewart added.

"I wanted some fresh bodies in here, guys with new attitudes. The dressing room is an important thing and I want guys to be positive.

"I opened up all resources. I didn't want to limit myself to any country or any style. It was about getting the best players available for the resources that I had.

"To get a full quota of imports was one of my main goal and we've been able to accomplish that.

"It's going to be a more exciting product, we've gone younger and it's going to be an exciting brand of hockey."

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