Forward Floyd Taylor signs new deal at Swindon Wildcats

Taylor becomes the fifth player to commit his future to the Link Centre side this summer, joining Sam Bullas, Toms Rutkis, Jan Kostal and Jordan Kelsall on the Cats’ roster.

The 22-year-old was someone Nell relied on heavily throughout last season as he made 46 appearances.

Taylor was also named as the club’s most improved player at their end-of-season awards ceremony, and his recent improvement made it an easy decision for Nell to extend his stay at the Link Centre.

“Floyd was a no-brainer for me. He really improved in the second half of the season and he was a massive part of our team in the play-offs,” said Nell.

“We are looking for him to keep improving and play a big part next season.

“He stepped up last year and the big thing for him was his consistency, he brought an awful lot to the team last year on face-offs and he was a really good penalty killer.

“He’s a big part of our team. He’s someone I rely on a lot and I am going to rely on him even more next season.

“It’s huge, I’m trying to sign players who I can rely on night in, night out. Floyd always comes to play, he has that physical edge and is tough to play against.”

Along with Sam Bullas, Taylor has an aggressive style of play. Something Nell sees as a real positive ahead of their debut season in the National Ice Hockey League.

“He is quite small but he can hit hard. He’s been a lot more consistent and when he comes out hitting, it sets the tone,” added Nell.

“He’s effective at home on our small rink and be will be a very important player for us next year. He is someone I want, along with Sam Bullas, shutting players down next year.

“A big part for him and his improvement was his fitness. In the past two years, he has got a lot fitter, especially last season, and he is committing to keeping up that fitness.

“That is the type of attitude we want to have around. With Kostal and Bullas, we want players who love being in Swindon and want to do well.”