FORWARD Floyd Taylor has become the fourth Swindon Wildcat to put pen-to-paper on a one-year deal which will see him return for the 2018/19 season.

The 23-year-old junior system product joins Stevie Whitfield, Sam Bullas and Renny Marr among players set for a return to the Link Centre next season following Wildcats’ most successful year on ice since the turn of the millennium.

After scooping the Autumn Cup following a 7-3 aggregate win against Basingstoke Bison, Wildcats could double their trophy count for this season if they defeat Sheffield Steeldogs at home tomorrow (4pm) in their second leg of the National Cup final.

Wildcats drew the first leg at IceSheffield 2-2 in midweek and a win would provide Taylor with double reason for celebration following a gruelling 66-game season.

He said: “It was a very easy decision to come back for another year. I wouldn’t want to play anywhere else.

“Steve (Nell, general manager) has done a great job in running the club and Aaron (Nell) has done a great job as coach. I’m happy here and I can’t wait to get started again.

“We’ve had a good year and to lift a trophy on home ice was an incredible feeling, one I’ll never forget.

“It’s important we look to build on that and hopefully that starts with the game on Sunday.”

Taylor has clocked 38 points from 59 games this season, scoring 19 goals and registering the same number of assists.

His efforts made 2017/18 – his seventh season with the club – his most fruitful and he plans to make it more so in Cats’ final game of the season against Sheffield tomorrow.

Taylor, who made his debut for the club aged 16 and has iced in over 300 games since then, said: “It’s been brilliant to score nearly 20 goals this year.

“It was a big jump from last year and I always look to score more points than I did the year before.

“Aaron has always said I have a good shot and I’ve started to use it more this season and it paid off.

“Looking ahead to Sunday we know we can beat anyone at home if we all work hard together and hopefully we have another huge crowd in the building, it would be great to replicate the Autumn Cup success in the National Cup.”

Player-coach Nell, who is expected to ice a full-strength side tomorrow, said it was an ‘easy decision’ to keep fast-skating forward Taylor at the club.

Nell said: “He keeps getting better every year and he’s a huge part of the team.

“He brings so much energy to the line-up and is a real fan favourite.

“He improves his game every year and for him to score the amount of goals he has this year is huge for him.

“It feels like he’s been around for years. But he’s still only 23 and he will continue to improve.

“I’m thrilled to have him back in Swindon colours for another year, and I’m sure the fans will be too.”

n Join Matthew Davies for Ice Hockey Live from tomorrow’s final second leg at swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport