CANADIAN Jon Sitko is the final name on the Swindon Wildcats’ roster for the forthcoming English Premier Ice Hockey League season.

The 24-year-old has signed from the Gwinnett Gladiators in the professional East Coast Hockey League, an affiliate of the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers.

The defenseman, who hails from Kitchener, in Ontario, made his professional debut in the ECHL in the 2006/07 with the Toledo Storm, having progressed through NCAA College hockey at Bowling Green State University.

Wildcats head coach Pete Russell said: “We are very lucky to have signed Jon Sitko for the new season and he is a major coup for the club. He comes from one of the best leagues in Canada and has an extremely impressive history. I am very excited by this signing and I feel Jon finishes the team off very nicely.

“This year I have built a squad that is physically very strong and technically very very good, Jon reflects this and he possesses some great attributes, including being a top skater and having a very strong hit.

“I hope everyone looks forward to seeing this very talented player take to the ice as much as I am. The squad is now complete for the new season and I am very pleased with the team that we have assembled.

“I have focused on the areas that I feel we were slightly weaker last year and I have added a lot of quality and experience alongside our exciting and talented youth players.

“The season is going to be a very exciting one and I urge everyone to come along to the first game on Wednesday, September 17, and to see what could be the start of a very exciting and successful year at the Swindon Wildcats.”

The Swindon Wildcats start their 2008/09 season with a launch day on Sunday, September 14, and their first home game is a friendly against local rivals and Elite League outfit Basingstoke Bison.