A junior career affected by the worldwide pandemic did no favours to the career of Liam Steele.
From Prep School in Canada to the BCHL and the NCAA before arriving back in England in 2025.
A two-way deal with the Sheffield Steelers was signed last summer, and his first year in the NIHL (Sheffield Steeldogs) was an unmitigated success. He only got stronger as he played more games, registering 50+ games for the first time in his career.
Steele finished 6th amongst all defencemen in scoring with 41 points (15G/26) and added a further six points in the post-season.
Unsurprisingly, the Steelers didn’t afford him much in the way of playing time. Five appearances for Sheffield through 2025-26, but he will be back in the Steel City next year.
What’s become abundantly clear to those not in the know before the current World Championships is that Liam Steele NEEDS to play regular professional hockey and pronto.
In an extremely disappointing World Championship campaign for Great Britain thus far, Steele has been one of the few positive notes for the national team.
What strikes you first is the confidence of a 22-year-old, for whom this experience is unlike anything he’s faced before.
This move at the blue line was just a sample of his ability. He deserved better than to see his shot graze the wrong side of the post, but it’s just one of many noteworthy plays from the blue liner.
While many GB defencemen struggle with breakout plays and zone exits, Steele has excelled in that facet. His judgment on whether to make a play, carry possession, or chip the puck clear has been excellent. For my money, he leads the pack among his peers on a team where he is very much the rookie.
While I hugely admire his skating, offensive tendencies and passing ability, it’s defensively where Steele has taken a step. He’s doing it against NHL players and those plying their trade in top European leagues.
These might be small plays in the scheme of the game, but Steele has defended well for the most part. He executes these types of plays with ease and isn’t afraid to use his frame to good effect. The Cobham native has certainly appeared more at ease than some veterans on the back end.
While he has at times been the target of opponents’ relentless forecheck, it’s tough to be overly critical given the circumstances. Great Britain has been disconnected and has not worked nearly hard enough for the majority of this tournament thus far.
What puzzled me was that after a strong performance against the USA in which Steele registered over 18 minutes, his playing time was significantly cut in the horrific loss to Hungary. Pete Russell opted to go with eight defencemen and one of the few players with offensive acumen from the blue line, who played fewer minutes.
On the other side of the docket, Steele has been handed penalty killing duties, which is a nice surprise.
A reminder that Liam Steele was an injury replacement for this tournament.
He should no longer be considered a fringe player for country or club.
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