Position: Center
Date of Birth: 16/06/1982
Height: 5ft9″     Weight: 175lbs
Shoots: Left      Birthpace: Halifax, Nova Scotia

Brandon Benedict returns to Belfast after a successful season where he finished 3rd in the team points table. Despite missing 13 games through injury, Benedict scored 22 goals and 51assists for 73 points in 58 games played. He was named Giants Coach’s Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year. He is also finishing his MBA at the University of Ulster this summer. In 2008 -09 Benedict played in Denmark where he was the leading scorer and played alongside fellow returning Giant, Tim Cook.

Benedict, a 5′9″ centerman with plenty of offensive ability played for the ECHL’s Texas Wildcatters in 2007/08, where he first linked up with Cook, averaging over a point per game with 69 points in 61 games played. The 28 year old is no stranger to being a team leader, having either been captain or assistant captain with three of his last four teams. He played his university hockey for Acadia University averaging over a point a game for all four seasons with one of Canada’s premier Univeristy programmes.

GM Todd Kelman added “I am delighted that Benedict is returning to Belfast. He was a central part of our success last season and was sorely missed when he was injured. I considered Brandon one of the top 5 players in the Elite League last year and expect him to be the same this year. His unmatched work ethic and pure skill makes him a natural leader for our team and I am expecting even bigger things from him this season.”

“Brandon was the priority signing for me from my first day on the job. He had a lot of exceptional opportunities and I am really pleased he is coming back to Belfast. Coaching against him was a nightmare and I am really excited to have him on our team. He is as complete of a player as there is in the league and he is incredibly unselfish.”