Keller Finds Way Back To Kissimmee
Published on October 19, 2006 under SPHL (SPHL)
Florida Seals News Release
CELEBRATION, Fla. - By nature, professional athletes have a certain amount of explorer ingrained in their DNA. They always have an eye out for new and exciting opportunities, even if they are oceans away from where they are.
Thankfully for Florida Seals hockey fans, Justin Keller held on to the road map with the directions back to the Silver Spurs Arena.
Seals' Head Coach / V.P. of Hockey Operations Tommy Stewart and General Manager Bryan Elliott announced today that they had come to terms with Keller, bringing him back to join the Seals as they begin training camp this week.
"It wasn't really what I expected," Keller said about his short time playing in Sweden before coming back to Florida. "I couldn't stop thinking about how great things were in Florida - the people, the fans."
Last season was a coming of age season for the 23 year old from Sturgis, Saskatchewan. After starting the year with the Tulsa Oilers, Keller landed in Kissimmee. Right away, people took notice of the free skating and hustle that he added to the lineup.
During the second half of the season, Coach Stewart put Keller on a line with Craig Miler and rookie Rob Sich. The trio became one of the most feared combinations in the SPHL. For his part, Keller finished the regular season with 26 goals and 33 assists for 59 points. In the playoffs, he added four more scores and five helpers. He also proved himself a prophet of sorts, predicting a Seals' in game three of the finals - and making it so by scoring the game winner.
"Towards the second half of the season, me, Miller and Sich came together as a line and even as a team," Keller said. "We played really well together through the stretch run and into the playoffs."
During the off-season, Keller was presented with an opportunity to play in Sweden. He had always wondered what it would be like to play in Europe so he made the decision to go.
"I had kind of always thought about going to play overseas. An opportunity came up but I didn't know a whole lot about it," he explained. "I had an agent that was over there working for me and he said I should go and try it out."
The deal that Keller signed was, in effect, like a tryout contract. He signed for 30 days, during which he would play and see how he liked the new European lifestyle. If he didn't find it to his liking, he could walk away. It was a smart move because Keller never quite got comfortable in his new surroundings.
"It was different. There's a lot of younger guys - 18, 19 years old - playing on your team. It wasn't really what I expected," Keller said. "The people and everything were really nice. It just wasn't what I expected so I figured I'd come back."
Prior to heading overseas (and even on a couple of occasions while there), Keller had been conversating with Coach Stewart about returning to the Seals. To Keller, it was an easy decision.
"We've always had a pretty good relationship, him (Stewart) and I," Keller said. "I know how he is and he knows how I am. I think that's the best thing about us. We know each other."
Another factor in deciding to return was the friendships Keller forged with his teammates from last season, in particular Craig Miller.
"Me and Miller have been talking quite a bit in the past month or so. We've been keeping in touch seeing where both of us were at," Keller explained. "It kind of made my decision a little bit more clear when talking with Buck that he was going to be coming back. I just wanted to come back and have another good year."
Keller also fell in love with the area's hockey fans. He especially remembered how the fan support grew as the team made it all the way to the SPHL finals.
"The thing that hockey-wise excited me most was how much the fans supported us," he said. "When it started off it was kind of slow but toward the end of the season and the playoffs, everyone got that much more excited. You heard about it in the community that much more. Everyone was talking about it."
"It was kind of crazy how everyone came together and supported the team," he added. "It made the building a loud place to be and a fun atmosphere."
After last year's performance, Keller realizes that expectations of both himself and the team have grown.
"You always try to work that much harder every year. When you lose in the finals, you get that kind of taste in your mouth that makes you want more and makes you work that much harder," he said. "My goals have gotten a lot bigger personally and team-oriented for sure. I worked that much harder this summer just to try to be that much better than I was last year."
"Maybe I'll have a lot more pressure on me for all kinds of other things that maybe I didn't have on me last year," he continued. "I think this year with a few more rookies on the team, I'm just going to go out and try to be a leader and play the way that I can play and put up points and help guys out when ever they need help."
The Seals will be holding an Open House at the Silver Spurs Arena this Saturday, October 21st from 1-5pm. This open house will give all Season Ticket Holders and Sponsors a chance to pick up their tickets, new Season Ticket Holders a chance to pick out their seats and most of all, a chance to mingle with the players and the B&W Mobile Auto Detailing "Ice Girls."
SPHL Stories from October 19, 2006
- Keller Finds Way Back To Kissimmee - Florida Seals
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