Braehead Clan have confirmed the signing of experienced defenceman Trevor Hendrix for the 2016-17 season.

The 31-year-old joins from Elite League rivals Cardiff Devils where he spent the previous two years, winning the Erhardt Conference and Challenge Cup under Andrew Lord.

Clan head coach Ryan Finnerty admitted he had to be patient to get the deal done as he has been chasing him for a while.

He said: “Trevor’s been a guy I’ve been personally chasing for a long time.

“I’ve wanted to sign him even going back to my Sheffield days.

“He’s a guy with an incredible reputation for being a great guy in the dressing room and is an element that we lacked last year.

“I would say he’s in the Chris Frank mould, but also brings great experience of the Elite League with him.

“I’m certainly excited to have him on board and I know he’s looking forward to it, plus the deal works for both of us. I definitely feel it’s Cardiff’s loss and our gain.”

Hendrix has played for Charlotte Checkers, Florida Everblades and Allen Americans, where he was a two-time CHL champion.

He came to the UK in 2014, signing for Cardiff and went on to make 117 appearances, picking up 29 points made up of 18 goals and 11 assists.

And Finnerty says the arrival of the Canadian, who hails from Russell, Ontario adds a physical presence to the team – something he’s been looking for ahead of the new season.

The coach added: “Trevor comes highly recommended by guys I have a lot of respect for, including Leigh Salters and Neil Francis.

“He’s a physical guy and has a presence and every time we played Cardiff, we knew he was there. We hope that’s the same now he’s with us.

“We’re building a tough team but a team that can play. We don’t want to be a team that’s easy to play against. We want to be a team no wants to come up against.

“With that, we think Trevor’s going to be a great addition.”

Hendrix will wear the number 74 during the 2016-17 season.