Position: Head Coach / Right Wing
Date of Birth: 02/02/1968
Height: 6ft4"   Weight: 200lbs
Shoots: Right  Birthpace: Montreal, Quebec

Ed Courtenay has again signed up for another season as coach for the Belfast Giants. This time round though, Ed has returned as a player coach. Last season Courtenay started the campaign off as a bench coach, but with the Giants struggling in the league and time running out, his only option was to put himself back on the ice, firing the team on to win 8 out of the next 10 games. On a personal level, Ed racked up an unbelievable 24 points from just 16 games proving that the ex-NHLer still had what it took to find the back of the net.

Kelman was excited about getting Courtenay back for another season saying "Ed has proven over the last two seasons that he has the ability and the skill to lead this team both on and off the ice. He is a valuable coach and as a player/coach he is even more valuable. Last season it was difficult at times when I knew that probably our best offensive player was standing behind the bench and I wanted to have him back as a player/coach because of what he brings to this team in both roles."

"The coaching position in Belfast is probably the hardest in the league because of the added responsibility of all of the off-ice administration that we require from our coach and Ed has taken all of this in his stride, while still managing to be the winningest coach in the league over the last two seasons."

Born in Verdun, Quebec in 1968, Courtney played his junior hockey with the Granby Bison before joining the Minnesota North stars as a free agent in 1989. He spent the next three years playing for the Kalamazoo Wings of the IHL. When the NHL expanded, the San Jose Sharks joined the NHL stocking their roster via a dispersal draft, giving Courtney his NHL debut. He played 44 games with the Sharks over the next two years producing some solid offence, scoring 7 goals and adding 13 assists. Despite his success though, Courtney spent the next four years bouncing around the minors, playing in the IHL, and the west and east coast hockey leagues. During the 97/98 season, Ed led the ECHL in scoring picking up the MVP award before deciding to continue his career in the UK. Courtenay spent three productive seasons with the Sheffield Steelers, heading north in 2001 to join the Ayr Scottish Eagles for a further two seasons. Ed returned to the states where he played two years with the Carolina Stingrays before signing with the Giants in 2005 as player/coach. That season he played on the most successful Giants line up ever, and along with Curtis Huppe and NHL legend, Theo Fleury combined to produce a total of 223 points between them.