When Adam Keefe signed up to play for the Belfast Giants in 2011, he couldn't have imagined how lifechanging that decision was going to be.
He had been hoping to follow in his older brother Sheldon's footsteps and make it to the National Hockey League (NHL), the ultimate goal of every Canadian who laces up the skates.
Sheldon, four years older than Adam, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1999 and went on to make his NHL debut the following season, but ultimately his playing career was curtailed because of injury.
"It's hard to get to the NHL and I was lucky enough to play at least some exhibition games and play at that level and get a taste of it," said Adam.
"Ultimately, I fell short and was getting a little tired. I was getting a little older and I wanted to see the world and experience something new.
"With our last name being Keefe, it was always a kind of a bucket list thing to visit the homeland.
"Finally, the opportunity came through a Facebook message from the coach of the Giants, Doug Christiansen. It was my first chance and I jumped on it.
"I thought it would just be a one-year deal and I’d probably go back home and do ultimately what I did here, probably in Toledo."
However, the younger Keefe sibling would never make that trip to Toledo.
He won Elite League in his first season with the Giants and captained the side to another title victory in 2014.
By then he was well established as a leader and a fan favourite, a team-mate that you could rely on to drop the gloves and defend his brothers on the ice.
Keefe's transition to coach in 2017 was a seamless move for the Giants. It kept the line of succession in place, despite no prior experience in the role.
What followed has been the most sustained run of success in the club's twenty-five-year history.
Ten trophies - four league championships, five Challenge Cups and a Play-off title - in six full seasons (two were lost due to Covid-19), including a Grand Slam in 2023.
"I just fell in love with the city and winning and the fans here. Obviously, I met my wife and have two girls, so I'm locked into Northern Ireland.
"It's been a great experience for me and a fun one."
Giants' fans echo mutual support for 'the heartbeat' of the Belfast side and they recently showed their appreciation at Adam‘s testimonial when his number 47 shirt was retired, the ultimate honour for a player.
‘I wasn’t going to mess with him much more’
Sheldon made his first trip to Belfast for the event. Since his playing days came to an end, Adam's older brother made his way up through the coaching ranks all the way back to the NHL.
He was head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2019-2024 and has just finished his first season in charge of the New Jersey Devils, leading them to the play-offs.
Sheldon’s first impressions of Belfast have been favourable.
"I love the city, just walking around and being here in the building and getting a feel for the hockey part of it.
"You can see why there's so much passion here for Giants hockey and why Adam fell in love with the city and the team."
Growing up together just outside of Toronto, both Keefe brothers were soon on the hockey pathway.
"I don't know about brotherly rivalry so much," explained Sheldon.
"I mean, there's maybe enough separation with four years that I think I had my way for a lot of the time.
"But it maybe contributed to some of the edge that he ended up developing in playing.
"Certainly, as Adam got older, it was very clear I wasn't going to mess with him much more.
"We were playing hockey, fighting in the basement, competing in the driveway and on the street and he quite often was playing with my friends and having to try to compete."
Adam agreed, "A lot of times it's him and his friends playing street hockey and you're four years younger than those guys.
"You got to work extra hard and sometimes you're going to get knocked down.
"So, if you want to stay in there, you got to learn to fight back and I certainly did that.
"Obviously, he's provided a great example for me and set a very high standard that is difficult to try to keep up with.
"He took care of me through critical years when I was a teenager and set me on a good path.
"Then to follow his career while I was trying to make the NHL, to follow his coaching career and see that he just kind of kept winning right from the time he started.
"Then ultimately to claw his way back to the NHL as a coach becoming one of the youngest coaches in the league and then to coach arguably the biggest hockey club in the world. That's very special."
'His life is all about the hockey'
Adam's success as a coach has come as no surprise to Sheldon. In his words, "life's been all about hockey".
"I think we can both say we would be a little lost without the game.
"If I look at my own transition into coaching, when you maybe first get into it, for me, at least, I didn't know what I was doing at all.
"But you're relying on your competitiveness, your passion for the game, your work ethic, all the things that help you play at a high level, and that gives you a strong foundation.
"I knew Adam was going to commit and be all in on everything that he's doing and while learning and refining any skills that you need as a coach, you're going to have the respect of your players because of everything that you put in to help them and the team.
"He's been an absolute competitor and a guy that will do anything to win for his entire life."
Sheldon has helped Adam out with player recruitment and wouldn't hesitate to recommend Belfast as a playing destination.
"I've followed enough to know the standard of the Elite League and that it just continues to improve and get better and better.
"Seeing the arena and seeing the city and community, it would be a great draw for players to come and get the life experience but still play great hockey.
"As I watch the young kids playing as well, there is lots of excitement about growing the game here too."
Despite enjoying his Testimonial weekend where the Giants once again gave back to the community raising over £109,000 for the Northern Ireland Hospice, the new season is never far from Adam's mind.
"Champions League is right around the corner.
"August is going to come around pretty quick, and nobody cares about last year.”
