CONTROVERSIAL playmaker Dan Tessier is back with Nottingham Panthers – the club he walked out on three seasons ago.

The 29-year-old Canadian, sacked by Sheffield in June after claims he was unpopular in the dressing room, replaces Chris Richards, who changed his mind about signing for Panthers late last week.

Tessier will certainly have a point to prove – not only to Sheffield, who he helped to the play-off title last season, but to the Nottingham fans who ridiculed him when they won the end-of-season finale in 2007.

Tessier made a huge impression in his 19 games for Panthers in 2005, scoring 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points. But when Swiss team Lausanne came calling with a contract worth several times what he was earning in England, he was reluctantly released.

He signed for arch-enemies Sheffield the following season and his notoriety among Panthers fans was guaranteed, but he went on to notch 99 points and was picked for the league All Star team.

That was his only full season in the UK. Last year, he opted out of a two-year deal with Sheffield to sign for Duisberg in the rich German DEL, but was released due to poor form.

Steelers re-signed him and he turned the season around with 36 points (16+20) in 24 games, helping them to second place in the league and victory over Coventry in the play-off final.

It was a surprise he was not re-signed. Steelers director David Simms said: " I thought Dan was ok, but maybe I was in the minority. A minority of one."