​NOTTINGHAM Panthers have moved quickly  to shore up their faltering defence with the signing of NHL round one draft pick Mario Larocque.

It is hoped the paperwork is finalised in time for the 6ft 3in  31-year-old  to fly into the UK  to make his debut against Sheffield Steelers at the National Ice Centre on Saturday.

Larocque played five games in the NHL for Tampa Bay Lighting and was also  signed by Buffalo Sabres but didn’t play another game in the top league.

It is in the lower leagues that he  has excelled – both in terms of points and penalties as he is also a renowned fighter.

When a team-mate of current Panthers players Marty Gascon, Bruce Richardson and goalie Kevin St Pierre at Fort Wayne Komets, he was third top points scorer as well as leading penalty taker with over 270 minutes in the sin-bin.

He also won the United Hockey League’s defenceman of the year that season.

Laroque – Panthers sixth French-Canadian – is a player in the mould of player-coach Corey Neilson and, as such, will take on some of the offensive defenceman duties.

The only  player to be released to enable them to adhere to the wage cap restrictions is fourth-line utility man James Ferrara.

It is hoped to re-sign him on a two-way deal with an English Premier League team.

It means Panthers will have to sideline an import defenceman this weekend, possibly American Nick Toneys.