CHL

#21
Is it not logical to pick a team capable of competing and winning within the CHL, EIHL success then becomes more likely. I believe that is why others failed maybe, that either budget or ambition got in the way. As for returning players deserving the chance at CHL experience, for me only if the skill level is there, otherwise what is the point in wasting your time there.
 

wildthing74

Well-Known Member
#22
I know it's likely the schedule of playing in the CHL may affect us domestically but I am so pumped to see us face the best teams in Europe in competitive action and get to watch us in countries we could have only dreamed of years ago.

Winning the league this year was the best moment I have ever witnessed watching this club and trumps anything we won in the past and that was because the competition was so tough.We have earned the right to test ourselves against Elite opposition and even if we don't have the same success in our competitions here it will only improve us in the long run.

Players seemingly already queue up to want to play for us this will only make us even more attractive when we are recruiting against rival teams.

Roll on August and the long trips.
 

kingmo19.1

Well-Known Member
#23
I know it's likely the schedule of playing in the CHL may affect us domestically but I am so pumped to see us face the best teams in Europe in competitive action and get to watch us in countries we could have only dreamed of years ago.

Winning the league this year was the best moment I have ever witnessed watching this club and trumps anything we won in the past and that was because the competition was so tough.We have earned the right to test ourselves against Elite opposition and even if we don't have the same success in our competitions here it will only improve us in the long run.

Players seemingly already queue up to want to play for us this will only make us even more attractive when we are recruiting against rival teams.

Roll on August and the long trips.
Winning the title this season was a great achievement, but I wouldn't say it trumped our Superleague title - that was a step up again.
 

Ocko

Well-Known Member
#25
The top teams this season are better than the top teams in year 1 ISL IMO. Way more depth and speed now than there was then. When we won the ISL we were still a top team and there weren't that many big rivals, only Sheffield. This season it could've been us, Sheffield, Belfast and should've had Nottingham and Braehead in the mix too.
 

Ocko

Well-Known Member
#26
In fact if you look at the pedigree of our 1996/97 players the only one who none of our current players don't eclipse is Ken Hodge. Every other player came from the Heineken league, which although was very enjoyable wasnt a high level of hockey, or low level minors. None of them had the AHL/IHL experience that we come to expect as a minimum now. Same goes for Sheffield and Nottingham, there just wasn't anywhere near the depth or ability.
 
#27
Comparing past achievement for me is irrelevant. Each season differs, not just in skill levels, too many variables. This past season has seen highs and lows for many teams.
The current squad IMHO would struggle in CHL and possibly next season if what l believe will happen happens. We're going to need a squad fully prepared with consistent line performance from the off.
 

Johnnybravo1927

Well-Known Member
#28
Comparing past achievement for me is irrelevant. Each season differs, not just in skill levels, too many variables. This past season has seen highs and lows for many teams.



The current squad IMHO would struggle in CHL and possibly next season if what l believe will happen happens. We're going to need a squad fully prepared with consistent line performance from the off.
What do you believe will happen?
 

Koop11

Well-Known Member
#29
For me the Elite League now surpasses the level of the Superleague in its first year. Teams today are rolling 4 lines with NHLers on their 4th. The speed and skill is much greater now. I would say the Superleague was a grittier league the goaltending was overall arguably better. The Superleague in its 4th season, our last season in it, was a higher level than year 1 of the Superleague. That was the year Sheffield won the Grandslam. That Sheffield team is arguably the best team to play a season in the UK. That for me is the benchmark against quality. Has this year’s Devils team surpassed that level? Open for discussion.


Returning to the CHL, I understand what others are saying about the domestic league and I agree. However, I see the bigger picture. Representing the UK in one of the world’s highest levels of competition is massive for us and the league. We will get schooled in many games, no doubt about it, but it puts us on the map. It attracts quality players. It gives guys a wealth of experience to players and coaches. It builds links with European teams (future pre season games, player recruitment, etc). The CHL is a huge and should be embraced.
 
#30
Returning to the CHL, I understand what others are saying about the domestic league and I agree. However, I see the bigger picture. Representing the UK in one of the world’s highest levels of competition is massive for us and the league. We will get schooled in many games, no doubt about it, but it puts us on the map. It attracts quality players. It gives guys a wealth of experience to players and coaches. It builds links with European teams (future pre season games, player recruitment, etc). The CHL is a huge and should be embraced.
Completely agree.

I hope Todd and the owner group want European recognition.
 

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
#31
No doubt that many players will find Cardiff an excellent proposition - the challenge for the Club will be to ensure that they react sufficiently to ice/recruit an even stronger team for the CHL competition....and also being conscious that some of our domestic rivals will be building much more competitive teams than last season.
 
#33
Not sure if this has been posted on here somewhere already but the CHL website published an interview with TK a couple of weeks back.

https://www.championshockeyleague.n...-league-win-and-chl-qualification-part-i/2871
I hope Todds playing Devils advocate here, (excuse the pun) one thing is gettting "noticed" by achieving a place in the CHL, but to have the attitude of relying on luck to scrap a win, all that work will be destroyed if both teams arrive with that strategy. Fans won't want to buy tickets to a game that will be embarrassing.
 

Jonesy83

Well-Known Member
#34
I hope Todds playing Devils advocate here, (excuse the pun) one thing is gettting "noticed" by achieving a place in the CHL, but to have the attitude of relying on luck to scrap a win, all that work will be destroyed if both teams arrive with that strategy. Fans won't want to buy tickets to a game that will be embarrassing.
I'm sure Todd knows what he's doing / saying here, he's realistic in thinking if we get drawn against the big teams the chances of the Devils winning are slim to none, but it's a great to test ourselves against these teams to truely see how far we as Cardiff Devils have come as a club and even the EIHL as a league in general. I'm sure he just doesn't want to be there to make up the numbers and I'm sure the team will be prepared the best they can be.

Admittedly I'm not very knowledgeable on the CHL or Euro hockey in general but one thing for sure, I'm looking forward to seeing who we get drawn against and even more so looking forward to those teams coming over to Cardiff and playing in what will hopefully be a sold out IAW.
 

Devil94

Well-Known Member
Thread starter #37
http://www.championshockeyleague.net/news/the-field-of-32-is-set/2881

This suggests that the first round finishes 11th of October. Meaning either there's one game a weekend. Or there's a gap in between CHL weekends.
It's obviously too much to ask to have two away games in different countries in a weekend. Or probably one home and one away, depending where the away game is. So I would think probably the latter. Hopefully we don't fall too far behind in games played in the elite league.
 
#38
The Slovaks are especially unhappy that there's two British teams in the CHL.

Playing 2 away games in one weekend is do-able. Panthers did it in the first year, playing Rauman Lukko on the Friday, Lulea on the Sunday (I think). If Devils get a Finnish and a Swedish team, I'd expect them to try and play both in one weekend, for the away fixtures. It'll be a tough tough weekend but more economical.

The thing Cardiff have in this, that Panthers don't, is the element of surprise. We surprised Hamburg and beat them, they learnt quickly and walked over us in the following fixture. Cardiff aren't a known side to CHL clubs, so they won't know what to expect and as per usual, the opposition will likely say 'Easy peasy'.

I'd love to see Cardiff join the growing list of British teams to claim a big European scalp but don't hold your expectations too high, these teams are like bloodhounds and will make you pay for nearly every mistake.
 
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