Breaking News: Devils sign new player

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jenks33

Well-Known Member
#61
#61
Mixed emotions for me regarding DuPont. I respect a player that’s played through injury for a number of weeks but I don’t think he’s been injured from the start. I’ve heard from a few trustworthy people that Skalde and Franny were very disappointed with how out of shape he was when he arrived. Not injured, just unfit.
My hunch is that Dupont was possibly ready to retire so didn’t really look after himself in the off-season. We announced DuPont’s signing on the 13th of August and I think he was a last minute signing rather than a signing we were waiting weeks/months to announce. He’s probably on very decent money + a player coach role + we’ve flown his wife and 3 kids over here. It’s understandable if he thought why not give it another season.
 
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Rempel16

Well-Known Member
#62
#62
moggy#9 said:
If that were the case would he not have been rested for some of the early meaningless cup games?
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Not necessarily. I was using my own situation as an example, it could be a completely different injury. but I had two doctors look at it, one told me that the best thing was to rest. The other told me I should try and play through to see if it heals on its own.
 
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Rempel16

Well-Known Member
#63
#63
Wannabe2 said:
In fairness if he was injured from the start as a professional should he not have told the club, and if the club had known surely they would not have played him, or even signed him. This is a professional sport, yes we all know some players play through injury, not always the best option for player or club. Also in fairness playing amateur football if that’s what you play, carrying on you ain’t cheating paying fans to see you, and it’s not the most physical sport on the planet. I don’t know the ins and outs of the DuPont situation, and know it’s history or it seems that may be outcome, we wish him well and to get fit soon, in the meantime the new guy looks like he could be a real asset.
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What's to say his injury didn't happen in the first training session?

And I agree about it a completely different scenario, but to use your thinking - you reckon every single player goes into every game as 100% fit otherwise they're cheating the fans? You're surely more knowledgeable than that.

I certainly don't feel cheated by the fact that he's tried to play through injury to avoid leaving the team short. I think it shows what the Devils means to him. Had that been your beloved Doug McEwen you'd have been right up his arse praising him.
 
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fridaysfingers

Well-Known Member
#67
#67
Sorry but that Remple's post did give me a giggle!

Reading this news of DuPont's injury situation made me wonder whether players signing at EIHL level would have to undergo any sort of medical before signing or being flown over from North America. I presume not as players contracts are breakable with 2 weeks notice?? (I know the Devils lock players in more securely i.e. Ben Blood) but if you put a lot of time and effort scouting for the right guys you expect to heavily rely on to carry the team, a medical is surely worth it?
I'm not thinking about Dupont in particular here, just EIHL players in general
 
august04 2.0

august04 2.0

Well-Known Member
#68
#68
fridaysfingers said:
Sorry but that Remple's post did give me a giggle!

Reading this news of DuPont's injury situation made me wonder whether players signing at EIHL level would have to undergo any sort of medical before signing or being flown over from North America. I presume not as players contracts are breakable with 2 weeks notice?? (I know the Devils lock players in more securely i.e. Ben Blood) but if you put a lot of time and effort scouting for the right guys you expect to heavily rely on to carry the team, a medical is surely worth it?
I'm not thinking about Dupont in particular here, just EIHL players in general
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Not all contracts are breakable with 2 weeks notice. That was the standard EIHL contract but you don’t have to use those to give players more security to attract them here in the first place.
 
ASHIPP

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
#69
#69
I am sure they would be given a medical assessment, whether they finished the previous season out with I jury, or had a repeated injury. The first week of our training schedule would have allowed for an assessment as well.

I wouldn't be surprised if an injury did actually occur early on (maybe even in one of the CHL games) and had just been flaring up as he has played on. Many players get this in varying degrees... Big Lou is out for a few weeks at the mo, the same last season. Looking forward to him returning to the line up soon. :cool:
 
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Ejercito Rojas

Well-Known Member
#70
#70
Although, to me DuPont did look a little 'out of shape' back in August it does make me think how the hell did Barry Burst 'slip through the net', I mean what type of net were the Steelers using? ?
 
august04 2.0

august04 2.0

Well-Known Member
#71
#71
Our organisation looks after its players. I just cannot believe they would ask a player (whose contribution was virtually nil anyway) to continue to play with such a severe upper body injury that it could now be season ending for him. We've only been short bodied for the past week, why would they risk his long term welfare by playing him when we were at full strength? That just goes against the way this club operates. As has been said already, the club PR offers an honourable way out for all concerned. It was crystal clear from day 1 that the guy wasn’t up to the job, despite the Layne Ulmer comparisons and protestations on here. Hope the new guy does well, we need him.
 
kettdevil1

kettdevil1

Well-Known Member
#72
#72
Ejercito Rojas said:
Although, to me DuPont did look a little 'out of shape' back in August it does make me think how the hell did Barry Burst 'slip through the net', I mean what type of net were the Steelers using? ?
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The thing with Brust is that he has always carried extra timber (he reminds me of Mike Torchia in that respect....less so as a NM) so it would be less of a worry than a skater. As for a full medical assessment, I suspect that is highly unlikely, hence multiple players coming over not quite at their fighting weight
 
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Devil94

Well-Known Member
#73
#73
I don't think the club would lie about an injury. Especially after gassing a player only last week for hockey reasons.

I'm more concerned about the health of the new guy, hopefully enough research was done on his fitness, I'm sure there was. But a double hip operation, knee issues and a concussion is not ideal before you turn 25. I expect for him to take a few games to get settled, as you would with anyone, but we're getting close to the business end of the year so hopefully he can hit the ground running.
 
kettdevil1

kettdevil1

Well-Known Member
#74
#74
august04 2.0 said:
Our organisation looks after its players. I just cannot believe they would ask a player (whose contribution was virtually nil anyway) to continue to play with such a severe upper body injury that it could now be season ending for him. We've only been short bodied for the past week, why would they risk his long term welfare by playing him when we were at full strength? That just goes against the way this club operates. As has been said already, the club PR offers an honourable way out for all concerned. It was crystal clear from day 1 that the guy wasn’t up to the job, despite the Layne Ulmer comparisons and protestations on here. Hope the new guy does well, we need him.
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It's a mystery and something does not quite add up, hopefully at some point the full story comes out but for now we are guessing.

FWIW my take is as follows.... he didn't look fit at the start of the season and then seemed to pick up an injury which set him back further. He came back and there were brief flashes of the player we imagined (there was an away game at Guildford where he ran the show and he did have a positive impact on those around at that time) but then he seemed to get injured again (or suffered a reoccurrence?) and the last few times I have seen him he has been struggling horribly to get into the pace of the game so..... my presumption is that there has been something underlying from early on and it's not getting any better so best for all concerned to move on.

We might be reading too much into the 'season ending' comment - something like a hernia would be season ending if you opt for surgery but you could actually carry on playing (albeit at a less effective level) to the end of the season if you decide to delay surgery so....my guess is that he needs a procedure doing and if he gets it done now we will be done for the season.
 
august04 2.0

august04 2.0

Well-Known Member
#75
#75
Devil94 said:
I don't think the club would lie about an injury. Especially after gassing a player only last week for hockey reasons.

I'm more concerned about the health of the new guy, hopefully enough research was done on his fitness, I'm sure there was. But a double hip operation, knee issues and a concussion is not ideal before you turn 25. I expect for him to take a few games to get settled, as you would with anyone, but we're getting close to the business end of the year so hopefully he can hit the ground running.
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How do you know the Devils gassed O'Connor and for hockey reasons? It might have been his decision to leave?
 
Mazzoak

Mazzoak

Well-Known Member
#76
#76
I’m reading the coach is incompetent, the team useless, playing Dupont injured crazy, keeping players who aren’t performing ridiculous and the changing room rat O’Connor, yet those saying these things then say the owners and Todd are the best we’ve ever had and have their full support. So my question is to those, who’s running the club because all those criticisms are the fault of Todd and the owners........

Just to clarify l fully support the coach, the team and the owners considering all the circumstances we’re in a better place than l expected at this point in the season and l look forward to each and every game. Maybe l missed hockey more than l thought over the last 18 months or so. The one glaringly trait l have over this sport to some here, l don't actually care if Cardiff win or come bottom, l love the sport, the club just happens to be the place l live.
 
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moggy#9

Well-Known Member
#77
#77
Rempel16 said:
What's to say his injury didn't happen in the first training session?

And I agree about it a completely different scenario, but to use your thinking - you reckon every single player goes into every game as 100% fit otherwise they're cheating the fans? You're surely more knowledgeable than that.

I certainly don't feel cheated by the fact that he's tried to play through injury to avoid leaving the team short. I think it shows what the Devils means to him. Had that been your beloved Doug McEwen you'd have been right up his arse praising him.
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Blasphemer! I'm off to get a few rounds, a few ones with points and a bag of gravel. ;-) (with apologies to the life of Brian)
 
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Devil94

Well-Known Member
#79
#79
august04 2.0 said:
How do you know the Devils gassed O'Connor and for hockey reasons? It might have been his decision to leave?
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From Todd:
"Just want to knock on the head some ridiculous rumours surrounding why we released Ben O’Connor. Ben is a great guy and a great player, it just didn’t work out on the ice here in Cardiff.

This was a hockey decision, any suggestions otherwise are not true. I’m shocked that adults would make up crap about a player that could damage him personally or professionally."

Pretty clear.
 
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