Who would you replace

OJLloyd

Well-Known Member
#41
Conway was Belfast’s best at 60.8 %, with Doggett at 50.5% and Doggett at 50.6%.

They also had Lake at 57.8%, but he half the number of face offs as Doggett.

Cooper, Long, and Goodwin all had less than 50%, but faced a negligible number of draws.

So I’d say a top team has face off guys (Centres or otherwise) who achieve a positive face off result from a season.

Realistically, you want to aim for 3 with 50%+ from the draw if you want to win our league. But also if you want to play puck possession hockey.
 

kettdevil1

Well-Known Member
#42
It's also not about the overall percentage but how good they are at winning draws when it matters. So 10 seconds left, opposition NM pulled and you face a draw in your own zone. That's when a good Centre earns their money.

Myers was a genius at making sure that those face offs didn't create a chance for the opposition, Dixon now is similar
 

moggy#9

Well-Known Member
#43
It's also not about the overall percentage but how good they are at winning draws when it matters. So 10 seconds left, opposition NM pulled and you face a draw in your own zone. That's when a good Centre earns their money.

Myers was a genius at making sure that those face offs didn't create a chance for the opposition, Dixon now is similar
This is a very valid point. You don't take all face offs in the same way. In some cases it might need possible to get the fast draw to where you want, but in other cases it becomes about the tie up, or forcing your opponent to draw to to where you want. An example of this would be if you could get your wingers into the play. This is where Dixon is so good, because he's so skilled, but also because he's excellent tactically.
 

Devil94

Well-Known Member
#45
I personally would be very happy with a Bowns/Whistle duo, and close to 50/50 split in games. I think Whistle deserves to play a lot more games than he has done, as a Brit goalie of that quality he should be like gold dust. Only played 15 league games last year, would have been less if Besko wasn't injured for a few weeks.

A few comments seem to think Bownsy is unwilling to split games? Where has that idea come from? When he was last here every number 1 goalie in the league played every night. Bowns wasn't unique in that sense. Now the top teams seem to have decided to spend some more money on more capable back ups, I have no reason to believe Bownsy will have any issues with that, he did go to his last club to be number 2 after all.
 
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Diablo3

Well-Known Member
#46
I quite like the idea of both Bowns and Whistle, while they might not have the same rebound control that our last pair had, they are both capable netties and would give us two extra imports. As for how many games each one plays, that isn't up to them, it is DuPonts call.
 

Devils86

Well-Known Member
#47
So roster size of 20 (2 NM; 6 D; 12 Forwards)

For me I wouldn't re-sign Lammon, McNulty or McNally for sure. I'd also have doubts over (and bear with me) Davies and Brandt. Has Davies become the new Myers (centre on a low line, PK duties, and a Brit) and if he does then he lacks the face-off ability of Myers and the puck possession around the boards - I foresee Myers hanging up his skates after his testimonial and in any event I wouldn't bring him back at the expense of Davies for just a season. Is there an upgrade on Davies available? Probably not. I like Brandt, but I'd have him as a spare or last filler on a 4th line - hes popular because he hits like a train and has a great joie de vivre but thinking with head more than heart I'm sure we could improve on him.

I would love for both/either of Mikkelson and Dixon to not retire but being realistic Mikkelson is definitely done, and I was pleasantly surprised when Dix came back having not played for anyone whilst the EIHL/Devils took the Covid break.

So thats 5 with an additional 2 maybes, plus the already departed Carruth.

I'd love Joey and Gleason to come back but again, lets see what happens. Likely see Richardson and Louis in their final seasons with us. The D-core would be an experienced bunch so the final D-man could be a little younger. Of the returning forwards only Reid, Crandall and Davies would be 30+ so expect some experienced signings I'd think.

NM: #1 TBC (Bowns if available, maybe, but wouldn't be annoyed if we went with another import); Kozun
D: Batch; Louis; Richardson; Register; Fournier; TBC (Stay at home D-man)
F: Reid, Martin, Crandall; (I wouldn't have a 1st and 2nd line, 2 equal lines)
Cox, Cougler, Sandford;
Duggan, TBC/Davies, Waller
TBC, TBC, TBC

Brits: 4 without Davies or Bowns, need 6
Imports limited to 14: of which 10 above with potentially 6 TBC (which doesn't go obviously)

I'd sign Harewood to another 2-way deal - he's still young after all and needs minutes.

Who knows? Just want the fun to start now!
 

Kevlar68

Well-Known Member
Thread starter #49
I'm sure someone said a while ago that its Devils Org. who are head of recruitment not our coach so if they didn't recruit myers last season when they could have easily would they recruit him next season?
 

jenks33

Well-Known Member
#50
I suspect the coach, Kelman and the owners all have their own contacts and we end up with a roster that all 3 parties have contributed to. Look at last seasons roster, I think the owners recruited Mikkelson but I think the O’Connor punt was Kelman’s call. I still think Skalde recruited the majority of the new players last season though. If you look at previous coaches that Sanford, Cox, Lammon, Mcnally played for they had links to Skalde.
 

jenks33

Well-Known Member
#52
Do’u think Myers would even want to come back to the Devils again tho? Obviously he’s from Cardiff and he does have a testimonial lined up but he hasn’t left the Devils under the best circumstances a couple of times now. I would imagine a return to Nottingham or even Swindon are more likely no?
 

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
#55
Do’u think Myers would even want to come back to the Devils again tho? Obviously he’s from Cardiff and he does have a testimonial lined up but he hasn’t left the Devils under the best circumstances a couple of times now. I would imagine a return to Nottingham or even Swindon are more likely no?
Wasn't it the limited roster numbers last season that resulted in Matthew not being signed? They signed Davies and Waller.
 

jenks33

Well-Known Member
#58
Wasn't it the limited roster numbers last season that resulted in Matthew not being signed? They signed Davies and Waller.
I suppose he might have been a bit annoyed by that though? I reckon he expected to come back even when the 19 man roster limit was announced. Him and Lordo clearly had a bit of a falling out when he left the first time and then last season he wasn’t needed. He’s definitely good enough to continue at this level isn’t he. Maybe without Skalde here he might want to come back?
 
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