Cj n piggsy
- Thread starter Rabbitohs4
- Start date
CJ will flourish at Swindon. Aaron Nell, their coach, has already confirmed CJ will play a big role with lots of icetime. Playing with experienced vets like Max and Phil Hill will also help him. Wish CJ all the best and hope he can return to the EIHL one day.
Luke, hopefully will still have a dual role to play...maybe signing for the Fire whilst being available for injury cover for the British players. He has a fantastic character and is a positive influence as well as an energy player.
Anyone posting that they expected these guys to score more goals/assists during their time at the Devils quite clearly didnt 'get' the role those guys were playing....a role that the club has been satisfied with for a few seasons.
Put it another way, in the NHL , you wouldn't expect a 4th line shut down defensive, energy guy to rack up Sidney Crosby's numbers would you?
Luke, hopefully will still have a dual role to play...maybe signing for the Fire whilst being available for injury cover for the British players. He has a fantastic character and is a positive influence as well as an energy player.
Anyone posting that they expected these guys to score more goals/assists during their time at the Devils quite clearly didnt 'get' the role those guys were playing....a role that the club has been satisfied with for a few seasons.
Put it another way, in the NHL , you wouldn't expect a 4th line shut down defensive, energy guy to rack up Sidney Crosby's numbers would you?
I think the rule has just made a difficult decision for Lord an easy one, and it is a decision I think he would've had to make this season or next regardless of rules.
We've managed to upgrade massively with Craig Moore. He's a different level of player to CJ and Piggot and I'd like to think that we would've been looking to improve that 4th line spot with him regardless of rule changes.
There is only so much sentiment can play in decision making and I imagine every position gets looked at at the end of the season. When you look at that 4th line spot, the question of whether we could improve with a new addition it's a certain yes.
We've managed to upgrade massively with Craig Moore. He's a different level of player to CJ and Piggot and I'd like to think that we would've been looking to improve that 4th line spot with him regardless of rule changes.
There is only so much sentiment can play in decision making and I imagine every position gets looked at at the end of the season. When you look at that 4th line spot, the question of whether we could improve with a new addition it's a certain yes.
The shortage of 'Elite League ready' British players either locally or who would be prepared to uproot from other clubs in previous seasons has possibly been a challenge. But that certainly does not mean that Luke and Chris could not fulfil the roles they were given by our coaching team.
They were 4th line, shut-down defensive guys who brought energy, giving our other players a rest and providing injury cover. They understood that role and gave it everything. In that role, they were never expected to put up lots of points. And incidentally, both David Brine and Patrick Bordeleau (v experienced import forwards) also played on that line and were not expected to put up too many points either.
It is true that, with improvements in the standard of the league, and with the extra demands of the CHL and defending domestic titles, the Devils quite possibly would have looked to bring in other British players with potential next season and afterwards.
The U23 Rule has brought this about anyway. Craig is an absolutely outstanding young player and it's a fantastic opportunity for him to contribute to the Devils' success and be exposed to experiences like the CHL. For the future, it's not hard to imagine that the Club will be helping develop one or two other gifted youngsters. They will certainly have to think about 'a succession programme' when Matthew and Richie retire in a few years, or if Bownsey (and Josh/ Thomas) took up other opportunities.
They were 4th line, shut-down defensive guys who brought energy, giving our other players a rest and providing injury cover. They understood that role and gave it everything. In that role, they were never expected to put up lots of points. And incidentally, both David Brine and Patrick Bordeleau (v experienced import forwards) also played on that line and were not expected to put up too many points either.
It is true that, with improvements in the standard of the league, and with the extra demands of the CHL and defending domestic titles, the Devils quite possibly would have looked to bring in other British players with potential next season and afterwards.
The U23 Rule has brought this about anyway. Craig is an absolutely outstanding young player and it's a fantastic opportunity for him to contribute to the Devils' success and be exposed to experiences like the CHL. For the future, it's not hard to imagine that the Club will be helping develop one or two other gifted youngsters. They will certainly have to think about 'a succession programme' when Matthew and Richie retire in a few years, or if Bownsey (and Josh/ Thomas) took up other opportunities.