2017/18 Bench Size Confirmed...

Foxy

Foxy

Well-Known Member
#4
#4
Especially if we go 3 conferences of 4 and we end up with coventry, milton keynes and guildford. No disrespect to those teams but not exactly the same standard of hockey we've enjoyed this season
 
matbur

matbur

Well-Known Member
#5
#5
Posted this in the other thread but probably more relevant here:

Not sure if my views fall in line with the general consensus of hockey fans, but I pay to watch the best quality EIHL possible. First and foremost, making sure that the league and clubs are financially sustainable is obviously fundamental but preferably I really don't want to see three line hockey or a weakened product to accommodate players just because they're young and British.

If the objective of the EIHL is to reach the highest quality possible, then it's going fail on the basis of this.

Imagine the Premier League suddenly forced clubs to play x amount of English players, the standard of quality within the league would be take a hit immediately and lose credibility.

I've only been following UK hockey for around two years but feel pretty strongly about this. Yes, there has to be a development strategy for Brit players which the league and clubs should have a role in, but it seems to me that the EIHL is suffering from an identity crisis; is its purpose to develop British talent or does it want to become the highest standard possible?
 
Have Hope#35

Have Hope#35

Well-Known Member
#7
#7
I think it's quite a good idea to be honest as it will encourage the top teams to find a decent young Brit or two in order to play 4 Line Hockey, you may find that the quality of teams backup Goalies will reduce if they choose this as the Under 23 option... I'd hope not though! A few teams in the league already have 1 or more Brits under the required age so things for them won't change.

We could choose to play 4 Line hockey with one of the top line forwards dropping in on that line, to be fair it's what we've played in a lot of games this Season... we've rolled a top line forward with Brine & Bordy and sat CJ and Piggie for spells! However, we do need to go on the hunt for a really good youngster if we can though as we only need 1 for 4 Full Lines!
 
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G

Gospel

Active Member
#8
#8
The idea to encourage teams to blood young Brits is good in theory, in practice will it work? I have my doubts.

Firstly, where are all these youngsters coming from? What happens to the teams they come from? Our stock of players isnt great nationally.

Secondly, we have 2 Brits who get, if they are lucky, a small number of minutes per game, sometimes they get none. How is that helping them develop? Sitting on the bench & training is nothing like playing a game. We have never played genuine 4 line hockey here. The '4th line' is a mix & match.

For us this off season it will be tough to get a roster that fits EIHL & is competative in the CHL.

Upgrades of our current roster will happen, a couple will probably retire & i reckon we'll see 4 or 5 new players next season.
 
Have Hope#35

Have Hope#35

Well-Known Member
#9
#9
On the basis that teams only need 1 Under 23 to run four lines here is how things stood this season:

Cardiff - *Callum Buglass
Belfast - Jackson Whistle
Sheffield - *Brad Day/Liam Kirk/*Cole Shudra
Nottingham - Ollie Betteridge
Braehead - Zach Sullivan/*Jordan Buesa
Fife Flyers - *Chad Smith
Dundee Stars - Josh Grieveson/Kris Inglis/Cameron McGiffin/Craig Moore/Ben Edmonds
Manchester Storm - *Thomas Ratcliffe
Coventry Blaze - *Renny Marr/David Clements/Matthew Selby/*Jordan Stokes/Ross Venus
Edinburgh Capitals - Jay King/Tyler Plews/Sean Beattie/Harry Ferguson
Milton Keynes Lightning - *Jordan Hedley/Sam Jones/Edward Knaggs/Glenn Billing/Jordan Cownie/Lewis Hook/Luc Johnson
Guildford Flames - Sam Godfrey (Born 1994)/Jared Lane

*Limited Games (approx. 1-10)
Also appreciate some of the MK Youngsters may not make it into the EIHL with them!? (Hedley, Cownie & Hook are re-signed though)
 
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Tad-cu

Tad-cu

Active Member
#10
#10
I've read the announcement several times. Correct me if I'm wrong,(there's no shortage of people on here who'll do that anyway,) next year we can have up to 14 imports - from anywhere, no restrictions, Brits to make it up to 19 players and an optional as many as 3 younger British players.
I can't see us having fewer than 14 imports, if so we'll have to lose two of our older Brits and top up the squad with younger players, such as Callum Buglass.
Is that how other people understand this?
 
Have Hope#35

Have Hope#35

Well-Known Member
#11
#11
Tad-cu said:
I've read the announcement several times. Correct me if I'm wrong,(there's no shortage of people on here who'll do that anyway,) next year we can have up to 14 imports - from anywhere, no restrictions, Brits to make it up to 19 players and an optional as many as 3 younger British players.
I can't see us having fewer than 14 imports, if so we'll have to lose two of our older Brits and top up the squad with younger players, such as Callum Buglass.
Is that how other people understand this?
Click to expand...
That is correct!
14 Full Imports
5 Senior Brits (although could be U23 if you have more than 3 - See Dundee)
With up to 3 Under 23 Brits (Born no earlier than 1994)
A roster of 20 is required to run 4 Full Lines/22 Max.
 
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P

pjj365

Well-Known Member
#13
#13
Let's not get too bogged down in rosters

This is bench size which must include 3 young Brits

Don't want to play the 3 then your bench is 19 - how do you then run 4 lines

If you don't recruit the 3 then your bench is pemanently 19
 
Have Hope#35

Have Hope#35

Well-Known Member
#14
#14
pjj365 said:
Let's not get too bogged down in rosters

This is bench size which must include 3 young Brits

Don't want to play the 3 then your bench is 19 - how do you then run 4 lines

If you don't recruit the 3 then your bench is pemanently 19
Click to expand...
If we do only end up with a Bench of 19 (which is unlikely as I'm sure we can find 1 decent U23) then we go back to doing what we've done in most of the big games this season and role in a Player from the 1st/2nd line on the 4th line to give us the desired effect! Even with four lines this season I'd be interested to know how often we've fully utilised it, it certainly didn't feel like much!?

This youngster certainly looks like he'd be worth a punt: http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=183997
Lets go and get Owen Griffiths on a 2-Way deal as well: http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=172521
Plus we may give Buglass a couple more 2-Way Games this Season?
 
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Kal

Kal

Active Member
#15
#15
The Steelers come out as one of the best in this situation. They can rotate there 3 U23s with the Steeldogs so they still get plenty of ice time and it's not awkward for the players having to travel alot. If we did that it would have to be with Cardiff Fire which aren't really at the right level yet.
 
S

sionlikesmusic

Active Member
#16
#16
Out of curiosity, does anyone know if players on 2-way deals are limited to how many games per team they can play in a season? Or is it at the discretion of both clubs?
 
Have Hope#35

Have Hope#35

Well-Known Member
#17
#17
Kal said:
The Steelers come out as one of the best in this situation. They can rotate there 3 U23s with the Steeldogs so they still get plenty of ice time and it's not awkward for the players having to travel alot. If we did that it would have to be with Cardiff Fire which aren't really at the right level yet.
Click to expand...
I agree with that... We need to be looking at someone like Swindon as it's only down the Road! That's what we do with Buglass and believe it was the same with Harding for a spell.
 
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