2017/2018 Rumours & Offseason nonsense

[Johnnybravo1927]

I quite like Marquardt myself, would have been happy to see him in red this coming season. Although as you say, he's not quite of Desbiens level.

For me, their forwards aren't setting the world alight, Wallace is good...but not exceptional, and Ramsay, from what I've seen although he seems like he'll go with anyone, looks a bit of a punchbag compared to the guys being signed around the league.

Just my view though, I'm sure Paul Thompson knows a lot more than I do.

Reading back I am being a bit harsh on Marquardt but thats because I rated Desbiens so highly.would have loved him at Cardiff

 

[jenks33]

Today marks the arrival of Lord and Kelman in Calgary for our annual Devil's summit. There are still a couple of spots to tie down for this year but as I mentioned previously, we're not in a huge hurry to fill them. Now that North American free agency has settled down, we'll have a good sense for who is available. Often there will be people available that we never would have expected. If some things do start to solidify, I'll consider putting out a clue or two...although I'm still completely scared of the mystical mind reading powers of Jenks!

Haha. I'd love to say I'm a genius but there was a lot of luck involved in that guess to be honest Steve. Although, if ever the Devils are recruiting for somebody to decipher cryptic clues to hockey players names I'm your man. I'm sure all hockey clubs are crying out for one of those...

 

[kingmo19.1]

I'd hate to be Jenks! He already knows who's won the 2017-2018 league title, challenge cup and playoffs !

Suffice to say, I was stunned when he told me McDavid joined us in Jan 2018 due to the NHL reverse pay lockout clause kicking in! 55 points in 12 games too !

What stunned me even more was the Gantry conversion which was completed in March 2018 - 200 new seats

Some other snippets I remember him saying .... Thompson sacked by Xmas with Steelers languishing in 7th place, Simmsy revealed as having a Panthers tattoo on his back followed by a swift defection to Lace City as PR Executive. Caps sell out each week, Noble wins a fight, Clan & Flyers merge mid-season, Swansea Sharks 9,500 seat arena completed for 2018-19 season, with Lawless revealed as coach!

 

[Rabbitohs4]

Signing news today???

 

[JC23]

Signing news today???

I wouldn't be so sure, both Todd and Lordo are in Calgary with Steve as posted on here.

Maybe announcing one of our returning Brits? Batchy? Murdy?

 

[Rabbitohs4]

Aww fe Just curious!!

Only 5 weeks till our first game!!
Can't wait..

 

[Devil_Abroad]

I wonder how many we left to sign - or do we - they keep things very quiet


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Temme]

RE: Sheffield

I don't know if they have upgraded or not either, much the same - although they were a very good team last year let's not forget, they, along with us are the bench mark for this season, and ask ourselves, have we upgraded? (*so far*)

Here's where i get opinionated, sorry for the people that get offended by opinions:

Paris looks a good addition, is he better than A Hotham? probably not, will be provide more value than S Hotham? Probably yes?
Other than that our D and goalie positions remain the same thus far, with the exception of Moore.
Will Moore be better than Batch? Will Batch re-sign? Moore play as forward? - can't answer this one, although Moore is a necessary signing with the new rules.

Only other new guy thus far is Faryna, again being opinionated - Faryna is an upgrade in my eyes on every single forward that isn't signed for this next season - Asselin, Bordeleau, Brine, Morissette, Doucet, Kearney.

Ok maybe i'm not sure he's an upgrade on Asselin, but very different players.


Back to Sheffield, Brady Ramsay looks like a signing to protect the kids on the roster, nothing else.

Wallace looks a very good player and Marquardt isn't being given enough credit that he deserves - he was outstanding last season on a very poor Coventry team and would walk into the top unit on ANY team in this league.

However comparing Marquardt to Desbiens, Marquardt is by far the better player, however losing Desbiens mean they've had to sign Ramsay AND Marquardt (in my opinion).

 

[kettdevil1]

RE: Sheffield

I don't know if they have upgraded or not either, much the same - although they were a very good team last year let's not forget, they, along with us are the bench mark for this season, and ask ourselves, have we upgraded? (*so far*)

Here's where i get opinionated, sorry for the people that get offended by opinions:

Paris looks a good addition, is he better than A Hotham? probably not, will be provide more value than S Hotham? Probably yes?
Other than that our D and goalie positions remain the same thus far, with the exception of Moore.
Will Moore be better than Batch? Will Batch re-sign? Moore play as forward? - can't answer this one, although Moore is a necessary signing with the new rules.

Only other new guy thus far is Faryna, again being opinionated - Faryna is an upgrade in my eyes on every single forward that isn't signed for this next season - Asselin, Bordeleau, Brine, Morissette, Doucet, Kearney.

Ok maybe i'm not sure he's an upgrade on Asselin, but very different players.


Back to Sheffield, Brady Ramsay looks like a signing to protect the kids on the roster, nothing else.

Wallace looks a very good player and Marquardt isn't being given enough credit that he deserves - he was outstanding last season on a very poor Coventry team and would walk into the top unit on ANY team in this league.

However comparing Marquardt to Desbiens, Marquardt is by far the better player, however losing Desbiens mean they've had to sign Ramsay AND Marquardt (in my opinion).

Really interesting post, I agree with some but not all. Personally (and accepting that rosters are not all finished) I don't think the overall quality of the league is going to be any different to last year so the fact that Sheffield's roster doesn't look an upgrade shouldn't necessarily be seen as a problem. I think that we might be underestimating the loss of Desbiens though. Here was a player who turned up every night and there aren't many players in the league you can say that about.

I have never understood the love for Marquardt. There is no doubt he could be a top player but he went missing for large chunks of the season for the Blaze and although Thompson is likely to give him a harder time than he got at the Blaze, that puts a question mark by his character. Apart from the Scandinavian element, Thompson has a history of signing people from other EIHL clubs but a good percentage do not work out.

I am quite happy with our roster compared to other teams, I agree that Faryna looks to be an upgrade (although not on Asselin) and if at least one Hotham, Asselin and Batchy re-sign (along with any new players), I would back our roster over Sheffields.

 

[Gazza272]

Back to Sheffield, Brady Ramsay looks like a signing to protect the kids on the roster, nothing else.

W

I've got a theory on Ramsay.


Towards the end of last season Thompson started to employ his 'dark arts' and slashes increased, contact with the goalies increased and generally Sheffield got a bit nastier.

The playoff success I think has caused Thompson to have someone in Ramsay who can change the mood of a game, get teams upset at his willingness to leave a stick in on a goalie, throw a glove punch off the play etc.

If the Steelers had crashed out at the quarter final stages of the playoffs (as they would have done with wiikman in net) Ramsay would not be in that team in my opinion.

 

[jenks33]

I'm surprised by a few of these Steelers signings. To be honest Aarssen, Marquardt, Ramsay, Ronnberg doesn't fill me with trepidation. I'm also convinced that Thompson regrets giving Armstrong a two year contract. He had a good play offs but I thought he was generally disappointing throughout the season. What you would say though is they do have a good core group of players and they'll be there or thereabouts

 

[Wannabe2]

I am also not blown away by this Steelers squad, however they could possibly reach second place in the league, I think they will miss Desbiens myself, he was the one Steeler I could see in a red shirt. Still too early to talk about a few other teams yet with so many more signings to make. As for our team, well it's not going to be easy to upgrade on a team that came incredibly close to winning 4 trophies from 4 on offer, our team at the moment looks very very impressive to me, would dearly love to see Asselin, and Andrew Hotham back, that to me would really light the touch paper. Then the remaining signings would also be crucial, the wonderful thing about our club now is expecting, and not just hoping, that they will be class. Taking my total bias away, I still think we will be the team to beat, with everything this club now has to offer, from players security,and well being, to amazing owners, amazing management, lovely facility, and fans that are truly second to none, then this proud club will carry on upwards.
HAPPY HOCKEY DAYS

 

[Rempel16]

Anyone else think that Wacey Rabbit is at the Calgary Summit and will be interviewed live by Todd tomorrow?

Just me?

 

[JC23]

Anyone else think that Wacey Rabbit is at the Calgary Summit and will be interviewed live by Todd tomorrow?

Just me?

Now then...

There's a thought.

They did say Justin and Kelsey Faryna have been hanging out with everyone, maybe they're gonna have a sit down and chat with Rabbit.

You may well be right.

 

[BostonBart22]

Anyone else think that Wacey Rabbit is at the Calgary Summit and will be interviewed live by Todd tomorrow?

Just me?

..Andrew hotham and a enforcer/ player from nhl....

 

[djc7]

What about Zach Boychuck ?

He has just started following Cardiff Devils on Twitter as well as a few Devils fans !

 

[Devil94]

What about Zach Boychuck ?

He has just started following Cardiff Devils on Twitter as well as a few Devils fans !

I think you'll struggle to find someone he doesn't follow

 

[Ocko]

I like Desbiens but I think his loss is a bit overplayed.

He played on the 3rd line last year at Sheffield and had just 23 points in 52 games; that is a replaceable player.

Fitzgerald is more than tough enough to cover that side of the game too.

 

[zoesdevil]

Now then...

There's a thought.

They did say Justin and Kelsey Faryna have been hanging out with everyone, maybe they're gonna have a sit down and chat with Rabbit.

You may well be right.

He is there aswell.

 

[Wannabe2]

As has been said already, stats ain't everything, to me Desbiens could have walked into any team in this league. He was the only Steeler I would have taken in Cardiff, I think he inspired his team mates, there was a reason Steelers were gutted that he finished, Thommo would have taken him back in a heartbeat defo, certain players contribute in many ways, other than points, and Desbiens was certainly that role player. We all see things through different eyes. As for Fitzy I don't think he can handle that role alone at all, he had Salters, and was it Frank or someone to share the load in Braehead, and Desbiens in Sheffield, he now has a lightweight as a ally. Just my take on things.