2018/2019 will be best year yet

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BrianParker

Active Member
#1
Thread starter #1
We haven't been around that long, and I am talking about the league from when we first got involved. The quality of the league has improved dramatically. To compete, you need 4 lines, and a top goalie. You can see it in the improvement in the EIHL team performance when playing in the Champions League. It is also evident in the performance of team GB; they are playing against better competition on a weekly basis and this has been a factor in their performance in the World Championships.
Our rivals have been trying to fill the gap from last year and have added some good players. But...
The Devils have added some real quality players this year and will be fighting for every trophy again this year. I know the offseason has been long, as evidenced by distractions of starting times and PR. But soon the season will start, and the IAW will be rocking!
I cant wait to see the Red Army in Salzburg, and Bern.
LETS GO DEVILS!!!!
 
Slartibartfast

Slartibartfast

Well-Known Member
#2
#2
When I started watching in 1990 there were 3-4 imports and a few decent Brits and then a huge gap to the other Brits. Most teams played with just two lines. Most Brits had to work another job to get by.
Where the league is now off the scale in comparison. To get so many players coming to the league from the NHL, AHL and KHL is amazing.
Win or lose we are going to see a great standard of hockey this season.
 
Mike Ware's Office

Mike Ware's Office

Active Member
#3
#3
I think I speak for all Devil's fans when I say these are the best days this club of ours has ever experienced, since you guys have got involved everything is more professional and we know that every season the Devil's are now the team to beat, we set the bar and other try to follow.
Like you I look forward to the coming season and can't wait for the challenge ahead, roll on the new season.
 
Wannabe2

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
#4
#4
These are most certainly our finest hours, the standard of our league is now the closest it’s ever been to Superleague. Won’t be long now folks, when it all kicks off for us all, looking forward to meeting the Panthers with their big squad, and too see our new guys is always exciting. If we can improve on last years squad, then happy days for us all.
 
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OJLloyd

Well-Known Member
#5
#5
I’ll admit I was young when the Superleague was around, but I think the league now surpasses the Superleague quite easily, in terms of quality, particularly speed and skill.

There were some big names back then, but as a whole I think the quality now is the highest it’s ever been in UK ice hockey.
 
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Ocko

Well-Known Member
#6
#6
The EIHL is well ahead for me. Everyone loves nostalgia and looking back I think we hold the good old days in too high regard.

For example; in our final year in the ISL we had players like Rick Strachan and Dwight Parrish. They wouldn’t get anywhere near this seasons Devils teams.
That last ISL Devils team had no one anywhere near Joey Martin or Andrew Hotham. (Travis Brigley’s brief flirtation doesn’t count as he realised sharpish he was too good for this level)

The only position we were stronger was netminding, but that’s only because we had 2 legit starters. You could make a strong like for like argument for Matulik over Pope, Moria over Ulmer, Norris over Louis. But the reality is that the current crop have a greater overall pedigree and there’s only one or two strong arguments.
 
Slartibartfast

Slartibartfast

Well-Known Member
#7
#7
Ocko said:
The EIHL is well ahead for me. Everyone loves nostalgia and looking back I think we hold the good old days in too high regard.

For example; in our final year in the ISL we had players like Rick Strachan and Dwight Parrish. They wouldn’t get anywhere near this seasons Devils teams.
That last ISL Devils team had no one anywhere near Joey Martin or Andrew Hotham. (Travis Brigley’s brief flirtation doesn’t count as he realised sharpish he was too good for this level)

The only position we were stronger was netminding, but that’s only because we had 2 legit starters. You could make a strong like for like argument for Matulik over Pope, Moria over Ulmer, Norris over Louis. But the reality is that the current crop have a greater overall pedigree and there’s only one or two strong arguments.
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I agree. The Superleague was a big step up from what we had before but it is not the level we are now seeing.
 
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kingmo19.1

Well-Known Member
#8
#8
Completely agree with Brian’s observations - he is spot on. I do wonder though, how long can the league continue to improve. I guess there comes a point when upgrading year on year becomes unsustainable or crushingly expensive. Is this the year the league plateau’s ?
 
Kevlar68

Kevlar68

Well-Known Member
#9
#9
I think this season will be the closest yet. Its all good and well teams bringing in highly rated players or that of a big presence player but you also need a good tactician and motivational coach which we the Devils have in Lord.
 
Mazzoak

Mazzoak

Well-Known Member
#10
#10
I’m not so sure the league has improved that much overall. Cardiff has stepped up year on year since the new owners, but let’s face it, that wouldn’t take much. This year certainly looks better from a competitive level on paper, hopefully it plays out that way on the ice. Is it sustainable, off course, assuming each clubs owners are willing to continue putting the money and effort into running their clubs successfully. I’ll reserve judgement until the season ends, but it’s certainly looking likely that we’ve got a rollercoaster ride, buckle up.........
 
Wannabe2

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
#11
#11
There’s no way you can compare players from years ago to players of today, Pele, Best, Greaves, non of them would live with today’s players, 100mt sprinters from 18/19!yrs ago wouldn’t live with Bolt etc. It’s a totally unfair comparison. The standard of Superleague in those days, were easily as good if not slightly better than the Elite these days. No the players then wouldn’t compare to today’s players, no sport people do.
 
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Rabbitohs4

Active Member
#12
#12
I disagree I think matzka pelle and even John Cullen would compete these days.
Also Jeff Pearce was amazing and would do the job today.

I would love to see payette from his Coventry days in the league now.
He was an animal for them and smashed us around the ice rink a few times
 
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Ocko

Well-Known Member
#15
#15
Wannabe2 said:
There’s no way you can compare players from years ago to players of today, Pele, Best, Greaves, non of them would live with today’s players, 100mt sprinters from 18/19!yrs ago wouldn’t live with Bolt etc. It’s a totally unfair comparison. The standard of Superleague in those days, were easily as good if not slightly better than the Elite these days. No the players then wouldn’t compare to today’s players, no sport people do.
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I know you can’t compare a player’s ability of years ago to now, huge advances in kit, fitness etc.

But you can compare the pedigree of the type of player we used to recruit compared to now. And I would certainly put the type of player the Devils recruit now ahead of those in the ISL. Without a shadow of a doubt.
 
Wannabe2

Wannabe2

Well-Known Member
#16
#16
But we also could not offer players what we can offer today, wages, type of accommodation, security, education and a top league team. We have a reputation now, that’s second to none in the UK, we never had that under Bob Phillips etc, we certainly weren’t the team with the attractions we have today.
 
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Ocko

Well-Known Member
#19
#19
Rabbitohs4 said:
Well matulik Thornton Mike mac William and a few others will walk into most if not all of the eihl teams imo.
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Maybe. But consider the lines they played on and who we have now. It’s easy to say that first line player would get on any team but if you consider the line they played on it changes it.

Matulik over Pope - yeah I’d agree with that.

Thornton over Hedden - now I loved Thornton. But he failed in the DEL (that’s how he ended up here) and never did it in a top European league. Hedden has, consistently, done it at the top European level. Comparing the resumes Hedden has it by a mile.

MacWilliam - I just couldn’t see him getting a gig over here now. He could play, but the league has moved on and those players don’t get a look in anymore. Our third line, where he would likely end up, would you take a 10-15 point a season player over a 20 goal, point a game Justin Faryna?
 
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Rabbitohs4

Active Member
#20
#20
Just my opinion. I would take Mike mac William over faryna all day.

Hedden maybe better than Thornton but that remains to be seen as we haven't seen him play yet.
 
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