Some players may have under performed this season compared to previous season but does that mean replace them? We only lost league on a stat.
Replacing a player with someone new doesn't always mean better results (panthers, steelers) look at how most thought panthers would be a dominant force at beginning of this season due to new signings.
The new player may not adjust to UK hockey, may not adjust to new teams training regime, may not settle in new city.
I'd prefer a settled team who have bonded to go a second season.
I completely agree Kev,
a well jelled team really does hit the ground running & history tells us that.
A couple of things i would add just to play devils advocate (sorry...)
A) were we that jelled this year? Now of course, we finished joint top on points; but we were a little bit streaky i thought, although in terms of jelling - we really did hit the ground running (and were compared to an NHL team & calls of it becoming processional were made... remember those days!) But we did unravel a little particularly around November time and toward the end of the season; obviously we finished 22 points clear of the team behind us so please don't read too much into the use of my word "unraveled" there, it is on a biblically small scale compared to almost every other team.
B) The new 'regime' has a simple goal - to win. Which is fantastic to know of course, but this year - we didn't.
I don't agree with clearing ship, (obviously!!!) but there are a couple of things that will undoubtedly be tinkered with, as there are every year, and i suspect retirements may factor in to the 'who comes back' debate, and ultimately... Not winning = improvement needed.
Just to finish off - we were a VERY similar team last year compared to this year, stats back that up:
in 17/18 we played
56 games:
scored 234 goals (4.17 average per game)
Conceded 149 (2.66 average per game)
lost 15 games (3 in OT) (73.21% games won)
had 85 points (1.52 Points per game)
in 18/19 we played
60 games
scored 235 goals (3.91 average)
Conceded 146 (2.43 average)
lost 17 games (6 in OT!!!!!) (71.66% games won)
had 92 points (1.53 average)
As horrible as it is, 6 OT losses (5th most in the league) came back to bite us, because in regulation at least, we lost LESS games despite playing more!!!