5th place ?

[kingmo19.1]

Just looking at the run-ins …..

We are currently 5 pts ahead of Blaze. Our next 2 games are away to Belfast which unfortunately I can’t really see us amassing any points.

Blaze next 2 games are against Dundee. Can see them winning both.

Could they catch us? Their run in looks a bit easier than ours:-

Devils:
Giants v Devils
Giants v Devils
Devils v Fife
Steelers v Devils
Blaze v Devils
Devils v Steelers

Blaze:
Blaze v Stars
Stars v Blaze
Blaze v Flames
Storm v Blaze
Blaze v Panthers
Blaze v Devils

 

[Swarley]

I'd be surprised if we finished any higher than 5th tbh

 

[E.D.S.]

5th was my guess at the start of the season

 

[august04 2.0]

It doesn’t really matter does it? 4th or 5th is not good enough either way, it’s just not where we want to be at the end of the season. And if we finish 5th, we still play Coventry if they’re in 4th, in the play offs. Sadly, 4th or 5th feels about right and we're closely matched with Blaze so not at all surprising. It can’t be denied by anyone, it’s been a disappointing league/CC campaign.

 

[E.D.S.]

I wonder what the expectations were at the start of the season. Surely the owners sat with Dupont and set out minimum expectations and what 'good' looked like? I wonder how he's doing against that.

 

[Ejercito Rojas]

Blaze will no doubt be going “balls out” to finish above us. There is a long standing rivalry and we have definitely had the better of them in the new era.
However, the Blaze smell blood and they are a tough, hardworking and skilled team with a no frills no nonsense coach and they play the game in the right way.
By comparison with only a couple of weeks remaining of our season I’m still not sure what the Devils identity is!

 

[kettdevil1]

Hmmm not sure I am that pessimistic. Giants will of course be tough but our record at home to Fife and away to Sheffield is very good and then it will be the last weekend of the season which is always a bit of a lottery. Blaze are a decent team, on a god run, but they will slip up a few times in the run-in. I am more interested in Guildford and where they will finish

 

[Swarley]

Hmmm not sure I am that pessimistic. Giants will of course be tough but our record at home to Fife and away to Sheffield is very good and then it will be the last weekend of the season which is always a bit of a lottery. Blaze are a decent team, on a god run, but they will slip up a few times in the run-in. I am more interested in Guildford and where they will finish

Doesn't really matter where flames finish now if they were hoping to go the CHL route but I'd still like them to knock Belfast off the top and take the league title this season, but something tells me they're gearing up for a playoff win.

 

[ASHIPP]

No one remembers who comes 2nd, 3rd ,4th etc in the league. Mathematically are the Devils still in with a chance anyway?

No, the importance of the positioning now is all about who they are drawn against for the post-season Playoffs. Our season this year has been completely unpredictable and inconsistent. Who cares who we are drawn against anyway, there is a strong chance we don't make it to POW.

Hope the Owners and TK see that simply 'tweaking'
the roster may not be enough to compete with consistency next season.

 

[kettdevil1]

Doesn't really matter where flames finish now if they were hoping to go the CHL route but I'd still like them to knock Belfast off the top and take the league title this season, but something tells me they're gearing up for a playoff win.

Maybe, although seeing them the other day they looked a beaten team - they roll 3 lines so I wonder if they have hit the wall

 

[Hedd Wyn John]

I was hoping for a top 3 finish but we could be destined for 4th at this rate. If the Blazs did overtake us that would be end of DuPont I'd say.

 

[kingmo19.1]

I was hoping for a top 3 finish but we could be destined for 4th at this rate. If the Blazs did overtake us that would be end of DuPont I'd say.

Thinking, the easiest thing for people to save face somewhat, would be to bring in an experienced coach, say goodbye to Horn then DuPont works with the new experienced coach as ‘assistant’!

Relatively easy to spin that yarn to the fanbase saying the league is more competitive etc etc than when Lordo took over!

Would seem to suit all agendas.

Only time will tell …..

 

[Hodor]

Fair play to Blaze, not long ago they looked almost 'stuck' in 5th place. They've had a really good run of results lately.

 

[Swarley]

I was hoping for a top 3 finish but we could be destined for 4th at this rate. If the Blazs did overtake us that would be end of DuPont I'd say.

Won't happen the owners are fully invested in Dupont having a plan B which is worrying seeing as his plan A hasn't exactly been the pedigree of previous years.

They won't be changing coaches and I have this feeling horn will be kept on as well, next season will be another rough one for the club until things either fall into place or fall apart so badly the owners get shot and bring in someone else.

 

[moggy#9]

I would be less concerned if the coaching staff appeared to learn from mistakes rather than making the same ones over and over. Frankly we'd have been better off with skalde who at least had some systems.

 

[RossDaws]

I would be less concerned if the coaching staff appeared to learn from mistakes rather than making the same ones over and over. Frankly we'd have been better off with skalde who at least had some systems.

Players lost faith in Skalde. Rumours at the time suggested he wasn't as committed as people thought he would be.

No matter how good of a coach someone is, if the players don't buy-in, it's over.

Curious as to what the situation in the dressing room is this year, though.

 

[Kevin roog]

How much are the players buying in this year, one power play goal in 22,shorthanded goals , goalies getting run, lack of fight etc

 

[moggy#9]

Players lost faith in Skalde. Rumours at the time suggested he wasn't as committed as people thought he would be.

No matter how good of a coach someone is, if the players don't buy-in, it's over.

Curious as to what the situation in the dressing room is this year, though.

In retrospect, I'd say that the problem is some of the players. Having a coach they like, but who seems clueless, doesn't seem any better.

 

[RossDaws]

In retrospect, I'd say that the problem is some of the players. Having a coach they like, but who seems clueless, doesn't seem any better.

I'd say it's a bit of both in this year's case. Powerplay structure may not be the best currently, but it's not the coach's fault when players misplace passes or miss defensive assignments.

 

[moggy#9]

I'd say it's a bit of both in this year's case. Powerplay structure may not be the best currently, but it's not the coach's fault when players misplace passes or miss defensive assignments.

I disagree. If players can't string passes together then they should either be drilled on that until they can, the coach finds a system that the players can execute, or the team finds players who can execute basic skills. Same thing with defensive assignments. Both defence and forwards should know the system and stick to it. Yes, mistakes will be made, but this seems more systematic.