Are we venturing into dangerous territory ?

[kingmo19.2]

Remember the ISL anyone? - A fantastic period for hockey in the UK - teams loaded from top to bottom with real quality, the game played at real pace and intensity like we'd never seen before. Big players, big reputations and big bucks. Wow - it was good.

Great entertainment for the paying fans - not so great for British Players unless you were established and at the pinnacle of your game like Longstaffe, Hand, Chinn, Ian & Stephen Cooper. I can't recall that much fresh GB talent coming through during that era.

Inevitably, one dark day a few clubs tapped their calculators on the desk and realized that the digits being displayed had been multiplied by -1. Suffice to say it all came tumbling down resulting in the birth of the EIHL - with a sensible import limit.

Fast forward to today and I'm beginning to feel slightly fearful for Ice Hockey in the UK - Import levels rising / quality of imports rising and no doubt the wages are rising in-line. In a nutshell a pseudo Canadian/EU league.

So, that's great for Sheffield, Nottingham, Belfast, Braehead and maybe us - all pulling in a reasonable amount of spectators (and having some decent owners to sustain it). But I fear for the league in what may become and us and them scenario. No disrespect to Edinburgh but how can they compete in this environment? Some other teams will no doubt struggle too. I want to see a competitive league. Furthermore, what damage is this doing to GB and any promising youngsters today?

I hope this season runs smoothly without too many one sided games - and each club can sustain and survive in this environment!

So are we venturing into dangerous waters? Ice Hockey has had its fingers burnt in the UK before and I think our hands are getting a little too close to the fire at the moment.

I'd like to see the league reduce the import level by 2-3 next year - keep the quality but give the British kids a chance too.

Thoughts ?

 

[Finny]

In terms of league stability, the import level is largely irrelevant. The EPL has far less imports than us but is itself going through a period of instability.

High import limits should improve the competitiveness of a league too. If we dropped to say 10 imports then you still need 6 quality brits to play 3 line hockey. And they'd quickly be signed up by the big money teams. Teams like Edinburgh and Manchester would then either have to play 2 line hockey and line of local kids or pay over the odds for less than average brits.
Alternatively they can sign a couple of cheap European players or guys straight from college hockey who are cheaper than these brits but of a higher standard.

The problem with the ISL wasn't the import limit. If anything the lack of an import limit was what made the ISL the most competitive league we've ever had. Cardiff, Ayr, Manchester, Sheffield, Bracknell, Belfast all won the league in its short period of life.

The problem with the ISL was the money being spent on wages. When Manchester won the league they were rumoured to have spent around £1million! In it's latter years it was almost on par with the IHL/DEL.

But we didn't have the crowds, sponsorship or tv deals to sustain it.

Yes the EIHL import limit is rising, but the wages are nowhere near where the ISL was. Edinburgh still struggle to get big crowds and Dundee struggled last season too, but the rest of teams look very stable. MK on their way and I wouldn't be surprise to see a 12th before London.

Of course if you are talking about lack of chances for Brits then that's a separate argument. Though if teams do go to 4 lines that might actually give teams more of an option to give young brits a chance.

 

[Ibbz9]

I think it is in a very dangerous place. It would seem most teams have a higher wage bill this season and no doubt that overall spending on wages has increased over the last few years.
Whilst the Devils/Panthers/Clan/Steelers/Giants are able to do so, you have to fear for the other teams on two fronts; they either live beyond their means to compete and risk going bust, or they spend what they can afford and hope they do not become cannon fodder.
Either way, it is bad news for the league. The last thing the league needs is for 4/5 teams to be whipping boys. The league has been pretty competetive from top to bottom with all teams capable of winning games. Grantes Edinburgh usually fade from Christmas when their budget cuts happen, but if the spending keeps going up then it is likely the Elite will have more teams go the way of the Capitals.
A wage cap would help and stop the gap between the top and bottom teams from getting wider.
Without the Stars/Flyers/Capitals etc then there is no league.
Whilst the Devils roster and many others are very exciting this season, I hope it is not at the expense of 1 or 2 teams and the league is still close and exciting from top to bottom.

 

[MattHuskie]

I have some of these concerns too.
I'm not concerned about the current import limit, I think it is probably about right to be in balance with the amount of brits that can play at this level. It enables 4 line hockey delivers a great level of Hockey and doesn't seem to be a negatice impact on the national team (which I do care about), that damage is done elsewhere by not having a joined up development system.
Alarm bells did ring for me however with the signings of Rosehill and Bourdeleau. We now have enforcers who are dying out throughout hockey as the highest paI'd stars in the league and I am concerned that this could create an arms race sending the league in a diferent direction to most othe leagues and damaging it's reputation long term.
However, while there are lots of ways in which this league is imo dangerously leaning towards some of the old issues of the ISL it's not there yet, I feel it's better governed and I think there is a belief that import limits should not rise further.

If we can hold a good import balance, keep the physical side without turning back the clock and continue to raise standards across the league I think the future looks pretty good.

 

[Electro]

Maybe teams have a way to get better calculations on their calculators.


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[WD59]

The elite league has grown more naturally than the ISL, so it has that going for it. I'm not too concerned if it did fall mind as one way or another, we'll always have Ice Hockey. If we did see a new league, I'd preferably like to see the owners grow up and actually work with the IIHF and the EPIHL etc.