Belfast in CHL

Earnie

Well-Known Member
#4
Oops , meant to be with the above
I think they did say they would not take up CHL. Looks like they have changed their mind.
 

Finny

Well-Known Member
#6
I think that they said that the cost of participating were equivalent to having someone like Dwyer on the roster.
Which was nonsense considering they've run with several spare imports for the majority of the season.

Ultimately the reaction they got from the majority of fans was not good and so it seems their owners have seen sense.
 

Finny

Well-Known Member
#7
Interesting that the CHL appear to have changed their position on the extra spot. I might well be reading to much into this, but I think it shows how higly thought of we are in the CHL and how impressed they are with the way the club is run.

When the Panthers won the Conti Cup the CHL didn't guarantee the extra spot until later in the season. This year they've already done so.
And initially they said if Belfast qualified and won the league the spot would go to the Playoff winners. Now they have confirmed it will go to the League Runners-up - which to me is a far fairer decision. And I think the same way that the Clan previously qualified?

At previous CHL games we've had the chance to chat to a couple of the CHL officials. They've been nothing but complimentary about the club and how it embraces the CHL. After all the got Lordo to help with the draw last summer!

When the CHL was launched it looked unlikely that the EIHL would get any representatives. Now we'll have two teams in it again. No doubt the wins from Sheffield, Clan and especially Nottinghams's group win have helped raise the profile of the EIHL amongst Europe's elite - but I think the professionalism of how our club is now run has helped a lot too.
 

Gazza272

Well-Known Member
#8
Interesting that the CHL appear to have changed their position on the extra spot. I might well be reading to much into this, but I think it shows how higly thought of we are in the CHL and how impressed they are with the way the club is run.

When the Panthers won the Conti Cup the CHL didn't guarantee the extra spot until later in the season. This year they've already done so.
And initially they said if Belfast qualified and won the league the spot would go to the Playoff winners. Now they have confirmed it will go to the League Runners-up - which to me is a far fairer decision. And I think the same way that the Clan previously qualified?

At previous CHL games we've had the chance to chat to a couple of the CHL officials. They've been nothing but complimentary about the club and how it embraces the CHL. After all the got Lordo to help with the draw last summer!

When the CHL was launched it looked unlikely that the EIHL would get any representatives. Now we'll have two teams in it again. No doubt the wins from Sheffield, Clan and especially Nottinghams's group win have helped raise the profile of the EIHL amongst Europe's elite - but I think the professionalism of how our club is now run has helped a lot too.
I certainly think the way in which EIHL clubs have embraced the CHL has done us wonders when this desicion was made.

When i worked over in Vienna for the CHL group games back in September, a lot was being discussed about the UK's social media interaction and viewing figures for streams from the UK not involving the Devils. It seems the CHL see us as good ambassadors for the competition.

We travel well, we big up the competition on social media, we go to all the draws and engage.

Belfast have an excellent track record of hosting events, so their inclusion will only strengthen our reputation in my opinion. Good news all around.
 

James

Administrator
#9
Thats how I read it Finny. Baring major mishaps we'll be the second team. Clan could still win all their games till the end of the season and we could lose 5 (I think) and still be in the top 2. Clan have 3 games vs Belfast too which hopefully would further spread the points.
 

davew

Active Member
#10
The paragraph about "the island of ireland" could be seen as a reference to "brexit" after all NI will have access to EU countries even if the rest of us don't thanks to the good friday agreement.

Either way it is definitely good for UK hockey to have 2 teams in the competition - as long as we don't have to face them at some stage in the competition (except the final of course!).
 

terry hunt

Well-Known Member
#11
This could be a political decision by the owners.
I suspect the previous comments were made by the hockey people.
Depending how cynical you are the comments re Dwyer could be Thornton and Keefe setting out the players they would need to compete in the CHL meaning a bigger budget .
I think whatever the reasons this is great for the EIHL to counter the current MK rumours
 
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