Ben Davies is off to Basingstoke
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I can generally see that a player leaving mid-season would maybe be cause for concern for a coach, but surely the fact that Ben has dedicated his whole career to the devils so far has proved that he doesnt just leave for the 'greener grass'!
He has returned year after year and dedicated lots of time off ice to the team aswell (much more than some players) and all this has seemed to go un-noticed!
That's good and everything, but that really doesn't change anything on the ice...
Who are you proposing we bench to let Davies play and/or get more ice time?
If we were to start giving more ice time to the players who do more off the ice than they do on the ice, we'd be well and truly up the creek without a paddle and I doubt any club in this league or the EPL work on that basis...
Chris.
Who are you proposing we bench to let Davies play and/or get more ice time?
If we were to start giving more ice time to the players who do more off the ice than they do on the ice, we'd be well and truly up the creek without a paddle and I doubt any club in this league or the EPL work on that basis...
Chris.
Technically he has played for Swindon in the past, and at 19 his "whole career" isn't much compared to the future career he will hopefully have. I'm not trying to belittle what he has done, but I don't think he has been as hard done by as some are making out.
I do feel though that he is letting the club down by leaving now when most of us feel hasn't had that much less icetime than we were expecting. I do hope he doesn't regret it in the longterm and I think he is lucky that he will still be training with the Devils part of the week, perhaps G appreciates what he has been doing and the future he could still have with the club.
I do feel though that he is letting the club down by leaving now when most of us feel hasn't had that much less icetime than we were expecting. I do hope he doesn't regret it in the longterm and I think he is lucky that he will still be training with the Devils part of the week, perhaps G appreciates what he has been doing and the future he could still have with the club.
Ben is a good player, but Sam has earned his 3rd line spot - a spot they both were signed to compete for.
Don't blame G for fielding the strongest line (with Cardiff Brit) at the expense of a youngster who has stuck by the team. IMHO Ben should have sought a lower league team that could offer him the ice time a few seasons ago, then he may have been the player we hope he will be.
The ENL to EIHL is too big a jump, and not one that can easily be made with the limited British places with the current import levels. If we want players like Ben to get regular ice time we either need 4 line hockey or reduced import numbers.
Blame the league for reducing the opportunity for British players rather than the teams for fielding competitive lines.
Don't blame G for fielding the strongest line (with Cardiff Brit) at the expense of a youngster who has stuck by the team. IMHO Ben should have sought a lower league team that could offer him the ice time a few seasons ago, then he may have been the player we hope he will be.
The ENL to EIHL is too big a jump, and not one that can easily be made with the limited British places with the current import levels. If we want players like Ben to get regular ice time we either need 4 line hockey or reduced import numbers.
Blame the league for reducing the opportunity for British players rather than the teams for fielding competitive lines.
Nope, they grow in a decent system that let's them progress from the lowest level to the top level. At the moment EIHL slots for Brits are limited and the chances slim. Ideally we would see decent numbers of slots at all levels and see the progression from ENL to EPL and then EIHL.
It would be nice to see the lower budget teams like Vipers and Caps giving young Brits a chance to get decent ice time in place of imports.
It would be nice to see the lower budget teams like Vipers and Caps giving young Brits a chance to get decent ice time in place of imports.
Double post... but thinking outloud...
As we don't have relegation and promotion in our leagues, but rather protect the quality at each level, it would be nice to see more of a farm team like system. Players getting called up and sent down as required.
Not sure how money would work, but it would be beneficial in both directions. Young players can get experience for stretches at a higher level without having to choose between them. That would allow players to be brought on with an actual mind to their development, whilst veteran players moved on without the experience and knowledge they accrued being lost.
Unfortunately I can't see many owners liking it too much from a business sense, especially the EPL teams who may see players shifting in and out of their lineups.
As we don't have relegation and promotion in our leagues, but rather protect the quality at each level, it would be nice to see more of a farm team like system. Players getting called up and sent down as required.
Not sure how money would work, but it would be beneficial in both directions. Young players can get experience for stretches at a higher level without having to choose between them. That would allow players to be brought on with an actual mind to their development, whilst veteran players moved on without the experience and knowledge they accrued being lost.
Unfortunately I can't see many owners liking it too much from a business sense, especially the EPL teams who may see players shifting in and out of their lineups.
I think this is a great move for Ben. He should have done this one, if not two, seasons ago.
Ben developed the confidence and skill from playing with the likes of Elich but hasn't really had a good enough opportunity ie ice time to really build on that experience. He has potential, it needs to be channelled. He still makes mistakes due to inexperience, which can only be resolved by having more ice time.
Sam and Ben were told they had to play to deserve the 3rd line spot. Sam has come along and absolutely diminished Ben with his skills - developed through having lots of ice time in a competitive team. To say they are of a similar age, Sam is a much better player and plays with real hockey sense and foresight - things that only improve with experience and ice time.
Two years at a lower level and Ben will be a sought after Brit, no doubt. But at the moment, he needs to take that step back to achieve the bigger leap forward.
Ben developed the confidence and skill from playing with the likes of Elich but hasn't really had a good enough opportunity ie ice time to really build on that experience. He has potential, it needs to be channelled. He still makes mistakes due to inexperience, which can only be resolved by having more ice time.
Sam and Ben were told they had to play to deserve the 3rd line spot. Sam has come along and absolutely diminished Ben with his skills - developed through having lots of ice time in a competitive team. To say they are of a similar age, Sam is a much better player and plays with real hockey sense and foresight - things that only improve with experience and ice time.
Two years at a lower level and Ben will be a sought after Brit, no doubt. But at the moment, he needs to take that step back to achieve the bigger leap forward.
Who's to say Ben will improve at EPL level! To me surely training and competing for a spot in an Elite level would bring you on far more than more ice time at EPL team.
Ben's a good player and has confindence already, to drop down a league doesn't make much sense to me. In honesty I think he could sign for another Elite league team which would make more sense... Not to start any rumours but surely the Blaze could do with extra bodies and it's only a short drive...
Ben's a good player and has confindence already, to drop down a league doesn't make much sense to me. In honesty I think he could sign for another Elite league team which would make more sense... Not to start any rumours but surely the Blaze could do with extra bodies and it's only a short drive...
He's already been given the opportunity to compete for a regular slot and he has been beaten to it consistently by Sam.
Myers is a good goalie, but he can only improve by facing pucks, so he went down to a lower league to get the ice time.
Same with Ben - if he goes down he's gonna be getting as much ice time as the likes of Weller and Tylor are getting now, because he's gonna be top choice. Lots of ice time = lots of experience = personal development and improvement.
Myers is a good goalie, but he can only improve by facing pucks, so he went down to a lower league to get the ice time.
Same with Ben - if he goes down he's gonna be getting as much ice time as the likes of Weller and Tylor are getting now, because he's gonna be top choice. Lots of ice time = lots of experience = personal development and improvement.
I imagine there's only so much you can gain from training with an Elite League team. Without the ice time to apply it you'll often see a young player like Ben peak and never really develop into the player he potentially could be. Regular ice time and, I imagine, being a top 2 line player in the EPL will do him the world of good, and he'll improve as a player much quicker that way rather than competing for a 3rd line spot here in Cardiff.
The fact remains this won't be the last we see of him in the Elite League, he'll be a real offensive threat in the years to come, and hopefully it'll be Cardiff that gets his signature when that day arrives!
The fact remains this won't be the last we see of him in the Elite League, he'll be a real offensive threat in the years to come, and hopefully it'll be Cardiff that gets his signature when that day arrives!
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