Ben Davies is off to Basingstoke

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Budgie

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#1
Thread starter #1
Just heard that Ben Davies plays his last home game in Cardiff tomorrow and is off to Basingstoke!

I think it's a great shame as he has given his heart and sole to the Devils and could have been treated a lot better!

Local talent like Ben should be encouraged and supported, Especialy as we have seen that the smaller players do make a masive difference to a team!
 
Chris

Chris

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#3
#3
If true, should/could/will be a good move i'd have thought?

3rd in the league behind Guildford and Manchester, only down the road and he should get more ice time hopefully.
Local talent like Ben should be encouraged and supported, Especialy as we have seen that the smaller players do make a masive difference to a team!
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That's not exactly a reason to keep a player here though, if it helps him get more ice time, or develop or whatever you want to call it then it's a good move.

Whilst not everyone will like having Voth on the 2nd line - and those were the conversations ongoing up in Coventry - Voth was always going to take that position back and the way Smith is playing on the 3rd line with Macrae and Michel, I don't think it would have been entirely likely they'd be rotating that position either.

Still, if this turns out not to be true, my post is null and void :)

Chris.
 
Merthyr Devil

Merthyr Devil

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#4
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While it might be a good move for him, its not really for us.

Finnerty and Voth have been free to fight when they want, and take misconducts when they shouldn't because we've had Ben ready to come straight in to the 2nd line. Also in some games, changing that 2nd line for a few shifts has changed the game slightly and then when Voth goes back to it, they have a sort of fresh start. Keeping a 10th forward keeps everyone on their toes, even Sam was benched a few weeks ago with Ben taking his shifts. Plus it also allows us not to be short benched if any of our forwards take stupid penalties.

Don't want him to go but if he does good luck to him.
 
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Budgie

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#5
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Very True, it's always difficult splitting up lines as a nice thing to do, even if the player is as talented as Ben!

Lets hope the move will strengthen Ben and he will return a better player, not that he is lacking at the moment, just needs to find the net a little more often!
 
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Hynod

New Member
#6
#6
What if bens as ice time will be limited as we are bringing in a new player? Hasn't ragan got an announcement to make on Monday.
 
TheStub

TheStub

Active Member
#7
#7
I can't help feeling it would have been a good move for him a few seasons ago. The EPL will give him good ice time and chances to really develop.

Yet another Brit casualty of the stupid import limits.
 
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ruthiec

New Member
#9
#9
Ben's been treated totally **** this season .... so if its a way of him getting ice time and moving up then he's got no option as far as i see .... if this is true the Devils are going to lose a key player thru their own pigheadidness


choose a more appropriate word in future please.
 
tim78

tim78

Well-Known Member
#10
#10
Where's all this key player talk come from! Key players are what teams are built around, it doesn't mean every player is one.

If true I think Ben as a difficuly choice (if not already made) move to get more ice time with another lower league team or finish the season with limited ice time with a team that has the strong potential to mop up.

More Ice Time or Part of a Championship Team, both are worthy experiences.

Just to add, why do you think the Dev's have been pigheaded?
 
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Gazza272

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#11
#11
ruthiec said:
Ben's been treated totally **** this season .... so if its a way of him getting ice time and moving up then he's got no option as far as i see .... if this is true the Devils are going to lose a key player thru their own pigheadidness


choose a more appropriate word in future please.
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I get that young players who come through the ranks get mothered but for me there is no room for sentiment.


Who realistically do you drop Ben for on the team?

Voth? totally different players and let's be honest Ben is never giong to be able to offer the physical protection Voth offeres Finnerty in exchange for Finnerty to be the wind up merchant he is.

Put Ben on the first line? I'ed be suprised if even Ben's family memebers thinks this is a good idea.

Put Ben on the third line? I would find it hard to justify swapping the chemistery that line has produced so far this year.


Ben was given full shifts whenever an import has gone down or been suspended and even got put on the finnerty line last sunday when Voth took his 10 minute misconduct and did not play again.

if Ben is to leave then good luck to him he has a lot of talent and hopefully he will rip the EPL apart. But I honestly cannot see what G could have done differently with him this season.
 
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Hockeyfan1

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#12
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Ben has been treated very badly by the management.

He was promised a lot of ice time, as i can remember reading an article in the Echo and they have gone back on their word.

At the end of the day when he began with the devils, he was just a kid. He has grown into a great young man, who always makes time for his fans and loves playing hockey. Instead of guiding him in his career he has been mislead and mistreated by the people who should be 'coaching' him!!

I am almost certain his loyalty lies with the Devils team yet he has been pushed until he doesnt have another option, he cant continue his career sitting on the bench waiting for an injury or something similar. He has earnt his place within the team and yet this season has been treated like...well i dont know what! Just very unfairly in my eyes!

If true, good luck with your move Ben and lets hope he has better role models in his next team!
 
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Gazza272

Well-Known Member
#13
#13
Hockeyfan1 said:
Ben has been treated very badly by the management.

He was promised a lot of ice time, as i can remember reading an article in the Echo and they have gone back on their word.

At the end of the day when he began with the devils, he was just a kid. He has grown into a great young man, who always makes time for his fans and loves playing hockey. Instead of guiding him in his career he has been mislead and mistreated by the people who should be 'coaching' him!!

I am almost certain his loyalty lies with the Devils team yet he has been pushed until he doesnt have another option, he cant continue his career sitting on the bench waiting for an injury or something similar. He has earnt his place within the team and yet this season has been treated like...well i dont know what! Just very unfairly in my eyes!

If true, good luck with your move Ben and lets hope he has better role models in his next team!
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Again though name me a spot where he could have been put? Everyone has been playing well and due to his experience more than anything Ben has just been unlucky to have been with such a talented squad. This doesnt diminish his achievements and his ability to play EIHL standard. It's just pro sports sometimes your going to be riding the pine due to circumstances beyond your own ability.


Had Sam Smith bombed on that third line then Ben would be sitting there comfortably. As it is Sam has turned out to have gelled very well with his line mates. Hopefully the same happens for Ben at Basingstoke and he can prove to G or other EIHL coaches that he can take the roster spot of someone else. At present I dont think he has done that at cardiff even wiht his lengthy stint on the second line due to Vothers injury.
 
Chris

Chris

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#14
#14
He was promised a lot of ice time, as i can remember reading an article in the Echo and they have gone back on their word.
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Didn't the echo always say Davies and Smith were signed to rotate on the 3rd line...

Gareth has already asked who could he possibly replace, the 3rd and 1st lines do not need changing, hell even the 2nd line doesn't, but Davies has been getting ice time on that line...

Chris.
 
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bluedevil

Member
#15
#15
Hockeyfan1 said:
Ben has been treated very badly by the management.

He was promised a lot of ice time, as i can remember reading an article in the Echo and they have gone back on their word.

At the end of the day when he began with the devils, he was just a kid. He has grown into a great young man, who always makes time for his fans and loves playing hockey. Instead of guiding him in his career he has been mislead and mistreated by the people who should be 'coaching' him!!

I am almost certain his loyalty lies with the Devils team yet he has been pushed until he doesnt have another option, he cant continue his career sitting on the bench waiting for an injury or something similar. He has earnt his place within the team and yet this season has been treated like...well i dont know what! Just very unfairly in my eyes!

If true, good luck with your move Ben and lets hope he has better role models in his next team!
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I believe the quote was that Ben and Sam would be battling for/sharing the third line spot. Sam has proved a brilliant fit for it though and has rightly made it his own.

I really rate Ben, but I can't see where he could be played that wouldn't run the risk of upsetting the balance of the team....and as of yet nobody critisising the club has put a suggestion forward!
 
steve

steve

Active Member
#16
#16
Hockeyfan1 said:
Ben has been treated very badly by the management.

He was promised a lot of ice time, as i can remember reading an article in the Echo and they have gone back on their word.

At the end of the day when he began with the devils, he was just a kid. He has grown into a great young man, who always makes time for his fans and loves playing hockey. Instead of guiding him in his career he has been mislead and mistreated by the people who should be 'coaching' him!!

I am almost certain his loyalty lies with the Devils team yet he has been pushed until he doesnt have another option, he cant continue his career sitting on the bench waiting for an injury or something similar. He has earnt his place within the team and yet this season has been treated like...well i dont know what! Just very unfairly in my eyes!

If true, good luck with your move Ben and lets hope he has better role models in his next team!
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With respect to Ben, he has had a number of years to develop and although young, eventually points have to be scored. Sam has proven a much better fit with this team and has earnt the right to regular ice ahead of Ben. I don't see anything unfair about it.
 
Finny

Finny

Well-Known Member
#17
#17
Chris said:
Didn't the echo always say Davies and Smith were signed to rotate on the 3rd line...
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That's what I remember too. I guess some people tend to remember what they want to remember.

No one can deny that whilst Ben had played very well at times this season, Sam Smith has been a revelation on that 3rd line alongside Tylor and MacRae and has taken presedence over Ben for most of the season so far.
But in a recent game, they were back to both rotating (Coventry?) and of course Ben has been used when we pick up a misconduct penalty.

One of the reasons we have done so well so far this season is because we have had strength in depth thanks to Ben being able to play in a variety of positions. Ben's decision to get more ice time elsewhere would leave us in a spot of bother.

I also hope for Ben's sake it doesn't affect his reputation in future seasons. Some coaches might be reluctant to sign him up as an EIHL 3rd liner in case he decides to leave mid-season again for the greener grass.

Only time will tell I guess. It will be interesting to see if this is a permanent move or whether it is effectively a loan and we can call him back if we get a player injured or suspended.
 
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