Ben Davies is off to Basingstoke

[ASHIPP]

Why then did i see Ben down the rink on Saturday night apparently fit and healthy?? I heard he had been turned away from the dressing room. Isnt it ironic in the game he doesnt bench for, he was going to have 'plenty' of ice time!!??

I would have thought it was obvious why he was turned away from the dressing room.

Yes- and if this is to be believed, there would be only one very good reason for doing that i.e. to limit unsettling the good spirits of a team playing very well together right now, a team that Ben appears to have chosen to leave.
Whatever the truth about Ben's decision, it can't be denied that the situation has been an unwelcome distraction and the timing of it is not ideal.

 

[Clare]

I'd have a bit more respect for Ben if he left at the end of the season,he chose to sign for the Devils this year and he should honour that.

I'm not being funny, and I dont really agree or disagree with this statement, but bearing in mind how the Devils *APPEAR* to have treated the likes of Romfo, Miller etc in the past regarding contracts and notice periods and general screwing them over, I can understand if Bens state of mind is "naughty word beginning with F, them"

 

[DevilDom]

I'm not being funny, and I dont really agree or disagree with this statement, but bearing in mind how the Devils *APPEAR* to have treated the likes of Romfo, Miller etc in the past regarding contracts and notice periods and general screwing them over, I can understand if Bens state of mind is "naughty word beginning with F, them"

Not really the thread to discuss this, but I'm pretty sure that Miller and Romfo were treated in accordance with their contracts; albeit they have the perception they were treated poorly.

 

[James]

Now confirmed at Basingstoke
http://www.bstokebison.co.uk/page/Individual_News/841

 

[Chris]

Oh well, hopefully for the Bison he won't jump ship on them half way through what's left of the season...

Hopefully we'll go on and win both games across this weekend.

Chris.

 

[osh]

Oh well, hopefully for the Bison he won't jump ship on them half way through what's left of the season...

Hopefully we'll go on and win both games across this weekend.

Chris.

Sarcasm at it best there Chris. Had he been with us this weekend he would more than likely have dressed for the Panthers game, got no ice time ( apart from doing time for someone in the bin) and maybe would have got about 3 or 4 shifts against Dundee on Sunday, then no ice time against the Steelers on Wednesday. The kid wants to play hockey, lets wish him well, he'll be back next season I'm sure. It could have been handled much better by both parties it has to be said. And, yes hopefully we'll go on to win both games this weekend.

 

[Wannabe2]

Great shame about Ben, think he is a good player, never ever let us down when he was on the ice, myself i think its a bad decision by him, he will get more ice time, but that will be with inferior players no dis-repect there, but thats fact. He will be a member of a average lower league team, as opposed to being a member of probably the best team in the Elite league, and a Local lad to boot. I really do understand that when you are a young lad, nothing compares to playing, but some times it takes time to serve your apprentiship, how do you compare training with your Wellers, Pelle,s and Matzkas these are the sort of players you need to be around to get the best out of you. So sorry Ben but i think you just might regret this move mate, and thats said with a very heavy heart.

 

[ASHIPP]

Great shame about Ben, think he is a good player, never ever let us down when he was on the ice, myself i think its a bad decision by him, he will get more ice time, but that will be with inferior players no dis-repect there, but thats fact. He will be a member of a average lower league team, as opposed to being a member of probably the best team in the Elite league, and a Local lad to boot. I really do understand that when you are a young lad, nothing compares to playing, but some times it takes time to serve your apprentiship, how do you compare training with your Wellers, Pelle,s and Matzkas these are the sort of players you need to be around to get the best out of you. So sorry Ben but i think you just might regret this move mate, and thats said with a very heavy heart.

Spot on, Wannabe. Ben will get the ice time he desperately wants at Bison, and hopefully he will return to the Devils next season having benefitted from that. However, his decision to forfeit a lifetime opportunity to learn from and test himself against really calibre/experienced players like Weller, Matzka, K Smith and continue to contribute to a fantastic team this year is bizarre, IMHO. :?

 

[Kipper]

I am really sad that Ben has decided to leave.I love him and his parents to bits.They are all great people.I do hope that this decision doesn't come back to haunt them.There is only about 3 months left of the EPL season and to leave a potential championship winning team at this time is in my opinion the wrong move both in the short and long term.

Ben has made very positive contributions to the team this year whenever he has played.All young players always want more ice time (and my son is no different at his level) and they can be very impatient. However,they are still learning their trade at this age and the key is to develop their strengths and improve any shortcomings during practise and when they ice in games. The bottom line is that the coach (and this applies in any sport) will do whatever is best to make the team a success.It cannot be argued that this current team is very successful at this stage of the season and therefore the coach will use his resources as he sees fit in order to achieve the ultimate goal for the club.The old adage is very true-no one player is bigger than the team as G has shown when benching Vother in favour of Ben when the need has arisen.

Unfortunately for Ben it appears that he has during this season become the 10th forward due to the form of other players and certainly not any lack of form or effort on his part.Ben has proved a valuable member of the team filling this role and I know that this has been recognised and appreciated by his team mates and coaches.In sport there are sometimes casualties in terms of personal expectation at the expense of the good of the team.It appears that this is the situation in which Ben has found himself with regard to his expectation of ice time. Professional sport is a brutal and unforgiving business.

It would have been good counsel for Ben to have stayed with the Devils this season as a potential champoinship on a CV is never a bad thing for a professional sportsman and would have increased his personal profile and future bargaining value.Further,there is every chance that the EIHL will have to reduce import numbers next year in line with Government immigration plans.Ben would no doubt have seen a massive increase in his ice time next season, especially as he would have continued to improve as a player and mature as a person through the rest of this season had he remained with the Devils.

I sincerely hope that this decision to leave the team during a record successful run, midway through the season, will not have burned his bridges for the future at Cardiff with his team mates and coaches.

Ben you have been a credit to the Cardiff Devils at all levels from the Elite League,through the ENL and age group teams.It has been a pleasure to witness your development over the last 5 or 6 years and I wish you the very best of success in Basingstoke.Hopefully we will see you back in a Devils shirt sooner rather than later.

 

[ruthiec]

Oh well, hopefully for the Bison he won't jump ship on them half way through what's left of the season...

Hopefully we'll go on and win both games across this weekend.

Chris.

Sarcasm at it best there Chris. Had he been with us this weekend he would more than likely have dressed for the Panthers game, got no ice time ( apart from doing time for someone in the bin) and maybe would have got about 3 or 4 shifts against Dundee on Sunday, then no ice time against the Steelers on Wednesday. The kid wants to play hockey, lets wish him well, he'll be back next season I'm sure. It could have been handled much better by both parties it has to be said. And, yes hopefully we'll go on to win both games this weekend.

well said

 

[Gazza272]

Oh well, hopefully for the Bison he won't jump ship on them half way through what's left of the season...

Hopefully we'll go on and win both games across this weekend.

Chris.

Sarcasm at it best there Chris. Had he been with us this weekend he would more than likely have dressed for the Panthers game, got no ice time ( apart from doing time for someone in the bin) and maybe would have got about 3 or 4 shifts against Dundee on Sunday, then no ice time against the Steelers on Wednesday. The kid wants to play hockey, lets wish him well, he'll be back next season I'm sure. It could have been handled much better by both parties it has to be said. And, yes hopefully we'll go on to win both games this weekend.

I really hope you dont moan if we get 2 injuries in the next two weeks and we havent got any replacements.....

 

[osh]

Gazza272; Believe me I won't moan. I may offer constructive criticism but I won't moan. I would regret us getting any injuries for sure, but I stick by what I feel the lad has decided. I think we may be forgetting that should we have any injuries, we have other 2 way players who can step in ( I hope thats correct) Why don't we just accept the decision he's made and let him get on with it eh ? This decision by a young player to get more ice time has caused more barbed comments than when our so called seasoned pro Sawyer left us in the mire earlier in the season, give the kid a break I say!

 

[Gazza272]

Gazza272; Believe me I won't moan. I may offer constructive criticism but I won't moan. I would regret us getting any injuries for sure, but I stick by what I feel the lad has decided. I think we may be forgetting that should we have any injuries, we have other 2 way players who can step in ( I hope thats correct) Why don't we just accept the decision he's made and let him get on with it eh ? This decision by a young player to get more ice time has caused more barbed comments than when our so called seasoned pro Sawyer left us in the mire earlier in the season, give the kid a break I say!

We dont have anyone on a two way who is of the standard of davies. And as we know we cannot now sign anyone on a 2 way due to the 30 day registration window.

As i say your happy for Davies to leave, I just hope you dont have any constructive criticism should we not be able to get anyone in should we get injuries as you have in the past.

 

[Sheincar]

Why do we assume Ben would try to come back next season?

Why do we assume G would entertain the idea of Ben coming back next season?
Wouldn't we exposing ourselves to the possibility that Ben would do the same thing next season?

 

[TheStub]

Re: Re: Ben Davies is off to Basingstoke

Why do we assume Ben would try to come back next season?

Why do we assume G would entertain the idea of Ben coming back next season?
Wouldn't we exposing ourselves to the possibility that Ben would do the same thing next season?

I thought the same. He has stamped his card. It would be nice to see quality coming back but this may be the last we see of Davies.

Mind you, we will have the opportunity to scour for talent to make up Brits for next season. After all, Sam Smith apparently came from nothing.

 

[osh]

Gazza272; Believe me I won't moan. I may offer constructive criticism but I won't moan. I would regret us getting any injuries for sure, but I stick by what I feel the lad has decided. I think we may be forgetting that should we have any injuries, we have other 2 way players who can step in ( I hope thats correct) Why don't we just accept the decision he's made and let him get on with it eh ? This decision by a young player to get more ice time has caused more barbed comments than when our so called seasoned pro Sawyer left us in the mire earlier in the season, give the kid a break I say!

We dont have anyone on a two way who is of the standard of davies. And as we know we cannot now sign anyone on a 2 way due to the 30 day registration window.

As i say your happy for Davies to leave, I just hope you dont have any constructive criticism should we not be able to get anyone in should we get injuries as you have in the past.

Gazza272. You really shouldn't misquote me, I have not said I am happy for Ben to leave - far from it - I have stated that I hope we have other players on 2 way deals. Perhaps they may not be of the calibre of Ben, but then again, would that be critical as they wouldn't be getting too much ice time anyway and would be warming the bench pretty much the same as Ben has been doing in revent times.
Would you agree that this has caused more anger than Sawyer leaving or not, you failed to respond to this part of my post.

 

[Chris]

I'd say the circumstances are slightly different, but different enough to warrant the posts that have been made so far.

Sawyer left us when we still had an opportunity to bring in a replacement, it was also mentioned that the club at least had some part to play in the choice he made.

Davies has left us when we cannot bring in a replacement of a similar/better standard, he's also left midseason when we're on a massive run of form, that he has been involved in as well. I guess that may relate to the mentions of the team being miffed/upset at this situation.

Sure we could probably bring up a player from the ENL side, but it's unlikely they're just going to slot right in and play as well as Davies has/would have done.

The move may be all well and good for Davies, but from a team point of view it's no help what so ever.

Chris.

 

[Finny]

"other two way deals" osh?

Davies wasn't on a two way deal. And still isn't on a two way deal.
We have some ENL guys who train with the EIHL team occasionally but I don't think they are technically two-way deals as they aren't ready for the EIHL yet.

The only player I can think of that we have on a two-way deal is Martin Clarkson.

Of course, if we do get a player injured you would be able to complain about the club's shortedness and this time you wouldn't be proved incredibly wrong like you were last time when you had a right go at the club for not replacing Voth when he was injured.

 

[osh]

"other two way deals" osh?

Davies wasn't on a two way deal. And still isn't on a two way deal.
We have some ENL guys who train with the EIHL team occasionally but I don't think they are technically two-way deals as they aren't ready for the EIHL yet.

The only player I can think of that we have on a two-way deal is Martin Clarkson.

Of course, if we do get a player injured you would be able to complain about the club's shortedness and this time you wouldn't be proved incredibly wrong like you were last time when you had a right go at the club for not replacing Voth when he was injured.

Finny; ''other 2 way deals'' osh ? I haven't said that he was on a 2 way deal ( although when this was first mooted I certainly hoped that it would be the case) So like Gazza 272 please don't misquote me. I posted that I hoped we had other players (no mention of Ben there) who may be on 2 way deals.As for the Voth business, I don't understand the meaning of 'shortedness' but yes I felt we should have acted sooner to get a replacement in bearing in mind the actuall amount of time he was out injured. I don't understand how i was proved incredibly wrong either, the club were slow to act, there is no getting away from that fact ! As usual Finny, you are gushing to the very extreme. I have made my point, I see things from both sides, good and bad, you never do unfortunately, that is why - apart from your match reports - I have very little, almost no respect for you. I'm done on the Ben posting, but knowing you, our swords will cross many times to come.

 

[Finny]

Yes, you and everyone else who moaned about no replacement for Voth being brought in were proved wrong.

Voth was out injured. Other than that first weekend he was injured when we lost to Nottingham away - how many games did we lose?
2. Away to Belfast and that stupid home game to Coventry in the CC where Hicks had a mare. Considering our record in Belfast - would an extra import have made the difference?

Brad comes back and then Sawyer leaves. So people moan again that we should have brought someone in for Voth as we would now have had an extra import ready to take over. Whilst playing an import down we lose only 1 game - away to Dundee after a shocking run of fixtures.

The Devils have taken their time though and sign Weller - the best player in the league by a mile.

Surely it's clear that if we had taken the "sign someone else now" suggestion there is no way we could/would have signed Weller?