Blight to Steelers
- Thread starter benh84
- Start date
Could this decision not just be that we have to cut costs...and rather than leave a player that served us well out in the cold, we arrange for him to be signed with another club?
I'm not up to date with who's tweeted what but I do worry about the state of the Devils finances. Ragan's comments regarding Whis the other day, alluding to not being able to afford the move, suggests that costs have had to be recovered elsewhere. My guess is that losing Blight is that recovery and maybe they are pinning their hopes on Whis getting the most out of the players we've got left.
It scares me to think that a lot of the decisions that have been made may have been because the club is struggling financially. If that is the case, then I don't see what the action taken by some fans is going to achieve. This club needs to hold on until it gets a new rink. It's a miracle we've made it this far. If keeping costs down means keeping the club alive then surely we should suck it up and hope for happier hockey days?
Sorry if this naive.
I'm not up to date with who's tweeted what but I do worry about the state of the Devils finances. Ragan's comments regarding Whis the other day, alluding to not being able to afford the move, suggests that costs have had to be recovered elsewhere. My guess is that losing Blight is that recovery and maybe they are pinning their hopes on Whis getting the most out of the players we've got left.
It scares me to think that a lot of the decisions that have been made may have been because the club is struggling financially. If that is the case, then I don't see what the action taken by some fans is going to achieve. This club needs to hold on until it gets a new rink. It's a miracle we've made it this far. If keeping costs down means keeping the club alive then surely we should suck it up and hope for happier hockey days?
Sorry if this naive.
It's not naive at all. You raise some very good points. For as long as I can remember the Devils and a majority of teams in the EIHL have had finance issues. Some say its due to the amount of imports allowed, some say its down to clubs over stretching themselves. Over the last fews years the top three Belfast, Sheffield and Nottingham have pulled away from the rest of the league. A wage cape has been mentioned on several occasions but in reality, it can never be monitored 100% as teams will always find a way round it.
I believe the Devils, along with others are spending above their means and clubs phoenix companies and start again , which to me devalues anything they achieve and is morally wrong. Nothing , sadly, will be done until the clubs in the EIHL and the owners start doing things for the good of the league as a whole rather than looking after themselves.
The top league has gone through many guises so far. BNL, Superleague, EIHL and none of them have really worked. I do think in the next 10 years the sport will need a major overhaul if it is to survive.
I believe the Devils, along with others are spending above their means and clubs phoenix companies and start again , which to me devalues anything they achieve and is morally wrong. Nothing , sadly, will be done until the clubs in the EIHL and the owners start doing things for the good of the league as a whole rather than looking after themselves.
The top league has gone through many guises so far. BNL, Superleague, EIHL and none of them have really worked. I do think in the next 10 years the sport will need a major overhaul if it is to survive.
I just hope that good players like Chris will still want to come back when the two causing all these problems are gone. Which I hope isn't too far away.
Regardless of the odd defensive mistake which apparently happened he still is a quality player that makes other players around him better. He carried the team after Mac's injury last year and lead the team in points most of this year until he got injured, he played injured, he did stacks of dirty work in the corners whilst being consistently being amongst the top of the points. Whichever way you look at it any team in the world would consider it lunacy to gas a player who is top 3 in points and really wants to be here and works hard. Yet another sad day to be a devils fan.
Regardless of the odd defensive mistake which apparently happened he still is a quality player that makes other players around him better. He carried the team after Mac's injury last year and lead the team in points most of this year until he got injured, he played injured, he did stacks of dirty work in the corners whilst being consistently being amongst the top of the points. Whichever way you look at it any team in the world would consider it lunacy to gas a player who is top 3 in points and really wants to be here and works hard. Yet another sad day to be a devils fan.
And we don't all get to choose! I didn't want a job that has me travelling over 20k miles a year but I need a job that pays what this one does!
If he was guilty of wrong doing and that's if as I don't know then he removed his own right to choose surely?
And for the conspiracy theorists I can't see the twitter account anymore!!
If he was guilty of wrong doing and that's if as I don't know then he removed his own right to choose surely?
And for the conspiracy theorists I can't see the twitter account anymore!!
Sad to see Chris go, but from a logistics sense it fits the club. We had too many top line guys, and he was the least good.
That's professional sport. It is a judgement about how the role he is signed to fulfil is being fulfilled.
I can have no complaints about that sort of trade happening. If you follow an NHL team you get used to good players being moved to make space for different role players or make space in the cap.
I just hope that the club dealt with the situation professionally between the clubs and the player.
That's professional sport. It is a judgement about how the role he is signed to fulfil is being fulfilled.
I can have no complaints about that sort of trade happening. If you follow an NHL team you get used to good players being moved to make space for different role players or make space in the cap.
I just hope that the club dealt with the situation professionally between the clubs and the player.
Interesting parallel drawn with this situation and the NHL but the EIHL set up is completely different. Teams in the NHL rarely trade with teams in the other conference and even less commonly within the same division. Why? So they don't make a rival stronger as we have done with Sheffield.
What does happen in the NHL is GMs being held responsible and sacked for low league positions.
What does happen in the NHL is GMs being held responsible and sacked for low league positions.
You man the coaching set- up since November, that's provided us with the best, most exciting hockey in the last 15 months!!
If the team in recent months has been 'failing' then how would you describe the team's performances before then?[/quote]
I would describe them as competitive rather than embarrassing. I love to watch attacking hockey but there are times when you have to shut up shop and protect your goalie. Recent games at home and away against Belfast show the team were not able to do this. Interesting that Whis I identified defense in his interview after having watched one game live. Then we go up to Nottingham and get our first win there this season against a team who embarrassed us on their home ice when pope was coach.
If the team in recent months has been 'failing' then how would you describe the team's performances before then?[/quote]
I would describe them as competitive rather than embarrassing. I love to watch attacking hockey but there are times when you have to shut up shop and protect your goalie. Recent games at home and away against Belfast show the team were not able to do this. Interesting that Whis I identified defense in his interview after having watched one game live. Then we go up to Nottingham and get our first win there this season against a team who embarrassed us on their home ice when pope was coach.
Granted. But my point is a simple one. Blight is an professional sports man, we've made a move within his contact. In business terms I've got no complaints. In personnel management, I hope he was treated fairly and with respect.
At least we haven't released him. He finds himself with a better facility and prospects not unemployed.
At least we haven't released him. He finds himself with a better facility and prospects not unemployed.