Cardiff Devils Confirmed Signings & Departures 2022/23
- Thread starter Chris
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I am happy with the team.
Slightly surprised by the lack of an NHL’er in the mold of Mikkelson, Morissonn, Strachs etC
But the one big thing that bugged me the most last season was the amount of shots we gave up (along with periods of failing to score).
This had a lot to do with the style of play we rolled out, but the D men have their part to play. So I think maybe some of these changes were with a view to making sure that we cut down the amount of work either of our goalies has to do.
Slightly surprised by the lack of an NHL’er in the mold of Mikkelson, Morissonn, Strachs etC
But the one big thing that bugged me the most last season was the amount of shots we gave up (along with periods of failing to score).
This had a lot to do with the style of play we rolled out, but the D men have their part to play. So I think maybe some of these changes were with a view to making sure that we cut down the amount of work either of our goalies has to do.
A video here of some highlights of Blake Thompson. All these clips are for his offensive play, which if you look at him as Mikkelson's substitute then it looks like he more than replaces him in that regard. The real question will be his defensive play, and can he play that shut down role while probably playing with the offensive minded Crawford. That's harder to make in to a highlights package I guess so we'll just have to wait and see.
What I do like about his resume though is that he's obviously a battler. From playing minor juniors to then division 3 college hockey. Not many make it pro from div 3 college, the only other recent Devil I remember doing so is Justin Faryna, and he was a battler too. To then playing in the SPHL, which is pretty much as low as you can go in pro hockey, working his way up to be a consistent performer in the Coast, assistant captain, to then earning an AHL call up last year. You don't have a resume like that unless you're switched on, determined and a hard worker. He's got big skates to fill but he might turn out to be a gem of a find, look forward to seeing him play.
I’d say Jardine is Mikkelson’s replacement so Thompson will be McNulty’s which he looks a bit of an upgrade although again I feel guilty saying as McNulty didn’t do much wrong at all when here.
The pairings will be interesting as my instinct would be Ritchie with Crawford and Jardine with Thompson. Although Jardine had a break out season in Greenville playing with Finkelstein who’s another gifted offensive D man so on that evidence it might work putting Jards with Crawford and Ritchie with Thompson.
The pairings will be interesting as my instinct would be Ritchie with Crawford and Jardine with Thompson. Although Jardine had a break out season in Greenville playing with Finkelstein who’s another gifted offensive D man so on that evidence it might work putting Jards with Crawford and Ritchie with Thompson.
It's a fair point. Looks like Jardine himself will be more of an offensive threat this time round, and as we know he is solid defensively too so I guess much like Richie he could slot in anywhere play a role with anybody.
The trouble with playing Richie with Crawford and Jardine with Thompson is that you'll have 2 right handers together and then 2 left handers together. You'd expect them to be split up and for me the more likely split is Jardine with Richie and Thompson with Crawford.
The trouble with playing Richie with Crawford and Jardine with Thompson is that you'll have 2 right handers together and then 2 left handers together. You'd expect them to be split up and for me the more likely split is Jardine with Richie and Thompson with Crawford.
I guess we all see a players performance differently because all I’ve read is red flags. The lowest pro Hockey league, an AHL call up last yr, yet this year he’s in the EIHL. I haven’t seen him play yet and sometimes players need the team to bring out their potential, just as much as a team can show their faults, so I’ll keep an open mind.
That's where he started, but he worked his way up. If his resume was in reverse where he started in the AHL and dropped down to the SPHL I'd say you have a point. He can do what he's done through hard work and determination.
His last few seasons have showed he's a dependable consistent performer at ECHL level, otherwise Adirondack wouldn't have kept him around. His AHL call up only last season shows he's in the top group of players in that league, which is the level our league is often being compared to.
We're getting him on the way up, possibly at his peak, and his first season in Europe he will have something to prove. I'm only reading good things so far.
His last few seasons have showed he's a dependable consistent performer at ECHL level, otherwise Adirondack wouldn't have kept him around. His AHL call up only last season shows he's in the top group of players in that league, which is the level our league is often being compared to.
We're getting him on the way up, possibly at his peak, and his first season in Europe he will have something to prove. I'm only reading good things so far.
So Sam Jardine is also going backwards, Marcus Crawford is going backwards, Jake Coughler is going backwards. Strange that you just target Thompson for the comment. The EIHL is the perfect league to jump out of the NA meat grinder and into Europe and higher wages and a better standard of living. That’s no indicator of a lack of ambition but putting yourself in the shop window. The KHL cascade will be limiting opportunities so if you want out of NA the EIHL is perfect. The only saving grace is the euro is staying depressed to the pound so the EIHL wages are staying competitive although the inflation could be putting some players off coming. And don’t underestimate how much players like winning and competing. The amount of players who come here and win there first pro championships is no fluke. At some point players stop wanting to be average teams even in higher leagues and want to be playing in games that actually mean something. I really don’t get where you are coming from. The SPHL was 8 games and he quickly jumped to the coast where he has established himself. I think you are painting a false narrative based on little evidence if honest.
Everyone on this thread is commenting on players, we are all fans, no one is an expert and all opinions are uneducated and subjective. So maybe this forum isn’t for you if you can’t grasp that very basic fact, if all you can do is bitch about my opinion & my opinion only. All you have to do is ignore me, if you can’t control your emotions mute me.
I think some fans in the UK over estimate the EIHL position in World hockey, it’s a debate that is infinite to be honest, having said that tracing which way talent is generally flowing and considering the physical number of profesional players on the upward flow in their careers against the availability of team spots, then generally most if not all experts rank the EIHL within the World as low, which explains the high veteran numbers ending their careers in the EIHL as opposed to those youngsters seeking a spot in the show. The CHL ranked us around 8th if l remember in Europe, within World rankings we are 15th, which sounds good until you realise that is only above a handful of leagues below us, 19 profesional leagues in the World, if memory serves me right. If you compare our performance in that competition, remember that just winning a game is a success for Cardiff fans, majority admit just not loosing badly is a plus, then sorry but in my opinion your narrative is biased towards the club and the country and not reality.
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I've not been keeping an eye on other rosters but are we the only completed roster at the moment?
And this article was 3 hrs ago
View attachment 1878
Come on Calgary collective what happened?
And this article was 3 hrs ago
View attachment 1878
Come on Calgary collective what happened?