Giants announce the signing of Curtis Hamilton. Gutted about this signing. He’s a name that I’ve mentioned on here a few times this summer as a player I hoped the devils would sign. Played with Lordo and Hotham In Oklahoma. I think I was told by a couple of people on here that I was aiming too high and at 27 years of age he would end up in a better league. Im happy enough with our roster but I must say giants have signed a few players now that I hoped would end up in Cardiff. Pelech, Mullen and Hamilton. With Liam Reddox rumoured to be on his way to Belfast as well. If they gel early on they’ll be very tough to beat
Confirmed Signings (& some departures) - All Teams 2019/2020
Belfast have got the best team in the league, if they sign Reddox it’ll be insane. They’ve gone from not wanting the CHL to really wanting to make a statement in it.
Be interesting to know about everyone’s budgets this year. Considering the £ is so shite the standard of players the EIHL has attracted this offset has increased. With Belfast & Steelers really pushing the boat out.
Be interesting to know about everyone’s budgets this year. Considering the £ is so shite the standard of players the EIHL has attracted this offset has increased. With Belfast & Steelers really pushing the boat out.
It’s great seeing all these guys sign in the EIHL, but it also worries me. Giants and Steelers must have spent some serious cash putting those rosters together.
What does the future hold of this continues? Would we be looking at a split league, whereby 4-5 teams are dominant and the rest are just cannon fodder?
We seem to be sailing awfully close to the wind in relation to the Superleague!
What does the future hold of this continues? Would we be looking at a split league, whereby 4-5 teams are dominant and the rest are just cannon fodder?
We seem to be sailing awfully close to the wind in relation to the Superleague!
Someone broke the financial parts down on twitter the other day and the arena teams can afford to spend like they are because of the income sponsors etc.
Devils don’t pay rent at all so that saves us apparently 75k a year. Steelers have upped there tickets £1 which increases there yearly income 100k.
Apparently panthers have the biggest sponsor in the league but they choose to spend there money wisely.
If it ends up like the superleague il be gutted but surely it wont
Devils don’t pay rent at all so that saves us apparently 75k a year. Steelers have upped there tickets £1 which increases there yearly income 100k.
Apparently panthers have the biggest sponsor in the league but they choose to spend there money wisely.
If it ends up like the superleague il be gutted but surely it wont
Belfast being able to splash the cash I completely understand given they are owned by the odyssey trust. That’s the perfect EIHL model in fairness. Sheffield throwing money around will no doubt end in the usual heroic failure. That club is all talk but that is a highly vulnerable business with a detached reality. Trophies have justified it all over the years but i’ve never bought into their success as anything other than living beyond your means.
I have begrudging respect for Panthers and the way they do business. They are usually the club to take progressive steps out of everyone and they went up in my eyes with their jump into the CHL when Sheffield and Belfast rejected it. Given their resources I completely understand their fan unrest as they should be playing second fiddle to Giants but never to us or Sheffield. They run a tight financial ship though.
I think Devils fans will have to accept that unfortunately if Giants and Panthers flex their muscles their is little can be done to stop them.
As people have said the EIHL is at a dangerous point seemingly where the memories have faded and the super league days are returning. The value of some of these rosters is lunacy for hockey in this country and is completely growing the divide between grass roots and elite. I do think the biggest issue to the league is participating teams and number there off. League expansion into new or rebuilding old markets should be top of the agenda to sustainable growth not import quotas and stacked rosters pandering to existing fan bases exhibiting stable numbers and limited growth.
Whilst this season might be entertaining for us in Cardiff although i’m Predicting our first trophy less season for a while if it ends with teams such as Dundee struggling and bordering on dropping out for the board they will have failed and it’ll be a stark indicator of the direction of travel for the elite league.
I have begrudging respect for Panthers and the way they do business. They are usually the club to take progressive steps out of everyone and they went up in my eyes with their jump into the CHL when Sheffield and Belfast rejected it. Given their resources I completely understand their fan unrest as they should be playing second fiddle to Giants but never to us or Sheffield. They run a tight financial ship though.
I think Devils fans will have to accept that unfortunately if Giants and Panthers flex their muscles their is little can be done to stop them.
As people have said the EIHL is at a dangerous point seemingly where the memories have faded and the super league days are returning. The value of some of these rosters is lunacy for hockey in this country and is completely growing the divide between grass roots and elite. I do think the biggest issue to the league is participating teams and number there off. League expansion into new or rebuilding old markets should be top of the agenda to sustainable growth not import quotas and stacked rosters pandering to existing fan bases exhibiting stable numbers and limited growth.
Whilst this season might be entertaining for us in Cardiff although i’m Predicting our first trophy less season for a while if it ends with teams such as Dundee struggling and bordering on dropping out for the board they will have failed and it’ll be a stark indicator of the direction of travel for the elite league.
It's undoubted that the Giants roster is a good one and they will be challenging. But they have thrown their best for last in their signings and I think that's clouded things a bit.
the way people are going on, it's like the Giants and Steelers have created the best EIHL rosters ever, and for sure they look strong. But I think we need to be cautious we aren't playing down our own here.
I particularly think we look to have the strongest D core of the challengers.
for the Steelers I don't think Johnson was great last year, Phillips has shown he has mistakes in him, and I wouldn't swap O'Connor for Richardson Defensively. Brocklehurst looks very good, but Meland isn't any better than the Imports we have in my opinion. They will get stronger Goaltending, but that D core isn't as balanced or equipped as ours for me on paper.
Same with the Giants, Raine is going to need to play up a line in his responsibility to take over from Roach, would anyone swap Raine for any of our Defenceman? I personally wouldn't, Forsberg is a complete unknown entity (but may be great) Leonard I thought was ok, but I suspect wouldn't have been kept had other D men stayed at the Giants, and then they have rounded out with a very good pair in Mullen and Pelech. crucially though they have downgraded in Net.
It's going to be an amazing season, but we aren't behind the 8 ball in the way some fans seem to be painting us. Teams were always going to come after us, we just have to raise to their challenge.
the way people are going on, it's like the Giants and Steelers have created the best EIHL rosters ever, and for sure they look strong. But I think we need to be cautious we aren't playing down our own here.
I particularly think we look to have the strongest D core of the challengers.
for the Steelers I don't think Johnson was great last year, Phillips has shown he has mistakes in him, and I wouldn't swap O'Connor for Richardson Defensively. Brocklehurst looks very good, but Meland isn't any better than the Imports we have in my opinion. They will get stronger Goaltending, but that D core isn't as balanced or equipped as ours for me on paper.
Same with the Giants, Raine is going to need to play up a line in his responsibility to take over from Roach, would anyone swap Raine for any of our Defenceman? I personally wouldn't, Forsberg is a complete unknown entity (but may be great) Leonard I thought was ok, but I suspect wouldn't have been kept had other D men stayed at the Giants, and then they have rounded out with a very good pair in Mullen and Pelech. crucially though they have downgraded in Net.
It's going to be an amazing season, but we aren't behind the 8 ball in the way some fans seem to be painting us. Teams were always going to come after us, we just have to raise to their challenge.
Given the nature and quality of Belfast’s latest signings this past two weeks, I would not be surprised if we have another announcement coming - we like to carry a spare (and there must be a slight concern over Haddad given his injury problems last year) and Mosey can’t be rushed back with his type of injury.
That’s an intimidating couple of days of announcements from Belfast. Mullen, Hamilton and Reddox are all players that I hoped we would see in Cardiff this season. I’m not saying we don’t have a strong roster but they are outstanding signings. I’d love it if we did have one more forward to announce, just as a bit of a shot in the arm
I enjoyed watching Reddox play for the Lakers and thought he would make a decent Devil.Playing for Belfast will be different though.He has been coached by a highly respected Sam Hallam and could have played for Lordo.
Sadly he has accepted the alternative and will play for a lunatic who will not give him the same respect.
I hope he is a success he has the credentials to entertain fans in the UK and maybe GB fans.
Sadly he has accepted the alternative and will play for a lunatic who will not give him the same respect.
I hope he is a success he has the credentials to entertain fans in the UK and maybe GB fans.
Fair play to Giants for high profile signings of very good players, some of whom I would have liked to see in our organisation.
Sorry Terry, calling Keene a lunatic smacks of sarcasm and envy in my book. He has put together a very good roster and will ensure his players are told to play for the badge and not themselves. Will we be able to compete, of course we will and that’s how it should be.
Sorry Terry, calling Keene a lunatic smacks of sarcasm and envy in my book. He has put together a very good roster and will ensure his players are told to play for the badge and not themselves. Will we be able to compete, of course we will and that’s how it should be.