Devils Vs Clan - Play-off 1/4 Finals - 23/24 April 22

Mazzoak

Well-Known Member
I don’t get the fact the league standard has dropped, yet the majority here want players who are still struggling to win games against Dundee. Next year Sheffield are going to be looking for success, their likely hoping teams will retain a high percentage of this yrs players. It’s not a done deal for Belfast, they'll be looking to upgrade. We’ve over achieved on the Net minding, I can’t see us getting two top quality netties again, I’ve heard Todd wasn’t over impressed with the need and prefers the old method. Which means potentially loosing more games if we dont upgrade our scoring potential. Whilst the 3 or 4 mentioned are working well, its not been regularly tested, consistently missing in certain games. We seem to only work for 10 min a game we give it the beans, the other 50 min we play like we’ve switched off. I’d prefer a complete rebuild with players who work every min & also score consistently without a team effort of 120%. We need a bold statement of intent that we are serious next season and players that will keep up with the increase in standard that I’m pretty sure next year will have.
 

moggy#9

Well-Known Member
Recruitment for next season will be interesting. There’s no doubting that Crandall, Cox, Sanford are talented but I think it’s fair to say that Todd might be looking to return to the Andrew Lord style of hockey. ‘Might be’ being the important words there. Maybe not exactly like Lord’s teams but closer to Lordo’s style than Skalde’s. If so then no chance will we see those 3 back. I think we will see one or two back but surely not all 3. Todd must realise that we’ve been too easy to keep to the outside this season and we need more bigger bodies.
I think the key here is having a mix of players to suit different styles of game. If you have a team exclusively of "bash n crash" types then you're certainly going to sacrifice speed and skill. A flexible approach means that if one line doesn't fire, you've got something a bit different to try. You can't throw the baby out with the bathwater when it comes to recruitment.

When next weekend is over with, I'll publish my thoughts on retention and recruitment. Although a lot will depend on the roster rules, there's going to need to be some nuance and flexibility built into the team next season. There also has to be some realisation of just how replaceable, or not, some players are.
 

moggy#9

Well-Known Member
Regarding the league standard, look at some of the players who have bounced around our 3rd line in recent years, mcnammee, farina, ulmer, (not exclusively 3rd liners granted) you’d take some of them back in their prime
I would definitely have loved McNamee back, though if he were in those year's team, he too might be labelled as too lightweight.
 

jenks33

Well-Known Member
I don’t get the fact the league standard has dropped, yet the majority here want players who are still struggling to win games against Dundee. Next year Sheffield are going to be looking for success, their likely hoping teams will retain a high percentage of this yrs players. It’s not a done deal for Belfast, they'll be looking to upgrade. We’ve over achieved on the Net minding, I can’t see us getting two top quality netties again, I’ve heard Todd wasn’t over impressed with the need and prefers the old method. Which means potentially loosing more games if we dont upgrade our scoring potential. Whilst the 3 or 4 mentioned are working well, its not been regularly tested, consistently missing in certain games. We seem to only work for 10 min a game we give it the beans, the other 50 min we play like we’ve switched off. I’d prefer a complete rebuild with players who work every min & also score consistently without a team effort of 120%. We need a bold statement of intent that we are serious next season and players that will keep up with the increase in standard that I’m pretty sure next year will have.
Do’u know what Mazzoak, I can’t believe I’m actually saying this but I agree with large parts of this post. Has somebody stolen your phone or hacked into your account?! :)

It does make me chuckle that some posters agree that we’ve been blunt for large periods of the season, we’ve been too easy to keep to the outside but then you start talking about next seasons roster and they seem to want every bugger back! Some brave decisions have to be made this summer.
 
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Mazzoak

Well-Known Member
It is a bit weird that some roasted the team before December and now write they can’t fault them and their a cup winning team........well we’ve missed two out of three, so l guess there is hope still that a cup winning team may win one.
 

E.D.S.

Well-Known Member
Someone was up for school early this morning.

Now then Mazzoak you little rascal, you. No one's actually said that. You've just merged a number of other people's posts into one. I think that's trolling or just boredom but great work. Perhaps, you're getting a bit carried away having received your first 'like' and 'partial' agreement to something you've written, either way, great work kiddo.

Have a fab day Sweetheart.
 

Rempel16

Well-Known Member
I roasted a few I won’t lie but I admit 1 or 2 have come good.

I still stuck by my DuPont views though.

That guy should have left playing way before he went to the bench
A guy who played all bar a few games with an injury that ended his season. More that he shouldn't have put his body on the line for us for as long as he did.

There was clearly a quality player in there, and at times he was the best guy on the ice - he dominated an early away game in Guildford, playing between Cox and Sanford IIRC.

I think he gets a raw deal for trying to play through his injury (which may now force retirement and I hope he gets the opportunity to continue his playing career once fully fit).
 

E.D.S.

Well-Known Member
The point being that people may have "roasted" the players but no one "roasted" the players AND said "can't fault them" AND said "they are a cup winning team."
Mazzoak is trying to call me out but rather than do it with actual quotes and do it directly, Wazzoak has bent the truth for click bait.

I questioned the team in December - It was the coach and style of play to be accurate. Then I applauded the team for getting through to the Semi Final by saying "can't fault them" and I have referred to us as a "cup team" due to our inconsistency but ability to cause anyone problems on our day - all of which is very different to calling us a "cup winning team".

It's just a boring post to build on the sexual tension between Mazzoak and I. A direct mail would be better to spare every one.
 

Hockeymad

Well-Known Member
A guy who played all bar a few games with an injury that ended his season. More that he shouldn't have put his body on the line for us for as long as he did.

There was clearly a quality player in there, and at times he was the best guy on the ice - he dominated an early away game in Guildford, playing between Cox and Sanford IIRC.

I think he gets a raw deal for trying to play through his injury (which may now force retirement and I hope he gets the opportunity to continue his playing career once fully fit).
He wasn’t injured when we signed him he got injured after a few months lol!

How can you say he dominated a game in Guildford when he didn’t have a point for ages and didn’t score a goal in like 10 games?
 

Rempel16

Well-Known Member
No he wasn't injured when we signed him. He got injured approx. 4 games in, and still put his body on the line for the following months until he went to the bench.

The second part of your quote: This was the game I was talking about. He was unplayable that night.

https://www.eliteleague.co.uk/game/3615-gui-car/stats

If you honestly think that in order to dominate a game you have to score points then I can't continue this discussion as it shows you're not aware of the different roles required in order for a team to win a hockey game.

But to play your game, he got 3 points in a 3-0 win that night...
 

kettdevil1

Well-Known Member
No he wasn't injured when we signed him. He got injured approx. 4 games in, and still put his body on the line for the following months until he went to the bench.

The second part of your quote: This was the game I was talking about. He was unplayable that night.

https://www.eliteleague.co.uk/game/3615-gui-car/stats

If you honestly think that in order to dominate a game you have to score points then I can't continue this discussion as it shows you're not aware of the different roles required in order for a team to win a hockey game.

But to play your game, he got 3 points in a 3-0 win that night...
I remember that game well - as you say, he was completely unplayable and I hoped that was the turning point for him. It was painful watching him in some of the later games - he was clearly nowhere near fit but was still trying to find a way to contribute. Glad he was able to contribute behind the bench when he hung his skates up
 
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