KaneDevils said:
Agreed, but must you continually comment on how good the management are? It has become extremely tedious. Passion is one thing, repetitive patronising is another. Try to relax. 
Final Squad Predictions
- Thread starter Boom Boom
- Start date
If you find it tedious then there is a right way and a wrong way of expressing your views, what this club means to me is what it means to me, not you or anyone else, try to understand that. My comments are mine, yours are yours, they may not run parallel to each other but that doesn't mean they ain't valid. After watching our club for 30 yrs and seeing all the crap fans and the club has had to endure, and where we are now, then if I want to post positive vibes then I will, and I don't need your permission to do just that thank you.
I don't think the remaining players to announce are going to be stars that will cause the reaction that Wannabe is expecting.
Decent players yes, that will fit the required criteria, well kinda obviously as you would not sign them.
For me "Stars" tend to come with high expectations and let's face it EIHL teams are not that great. You cannot consistently win games with one great player, you need a group that gel as a team but also of a similar standard.
Building a successful award winning club takes more than looking at stats and picking the players with the best numbers, a team is so much more important than that, hockey is more than that. It's players that fit and compliment other players skills, it's training, it's coaching, it's reading opposition's abilities and reacting to plays, strategy, it's a lot to get right. And then, hopefully if you've got all that right you may stand a chance.
KHL has no worries.
As for our "great owners", credit where it's due, the arrival came with all the right sentiments. But less face facts, the Devils have had some shocking owners. It's no surprise a few beers in a bar was going to win fans over. It would have taken a monumentally stupid group of new owners to mess it up.
Decent players yes, that will fit the required criteria, well kinda obviously as you would not sign them.
For me "Stars" tend to come with high expectations and let's face it EIHL teams are not that great. You cannot consistently win games with one great player, you need a group that gel as a team but also of a similar standard.
Building a successful award winning club takes more than looking at stats and picking the players with the best numbers, a team is so much more important than that, hockey is more than that. It's players that fit and compliment other players skills, it's training, it's coaching, it's reading opposition's abilities and reacting to plays, strategy, it's a lot to get right. And then, hopefully if you've got all that right you may stand a chance.
KHL has no worries.
As for our "great owners", credit where it's due, the arrival came with all the right sentiments. But less face facts, the Devils have had some shocking owners. It's no surprise a few beers in a bar was going to win fans over. It would have taken a monumentally stupid group of new owners to mess it up.
Steve King has already suggested that Bentivoglio is our top signing this offseason. By implication that indicates that the remaining 3 are not going to be superstars. But they don't need to be ... as long as they are experienced quality players who know how to win and the team find chemistry and systems quickly then happy days. Think we can forget Jeff Ulmer and Brian McGrattan!
As for Matthew Myers, he is an import quality centre with excellent face-off, net and set up skills. He is going to be paired with a finesse point scorer like Doucet who could have really benefitted from a quality regular set up partner last season. Now Matthew has re-joined the roster, hope the coaches utilise all his skill and experiennce in the right way.
As for Matthew Myers, he is an import quality centre with excellent face-off, net and set up skills. He is going to be paired with a finesse point scorer like Doucet who could have really benefitted from a quality regular set up partner last season. Now Matthew has re-joined the roster, hope the coaches utilise all his skill and experiennce in the right way.
The only chance of high quality in form players in the UK is if the KHL did enter the UK with the intention of expanding Within. Even then it's likely to take several yrs or more and will require much larger facilities.
In its current form the EIHL are too incompetent and complacent. I don't believe the EIHL can attract players better than the current level of signings for 16-17 season. I believe it's peaked, l believe there is potential, but not without some changes that are unlikely to happen. In my opinion KHL is the future of Hockey, long term, within the UK, unless the current EIHL structure changes.
In its current form the EIHL are too incompetent and complacent. I don't believe the EIHL can attract players better than the current level of signings for 16-17 season. I believe it's peaked, l believe there is potential, but not without some changes that are unlikely to happen. In my opinion KHL is the future of Hockey, long term, within the UK, unless the current EIHL structure changes.
I can see where wannabe2 is coming from with his comment that the final signings that might cause some surprises. I don't think they necessarily will be high end skilled players but it could well be a big name, someone like Brian McGrattan, which would certainly get the hockey world talking. Let's face it, he was probably the toughest guy in the NHL but those kinds of players are losing their jobs across the pond now. He has veteran status in the AHL, is an unrestricted free agent who hasn't been signed up by San Diego (or anyone else just yet as far as I'm aware). He's tough and can play too but his game isn't really suited to the higher end leagues in Europe. Why not the UK, where these tough guys seem to still have a role to play and why not Cardiff with the Calgary connection? If not McGrattan, I can still see someone of that ilk signing for the Devils (Jay Rosehill has been rumoured too), which would certainly protect our more skilled players from the odd cheap shot or two.
Well Grattan has a link to the owners, l guess if he is desperate we could see him here, why would we want him though. Increase crowds, l doubt it, hockey people fill the IAW with room to spare, new people to hockey unlikely to know Grattan from Graham Norton.
If he fits the ethic of the team, could be a signing worth having if you want that level of toughness. In the current climate l believe that public shows of aggression in sport, mass brawls, bench clearing or injury could be just a PR nightmare when your targeting an entertaining family night out. It maybe culturally acceptable in Canada, it is not in the UK.
For me Grattan brings age, ego and not a great deal of skill. I doubt he could be coached and I'm sure he'd be a trophy for other teams tough guys to target. He is no use in the box or serving game bans, he'd instantly be punished with his reputation.
Seen that type of player and it's always hassle.
If he fits the ethic of the team, could be a signing worth having if you want that level of toughness. In the current climate l believe that public shows of aggression in sport, mass brawls, bench clearing or injury could be just a PR nightmare when your targeting an entertaining family night out. It maybe culturally acceptable in Canada, it is not in the UK.
For me Grattan brings age, ego and not a great deal of skill. I doubt he could be coached and I'm sure he'd be a trophy for other teams tough guys to target. He is no use in the box or serving game bans, he'd instantly be punished with his reputation.
Seen that type of player and it's always hassle.
Think the terminology used was rather rude and offensive. And if someone likes the fact they have owners not only willing to invest in the club but also engage in here why shouldn't they express it?
It's a forum for all
Lord also indicated the last signing was the 'big' one
I'd still like to see a stay at home tough does his job defenceman that can skate
Also a Jansen type forward
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It's a forum for all
Lord also indicated the last signing was the 'big' one
I'd still like to see a stay at home tough does his job defenceman that can skate
Also a Jansen type forward
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
With all due respect this post shows how clueless your opinion of Mcgrattan is. Ego no skill....???
Are you serious........
The guy would be an absolute leader on our team. He's been through a lot in his life and is strong enough to come through problems and make it back to the NHL and put up decent points last season in the AHL for a big guy. Dougie put up 40+ pts for us and with respect is nowhere near the player McGratten is. He's well respected and would be an incredible guy for the Devils to sign.
If you did your research you should know this. He's had a career as an enforcer in the NHL and AHL but that doesn't mean he goes around gooning it up like you think!!! Hes an out and out old school type hockey player. Janssens been renowned for being more a goon in his career yet we have not seen that over here from him other than he's a true leader for the Panthers and will win them plenty of games. Guys like Janssen, Biz came here to play not to fight.
As for the other ridiculous comment referring to him not being able to be coached...the guys probably forgotten more about hockey than most players in this league know. He's had top coaches throughout his career and would provide Lord with invaluable ideas and help.
As for being a trophy for other teams tough guys....your joking :lol: he's not a guy you just go offer out.
Id respect your opinion on him more if it was educated and factual but your opinions couldn't be further from reality I'm afraid.
It seems you'd rather a big cuddly Taz icing as our power forward from what you have said in some of these posts. No offence
Are you serious........
The guy would be an absolute leader on our team. He's been through a lot in his life and is strong enough to come through problems and make it back to the NHL and put up decent points last season in the AHL for a big guy. Dougie put up 40+ pts for us and with respect is nowhere near the player McGratten is. He's well respected and would be an incredible guy for the Devils to sign.
If you did your research you should know this. He's had a career as an enforcer in the NHL and AHL but that doesn't mean he goes around gooning it up like you think!!! Hes an out and out old school type hockey player. Janssens been renowned for being more a goon in his career yet we have not seen that over here from him other than he's a true leader for the Panthers and will win them plenty of games. Guys like Janssen, Biz came here to play not to fight.
As for the other ridiculous comment referring to him not being able to be coached...the guys probably forgotten more about hockey than most players in this league know. He's had top coaches throughout his career and would provide Lord with invaluable ideas and help.
As for being a trophy for other teams tough guys....your joking :lol: he's not a guy you just go offer out.
Id respect your opinion on him more if it was educated and factual but your opinions couldn't be further from reality I'm afraid.
It seems you'd rather a big cuddly Taz icing as our power forward from what you have said in some of these posts. No offence
I have to agree with bb1 here.
The opinions quoted by Electro on McGrattan are just a little wide of the mark and are pure speculation, far from being factual.
I don't see that signing a top level NHL enforcer like Gratts as a PR nightmare, far from it, could be a mastersroke. Let's look at this in reality, it's been a PR DREAM for Nottingham and in indeed for the Elite League as a whole. Gave the league massive exposure in N America (Hence why we are even talking about the possibility of such players coming over to the league), gave the league a real genuine character, and from all i've seen and heard, a great, decent character at that.
Janssen and McGrattan are like for like, had the exactly the same role in the NHL and the AHL, are similarly skilled players (Gratts has double the NHL points that Janssen has, with slightly lower PIMS) and are team first guys - I for one can not see anything wrong with signing some insurance for our star players. Our successful teams of the past always had someone to enforce, and the game of hockey although going through changes, is still the same game with the same needs. Scoops and Shannon, Ware, Macwilliam - it's not a massive coincidence that all of our championship winning teams had one top dog to keep the pups quiet.
In regards to the skill levels and the "I've seen that type of player and it's always hassle" comment - Maybe you are or maybe you are not commenting on someone like Mike MacWilliam? He played a big part in our playoff winning team here, as other teams always knew when he was in the lineup and were suddenly a lot quieter (Read quotes from Shawn Byram of who the scariest player he played against was, he says exactly that) Macwilliam had a few stupid moments that cost us man games, no doubts there and we can't afford players getting 4/6/10 game bans, but I see that as the exception and not the rule these days, players know they can't get away with the crazy &%&ç these days. Macwilliam, by the way, had more points per game in 1998/9 than our playoff hero Chinny, free-wheeling Martin Lindman and also Dougie McEwen, just saying ;-)
Saying that an enforcer like McGrattan will bring ego shows a slight lack of knowledge about the role and the guys who play that role. They are the ones with almost NO EGO, the ones who are the first to help out with the fans, the kids and in the community. Star players are generally the ones who have the egos as, on occasion, they think they should be in a better team in a better league - shoot, maybe we're doomed with so many star players in our team :shock: :? :roll: naaa, that's where players like McGraattan come in, to let people know where they stand.
McGrattan will bring leadership, protection, experience and publicity - I think it would be good for the club, and another huge media boost for the league as a whole, just as Cam Janssen signing was.
If we sign Brian McGrattan, and it doesn't work out in a similar way to the pretty picture i have painted, i will happily eat my words.
Let's go Devils, exciting times ahead, and huge kudos to the owners for bringing this to us.
The opinions quoted by Electro on McGrattan are just a little wide of the mark and are pure speculation, far from being factual.
I don't see that signing a top level NHL enforcer like Gratts as a PR nightmare, far from it, could be a mastersroke. Let's look at this in reality, it's been a PR DREAM for Nottingham and in indeed for the Elite League as a whole. Gave the league massive exposure in N America (Hence why we are even talking about the possibility of such players coming over to the league), gave the league a real genuine character, and from all i've seen and heard, a great, decent character at that.
Janssen and McGrattan are like for like, had the exactly the same role in the NHL and the AHL, are similarly skilled players (Gratts has double the NHL points that Janssen has, with slightly lower PIMS) and are team first guys - I for one can not see anything wrong with signing some insurance for our star players. Our successful teams of the past always had someone to enforce, and the game of hockey although going through changes, is still the same game with the same needs. Scoops and Shannon, Ware, Macwilliam - it's not a massive coincidence that all of our championship winning teams had one top dog to keep the pups quiet.
In regards to the skill levels and the "I've seen that type of player and it's always hassle" comment - Maybe you are or maybe you are not commenting on someone like Mike MacWilliam? He played a big part in our playoff winning team here, as other teams always knew when he was in the lineup and were suddenly a lot quieter (Read quotes from Shawn Byram of who the scariest player he played against was, he says exactly that) Macwilliam had a few stupid moments that cost us man games, no doubts there and we can't afford players getting 4/6/10 game bans, but I see that as the exception and not the rule these days, players know they can't get away with the crazy &%&ç these days. Macwilliam, by the way, had more points per game in 1998/9 than our playoff hero Chinny, free-wheeling Martin Lindman and also Dougie McEwen, just saying ;-)
Saying that an enforcer like McGrattan will bring ego shows a slight lack of knowledge about the role and the guys who play that role. They are the ones with almost NO EGO, the ones who are the first to help out with the fans, the kids and in the community. Star players are generally the ones who have the egos as, on occasion, they think they should be in a better team in a better league - shoot, maybe we're doomed with so many star players in our team :shock: :? :roll: naaa, that's where players like McGraattan come in, to let people know where they stand.
McGrattan will bring leadership, protection, experience and publicity - I think it would be good for the club, and another huge media boost for the league as a whole, just as Cam Janssen signing was.
If we sign Brian McGrattan, and it doesn't work out in a similar way to the pretty picture i have painted, i will happily eat my words.
Let's go Devils, exciting times ahead, and huge kudos to the owners for bringing this to us.