respect to the players of 2013/2014

[Slartibartfast]

So we finished lower than ever before in Devils history and didn't make it to the play offs for the first time in a decade. But I would still like to thank the players for their hard work and for not quitting in the most difficult season I have witnessed in 24 years of watcing the devils.
Im not just talking about the player merry go round. The hockey gods and referees also played a part in this disaster.
Off the top of my head, this is what they had to contend with

Injuries to
Mark Smith (x2),
Jake Morissette
Joonas Liimatainen
Ben Davies
Dan La Costa concussed x 3
Kurka (sick not injured)
Mark Richardson
Chris Blight

Players released
Ross
Hill
Adams
Cook
Blight
Joe Myers

Bans
Conboy 12 matches
Conboy 6 matches
Myers 3 matches
Lord 3 matches
Myers (thrown out in last game)

Please add any others that I missed.

I would like to see most of them return and see what they could achieve with some stability. I know that may sound crazy but who wouldn't want Kurka, Tyson Marsh, Ben Davies, Matt Myers, Mac Faulkner, Max Birbraer, Andrew Lord, Piggot and CJ on their team. Also some of the new Europeans like Svete and Gipter did a fairly decent job also.

But I guess that is in the hands of the management, the officials and the hockey gods.

So I say it again. RESPECT !!!

 

[James]

Loosing our starting goalie early on damaged our position in a way that we never really recovered from. I'm convinced if we started the season with the team we ended with we'd have finished up a fair bit higher up the table

 

[Wannabe2]

I think if we had kept the people we started the season with we would have easily finished top 4.I truelly believe that.

 

[James]

I think if we had kept the people we started the season with we would have easily finished top 4.I truelly believe that.

Assuming Lacosta wasn't injured you may well be right, but that was out of everyones hands.

 

[Mooney#16]

The starting roster looked good on paper but Lacosta going down derailed the whole thing. I don't believe starting five import D was the right call by G and we lacked offence from the start. Ignoring the bull and isolating the hockey this team just never seemed to gell and find a consistent groove. Bans disrupted lines. They never got the intimidation factor going and for some reason the team lacked mental toughness. Whilst consistency may have returned at some point personally I think Blaze, Clan and Stars would have always been better and the team would have still finished seventh. The changes changed the style of play and provided a bit more offence and speed but at the expense of some defensive solidity. From the season opener I have this feeling this season was a disaster waiting to happen an it's been a season I've fully expected to come playing in the BBT. The expectations in Cardiff at present out weigh the resource. From a hockey perspective it was only a matter of time before this caught up with them on the league table.

The players this year have played through adversity and hard luck but also built a monster against themselves with all the games lost to bans and injuries. It's the hall marks of a team lacking cohesion and playing desperate. They are not bad players. They all are talented but for what ever reason mentally they were not a team unit. Guys stood by whilst others were physically dominated. I could take them being out skilled by Belfast but to get cheap shotted by Lloyd and Keefe and stand around hoping the next guy will step up. Disasterous and a lack of commitment to team mates. Harsh words I know but sometimes it's not about talent. It's about skating with confidence and making the brave move because you know if you are touched WW3 breaks out not that you are keeping your head up and watching your back every time you come over the boards. The team I'm sure are nice guys and got on great but there is a character to hockey. A dark side you have to be willing to go to to win, A identity that lacks compromise and never retreats. You lose fine but you compete and give the opposition the worst experience of their lives with relentless uncompromising battle for every play and puck and if a team gets cheap with you. You answer in kind. No backward steps. This team for whatever reason laid down and got tickled on the belly on more than one occasion. That isn't a coaching issue or a management issue. That is a competitive issue and some guys lost there way this season. Mike Macwilliam. Loved by all. A nice guy of the ice. Just a mean and horrible guy on it. He did what was needed at any given moment be it play tough or play the game. But opposition knew if you went there he'd be waiting. I would love to see a stat of how many PIMS he took for teammates over himself. A fossil granted in today's hockey and would be banned a lot for sure but his mentality of team first and doing what is needed at the correct moment is what I remember as the Cardiff devils mentality. Not letting two yappy Northern Irish puppies run around in your own barn like they owned the joint without showing them your teeth.

The 2013/2014 players have no doubt played with commitment but the unfortunate truth is as a team they weren't good enough. Great effort from them with moments of great entertainment but sadly a winning mentality never existed in this squad from day one and I don't think the final table lies.

 

[Have Hope#35]

I think if we had kept the people we started the season with we would have easily finished top 4.I truelly believe that.

With Kurka for Ross I agree

 

[Finny]

After everything that went on this season I wouldn't have blamed any of the players for leaving before the transfer deadline.
And I know that we didn't make the playoffs but that was more down to injuries than a lack of effort.

I think the fact that the all stuck together showed how strong the team morale was and the saddest thing is that the players deserved better than to end their season last weekend.

 

[ASHIPP]

Under the most unbelievable sequence of events this year, the players have been real professionals and continued playing.....who would have blamed any of them for walking away? I thank the team for sticking with it.

Our season was lost back in October - the team was in 8th place and never got out of it. Several coaching and player changes meant the team never had time to settle into routine and consistency. The usual injuries and bans aggrivated a bad situation.

In a peverse way, I feel the Club have had to reach this rock bottom position to understand misakes and know what they have to do next year. It's been a painful journey for Club, team and fans.

Here's looking forward to the team rebuild and some consistency and stability next season

 

[Paul Sullivan]

Huge respect from me also and well said by the OP.

In particular I would like to say that the conduct and professionalism shown by our Captain Mac Faulkner has been exemplary. To shoulder the burden of not only being the leader, but also the pressure of expectation as one of our top players, in this most difficult of seasons really does speak to the character of the man.

The roller coaster started when Dan was hurt and for many reasons the team did not, or possibly could not, recover.

Nobody was more disappointed with missing the playoffs than the guys in the room, of that I am certain.

I echo the hopes of others above and hope for a brighter future, starting next season.

Well done guys. Book your tee times with pride. You've earned a rest.

 

[Earnie]

I can only commend what I have read so far. A wonderful set of guys who had to put up with a lot this season.
The single most damaging blow to our progress was loosing our No.1 goalie before the season even got underway.

 

[Temme]

Fair play to the guys, they stuck together through the full season and i'm sure even they could see the shambles that was out of their control.


I agree almost full with the OP, however i'm stuck 50/50 at the minute. I would love to see the most of our players back, however we did finish in 9th place, which although what went on off-ice wouldn't have helped, it is still the performances on-ice that give points and results.
Therefore I honestly don't know what i'd do if I were in dave Whistle's shoes :lol:

 

[Kipper]

All I hope is that all the players contractual entitlements and expenses are met in full so that Dave Whistle has a fair chance of being able to attract some decent players.

 

[chillee]

I'm sorry but I think some people need to realise the sport is not a hobby for the team, its their job and like the majority of people currently employed in the UK in the financial situation we are in it means leaving a job is not always a viable solution, unless there is a position available elsewhere. So like all performance related jobs, if your not capable of reaching the min required targets your frankly on borrowed time and as such, no respect from me.

We should also understand that UK Ice Hockey is frankly the bottom of the ladder for most players, this is a criticism of the whole sport in the UK and the lack of any effort to grow the sport, its all been frankly s88t.

I state this as a person who is paying to watch Hockey and frankly the cost vs quality is a deciding factor in me not paying to go to the BBT. I have no loyalty to anybody when it comes to hobbies, I'm not someone who writes the stat's in the programme, I don't wear team shirts or play ball hockey, I've never fantasied about being a player, don't collect memorabilia, I don't go to hockey countries on holiday's every year or drag my family into it. I just enjoy watching the skill and pace of the game and that is it. If there was an alternative team with a better stadium/team within an hrs drive from Cardiff given the choice, I'd drive there.

I do respect the loyalty of the fans in this country, the Devils fans especially as currently the vast majority who turn up for games every week are all the above that I am not and are the only people keepin the sport alive in Wales. But that is not going to improve the game within the UK, the sport needs me and my type because my type are still willing to pay to watch Hockey, only we prefer to pay a premium to watch good hockey in a professional place.

 

[Gohabsgo]

Looking back, our season died in the pre season Esbjerg game.

LaCosta's injury that he never really recovered from it could be argued, and Conboy's headbutt that made him a marked man, and that he didn't learn from.

Crazy to think how one seemingly meaningless pre season game could have such a catastrophic bearing on our season.

Enjoyed watching Morrisette this season though, cracking player.

 

[chillee]

What was it with that, I've seen the photo's of them eating in what looked like an office with food someone cooked by peeps at home.

Could the club not afford a meal in a hotel. Why invite people and treat them poorly. :roll: