sheffield have re-signed......

[Gaz G]

for me I dont think this is the time in the season to be discussing who should stay or go, ALL the team need our support, we still 9/10 games and the playoffs to look forward to before the season finishs

That depends on the individual really. I have played a very high level of sport in the past and had derogatory comments written about me on forums just like this. It didn't work out for me in the end but I sure as hell took the comments on board and proved people wrong in the end. Thus extending my career by another 2 years.

All well and good to ignore what people think of you if you so choose, but if a little negativity about performance can help you boost your game and continue to play on that level then it's all good in my eyes.

 

[ASHIPP]

What's the big deal with this? No suprises here at all - Tait, Sarich and Legue have been with Steelers for years. They aren't going anywhere. As for DeCaro and Stephenson, no wheeling and dealing there - they will simply be in to year 2 of their studies next season.

Am sure G and Franny already have in mind what shape they want the team to be next season. Both are experienced recruiters and should be credited with that. Probably little point in making it all public right now - it's simply an uneccessary distraction for them and the team.

 

[schulersagoodun]

I'd like to see the majority of the team resigned, ............A few tweaks needed but I think if we don't have wholesale changes we could real challenge next season.

Challenge for what........4th place....3rd maybe ?
Don't get me wrong. Challenging for those places overall, given our resources, may be quite realistic.....but if you are implying challenging for League honours.....forget it...with the majority of this squad.
I do think it might be possible to 'challenge' - but it will need Adams to recruit 3 or 4 'hidden gems' ( Pelle, McRae, Teplitsky ). It does happen. Tony Hand, in Manchester, found Beauregard, Fulghum and one other, whose name escapes me.Hull found Tendler. Edinburgh found Jarolyn. etc etc etc.

 

[DevilDom]

I'd like to see the majority of the team resigned, ............A few tweaks needed but I think if we don't have wholesale changes we could real challenge next season.

Challenge for what........4th place....3rd maybe ?
Don't get me wrong. Challenging for those places overall, given our resources, may be quite realistic.....but if you are implying challenging for League honours.....forget it...with the majority of this squad.
I do think it might be possible to 'challenge' - but it will need Adams to recruit 3 or 4 'hidden gems' ( Pelle, McRae, Teplitsky ). It does happen. Tony Hand, in Manchester, found Beauregard, Fulghum and one other, whose name escapes me.Hull found Tendler. Edinburgh found Jarolyn. etc etc etc.

You seem to forget that the team that started this season was only 5 players different to that of last season which challenged in all competitions right up to the end.

 

[Sheincar]

And don't forget weve been 2 imports down for a large chunk of the season.All in all I think the boys have done pretty well with what we've got.

 

[osh]

Challenge for what........4th place....3rd maybe ?
Don't get me wrong. Challenging for those places overall, given our resources, may be quite realistic.....but if you are implying challenging for League honours.....forget it...with the majority of this squad.
I do think it might be possible to 'challenge' - but it will need Adams to recruit 3 or 4 'hidden gems' ( Pelle, McRae, Teplitsky ). It does happen. Tony Hand, in Manchester, found Beauregard, Fulghum and one other, whose name escapes me.Hull found Tendler. Edinburgh found Jarolyn. etc etc etc.

You seem to forget that the team that started this season was only 5 players different to that of last season which challenged in all competitions right up to the end.[/quote]

Only 5 players !! You can't tell me that we've replaced the quality of Weller, Michel, Pelle, Finnerty etc with equal signings this season DD. 5 players is 50% of our allowed imports. yes we've been short on imports this season, but lets be honest here, the imports we signed this season ( apart from 1 maybe) are nowhere near the quality of last season. I agree with schulersagoodun on this one.

 

[jimmy snels]

5 players different is quite alot!!! im with osh. personally i would say brits wise we're there or there abouts but imports next season i still stand by id like to see G look for an AHL standard net minder and combine him with a better balanced team.

 

[DevilDom]

Only 5 players !! You can't tell me that we've replaced the quality of Weller, Michel, Pelle, Finnerty etc with equal signings this season DD. 5 players is 50% of our allowed imports. yes we've been short on imports this season, but lets be honest here, the imports we signed this season ( apart from 1 maybe) are nowhere near the quality of last season. I agree with schulersagoodun on this one.

OK, here are my reasons:
- We re-signed all our brits bar 1 (symonds) who was replaced with IMO an upgrade (Batch).
- Out the 10 imports initially signed this year 7 of the 10 (70%) were with us last year.
- We have (as Sheincar says) played the majority of the season 2 imports down and on occassion 3 down.

Who knows how we would have down with 10 imports all year but an example of what a full team was capable of was when we beat Sheffield 4-0 at the start season with and were very competitve against all the so-called "big" teams. We were never going to replace Weller and it was always going to be difficult replacing the likes of Michel and Pelle but I don't think we have done too bad considering the above and if we could get to the point where we only have to replace 3 imports again next season I think we would be well set to challenge again. Just my opinion though.

 

[TheStub]

Taking Weller out of the conversation, the players we brought in were (by and large) decent replacements for what we lost. Frank has been as solid a d man as you could ask for, Pierce has to be one of the best forwards I've seen in a Devils jersey in the EIHL, and Dobben is a solid two way player that slots in everywhere.

What we have lacked is cohesion. All season we have struggled to find line combinations that generate offense, and as a consequence not got the best from what we have signed.

I think we are going to see a big reshuffle in the offseason, but I think that would be a shame. I like stability, and I think G is only just learning to use Pierce.

At a minimum we need to re-sign Richie, Batch, Hill and Davies. Brits, and Brit D men especially, are the important players to get back. I wouldn't be disappointed with all our Brits back, but would be looking for Davies to take that next step and become an elite forward, and Sam to step up and become an offensive threat and not just a solid lower order player.

Import wise, I would be shocked if we didn't see Max and Mark S back. I would really be amazed if we saw Matzka again (we can dream though). I'd like to see us move to keep Stu and Kenton. Depending on the core we can retain, we need to work at signing players that fit the core - we never got that out and out sniper to feed off Max, that would be a priority. If we got Pierce back, we need a winger that can play off him.

It would be really nice to keep our current top line, whilst building a second line that compliments Max. With our Brit depth, we should have a decent third line.

We still need to replace Tylor - our biggest gap this year.

Almost more importantly, we need to have a more balanced schedule. Allow us to keep interest for a whole season.

 

[Finny]

At the forum in January, Ragan said that he would be giving G a bigger budget next season - and I think G said that with it he would be able to put together a team to finish in the top 2 again.

I never feel it is right to discuss changes you want to make to a team whilst the season is still going on, so I will save my thoughts until after the playoffs.

 

[DevilDom]

I never feel it is right to discuss changes you want to make to a team whilst the season is still going on, so I will save my thoughts until after the playoffs.

I don't think anyone mentioned specific players they wanted to change.

 

[Finny]

I never feel it is right to discuss changes you want to make to a team whilst the season is still going on, so I will save my thoughts until after the playoffs.

I don't think anyone mentioned specific players they wanted to change.

I know. What I meant, (but didn't explain) was that to fully explain why I think we'll compete next year I would have to say which players I would replace and why.

 

[DevilDom]

I never feel it is right to discuss changes you want to make to a team whilst the season is still going on, so I will save my thoughts until after the playoffs.

I don't think anyone mentioned specific players they wanted to change.

I know. What I meant, (but didn't explain) was that to fully explain why I think we'll compete next year I would have to say which players I would replace and why.

Yes, I agree. My point (without naming specific players) was that I think we are not far off a really competitive team at the momment if we had a full roster which we have barely had this season.

 

[schulersagoodun]

......Import wise, I would be shocked if we didn't see Max and Mark S back.......

I'd be shocked ....if we took the risk of signing two imports who have just had serious shoulder / neck injuries !! Experience suggests, that defenders especially,...are very rarely the 'same' players after shoulder surgery.

 

[TheStub]

I'd be shocked if we didn't. Both have proven themselves to the club, and have been shown to be exceptional players.

The fact they both seem to be settling in Wales means we can probably pick them up for less than a similar player of their quality may cost, even if it is just in housing costs etc. Isn't Max an EU passport holder? Also an injury will reduce their value to other coaches.

Those savings can strengthen a squad in increased budget elsewhere.

Standard contracts mean that we can cut them loose if they fail to perform.

For me, they are both worth the punt.

 

[Ingramator]

Re: Re: sheffield have re-signed......

I'd be shocked if we didn't. Both have proven themselves to the club, and have been shown to be exceptional players.

The fact they both seem to be settling in Wales means we can probably pick them up for less than a similar player of their quality may cost, even if it is just in housing costs etc. Isn't Max an EU passport holder? Also an injury will reduce their value to other coaches.

Those savings can strengthen a squad in increased budget elsewhere.

Standard contracts mean that we can cut them loose if they fail to perform.

For me, they are both worth the punt.

I definatly think there both worth it, two good players that I for one would like to see back at the bbt

 

[schulersagoodun]

I'd be shocked if we didn't. ....Both have proven themselves to the club, and have been shown to be exceptional players......

That's no my point. Both are good players and had they not suffered major injuries I would have been quite happy to see them playing for the Devils next season.
BUT....Neither has proved to have completely recovered from these injuries...and I think it would be too much of a risk to re-sign both. You are assuming that both will return and play up to their previous standard...and past experience shows that is often not possible.

 

[TheStub]

Re: Re: sheffield have re-signed......

I'd be shocked if we didn't. ....Both have proven themselves to the club, and have been shown to be exceptional players......

That's no my point. Both are good players and had they not suffered major injuries I would have been quite happy to see them playing for the Devils next season.
BUT....Neither has proved to have completely recovered from these injuries...and I think it would be too much of a risk to re-sign both. You are assuming that both will return and play up to their previous standard...and past experience shows that is often not possible.

If you read more than the first sentence of my post you will see I don't.

If you are going to quote me, don't edit a small section to say what you want it to say.

I think they would be worth the risk. I also said they would probably come at a discount, and we can always release them - so even if they don't play to the previous level we have saved to improve the rest of the squad.

 

[Finny]

The only reason we were able to sign Max that first season was because of a big injury the previous year and clubs were wary of him.

Both Mark and Max have been treated by Vale Healthcare, one of the clubs sponsors. I'm sure the experts there know more than us on here, and they would be able to give the club the best advice as to how the players will recover.

 

[Wannabe2]

I'd be shocked if we didn't. Both have proven themselves to the club, and have been shown to be exceptional players.

The fact they both seem to be settling in Wales means we can probably pick them up for less than a similar player of their quality may cost, even if it is just in housing costs etc. Isn't Max an EU passport holder? Also an injury will reduce their value to other coaches.

Those savings can strengthen a squad in increased budget elsewhere.

Standard contracts mean that we can cut them loose if they fail to perform.

For me, they are both worth the punt.

EU Passport holders still count as imports if i am correct. So Maxi is a import whatever, i would defo still sign him though.