Team GB Selection

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
Thread starter #1
Russell has announced his initial squad for training camp. There are one or two players out with injury who were unavailable.
4 of the Devils' British players are included - that is fantastic and congratulations to them.

The glaring omission again is Josh Batch....what has this young man got to do to get selected? He has been averaging a point per game recently for the Devils. He uses his size well, provides toughness and is good positionally as a defensive forward or a defenceman providing assists.

Russell has shown his loyalty to several players who still play for teams brought in to the EIHL this season and the number of 'dual nationals'/British by residency players has increased. Suppose he is trying to represent as many of the teams as possible in his choices.

Have to say I am raising my eyebrows at the inclusion of players like Ciaran Long and Jez Lundin and but then I am not the coach.
 
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Have Hope#35

Well-Known Member
#2
I agree that Batch deserves a shot but I'm not surprised that Ciaran Long has been given a chance... Coming up from the EPIHL last season to play in a very good Manchester Storm team with quite a bit of fire power he has managed to put up 30 Points in 50 Games with 16 of those being goals! He is a big body who plays physical and will drop the gloves if he has to! I can see why Manchester have signed him up for next season already. I'd expect Lundin to be one of the 5 to go once the team becomes 23!
 

Ocko

Well-Known Member
#3
I believe Batch is easily good enough, offers something completely different to other players selected and still has great potential. He should be in the team.

However, I can understand Russell's decision on this. Batch has hardly played this year. He gets about 4-5 shifts a game - less than 5 minutes of ice. You can't select a player on that. His GB selection is a sad casualty of what I think is very unfair usage of Josh's ability.

He has to play more, it annoys me how little ice time he gets when often this year we have many players who drift in and out of games. At least Josh is a player who doesn't shy out of a hit unlike a lot of our players. And considering how little ice he has seen his points production is good. I think Lord is a superb coach, possibly our best ever but he obviously has very little faith in developing players or British players in general. Considering we are clear at the top and the best team in the league our contingent of just 4 players is very disappointing.
 

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
Thread starter #4
I believe Batch is easily good enough, offers something completely different to other players selected and still has great potential. He should be in the team.

However, I can understand Russell's decision on this. Batch has hardly played this year. He gets about 4-5 shifts a game - less than 5 minutes of ice. You can't select a player on that. His GB selection is a sad casualty of what I think is very unfair usage of Josh's ability.

He has to play more, it annoys me how little ice time he gets when often this year we have many players who drift in and out of games. At least Josh is a player who doesn't shy out of a hit unlike a lot of our players. And considering how little ice he has seen his points production is good. I think Lord is a superb coach, possibly our best ever but he obviously has very little faith in developing players or British players in general. Considering we are clear at the top and the best team in the league our contingent of just 4 players is very disappointing.
And this is something I hope our Club will commit to and address properly next season. It is very unfortunate that Craig Moore has been injured, but Josh or Toms Rutkis still have not had anywhere near the amount of ice time they deserve to develop their game further. They are clearly both very able.

Thompson has already stated this week his intention to develop even more local talent on to the Steelers' roster. This is in preparation to have home-grown EIHL-ready players to replace those senior players who will probably be retiring in the next few seasons. Neilson had already started that process - and with Clarke retiring, there are several good younger British forwards on the Panthers' roster who have developed well enough to have permanent slots.

This is an infrastructure most teams need to be brave about - some of our own senior Devils' players won't be around forever.
 
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Outsider

Active Member
#5
And this is something I hope our Club will commit to and address properly next season. It is very unfortunate that Craig Moore has been injured, but Josh or Toms Rutkis still have not had anywhere near the amount of ice time they deserve to develop their game further. They are clearly both very able.

Thompson has already stated this week his intention to develop even more local talent on to the Steelers' roster. This is in preparation to have home-grown EIHL-ready players to replace those senior players who will probably be retiring in the next few seasons. Neilson had already started that process - and with Clarke retiring, there are several good younger British forwards on the Panthers' roster who have developed well enough to have permanent slots.

This is an infrastructure most teams need to be brave about - some of our own senior Devils' players won't be around forever.
Because players are on a team doesn't mean they " deserve to play or deserve more icetime". It comes down to results . Now let's look at both of the players you speak of, Josh Batch is a good player but personally he hasn't been the power forward he was before the injury. Before the injury he finished checks on the forecheck that got the attention of the defencemen on the other team. By finishing his hits hard he gave more room for himself and his line mates who at the time were Moore and Myers and in my mind probably the best 4th line in the Elite League but unfortunately injuries to both Moore and Josh had an affect on the 4th line structure. Josh in my mind needs to finish his checks hard and go to the net harder, make himself tough to play against. In my opinion he's not doing that right now and i'm a Josh Batch fan. As well, when you come back from an injury, it sometimes harder to get back into the lineup. Josh has all the tools to be a dominate forward in this league and I felt he was a solid defenceman as well but lacked the confidence and coaching. Is Josh playing bad ? Not at all but he's capable of more. Rutkis is another story. Is he good enough ? Don't know, he hasn't had the icetime for us to know. He certainly has the foot speed to play in the league but does he have the other necessary tools to play full time is the question and with the Devils being at the top of the table and in the stretch run, it's difficult as a coach to play him more than he's played so far. One thing coaches look at with players is results and consistency. You can say that he needs ice time to get that in his game and I would agree with you but unless you're making things happen on the ice when you're out there like getting some scoring opportunities, getting in on the scoring by setting up your linemates and making good solid defensive decisions , it's difficult for the coach to justify giving you ice time especially this time of year. My point is, show something with the opportunity you have, no matter whether you play 2 minutes or 10 minutes and no one "deserves " ice time, you earn it .
 

Outsider

Active Member
#7
But how do you earn ice time, if your not on the ice to earn it, it’s a catch 22.
You're right , it is a catch 22 . I think with Rutkis he can't/won't climb any higher in the lineup for this year unless injuries happen because it's too deep into the season however, if the Devils win the title in the next week or so, I can see him getting a little more ice until the playoffs but on this team without injuries he's the 13th forward this year. That may change next year but I don't have a crystal ball. I think Josh can have a big affect on the team from now to the end of the season if he plays like he can when he is out on the ice. With his size and skating ability he can be a physical force but as with any player it's up to him. Force the coach to play him by playing the way he's capable of.
 
#8
I’m a big Batch fan. Good age, 6”4” 220lb, physical, will drop the mits if necessary & he can play both forward and defence.

Should’ve been in the 28 man squad and I’d certainly take him at the Steelers
 

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
Thread starter #9
Peter Russell has confirmed his 23 man squad this morning after the Lithuania challenge games. All 4 Cardiff Devils remain on the roster. Evan Mosey one of the players cut because of injury.

Congratulations and good luck to Ben, Richie, Matthew and Thomas.
 
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