The Hoff is back

[TheStub]

Hoffman has resigned in Belfast.

 

[BOUT YE]

You thought voth coming back for you was big this is a massive boost for belfast

 

[oneill]

Happy enough.. Gives us a guy who can play forward or defence, adds toughness to the roster, and knows the league.. Hoffman has been playing and fighting pretty regularly in the AHL so he's also coming in fit and ready to play..

http://www.belfastgiants.com/archives/t ... n-belfast/

 

[Hynod]

You thought voth coming back for you was big this is a massive boost for belfast

Disagree, I'm sure he isn't the top line forward you wanted. DC got desperate and seems to have made a transfer for the sake of it. Best of luck in the run in though would prefer you rather than Sheffield, but that gap is closing rapidly season by season mainly due to smug fans trolling on here. ickle

Pressure is on big Dug now. Lets see if he can deliver. BYW Voth coming back is massive for us, we currently have 8 imports playing, where you have 8 spare. WD

 

[Devil_Bluebird]

Someone will have to update that roster photo now and add even more players WD

 

[Devil_Bluebird]

You thought voth coming back for you was big this is a massive boost for belfast

Disagree, I'm sure he isn't the top line forward you wanted. DC got desperate and seems to have made a transfer for the sake of it. Best of luck in the run in though would prefer you rather than Sheffield, but that gap is closing rapidly season by season mainly due to smug fans trolling on here. ickle

Pressure is on big Dug now. Lets see if he can deliver. BYW Voth coming back is massive for us, we currently have 8 imports playing, where you have 8 spare. WD

The pressures on the Belfast Giants

 

[cupcake]

it's not a massive boost at all (unless you count the average height going up)

He isn't the impact goal scoring machine that has been hinted at - however, he appears to have been brought in to create space for the current guys to do their thing.

We still have no direct replacement for McBride & Doucet so it looks like our games won't be high scoring but they will be defensively minded with 1 - 2 goal advantages (hopefully 2 on Saturday )

He lands on Friday so will probably play on Saturday paperwork dependent but we got Deniset's sorted quite quickly so Hoffman's shouldn't be a problem.

I don't think we will win the league though without the firepower. I hope I am proved wrong though.

 

[Wannabe2]

Think this a very average signing to be honest, Hoffman is tough but not much else. Really dont think he is the signing most giants fans would have prefered, certainly wont have us quaking in our skates.

 

[DevilDom]

Are the Giants trying to break the record for the most imports signed in a season? What are they upto now and how many spares are they carrying? I've completely lost track.

 

[Twinkle]

Personally hope Belfast do not win the league, i dont even mind Sheffield pipping them to the post.

DC is NOT a good coach, he hasnt had to 'coach' a team as he has just used money to buy in good imports . Why on earth he was appointed assistant GB coach is totally beyond me. He has achieved nothing in the UK regarding results etc....

Rant over WD

 

[cupcake]

Personally hope Belfast do not win the league, i dont even mind Sheffield pipping them to the post.

DC is NOT a good coach, he hasnt had to 'coach' a team as he has just used money to buy in good imports . Why on earth he was appointed assistant GB coach is totally beyond me. He has achieved nothing in the UK regarding results etc....

Rant over WD

You are aware he coached the Caps team before Belfast so the using money to buy good imports argument is somewhat irrelevant. Granted he didn't work wonders on that budget but still produced some good results against the grain.

He's a great recruiter but as for calling him a bad coach - I wouldn't say that, nor would I say he's a good coach.. yet.

 

[Skippy]

He's a great recruiter

As he should be he's had load of practice

Joking aside, good pick up for the Giants I guess but hardly the first line guy you wanted ?

 

[drainage]

He's a great recruiter

As he should be he's had load of practice

Joking aside, good pick up for the Giants I guess but hardly the first line guy you wanted ?

Cant help thinking the government should recruit DC to work on current un employment figures!!!

He is singled handedly driving down unemployment in the ice hockey world

 

[Twinkle]

Personally hope Belfast do not win the league, i dont even mind Sheffield pipping them to the post.

DC is NOT a good coach, he hasnt had to 'coach' a team as he has just used money to buy in good imports . Why on earth he was appointed assistant GB coach is totally beyond me. He has achieved nothing in the UK regarding results etc....

Rant over WD

You are aware he coached the Caps team before Belfast so the using money to buy good imports argument is somewhat irrelevant. Granted he didn't work wonders on that budget but still produced some good results against the grain.

He's a great recruiter but as for calling him a bad coach - I wouldn't say that, nor would I say he's a good coach.. yet.

I didnt call him a bad coach.

He coached the Caps, won a few big scalps but still enedd up very near the bottom of the league. He is coach at belfast, has signed numerous imports, money no object it seems...and Belfast are currently top of the league. How can you say money to buy imports is irrelevant ?

 

[cupcake]

He's a great recruiter

As he should be he's had load of practice

Joking aside, good pick up for the Giants I guess but hardly the first line guy you wanted ?

he's not going to be the sniper we had with Doucet or McBride but he can play and Doug said he will be used as a forward whereas he was utility when he was here last season. His AHL /ECHL stats are as a D Man so they don't help us much.

I think he's going to be used to create space for Dowd, Pelle, Clarke etc and on the pp. I still think we are missing that spark but it remains to be seen.

Some people are getting excited about the tough man role, but I doubt we will see his gloves off to be honest.

 

[cupcake]

Personally hope Belfast do not win the league, i dont even mind Sheffield pipping them to the post.

DC is NOT a good coach, he hasnt had to 'coach' a team as he has just used money to buy in good imports . Why on earth he was appointed assistant GB coach is totally beyond me. He has achieved nothing in the UK regarding results etc....

Rant over WD

You are aware he coached the Caps team before Belfast so the using money to buy good imports argument is somewhat irrelevant. Granted he didn't work wonders on that budget but still produced some good results against the grain.

He's a great recruiter but as for calling him a bad coach - I wouldn't say that, nor would I say he's a good coach.. yet.

I didnt call him a bad coach.

He coached the Caps, won a few big scalps but still enedd up very near the bottom of the league. He is coach at belfast, has signed numerous imports, money no object it seems...and Belfast are currently top of the league. How can you say money to buy imports is irrelevant ?

Because you said he hasn't had to coach a team just buy imports, which isn't the case at Caps. He had to coach a team who were up against it so it is irrelevant if that is where you are basing "he is not a good coach" theory on.

Based on the same theory Finnerty is the same, and could be argued Adams (as the Devils most successful year was when the big guns were brought in) Although for the record I do like Adams as a coach and his style of hockey.

Money talks in the EIHL - Thommo has a track record that speaks for itself as a great coach, no argument there, but this season when the money is tight.... quetions are asked about his ability.

 

[Skippy]

I think he's going to be used to create space for Dowd, Pelle, Clarke etc and on the pp. I still think we are missing that spark but it remains to be seen.

Some people are getting excited about the tough man role, but I doubt we will see his gloves off to be honest.

Makes sense, will be intresting to see how much impact he has at this late stage in the season.

 

[Paul Sullivan]

He's a great recruiter

I think it's too early in Doug's career to say that yet. He has (in EIHL terms) seemingly limitless wage resources and a fantastic venue and a team with a great profile thanks to his boss, TK.

Having the money to spend on the players you want is not a great recruiter, imo. It's a great shopper.

Great recruiters could consistently attract Top quality players to a bargain basement venue with often unattractive wages to offer. Great recruiters could bring players like Tyson Teplitsky, Phil Osaer, Craig Weller, Mark Smith, Scott Matxka, Max Birbraer and Wes Jarvis to a venue like the tent on nowhere near what other teams spend on high-profile (often non productive) superstars.

Great recruiters could see diamonds in the rough and get them on competitive packages, using their obvious ability and drive to give them the chance to become stars and cult heroes. Giving guys like Tylor Michel the chance to have consecutive career years, or seeing the numbers of a Jon Pelle (solid but not spectacular prior to the Devils) and combining him with other well-recruited players to allow him to develop into an offensive powerhouse (a position he thoroughly earned by being utterly brilliant for us).

It is quite possible Doug could mature into a great recruiter but I would not compare him to G and Franny - who I do obviously consider to be great recruiters based on their track record - until he has done it, and done it well, under pressure - for a solid 5 years plus.

As for Hoffman I think the League is better for him. He's big, tough, can score and is smart enough to know when to be physical and when to just play the game. I for one would be much happier if he wasn't in the lineup against us on Saturday.

 

[freddieb]

He's a great recruiter

I think it's too early in Doug's career to say that yet. He has (in EIHL terms) seemingly limitless wage resources and a fantastic venue and a team with a great profile thanks to his boss, TK.

Having the money to spend on the players you want is not a great recruiter, imo. It's a great shopper.

Great recruiters could consistently attract Top quality players to a bargain basement venue with often unattractive wages to offer. Great recruiters could bring players like Tyson Teplitsky, Phil Osaer, Craig Weller, Mark Smith, Scott Matxka, Max Birbraer and Wes Jarvis to a venue like the tent on nowhere near what other teams spend on high-profile (often non productive) superstars.

Great recruiters could see diamonds in the rough and get them on competitive packages, using their obvious ability and drive to give them the chance to become stars and cult heroes. Giving guys like Tylor Michel the chance to have consecutive career years, or seeing the numbers of a Jon Pelle (solid but not spectacular prior to the Devils) and combining him with other well-recruited players to allow him to develop into an offensive powerhouse (a position he thoroughly earned by being utterly brilliant for us).

It is quite possible Doug could mature into a great recruiter but I would not compare him to G and Franny - who I do obviously consider to be great recruiters based on their track record - until he has done it, and done it well, under pressure - for a solid 5 years plus.

As for Hoffman I think the League is better for him. He's big, tough, can score and is smart enough to know when to be physical and when to just play the game. I for one would be much happier if he wasn't in the lineup against us on Saturday.

Doug Christensen attracted some great players to Edinburgh who probably have the smallest budget in the league as well as one of the oldest rinks. Mark Smith was a recruitment of Christensen's. The fact that he managed to attract players such as Hemingway, Stutzel, Fussey, Smith, Rudowsky, Lambert and Hurtubise to Edinburgh is nothing short of remarkable. Personally I think he is the best recruiter in the league

 

[chris592]

Personally hope Belfast do not win the league, i dont even mind Sheffield pipping them to the post.

DC is NOT a good coach, he hasnt had to 'coach' a team as he has just used money to buy in good imports . Why on earth he was appointed assistant GB coach is totally beyond me. He has achieved nothing in the UK regarding results etc....

Rant over WD

You are aware he coached the Caps team before Belfast so the using money to buy good imports argument is somewhat irrelevant. Granted he didn't work wonders on that budget but still produced some good results against the grain.

He's a great recruiter but as for calling him a bad coach - I wouldn't say that, nor would I say he's a good coach.. yet.

I didnt call him a bad coach.

He coached the Caps, won a few big scalps but still enedd up very near the bottom of the league. He is coach at belfast, has signed numerous imports, money no object it seems...and Belfast are currently top of the league. How can you say money to buy imports is irrelevant ?

My memory isnt what it used to be, and it was like 3 seasons ago (I'm sure one of the statos cant correct me). But didn't he coach the Caps into the PO's and did Edinburgh not finish in their highest position in the league since the EIHL formed. Also didn't he win rookie coach of the year or something?

But yeah he hasn't coached a team yet :roll: