Reference to Crawford, how frustrating was he to watch on offense as well? I'm specifically talking about his shot. The guy really, really should have scored more goals. Time and time again his shots on goal were wide or straight at the netminder. If he works out his scoring touch, he will score a heck of a lot of goals.
This team
- Thread starter Wannabe2
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I’m not sure you can argue that we didn’t have the budget because we didn’t cut players.
The standard contract in the EIHL is effectively a two week contract. But not all contracts are like that. Top end players or those on Uni deals will have extra clauses that might for example cover the whole season.
The Devils have a good reputation for treating players and their families well and not chopping and changing all the time. Belfast do.
Rules were put in place to stop teams using a scattergun approach to signing and hiring but Belfast found a way around it. It won them a grand slam this year but we’ll have to wait to see what the overall fallout from this season is.
A couple of years ago some fans were calling one of our new players dead weight and couldn't believe he wasn’t cut. His name was Layne Ulmer and he turned out to be one of the best signings in prevent years.
This time, loyalty didn’t work. But in the past it has.
With regards to budget, Todd said before Christmas that we were only £100 a week under the salary cap. So if we wanted to bring in additional players they couldn’t cost more than a £100 a week without further changes being made.
At the moment I don’t think budget is a problem for us. On paper we put together a good squad but arguably some of our most expensive players just didn’t perform.
The standard contract in the EIHL is effectively a two week contract. But not all contracts are like that. Top end players or those on Uni deals will have extra clauses that might for example cover the whole season.
The Devils have a good reputation for treating players and their families well and not chopping and changing all the time. Belfast do.
Rules were put in place to stop teams using a scattergun approach to signing and hiring but Belfast found a way around it. It won them a grand slam this year but we’ll have to wait to see what the overall fallout from this season is.
A couple of years ago some fans were calling one of our new players dead weight and couldn't believe he wasn’t cut. His name was Layne Ulmer and he turned out to be one of the best signings in prevent years.
This time, loyalty didn’t work. But in the past it has.
With regards to budget, Todd said before Christmas that we were only £100 a week under the salary cap. So if we wanted to bring in additional players they couldn’t cost more than a £100 a week without further changes being made.
At the moment I don’t think budget is a problem for us. On paper we put together a good squad but arguably some of our most expensive players just didn’t perform.
I was going to say something similar. It would be very interesting to know how our players compare on the basis of £s per point. I suspect that certain players have been taking up far more of the wage budget than they should.
I agree with others that the so called wage cap is meaningless. IMO there's no way that Belfast were playing by the same rules, yet there have been zero consequences.
Because of the way the league is being mismanaged it's only a matter of time before we lose teams and the league becomes unviable.
I agree with others that the so called wage cap is meaningless. IMO there's no way that Belfast were playing by the same rules, yet there have been zero consequences.
Because of the way the league is being mismanaged it's only a matter of time before we lose teams and the league becomes unviable.
Without knowing exact figures, it’s hard to call. One thing I will say though; Coughler is not a third line centre, and would no doubt cost too much to bring in as an intended third line centre. Those suggesting he should play there, I think need a bit of realism in terms of what your money gets you! Maybe he could if you chuck money at the forwards, but then we end up in the same boat on D as we don’t have the cash to get the quality desired and concede a load of goals again!
The problem is that if one team gets away with it and is rewarded (with a treble!), then it just becomes an arms race between other teams at the top who have the resources to do more. Before long it’s a free for all between the haves and the have nots and we’ll go down the path of SuperLeague, with teams going bust and the league diminishing in number of teams until it becomes pointless. If Belfast have done this to achieve their success without punishment, then this league is on a very slippery slope.
A championship team needs Coughler on the third line though. That would be the reality if he is to stay. Otherwise one of him or Joey M are leaving because I think we need a new 1st line centre to match up and eclipse Conway. This is why there are tough contract talks ahead with these guys. It’s about how much the players want to be part of a winning Devils team. We got discounts on Joey M, Joey H, Hoth, Fournier for years to secure success and the same unfortunately needs to happen again. Crikey the first league winning season we had Brine and Bordeleau on the 4th. Two ex nhlers because of the deals other players took. Todd and Brodie need to weave some magic this summer that’s for sure to convince these guys Cardiff is the place for them but also to stay they need to think big picture if they want success. Otherwise they’re gone which in Coughler’s case would be sad as this season should have been so much different for him without the injury.
Agreed….but put yourself in their shoes. This career isn’t enough to retire on and never work again, so you’ve got to maximise your value now. Particularly as it’s likely you’re then starting your ‘professional’ outside of hockey career at the bottom of the ladder at mid 30s. Coughler you may get a bit of good will from regarding how he’s been looked after this season. What I will say is that Coughler last season you definitely wouldn’t consider a third line centre; you’d be looking at top 2. If you can recruit correctly and get the right chemistry on lines (something clearly lacking this year), then I do feel we have some of the personnel to do this. Crandall is another one; I’d want to keep him knowing what he can do if given the right line mates.
With me being one that has suggested it I do agree that finance wise and the players self worth would make it unrealistic but I think we need a whole new 1st line to be able to compete against Belfast and probably Sheffield next season who should have a new coach and an open wallet.
Also think Belfast would make the Coughler on third line work money wise ;-)
Also think Belfast would make the Coughler on third line work money wise ;-)
Coughler is not a third line centre in the EIHL. Completely agree. That’s why if you can get him to be then you have lept a huge hurdle to becoming champions. We had Stephen Dixon there before and his CV is off the charts compared to Cougs. No offence intended. As a GM surely you have to be cheeky as hell and not take options of the table based on assumption.