Devils Vs Blaze –29th September 7.30pm Face Off

28th Aug 2012 | Posted by Simon Rafferty

This Wednesday night see’s the first of this year’s preseason friendlies and gives us our first chance to get a look at the 2012/13 Devils team and a team that we will no doubt be seeing a whole lot of in the coming months the Coventry Blaze. We take a look at the Blaze squad in the run up to the game.

Finishing in fifth place in the league last season before being knocked out in the play-off semi-final stage, by the Devils, Blaze head Coach Paul Thompson went back to the drawing board to build his 2012/13 squad. At the time he said he wanted fire and grit mixed with the desire and experience of winning and it looks like he’s gone out and found just that.

Up front it’s a very new look Blaze with Shea Guthrie being one of the few to return from last season, after being named the Blazes Player of the Year last season. The 24-year-old was the club's outstanding performer last season and was the team’s leading point-scorer with 30 goals and 48 assists in 58 games.

The other "survivor" from last season being Ross Venus who returns to the Blaze line up for his 3rd season having been on a two way deal last season.

Joining them are new comers, Gerome Giudice, brothers Brad and Greg Leeb, Dustin Cameron and former Devil Sam Smith. The Blaze will of course start the season one forward down with controversial signing Mike Danton still awaiting the outcome of the appeal on his work permit being denied.

Looking at each in turn Gerome Giudice who plays as Centre the 23-year-old who was a third round draft pick by Sudbury Wolves in the Ontario Hockey League in 2005, spent last season with Tulsa Oilers in the Central hockey League.

On signing for the Blaze Giudice had this to say “ I am very excited to be coming to a winning franchise with a great coach and great fans. I will bring grit, scoring and good responsible defensive zone coverage to the team and my goal is to win a championship and have a solid year.”

Greg Leeb from the Nurnberg Ice Tigers of the German Elite League (DEL). The 35 year old native of Red Deer, Alberta joins the Blaze after ten straight seasons in the DEL, the last nine of which were with Nurnberg. He played in over 530 DEL games, posting over 320 points and leaves Nurnberg as their all-time leader in appearances with 437 games.

Blaze Head Coach, Paul Thompson said “I’m very excited to be bringing Greg to Coventry. He’s played ten straight years as an import in the DEL and you don’t do that without being a very good player. “He’s a quality centre man who I’m going to be able to use in every situation. He has great speed, is a crafty player and brings one of the things I really wanted to bring in this year – veteran quality and experience. Someone who can be used in the pressure situations.“

Brad Leeb The 32-year-old native of Red Deer, Alberta, links up again with older brother Greg having spent the past four seasons together at the Nurnberg Ice Tigers of the German Elite League (DEL).Leeb, also has a vast wealth of experience having posed points in 276 games for Red Deer Rebels in the Western Hockey League before registering three goals and five assists in seven appearances for Canada Under-20s.

Coach Paul Thompson said: “Brad is a career AHL guy who has also played a few games in the NHL. I wanted someone to boost our offence and Brad will do that. He has scored 34 and 35 goals in a season in the AHL. Brad has delivered every year, wherever he has been”.

Dustin Cameron - The 23-year-old native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, spent last season with Trenton Titans in the ECHL prior to which he played six seasons in the Western Hockey League, posting 170 points (86 goals and 84 assists) in 284 matches, which included spells with Saskatoon Blades and Prince Albert Raiders, for whom he captained for two years.

Coach Paul Thompson said: “This was my last import signing so I have thought long and hard and waited for the right player to come along. I felt we needed someone a bit younger and who can fit into the type of team we are building this season."

“Dustin is a hard-nosed, physical player who will go to the net. He has a nice scoring touch and I am expecting him to get 20 goals this season.”

Rounding out the new forward pack is Ex Devil Sam Smith who will have a point to prove this season after a disappointing last season with the Devils.

On Defence the Blaze see the return of James Griffin for his 2nd season,Russ Cowley returns for his 11th season at the Blaze brings speed, good transition and strong defensive play and Jerramie Domish who returns for a second year with the Blaze and his fourth season in the UK. In his first few seasons he seemed to bring speed from the Blue line and good transitional play but last year he seemed to be less impactful compared to previous seasons.

Joining them are newcomers Mike Egener, Benn Olson and Michael Schutte. Looking at each in turn.

Mike Egener - The German-born 27-year-old, a second-round draft pick by Tampa Bay Lightning in 2003, spent last season with Esbjerg in Denmark, posting 11 points and accumulating 241 penalty minutes in 37 games. Egener, who is 6ft 4in and 216lbs, played 175 games in the American Hockey League for Springfield Falcons and Norfolk Admirals over a four-year period, racking up 505 penalty minutes along the way.

Coach Paul Thompson said: “I am looking for my team to be bigger and meaner, especially at the back-end, next season and Mike fits that bill. He has had four years in the American League and has also played in Europe. He was a second-round pick and was a high prospect but for whatever reason he was never called up into the NHL.”

“Mike put up some decent numbers for a defenceman in the ECHL a couple of years ago and I will be looking for him to do the same.”

“He is a pretty rounded player, he is very mobile for a big guy and he plays a physical game. I like the presence he will give us and I am excited to have him with us.”

Benn Olson - The 25-year-old British Columbia native split last season in the American Hockey League with Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Houston Aeros and ECHL sides Alaska Aces and Ontario Reign.
In 81 AHL appearances - having also iced for Albany River Rats and Milwaukee Admirals - Olson racked up 313 penalty minutes.

Coach Paul Thompson said: “Benn is another player who ticks all the boxes. He is a big body who will play physical, who will be banging bodies around and who will take care of business."

“There is more to him than just fighting and taking penalty minutes – he has a big reach and was used on the penalty kill in the AHL. He is not one-dimensional, far from it. He looks after himself and has a fantastic attitude."

“I have been chasing Benn for six weeks and he turned down an AHL contract to come to us. He is still very young and is excited to be coming to Coventry and playing in the Elite League.”

Michael Schutte -The 32-year-old native of Burlington, Ontario, has spent the majority of the last six years in Europe, winning championships in Germany and Italy as well as helping EC Salzburg lift the Continental Cup.

Coach Paul Thompson said: “Mike fits exactly what I'm looking for - an offensive defenseman with great skills and explosive offensive ability from the back-end. He will be a huge contributor on our power play and more importantly brings the experience and knowledge and is used to playing big minutes. He is not only a quality addition on the ice but off it too. He is another very big piece of the jigsaw.”

In nets the Blaze see the return of Peter Hirsch for his third season for the Club, Hirsch posted a 90% save percentage last season with a goals against average of 2.95 as well as registering six shut-outs. Hirsch can and will win them games, but when he loses his head he’s a liability which we have all seen in the past.

The Blaze look to have a good mix upfront with youth, experience, proven goal scoring and toughness in defence they have an edge that they lacked last year and if there guys can stay out of the box and on the ice the ability to transition the puck well. All in all this is a better Blaze squad than the previous few seasons with one player yet to arrive, if he is granted entry in Danton or one more import to sign if Danton is refused a work permit.

As always well be running the “Childish and amazingly Biased” Match Night Live service for this game, at the usual location of http://www.theinferno.co.uk/mnl if you'd like to help out or chip in with some comments on the night please contact us at matchnightlive@gmail.com.

For details of upcoming away travel with Red Army Travel you can get all the information here http://www.the-inferno.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6212