It's that time of year again, a few days before the EIHL kicks off=predictions time. Last summer F Block Blog successfully predicted zero of the below categories, so let's hope for a better return this season.
EIHL Champions:
Coventry BlazeChallenge Cup Winners:
Nottingham PanthersHocktoberfest Winners:
Belfast GiantsPlayoff Winners:
Sheffield SteelersTop Goalscorer:
Adam Calder (COV)Top Pointscorer:
Cameron Mann (NOT)Top British Pointscorer:
Jonathan Weaver (COV)Top Netminder (sv%):
Peter Hirsch (COV)Most PIM's:
Brad Voth (CAR)Belfast Giants
Last season:
4th (Challenge Cup and Knockout Cup Winners)Prediction:
4thKey To Success:
Stephen Murphy/Nathan CrazeKey Arrival:
Tom WalshTop Goalscorer:
Pierre Luc FaubertAfter a double winning season last year, the Giants have been forced to re-stock their shelves following wholesale departures in their import ranks, these changes will be key if they are to finally make a run at an Elite League title they last won in 2005.
Their explosive first line of Bobby Robins, Paul Deniset and Andrew Martin from last season has been replaced by Pierre-Luc Faubert, expected to be one of the leagues top players after a high scoring spell in the ECHL, Brandon Benedict and Pat Bateman, with renowned tough guy Sean McMorrow brought in to protect and defend those three particularly. Upcoming Brit Craig Peacock has joined GB regular Colin Shields after a treble winning season in Peterborough as the Giants two main British offensive threats.
The loss of Brit Dave Phillips, who originally signed for this season, only to take up a once in a lifetime contract in the AHL, was massive, especially so late in the season, but brother Kevin Phillips, who has done well in the EPL during the last few years, and Canadian Michael Jacobsen, who has an impressive CV, seem to have adequately filled the gap left by the former Hull favourite.
A change in mentality elsewhere on defence sees imports Tim Cook and Tom Walsh come in for offensive minded defencemen Mike Burgoyne and Tyler Howells. Whilst a key to the Giants whole season remains between the pipes as Stevie Lyle is replaced by his GB international teammate Stephen Murphy, who joins from the now departed Manchester, with capable back up Nathan Craze remaining with the club.
The Giants have an above average offence for the Elite League and their recent signing of Jacobsen has also brought their defence up to par, if not over it. Now, the biggest question over their title credentials remains between the pipes, with a British duo allegedly incapable of winning the title. Craze and Murphy could win, or lose, the Giants the EIHL title.
Cardiff Devils
Last season:
5thPrediction:
5thKey To Success:
Mark Smith/Max BirbraerKey Arrival:
Matt MillerTop Goalscorer:
Max BirbraerThe Devils are the dark horse for the upcoming season after previously settling for mid-table mediocrity. The Welsh side, renewed with a fresh sense of optimism last summer after Comms Direct owner, Matt Burge, took over control of the side, spent last season building for a push this term and beyond.
That renewal of optimism has been created, primarily, by the return of former point-per-game EIHL forwards Max Birbraer and Mark Smith who are likely to be joined on the first line by last season Basingstoke Bison Matt Miller. The unforgettable Brad Voth is back again alongside speedy Jay Latulippe, with Tylor Michel joining the team as a third line catalyst.
A familiar blueline sees player/coach Gerard Adams, Mike Hartwick, Wes Jarvis and Jason Stone return. Whilst Mark Richardson returns after two seasons in Nottingham and American Scott Romfo signs as a possible replacement for Tyson Teplitsky after four improving seasons in the ECHL with South Carolina.
They will be protecting Stevie Lyle, who is another returnee to the club he started his career with at 15 after seven years away and, like his former club the Giants, is a question mark if the Devils have title aspirations.
That question aside, the Devils are the common choice as dark horse for this season anf for good reason, with Smith and Birbraer, they should be an offensive threat every night. Their main problem may be whether or not they have enough to compete with the big four on a regular basis for the full schedule.
Coventry Blaze
Last season:
2nd (League runners up)Prediction: 1st
Key To Success: Jonathan Weaver
Key Arrival: Brian Lee
Top Goalscorer: Adam Calder
The Blaze have seriously strengthened after, what in their books, was an unsuccessful last season, where they finished as league runners-up.
Many people questioned Paul Thompson's decision to sign JF Perras as Coventry's number one netminder last year, and that decision may have ultimately cost the Blaze silverware. This season, Thompson targeted and signed his goalie before the season had even finished if rumours are to be believed.
Denmark international Peter Hirsch, who played in Sweden's top two leagues last season, as well as his homeland, was the man signed to guard the Blaze net and, before a puck has been dropped, looks to be the stellar netminder in the league.
Forever searching for a Neal Martin replacement, Thompson's most recent attempt to replace the Blaze favourite is Brian Lee, who spent last season in France. Meanwhile big hitting former London, Sheffield and Newcastle defenceman Jason Robinson has filled the physicality gap in their roster, as he joins Mathias Soderstrom, Tom Watkins and Jonathan Weaver, one of the league's top D men, on the blueline.
The firepower of the Blaze is always one of their strengths and, on paper, looks to be again, especially with the Adam Calder/Dan Carlson combination likely to be at its usual best. Last season Manchester forward Luke Fulghum, power forward/agitator Derek Campbell and former Bison import/GB international Greg Chambers are the newest recruits on the Blaze front line, all from EIHL sides, and all look to have seriously improved their firepower. GB international Greg Owen has returned from a season in France to sign in Coventry and has further boosted their chances for the upcoming season.
After missing out on the title last season, the Blaze, along with the Steelers, look to posses the most rounded team in the league and Coventry's improvements right throughout the squad may be enough to see them pip Sheffield to the title.
Edinburgh Capitals
Last season:
8thPrediction: 8th
Key To Success: Chris Allen
Key Arrival: Cody Rudkowski
Top Goalscorer: Owen Fussey
Edinburgh have, as is custom in Scotland, kept their summer relatively low-key (Homecoming tournament aside), but, for once, their silence is not for good reason. Edinburgh sides are usually good for a guaranteed bottom two slot, along with the Stingrays, and although F Block Blog has them finishing in 8th place, things aren't so nailed on this year.
Netminder Cody Rudkowski, defenceman Chris Allen and forward Owen Fussey all have experience in both the NHL and AHL, the top two levels hockey in the world, providing the Capitals a very very useful looking backbone.
Allen is joined in defence by GB international Kyle Horne, Ben O'Connor, who has returned post-season from Coventry, after originally signing with the Blaze, whilst solidity is the name of the game with their final two import defencemen in former CHLers Mark Smith and Mike Beynon.
Fussey, who last season played at the top level in Italy, is joined by player-coach Doug Christiansen, speedy sophomore Simon Lambert, long time Capital Martin Cingel and Lithuanian Darius Pliskauskas, who returns after quitting the team two years ago. The main talking point in the Capitals forward corps, other than the impressive signing of Fussey, is the signing of British enforcer Andrew Sharp, who, other than causing a lot of fuss amongst British hockey followers, allows Edinburgh to sign an, as yet unnamed, final import forward, further increasing their scoring prowess.
The Caps will be beginning their season a couple of weeks later than the rest of the league due, apparently, to the Hockey's Homecoming tournament, which they are hosting, with games against Belfast and AHL sides Toronto Marlies and Hamilton Bulldogs.
The Capitals have a strong side that looks, on paper, more rounded than previous squads. That is more rounded than squads that included Elite League stars Colin Hemmingway and Mark Hurtubise. Can they take the next step, and finish outside the bottom two?
Hull Stingrays
Last season:
9thPrediction:
7thKey To Success:
Tommy SandahlKey Arrival:
Sylvain CloutierTop Goalscorer:
Curtis HuppeA new era and a newteam has begun in Hull as the Stingrays prepare for life after Rick Strachan. Former Coventry man Sylvain Cloutier has taken the player-coaching role in Hull for two years and is expected to turn the Stingrays into a different proposition for the next two seasons at least.
Many believed that Cloutier would bring a whole new set of ideas, tactics and players to East Yorkshire. Whilst he may bring new ideas and tactics, fast forward a couple of months and he has re-signed ten of Rick Strachan's squad from last season, a surprisingly large number of players to many, but maybe further confirmation that it was not Strachan's signings and, perhaps, the tactics of the former coach that cost the Rays so much in previous years.
In defence, just Pavel Gomenyuk has returned, after a career year in which he scored 42 points. He is joined by tough import Ryan Jorde, utility man and enforcer Adam Knight and mobile blueliner Stephen Burns, with Craig Mitchell, brother of Rays forward Lee, and James Hutchinson, last season a treble winner and 40 points scorer in the EPL, also signing to join from Edinburgh and Peterborough respectively.
They will be guarding Swede Tommy Sandahl in net, who has joined from Allsvenskan in Sweden for his first career starting job. Sandahl faces a big season in Hull, as much of the Stingrays summer doubt has been placed on his shoulders.
Upfront Cloutier has brought in former 30 goal EIHL man Curtis Huppe as player-assistant coach as well as Brits Shaun Thompson from Basingstoke, after a 42 point year in the EIHL, and hometown Matty Davies, after three successful years in the EPL. Elsewhere in the Rays offence it is all about the returnees with last seasons leading scorers, Jeff Glowa, Matt Reynolds and Konstantin Kalmikov, returning alongside Brits Slava Koulikov, Lee Mitchell and Lee Esders.
The new era, new team motive has caused a huge buzz at the Hull Arena. The Rays offence looks more potent than ever as successful EIHL forwards Cloutier and Huppe join last season's best. With the league so strong this year, and minus Basingstoke and Manchester, how far can the Stingrays really go, given the strength of the top four?
Newcastle Vipers
Last season:
7thPrediction:
6thKey To Success:
Jason TejchmaKey Arrival:
Todd GriffithTop Goalscorer:
Todd GriffithA new approach from Rob Wilson and the Vipers this summer has seen them sign primarily young, hungry ECHL level talent, replacing the old, seasoned EIHL veterans (or friends of Rob Wilson) approach that they had, generally, stuck with in their four seasons in the EIHL.
Although former ECHL forwards Mike Berry, Jason Tejchma and returnee Todd Griffith have been signed, all with decent pedigree in the third level of North American hockey, the Vipers have mixed it up a little bit with the return of Slovakian Matus Petricko, a key player in the Vipers playoff win of 2005, and Matic Kralj, a top scorer last season with Slovenian side HK Maribor. Meanwhile the North-East hockey factory has continued to produce, handing the Vipers Ben Campbell, Dean Holland, Nathan Salem and Jamie Tinsley on a plate, and giving the young prospects a chance to develop alongside David Longstaff.
Likewise, in defence they have three new signings from the 'E', all different kind of defencemen, giving them a good balance. Jermain Domish, Ryan Marhle and Tyler Kindle join third year blueliner Mark Gouett and Brit Richie Thornton at the back. Those five will be defending in front of former Panthers netminder Michel Robinson, who will have to fill the substansial skates of Andrew Verner after the Canadian quit his two year deal with the Vipers a year early.
Todd Griffith and his ECHL friends will have a lot of work to get the Vipers into the top four, a fifth place is not out of the question, but neither is an eight placed finish in what should be Rob Wilson's first full season coaching from the bench.
Nottingham Panthers
Last season:
3rd (Playoff runners up)Prediction:
3rd
Key To Success:
Jade GalbraithKey Arrival:
Marty GasconTop Goalscorer:
Cameron MannCorey Neilson and the Panthers were one of the first squads to be completed this summer, leaving the team and fans plenty of time to consider whether this season will be the season they end their 54 year league jinx.
Key arrivals in their defensive end include netminder Kevin St-Pierre, who replaces fellow French-Canadian Michel Robinson in one of the Panthers problematic areas, Stevie Lee, a former Hull prospect that is beggining to fufill his potential as a future GB regular, and Dominic D'Armour, who joins from the ECHL after 119 games in the AHL. They join hard hitting defenceman Nick Toneys, player-coach, and offensive defencemen, Corey Neilson and, much revered captain, Danny Meyers in a decent looking Panthers defensive corps.
Up front, Dan Tessier has retired from the game, after years of will-he-won't-he, to join the police force in North America; he is replaced by Marty Gascon, a mid to high level centre in the Central Hockey League last year. On the wings, Sean McAslan has returned after a season in Denmark and is capable of putting up big points in the EIHL, whilst Cameron Mann, a veteran of 172 German DEL games and nearly 100 NHL games, has signed with huge expectations.
Jade Galbraith has re-signed, amid much discussion about his fitness and work rate of last year. Later came the admission, from the horses mouth, that he did not give the team his all last season in both fitness or work rate, so all Panthers eyes will be firmly fixed on him this year. He is one player capable of pushing the Panthers further if his late season/playoff form of last season is anything to go by. Fellow returnee Bruce Richardson will have to find a new sparring partner, after the departure of the Steelers Ryan Finnerty, although his spark will again be needed if the Panthers are to challenge for honours.
A lot is expected of the Panthers this year, particularly following the capture of Cameron Mann, one of the biggest name signings in the EIHL since the NHL lockout. Much will depend on the Mann, Galbraith, St-Pierre trio, who between them hold much of the Panthers hopes and fears for the upcoming year.
Sheffield Steelers
Last season:
1st (League and Playoff winners)Prediction: 2nd
Key To Success: Robert Dowd
Key Arrival: Kevin Bolibriuck
Top Goalscorer: Joey Talbot
What do you get when you take a championship and playoff winning side, a take away a core of its players and try to replace them? Well, given the Steelers attempts to replace netminder Jody Lehman, defenceman Steve Munn and forwards Ashley Tait and Ryan Finnerty, you get another top roster.
After three years and an EIHL title between the Steelers pipes, Lehman has moved to Denmark, to be replaced in Sheffield by the underrated Kevin Reiter, last season in Basingstoke, whilst rock at the back Steve Munn, thought to be one of the biggest parts to the South Yorkshire sides success in the past two years, has been replaced by the return of fan favourite Kevin Bolibriuck.
Elsewhere, GB forward Tait has been replaced by skillful import defenceman-turned-forward Rod Sarich, with British defenceman Ben Morgan replacing the Canadian in front of Reiter. Sarich and Brit scoring sensation Robert Dowd, who really burst onto the scene last season, will have to replace the pointscoring void left by Tait's departure to the continent.
The final replacement came in the place of niggly pointscoring forward Ryan Finnerty, who, after failing to agree terms with Sheffield, is replaced by Jeff Hutchins, a forward that put up a total of 62 points in weaker Newcastle and Edinburgh sides last season.
Despite losing the aforemention core, the Steelers have still managed to maintain a large nucleus of their title winning squad this summer. Scorers Joey Talbot and Jeff Legue are back once again, with even more underrated former Basingstoke players in Brad Cruikshank and Doug Sheppard also back at the Sheffield Arena.
In defence, Scott Basiuk and Randy Dagenais, once thought to be a certainty to leave the club in post-season, are back alongside Bolibriuck and Brit Mark Thomas, with Scimitar Morgan giving them more depth requried.
The Steelers problem is whether their replacement core, like Coventry, is good enough to re-capture that EIHL title.
