Team at a glance..

[Jayboy]

I will try keep this up to date, so we can see the team at a glance...

Updated team so far:

Forwards
08 Ryan Tait
25 Tim Gettinger
62 Evan Jasper
63 Mikko Juusola
72 Ivan Björkly-Nordström
74 Brandon Whistle
75 Robert Dowd
81 Sean Collins
91 Adam Rockwood
92 Mitchell Balmas
93 Olivier Archambault
98 Leevi Teissala


Defenders
03 Liam Steele
20 Macoy Erkamps
47 Logan Roe
58 Dominic Cormier
65 Brien Diffley
77 Aatu Aarnio


Netminders
01 Matt Greenfield
44 Lucas Brine


Retired/leaving
Joona Huttula
Kevin Tansey
Sam Tremblay
Eamon McAdam
Brett Ritchie
Reece Kelly
Cole Shudra


Two way Players
10 Jordan O'Brien (F)
32 Alex Oldale (NM)
34 Curtis Warburton(NM)

[Doom]

So Erkamps completes the defence.

Possible pairings for next season:

Cormier/Erkamps
Roe/Diffley
Aarnio/Steele

Fox in his interview suggested Erkamps with either Diffley or Cormier. I would guess the more offensive minded Cormier.

I've no particular reason, but I could see Aarnio with Steele.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

So Erkamps completes the defence.

Possible pairings for next season:

Cormier/Erkamps
Roe/Diffley
Aarnio/Steele

Fox in his interview suggested Erkamps with either Diffley or Cormier. I would guess the more offensive minded Cormier.

I've no particular reason, but I could see Aarnio with Steele.

Regards

Doom

Definitely feels like the obvious D pairings on paper. Overall really can't complain, obviously time will tell.

Now just need those 2 top 6 centres and the extra import. Got those right and overall will look good.

[Doom]

So Erkamps completes the defence.

Possible pairings for next season:

Cormier/Erkamps
Roe/Diffley
Aarnio/Steele

Fox in his interview suggested Erkamps with either Diffley or Cormier. I would guess the more offensive minded Cormier.

I've no particular reason, but I could see Aarnio with Steele.

Regards

Doom

Definitely feels like the obvious D pairings on paper. Overall really can't complain, obviously time will tell.

Now just need those 2 top 6 centres and the extra import. Got those right and overall will look good.

Agreed......if we get the centres right, we're looking good.

Belfast look stacked in the forwards, with 4 forwards looking like they're capable of 20+ goals.

For us there is only Balmas I'd be confident of getting that figure. Juusola is capable, but his return of only 16 last season makes me think it's unlikely.

Get at least one high scoring centre and I'll feel more confident.

Defence looks fine and the depth in the forwards looks good. An all British 4th line of Whistle/Dowd/IBN would arguably be the best in the league, if Fox decided to go that route.

As noted before, I'm nervous about the netminding, but obviously Fox thinks he can make it work.

Regards

Doom

[Jayboy]

Updated team so far:



Forwards
08 Ryan Tait
25 Tim Gettinger
62 Evan Jasper
63 Mikko Juusola
72 Ivan Björkly-Nordström
74 Brandon Whistle
75 Robert Dowd
81 Sean Collins
91 Adam Rockwood
92 Mitchell Balmas
93 Olivier Archambault
98 Leevi Teissala


Defenders
03 Liam Steele
20 Macoy Erkamps
47 Logan Roe
58 Dominic Cormier
65 Brien Diffley
77 Aatu Aarnio


Netminders
01 Matt Greenfield
44 Lucas Brine


Retired/leaving
Joona Huttula
Kevin Tansey
Sam Tremblay
Eamon McAdam
Brett Ritchie
Reece Kelly
Cole Shudra


Two way Players
10 Jordan O'Brien (F)
32 Alex Oldale (NM)
34 Curtis Warburton(NM)

[Doom]

With Tait now signing and listening to his interview where he says he likes being on a line with Jasper, I'm now thinking:

Archambault Import Balmas
Juusola Import Teissala
Tait Collins Jasper
Whistle Dowd IBN

Regards

Doom

So where would Rockwood fit into this?

My initial thought would have been top line center, but that would mean we have two puck hogs who would rather pass than shoot.

Possibly between the two Finns?

I guess it will become clearer with the quality of the final center.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

With Tait now signing and listening to his interview where he says he likes being on a line with Jasper, I'm now thinking:

Archambault Import Balmas
Juusola Import Teissala
Tait Collins Jasper
Whistle Dowd IBN

Regards

Doom

So where would Rockwood fit into this?

My initial thought would have been top line center, but that would mean we have two puck hogs who would rather pass than shoot.

Possibly between the two Finns?

I guess it will become clearer with the quality of the final center.

Regards

Doom

Definitely need to see the last forward but I suspect he starts with Balmas/Archambault - played with Archambault last year and as a highly ranked playmaker, gotta give him a shot with Balmas.

[Doom]

If it is Perrault announced on Saturday, I do think that gives us a balance problem in the squad. Plenty of players who like to play RW, but a lack of quality centres.

Those who I see as preferring RW are:
Balmas
Perrault
Teissala
Tait
IBN

Centres are:
Rockwood
Collins
Dowd
Whistle

Of those I'd only consider Rockwood a top 6 centre and I'm not completely sold on him. Collins is the only one I'd be confident of going over 50% on faceoffs. I guess Dowd could also do a job as a centre in the top 6, but I think these days he's more suited to helping the bottom 6.

I suspect if it is Perrault, Fox might go with Balmas as centre. He did OK there last season and was around 48% at faceoffs. That could potentially give us:

Archambault/Balmas/Perreault
Juusola/Rockwood/Teissala
Tait/Collins/Jasper
Whistle/Dowd/IBN

That looks like 4 solid lines to me, although I think we will struggle again at faceoffs.

All the above does assume Perrault signs, it could of course be a kick ass centre.

Regards

Doom

[Doom]

Well that's my above post out of the window

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

My guess is

Archambault/Rockwood/Balmas
Juusola/Gettinger/Teissala
Jasper/Collins/Dowd
IBN/Whistle/Tait

Cormier/Erkamps
Aarnio/Roe
Diffley/Steele

Bottom 6 might change a bit but a few different looks that could be tried. Top 2 D pretty much set but again the other 4 might see Diffley/Aarnio swap

On paper, can't really complain. Feels like upgrades on last year. Injuries always can play a big part in any success, but barring anything major, it looks like a squad that should be challenging for trophies. As always, that's all we can realistically ask at this stage.

Compares well on paper to Belfast - maybe Belfast edge on offense but I would give the edge on D to Sheffield.

[Doom]

My guess would be:

Cormier/Erkamps
Roe/Diffley
Aarnio/Steele

Archambault/Gettinger/Balmas
Juusola/Rockwood/Teissala
Tait/Collins/Jasper
Whistle/Dowd/IBN

Whilst I think Perreault would probably have been a better player, I think Gettinger is probably a better fit for what we required.

Hopefully he's comfortable at centre and capable of 50%+ at faceoffs. Also his size should give us a better net front presence so that everything isn't perimeter.

Overall i see positives and negatives with this squad.

Negatives:

Netminding - Whilst Greenfield is sound, having a second netminder who hasn't really managed above 90% is a risk.

Goal scoring - Apart from Balmas, I don’t see any other natural goal scorers on the team.

Positives:

Brits - I think we have the best group of Brits in the league including 3 who will have very good futures. I'm probably contradicting myself a little here, because I'd include Brine in that.

Depth - I like our depth and would suggest we'll have the best 4th line in the league. This is a bit of a crossover with having the best Brits.

Creativity - It looks like we have some very skilled forwards who will be capable of creating chances. I just hope the lack of natural goal scorers doesn't cost us.

I'm not convinced we have enough to top Belfast, but if the chemistry works then you never know.

Regards

Doom