line up so far - how's it looking?

[ginger]

I'm fairly certain Gentile will be top 6. The 2 fwds closest in USports scoring who are committed for next year have gone to ICEHL. The top scoring D has likely only gone to Allsvenskan due to the fact he's undersized.

Certainly suggests Gentile will be top 6 calibre

[Doom]

Gentile last season was 19+27 from 29 games in USports.

As a comparison with a few other players in our league who have also played USports:

Troy Lajeunesse was 15+13 from 24, before going on to star for Fife where he scored 28 goals from 52 games.

Mitchell Balmas 17+26 from 27 games

Matt Alfaro 15+21 from 27 games

Patrick Watling 10+24 from 30 games

Cole Sandford 14+25 from 28 games

There are others and obviously players maybe at different stages of their development, but Gentile's numbers are comparable with some very good players in our league.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

Gentile last season was 19+27 from 29 games in USports.

As a comparison with a few other players in our league who have also played USports:

Troy Lajeunesse was 15+13 from 24, before going on to star for Fife where he scored 28 goals from 52 games.

Mitchell Balmas 17+26 from 27 games

Matt Alfaro 15+21 from 27 games

Patrick Watling 10+24 from 30 games

Cole Sandford 14+25 from 28 games

There are others and obviously players maybe at different stages of their development, but Gentile's numbers are comparable with some very good players in our league.

Regards

Doom

The thing I like about those stats is that Gentile has more goals than the others mentioned. Fox described him as a player who just seems to find the right place to be on the ice, which I think is what we've missed at times.

[Jayboy]

Forwards
08 Ryan Tait
18 Sam Tremblay
27 Cole Shudra
61 Logan Neilson
63 Mikko Juusola
75 Robert Dowd
77 Derek Gentile
92 Mitchell Balmas


Defenders
05 Joona Huttula
06 Kevin Tansey
10 Jordon Southorn
58 Dominic Cormier
67 Reece Kelly


Netminders
01 Matt Greenfield


Two Way players
32 Alex Oldale (NM)
02 Liam Steele (D)

For me the lack of a confirmed Greenfield or other quality Import Netminder and of course our core 4 brits is giving me the winkin bum cheek moments...
with obviously Dowd as the exception, i really struggle with Shudra, Neilson and Kelly being our brits compared to our past brit line ups and obviously not knowing where they fit in the lines..
its hard to put into words without sounding derogatory to them but i am not has confident in there combined abilities as I would like to be, maybe some of you have other ideas and can share! but I am nervous about the talents of 3 of our brits...

[ginger]

The longer goes on with no news on Greenfield/Balmas actually makes me more confident of them returning. Zero rumours of them going elsewhere, and I'm guessing any time limited clauses will be either passed or coming up soon.

[Jayboy]

Forwards
08 Ryan Tait
18 Sam Tremblay
27 Cole Shudra
61 Logan Neilson
63 Mikko Juusola
75 Robert Dowd
77 Derek Gentile
92 Mitchell Balmas


Defenders
05 Joona Huttula
06 Kevin Tansey
10 Jordon Southorn
58 Dominic Cormier
67 Reece Kelly


Netminders
01 Matt Greenfield


Two Way players
32 Alex Oldale (NM)
02 Liam Steele (D)

I have got to say that this team isn't lighting a fire under me just yet, glad to see Dowd, Greenfield, Cormier and Tansey back, but we are going to need some dam good player announcing in the next month or so for us to compete with Belfast, Nottingham and Cardiff...

[ginger]

Forwards
08 Ryan Tait
18 Sam Tremblay
27 Cole Shudra
61 Logan Neilson
63 Mikko Juusola
75 Robert Dowd
77 Derek Gentile
92 Mitchell Balmas


Defenders
05 Joona Huttula
06 Kevin Tansey
10 Jordon Southorn
58 Dominic Cormier
67 Reece Kelly


Netminders
01 Matt Greenfield


Two Way players
32 Alex Oldale (NM)
02 Liam Steele (D)

I have got to say that this team isn't lighting a fire under me just yet, glad to see Dowd, Greenfield, Cormier and Tansey back, but we are going to need some dam good player announcing in the next month or so for us to compete with Belfast, Nottingham and Cardiff...

Almost certainly can add Seitz and Jasper to the above.

Forward wise, I'd say the last 3 are the make or break signings, assuming one is Balmas, that would give us 4 who would expect to be at 1 point per game, with then Tait, Gentile and Jasper who have potential to do that but more conservatively I'd suggest about 0.7 ppg.

GS season we had 6 forwards at at least 1 ppg. Last year we were at 4 - even though we were 1 of the highest scoring teams it suggests we didn't quite have enough consistent scoring.

2 more strong forwards (assuming Balmas is back) and I'm quite happy with that as a group.

D depends on the last import slot - if it's Diff we need GS season version. Personally I think we need another 2 way D who can move the puck well but will see what happens. But overall I don't think it looks much different to Nottingham/Belfast/Cardiff at the moment.

Goaltending just need a solid import backup to give Greenfield a rest. Not an easy find but lets see what we end up with.

Generally it's coming together, but I think there's at least 2 top 6 forwards to be announced (excluding Seitz/Jasper).

[smbmetal]

Forwards
08 Ryan Tait
18 Sam Tremblay
27 Cole Shudra
61 Logan Neilson
63 Mikko Juusola
75 Robert Dowd
77 Derek Gentile
92 Mitchell Balmas


Defenders
05 Joona Huttula
06 Kevin Tansey
10 Jordon Southorn
58 Dominic Cormier
67 Reece Kelly


Netminders
01 Matt Greenfield


Two Way players
32 Alex Oldale (NM)
02 Liam Steele (D)

I have got to say that this team isn't lighting a fire under me just yet, glad to see Dowd, Greenfield, Cormier and Tansey back, but we are going to need some dam good player announcing in the next month or so for us to compete with Belfast, Nottingham and Cardiff...

Certainly no fires for me yet. Obviously, really pleased that Greenfield is returning and most of the returnees would have been on my keep list.

The new signings certainly don't particularly excite me, although I am interested to see how Gentile fairs. Southorn, Tait & Neilson are very much wait and see for me.

Perhaps we're announcing the returnees first, apart from the odd one or two and saving our potential marque signings until last?

Still very much early days though.

[ginger]

Always harder to get excited about returnees than new but worth remembering that Cormier was arguably the best D in the league last year, with Tansey and Huttula being somewhere in the top 10 ish. Dowd is the only Brit bar Conway who scores at a ppg pace. Of full season forwards, only about 4 in the whole league were above a ppg pace, so re-sign of Juusola is a top drawer signing, and assuming we add Seitz he was one of those over that pace.

I'd say a ppg/just over is top line forward material now in this league

[smbmetal]

Always harder to get excited about returnees than new but worth remembering that Cormier was arguably the best D in the league last year, with Tansey and Huttula being somewhere in the top 10 ish. Dowd is the only Brit bar Conway who scores at a ppg pace. Of full season forwards, only about 4 in the whole league were above a ppg pace, so re-sign of Juusola is a top drawer signing, and assuming we add Seitz he was one of those over that pace.

I'd say a ppg/just over is top line forward material now in this league

I’m currently far more excited about the returnees than any of the new signings so far. I agree most of returnees are known quantities and of very good quality.

Not so sure about any of the new signings if I’m honest. Seitz could potentially be a great signing if the rumour is true, but players moving from one EIHL club to another is not always successful, a recent example being Tedesco from Guildford to Belfast and then back to Guildford again.