The PlayOff Weekend BIG thread

[BontSteeler]

A massive congratulations to the Nottingham Panthers on their Playoff Final win.

That was an enthralling game, a real battle to the end, both teams gave their absolute all, it was a real joy to sit & watch.

If No47 is looking down & watching, that was fir you.

What a cracking end to a fantastic season.

[Doom]

I'm glad we left at the end of the 2nd, at least I'm on my bus back to High Green rather than stuck in Nottingham.

Every year at the playoffs we run through the players we'd keep and those we'd release.

General concensus was minor changes rather than loads of new players. We went for one new import d and two new import forwards + Golod.

Obviously that assumes the players we want to keep are willing to stay (eg. Greenfield).

Regards

Doom

[KAR]

We need a player who can change a game, that was Golod.

[southernsteeler]

I'm glad we left at the end of the 2nd, at least I'm on my bus back to High Green rather than stuck in Nottingham.

Every year at the playoffs we run through the players we'd keep and those we'd release.

General concensus was minor changes rather than loads of new players. We went for one new import d and two new import forwards + Golod.

Obviously that assumes the players we want to keep are willing to stay (eg. Greenfield).

Regards

Doom

Missed a cracking game.
I know people may be in work tomorrow etc but it’s months of no hockey from now and I simply don’t understand why people leave early just to get home and beat the crowds. It’s a play off final, there will be crowds. Dont like it? Watch it on tv instead and leave the tickets for people who DO want to watch a full game.
Just my opinion, you don’t need to like or agree with it.

[Rendo]

I'm glad we left at the end of the 2nd, at least I'm on my bus back to High Green rather than stuck in Nottingham.

Every year at the playoffs we run through the players we'd keep and those we'd release.

General concensus was minor changes rather than loads of new players. We went for one new import d and two new import forwards + Golod.

Obviously that assumes the players we want to keep are willing to stay (eg. Greenfield).

Regards

Doom

I'll leave the lights on for you Doom.

[Doom]

I don't feel the same passion when my team isn't involved in the final.

If it's the Steelers I stay, but I don't want to be getting home after midnight when it's not my team.

It's a long weekend and very tiring, we were all of the view it was a good call to leave. We followed the game on the train home, but none of us regretted leaving early.

Regards

Doom

[Doom]

I like Danny Stewart, he always comes across as a very decent guy, so I'm pleased to see him pick up some silverware.

Panthers will certainly be contenders next season, especially if they can add Fossier to Grande as a re-signing.

Fox will need to put together a very good roster if we're to compete with Nottingham, Belfast and Cardiff.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

I'm glad we left at the end of the 2nd, at least I'm on my bus back to High Green rather than stuck in Nottingham.

Every year at the playoffs we run through the players we'd keep and those we'd release.

General concensus was minor changes rather than loads of new players. We went for one new import d and two new import forwards + Golod.

Obviously that assumes the players we want to keep are willing to stay (eg. Greenfield).

Regards

Doom

Minor tweaks is how I see it too.

Obviously not any guarantees but I'd keep Greenfield, Tansey, Cormier, Huttula, Kelly, Balmas, Juusola, Watling, Dowd, Simpson, Shudra, plus two ways.

Undecided on Sauce but depends on who's potentially coming in.

Champ and Vally I think have been great servants to the team but unfortunately I'd look to move on. We need 3 new top 6 forwards so would definitely want Golod as one of them. If we can find another top points scorer and then a top 6 forward with good size/physicality that should work well, then need a 3rd line fwd, smart but again physical. I feel we've missed the Scott Allen/Josh Nicolls hits/board battles this year.

D needs 2 new imports. Again size I think is what we have lacked - Huttula has probably been the only D who has consistently been a physical presence (especially with Tansey playing forward a lot).

And sign Tony Morrone as 1B to give Greener some rest!

[Doom]

Your thoughts seem very similar to ours, although we did vote for Sauce to stay.

I guess one of the choices Fox needs to make is whether he wants to go 5 import d with Kelly or 6 import d.

It's difficult to judge Kelly so far, because the lack of balance in our squad (7 import d) hasn't left him with many opportunities at the back.

We would have kept Whistle, but if he does go that will be a tough hole to fill. Brown certainly has the potential, but I suspect he'd probably need to take a pay cut to join us.

It's been an odd season, because it seems like we've found ourselves with far too many import d at the expense of our forward balance, yet we finished the season as top scorers.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

We've scored well as there's a decent amount of depth and the way we play, but we've missed what I'd call consistent scoring. No one apart from Golod really got above a point per game, and we only really had 4 players at that level. Last year I think we were at 6.

Lack of balance is also an issue - shows the mid season market was not great for most of the year. Losing Whis would definitely hurt, and I think would make 5 import D and Kelly more likely, unless we make a play for Sam Jones returning.

Brown worries me due to his 200ft game. Is it good enough and does he want it enough to work it to this level? He can obviously score at NIHL level but will it translate? Tremblay brings a lot more than just points at that level and he can be a real asset to an EIHL bottom 6 because of it. Brown is a big risk because his big x factor is scoring and it's much tougher shooting on Jason Grande than it is NIHL netminders