Player signings thread - Other teams...

[ginger]

Mike Lee re-signs in Belfast. Looks like their D is complete with rumours included. There was a rumour Halbert was signing but he has rubbished that on X himself.

[Doom]

Mike Lee re-signs in Belfast. Looks like their D is complete with rumours included. There was a rumour Halbert was signing but he has rubbished that on X himself.

I noticed somebody on THF was unhappy with their defence (I think it's the same person who struggles to accept Belfast spend similar to Sheffield).

I'm not sure why they'd be upset. They've retained 2/3 of a championship winning defence, with the replacements effectively being:

Jones for Pound - Probably an upgrade.

Garrett McFadden (rumoured) for Baum - Looks about a break even.

I can't say I'm looking at their d and thinking they're unbeatable, but sometimes it's easy to forget the quality you're retaining (I'm guilty of that).

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

Mike Lee re-signs in Belfast. Looks like their D is complete with rumours included. There was a rumour Halbert was signing but he has rubbished that on X himself.

I noticed somebody on THF was unhappy with their defence (I think it's the same person who struggles to accept Belfast spend similar to Sheffield).

I'm not sure why they'd be upset. They've retained 2/3 of a championship winning defence, with the replacements effectively being:

Jones for Pound - Probably an upgrade.

Garrett McFadden (rumoured) for Baum - Looks about a break even.

I can't say I'm looking at their d and thinking they're unbeatable, but sometimes it's easy to forget the quality you're retaining (I'm guilty of that).

Regards

Doom

Based on known Vs unknown, I'd want Baum over McFadden. Their D isn't terrible, and I really like Roach and Hanson. Bast and Lee I'm a lot less keen on. Bast nowhere near the level last year he was previously and Lee definitely a bit suspect in his own zone. Jones is an upgrade on Pound.

Forwards and netminders I feel we'll be even on roughly, but I prefer our D on paper.

Their brit pack is the best in the league - I would be shocked if Conway isn't the highest paid player in the league. Only him and Dowd can score like first line imports (as Brits). B Whistle is in the next level of Brit forwards with Waller and Hook but does more than both in other areas. Long is in a similar group. Sam Jones is probably top 5 Brit D, and Jackson is the best British n/m and genuine starter level. I honestly don't know how anyone objectively thinks they don't have essentially the same budget as other top teams.

[Doom]

I wonder if Reid Irwin is instead of or as well as McFadden?

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

I wonder if Reid Irwin is instead of or as well as McFadden?

Regards

Doom

Both were rumoured at the same time. Given they get the luxury of Whistle, I suspect Irwin will be the spare/swing guy. He's down as able to play forward on EP, so that's my guess.

[paul johnston]

I thought Bast was very average last year too, I can remember him doing some showboating skating against us that I'm not sure his play last season warranted that.
Having Conway, Whistle one and Whistle two in your Brit corps is some line up.
Giants always splash the cash as much as we do and I dont understand why Giants fans believe that they don't.
I feel Giants spend big on half their team with high quality, the other half is of a marked lesser quality, experience qnd resume whilst a lot more budget friendly. Its worked for them at times and not at others. We are a bit more consistent across the board and we use multiple uni deals. Reminds me, how many on uni deals this year, feels like it's more than we've ever had.

[Doom]

I thought Bast was still a decent player last season, but I'd agree he wasn't the dominant force he was previously.

Looking at the points spread last season, it does feel like Belfast are heavily reliant on the top end of their squad, but I'm not convinced that's where all the money goes.

Osterberg - He scored 0 goals in 30 games, but joined on the back of a point per game season with Fife.

Mismash - Only managed 26 points in 49 games, but joined after scoring at a similar rate to Piccinich in Norway (33 from 24).

Bobo Carpenter - He did ok with 18 + 17 from 47, but signed after scoring nearly 1 in 2 in the ECHL.

None of the above really hit the heights, but based on their CVs I'd suggest they were all on decent wages.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

Osterberg was a really strange one. Don't know what happened but outside looking in he never seemed to get a real chance.

I think it's interesting when you look at games between us and Belfast last year - I think we edged the season series, and every game won, Conway/Piccinich/Goodwin line was kept quiet. It's not they don't have good players outside of that line, but it definitely feels like if you shut them down, you're in with a good chance of beating them.

They'll be very strong again I'm sure, but will be interesting to see how CHL games take their toll, especially given the tough draw they have.

[ginger]

Garrett McFadden confirmed by Belfast.

Sam Ruffin to Coventry - coming from SPHL I would expect he's in their bottom 6. He's former NCAA 3 so expect Moore knows him, but SPHL is below the ECHL so I wouldn't expect him to pull up any trees

[Doom]

I'm not quite sure what to make of the signing of Marcus Eriksson by Belfast.

He had fantastic numbers in Alllsvenskan a couple of years ago, where he managed 20+39 from 50 games.

To put that into some context, Robert Dowd at his peak only managed 10+14 from 42 games in the same league.

The doubt about Eriksson is down to his age, because he's 40 in a few weeks.

It's strange that last season was the first time he got a call up to the Swedish top tier. His numbers in SHL weren't great and the few games he did play last year in the Allsvensken showed a big drop off.

He'll bring fantastic experience to Belfast and no doubt he'll be a very good professional, but will he still have the legs for a full EIHL season?

It's an intriguing signing.

Regards

Doom