Roster Size Increased to 20 for 22/23

[SteelerBlade]

A welcome change, we are a 4 line league once again in line with the rest of world hockey.

https://twitter.com/officialeihl/status ... bhgX5f6Wlw

[paul johnston]

Sense prevails. Was the most misguided, boneheaded decision made last year. Almost on a par with the playoff prices.

[smbmetal]

Good news that.

We all know that this was done for the smaller clubs financially. I'm sure I read that some of the bigger clubs voted against a smaller roster size.

Unfortunately the league is only as good as your weakest team,

That's why the quality of hockey in the EIHL isn't that great IMO

[raetiamann]

Common sense prevails.

[19Steelers]

Just disappointing the import limit remains at 14 rather than reducing by 1 to give more opportunity to home grown players and reduce the financial burden on the smaller clubs

[Jayboy]

He problem is that when we sign young brits they get no ice time and so do not develop their potential. We go for end of career veterans who have no long term interest in the club. Short sighted tactic.

We do that in the most part because they tend to be the affordable option when it comes to import players, up and coming imports or imports on top of their game at this level dont want to play in our league because they can normally earn a great deal more in the European leagues.

On the flip side to the same coin young brits dont get the chance of much ice time because this is not and can never be a development league, coaches for the top clubs (and by that I mean the clubs with a budget to put together a team expected to fight for silverware) do not have the luxury of developing a young brit on the fly.. With very very few exceptions.

Lower financed clubs can gamble and develops their young brits only for the top budget teams to come along and snatch them up..
When your trying to put a product on the ice and under pressure to do it, then in most cases you give your import scouts and agents a ring, not your contacts in the NIHL.
Roster sizes would have to increase significantly in the EIHL for young brits to be included in many teams and this would have to be on many two ways deals as they still would not be getting Ice time with the likes of Sheffield,Cardiff and Belfast...

[19Steelers]

I understand your comments and is the same as is trotted out by the owners of the Arena clubs. The circle needs to be broken to give emerging British talent the chances they deserve. I recognise that owning a club is a business but after some poor business decisions, not least POW pricing, there is a danger of clubs imploding and leaving the league. To be sustained the EIHL cannot afford to lose the smaller teams but I fear they are being priced out of the market and may find things more attractive and viable in the NIGL as Milton Keynes did.

[Bryan]

Thank goodness. It got very silly very quickly last year with only a couple sitting on the bench injured.

[Jayboy]

Is that 4 more left to announce then? 16 confirmed
1 forward, 1 Defender and 2 Netminders to confirm?

[Johnny777]

3 forwards, 1 D and 2 netminders still to go, announced 5 D and 9 forwards so far