Player signings thread - Sheffield...

[ginger]

Listen to the interviews with Fox and Jasper - he acknowledges the +/- and the numbers - sounds more and more like victim of circumstance last year. The year prior I think is the key - 20 points in the Extraliga is no joke.

Sounds like he could be a bit of a rat at times and not afraid to get net front on the powerplay despite not being the biggest. I like that as it's been missing a little at times.

Also, Fox addresses the Saucerman/Whistle departures - the club has helped Sauce and his wife out with their baby due next month by extending visas and housing/car, so he's still in Sheffield currently. Great to hear that, and kudos to the club

[paul johnston]

Listen to the interviews with Fox and Jasper - he acknowledges the +/- and the numbers - sounds more and more like victim of circumstance last year. The year prior I think is the key - 20 points in the Extraliga is no joke.

Sounds like he could be a bit of a rat at times and not afraid to get net front on the powerplay despite not being the biggest. I like that as it's been missing a little at times.

Also, Fox addresses the Saucerman/Whistle departures - the club has helped Sauce and his wife out with their baby due next month by extending visas and housing/car, so he's still in Sheffield currently. Great to hear that, and kudos to the club

I thought all aspects were excellent, seems a shame after the club has gone the extra mile that Colton would make the "pushed out" comment.

[ginger]

Listen to the interviews with Fox and Jasper - he acknowledges the +/- and the numbers - sounds more and more like victim of circumstance last year. The year prior I think is the key - 20 points in the Extraliga is no joke.

Sounds like he could be a bit of a rat at times and not afraid to get net front on the powerplay despite not being the biggest. I like that as it's been missing a little at times.

Also, Fox addresses the Saucerman/Whistle departures - the club has helped Sauce and his wife out with their baby due next month by extending visas and housing/car, so he's still in Sheffield currently. Great to hear that, and kudos to the club

I thought all aspects were excellent, seems a shame after the club has gone the extra mile that Colton would make the "pushed out" comment.

Like Fox said though, it's an emotional part of the business or can be, I don't think he's too upset, and I suspect it's probably been talked through between them.

[Doom]

To try and look at signings objectively, I always try and think how I'd feel if our rivals signed one of our players.

If I'm honest, I wouldn't be concerned in the slightest if Belfast or Nottingham signed Jasper.

I would be a little concerned with Pu, but less so if I knew he was 1st line, because he's the level I expect top teams to have on their first line.

I still think Chase Pearson is the best new forward signing so far and added to the likes of Fossier and Doherty , it will give Nottingham a stronger top line than we'll have.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

To try and look at signings objectively, I always try and think how I'd feel if our rivals signed one of our players.

If I'm honest, I wouldn't be concerned in the slightest if Belfast or Nottingham signed Jasper.

I would be a little concerned with Pu, but less so if I knew he was 1st line, because he's the level I expect top teams to have on their first line.

I still think Chase Pearson is the best new forward signing so far and added to the likes of Fossier and Doherty , it will give Nottingham a stronger top line than we'll have.

Regards

Doom

Pearson and Burke at Glasgow are the other 2, but I'd argue Pu has those years in the K which is probably the 2nd best league in the world. That's why I put him slightly ahead, but all 3 are top drawer signings and not loads between them.

Doherty I would put behind quite a few across the league. He's good but he doesn't drive a line in the same way Balmas/Conway/Goodwin/Fossier do.

Jasper I think is more wait and see, but he's on par with a number of top 6 signings across the league. 1 bad year on a poor team doesn't worry me too much. It's when players have poor years on good (for that league) teams I get more concerned, unless dropping down from a tier 1 league.

Pearson is their Herr replacement, and whilst a different type of player, you'd expect similar numbers. Armour looks like the Hugo Roy replacement - on paper an upgrade.

Also I think there's a bit of trusting the scouting on this one. I doubt a 2 year deal is offered without being pretty confident on the guy. From a couple of the clips I've seen of last year he's certainly still got his speed - think it's going to be a real feature again this year with Pu, Juusola and Tait as well

[Doom]

It's far from a precise science, but if I was to make a prediction for our players in terms of goals next season, I'd probably go (54 games):

Balmas 20 - 25
Juusola 20 - 25
Pu 20 - 25
Gentile 20 - 25
Seitz 20 - 25
Dowd 15 - 20
Tait 15 - 20
Jasper 15 - 20
Tremblay 10 - 15
Neilson 5 - 10
Shudra 5 - 10

I don't think we've got any real high end scorers, but that's not how Fox constructs his teams.

Pearson I could see north of 30 goals if he's on a line with Fossier. You don't score at 1 in 2 in the ICEHL if you don't know where the net is.

Panthers do look a very good team this year, but I did have to chuckle at one of their supporters who said he wouldn't swap a single player with us in like for like positions.

If that's the case, they should clean sweep us next season......we shall see.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

I'm currently engaged in a daft argument on X after a Cardiff fan described Pu as a 'meh' signing

Fox definitely spreads scoring more, so I always tend to look at PPG - 6 players at a ppg suggests you will at least score 2 every game on average, probably more likely 2.5 goals. Add in a couple of 0.75 ppg players and the rest and it's 4-5 on average per game.

With a known goalie who operates at 2-2.3 gaa, you're going to win plenty more than you lose.

I have 5 definte PPG potential players+ 2 more who could definitely reach that depending on lines/pp time. With 1 more unknown to go. I think we're absolutely fine so far.

No team is likely to look massively ahead of others amongst the top 3 from last year. Not a surprise when budgets will be very similar. It'll be far too close to call at the start of the year, just probable brackets teams will end up in

[smbmetal]

Just listened to the interviews and they both sound like good signings.

Never going to find anything out about a player in an interview, but let’s hope they hit the ground running.

[Doom]

Our special teams need to be better next season, especially the penalty kill.

The PK was an odd one, because it went from superb in the GS season to very poor last season, even though many of the players remained the same.

Regards

Doom

[Jayboy]

Welcome to Sheffield Nick Seitz - official

https://www.sheffieldsteelers.co.uk/nic ... sheffield/

Nick was a 30 goal guy in the league last year and when I started watching the tape his 200 foot game was really impressive.

His skating is a huge strength of his and I think he will fit in really well with a couple of our other forwards.
Nick obviously has a great scoring touch but think it’s the spots he gets to that will set him apart for us. Sometimes you worry about recruiting from guys who play in those small barns but when we broke down his numbers he actually scored more goals on the road than at home and a good chunk against the top teams.
I know he’s excited to come in and help us achieve our goals..

As an opposing player coming into Sheffield you couldn’t help but see how vibrant and loud the arena was, I wanted a part of that. I also want to win, I really want to win and Sheffield always puts teams together that give you that chance.
When I spoke with Aaron he made that point that the club had years of success and expected to win. I like the way he has the Steelers playing as well, with skill and pace and I think I can fit into that system well
As a player, first and foremost I have a great work ethic both on the ice and off it in my preparation.
I have speed and I think the game fast, that puts the opposition on the back-foot and means we can create offence as a line...

Jayboy