The importance of our Netminder

[ginger]

Ive got to say I am getting nervous about the netminder signing, why would we leave it has the last signing to announce? The club (Dave Simms) is either playing games with the fans or the signings have maybe not gone as they had hoped... If we sign a bang average netminder the whole squad has a different look to it...

From the outside looking Fox doesn't appear to have had much luck with the netminding situation, Barry was a disaster which was saved by Rok coming in at the last minute. The EIHL training session series, Muse??? was it got injured in his first game. And in Fox's first season we didn't have a league leading netminder in Duba.

He really cannot afford to get this wrong, or there's a strong chance we won't compete to win silverware and he might be looking for another coaching job elsewhere.

A few of the new signings have said one of the main reasons they have signed is to continue the 'winning tradition', without a good netminder, they'll not be much of that continuing IMO.

Don't know if Muse has signed anywhere but for the brief period we got to see him (prior to injury) I thought he looked good - it was very brief though! I did wonder if he might be one of the options we are looking at but who knows.

Pete Spencer suggested on Twitter that there is one goalie signed, so I wonder if a 2nd is the deal nearly sorted and they have held back releasing the news to announce both together

[Johnny777]

What’s the general consensus with regards netminder approach? Combine the wages and go for as good a netminder as possible and hope they stay fit and have one of the young lads on the bench or spread the wages across a combo of netties who both could start if required?

[Jayboy]

What’s the general consensus with regards netminder approach? Combine the wages and go for as good a netminder as possible and hope they stay fit and have one of the young lads on the bench or spread the wages across a combo of netties who both could start if required?

I think spend as much as possible on your starting netminder and let the backup be an upcoming talent..

[smbmetal]

What’s the general consensus with regards netminder approach? Combine the wages and go for as good a netminder as possible and hope they stay fit and have one of the young lads on the bench or spread the wages across a combo of netties who both could start if required?

For me it's spend as much as possible and get the best we can.

I did like the (enforced) dual import approach last year, but historically, (I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong), dual import netties haven't really had much silverware success in our league?

Belfast are in the strongest position with having Jackson Whistle, who I think is now ready to become a number 1. In fact I thought he played just as well as Bowns did in the recent GB Championships.

[teeLIST]

Seems we will find out Friday!

[Jayboy]

Green Light on the signing you have wanted the most .... 6am on Friday 12th August.

No mention of whether its one or two.. ive lost count on numbers now do we have enough import slots left for 2 import Netminders?

[House_of_Steel]

It’s going to be Ostlund. Aaron will see how he gets on in the preseason games and if he’s poor sign a last minute additional like he has done the previous seasons he did exactly the same with Kantor/Duba And Brust/Rok.

[smbmetal]

Risky strategy if so.

We didn’t look like winning the league with either of those ideas/strategies before.

I will refrain from any further comments until the rumour is confirmed etc.

[wakefieldsteelersfan]

I hope it's not Ostlund, why would we go for a goalie who played 3 games all last season? We tried that trick with Brust and didn't exactly work out.

[Joesteeler]

I hope it's not Ostlund, why would we go for a goalie who played 3 games all last season? We tried that trick with Brust and didn't exactly work out.

Ostlund would be great IMO - he's put up decent numbers in leagues far better than ours, and he's only 30.

I suspect he would be using us a springboard to get back into the top leagues - I've no objection to that