Vallerand Returns

[House_of_Steel]

Although I’ve said Vallys signing is very similar to signing Conns last season there is a risk! The situation of the two is slightly different Coming back from ACL at 36 was a always going to be a struggle after 10 months out and proved too much for Brendan. I do think Vally is on the decline at 34 but you don’t go from scoring plus 30 goals in all comps to minimal numbers over 12-18 month I can see his productive level falling slightly but he should still be good for 25 goals nowhere near Conways numbers at Belfast but I would hope our club will have 2 very good at our level top line players to join him, fingers crossed and welcome back Marco.

[ginger]

My worry is that to date I've not seen anything which makes me think Aaron Fox is trying something a bit different. There's still plenty of players to be recruited, but regardless of what our coaching staff think, we were a long way behind Belfast and therefore need to make up a lot of ground and doing the same as before won't achieve that.

Vallerand was a very good player, but so was Brendan Connolly. With all players age and injury eventually catches up with them and clearly Vally was struggling last season. Maybe with a good pre season and clear of injury/illness he will be able to get back close to his previous form, but as with Connolly last season, it's another big risk and so far Fox's 'risky' recruitments generally haven't paid off.

I guess I'm hoping that Belfast do lose Conway and as a result aren't quite the same team and at the same time we can improve a little to bridge the gap, because another season of failure won't cut it with our supporters.

Hopefully the only remaining returnees are Petgrave and Nevalainen, because as a defensive pairing I thought they worked very well together. I wouldn't be gutted with Ciampini, but it would start to feel like we're going to be Dad's Army again.....Don't panic Captain Fox!

Anyway, welcome back Marco, at least you want to be here and let's hope you have a bit more puck luck this coming season.

Regards

Doom

To say we were miles behind Belfast I think is an exaggeration. 7 points over the course of the league. I'm not saying they weren't a better team, but let's be realistic - that's 4 games if we can change from losses to wins and we win the league. That to me isn't miles behind.

Accept age etc is a thing, but Vallerand is not coming off a major injury like Connolly at 37. It was niggling injuries and illnesses and he's 34. Given the shape guys are in these days I don't see it as anywhere near the risk we took on Connolly.

7 points at the end of the season but I think we need to factor in the poor start Belfast had and the squad changes they made - it's fair to say they really weren't the same team in the second half of season. I'd be interested to see the points difference between the teams for just the second half of the season as it would give a more realistic picture, and I suspect we were a long way short...

Fair point, but also shows that any narrative around Belfast being this amazing recruitment machine that never makes an error is just not correct. Yes they had injury replacements to make, but they also recruited a couple of guys who just didn't live up to expectations.

I think we as fans sometimes over exaggerate the difference between our team and the winners of a competition. It's a close league generally, and when playing the difference can feel a lot smaller - a couple of bounces one way or the other and games completely flip. Hard to explain but the margin always feels bigger sat in the stands

[Doom]

To say we were miles behind Belfast I think is an exaggeration. 7 points over the course of the league. I'm not saying they weren't a better team, but let's be realistic - that's 4 games if we can change from losses to wins and we win the league. That to me isn't miles behind.

If we'd had anything like the injuries Belfast suffered the gap would have been larger.

They were the ones with the bad luck last season, at times only playing with 9 imports. Imagine how many more points we would have dropped with 3 or 4 imports missing, I thought we were actually very lucky last season on that front.

Didn't we play them in a double header when they were very short benched and still managed to lose the 2nd game?

They also had a better record in the Challenge Cup and the Playoffs.

As far as I'm concerned they were a long way ahead of us and if we think a bit of tinkering around the edges will make the difference we're kidding ourselves.

Belfast are currently the benchmark, although it will be interesting to see if they are at quite the same level if Conway leaves, because he has been so influential in everything they do.

Regards

Doom

[paul johnston]

It may have only been seven points but we were miles behind in quality and performance.
As Doom says we had a generally good year injury wise whereas Giants scraped together a team at times.

We have a big off season to try to assemble a team to compete with them and a likely resurgent Devils..

[ginger]

To say we were miles behind Belfast I think is an exaggeration. 7 points over the course of the league. I'm not saying they weren't a better team, but let's be realistic - that's 4 games if we can change from losses to wins and we win the league. That to me isn't miles behind.

If we'd had anything like the injuries Belfast suffered the gap would have been larger.

They were the ones with the bad luck last season, at times only playing with 9 imports. Imagine how many more points we would have dropped with 3 or 4 imports missing, I thought we were actually very lucky last season on that front.

Didn't we play them in a double header when they were very short benched and still managed to lose the 2nd game?

They also had a better record in the Challenge Cup and the Playoffs.

As far as I'm concerned they were a long way ahead of us and if we think a bit of tinkering around the edges will make the difference we're kidding ourselves.

Belfast are currently the benchmark, although it will be interesting to see if they are at quite the same level if Conway leaves, because he has been so influential in everything they do.

Regards

Doom

Fair points, but still don't think we are miles behind. Behind yes, but not insurmountable. Agree we need a refresh but I addressed that previously - given current rumours it sounds like we're keeping 2 D, and 6 forwards from last year, with 2 of those (at least) being bottom 6. I'd say that's quite a big turnover and definitely an indication that there is recognition from Fox that change is needed.

But you also need guys who understand the league and the club. So to me, if it does look like 6 new forwards and 4 new D, I don't think we're looking at more of the same. Coaching style isn't going to change overnight, but adjustments I'm sure will be made given that many new faces.

And, as you say, Conway leaving (and now Goodwin too), Belfast have got some big pieces to replace. Besko helps massively but Greenfield certainly holds up as a good counter to that. At this point, I'm not concerned by our recruitment - that might change when we have more announced but far too early to worry yet

[ginger]

It may have only been seven points but we were miles behind in quality and performance.
As Doom says we had a generally good year injury wise whereas Giants scraped together a team at times.

We have a big off season to try to assemble a team to compete with them and a likely resurgent Devils..

True, but that's the same every off season. Belfast, Cardiff, us and Guildford are always looking to win and recruit a team that will do so. Don't get me wrong, Fox has to win something next season, otherwise I suspect we'll be looking for a new coach, but it's still essentially the same as every year. There's no way we can judge rosters yet comparatively, hence why I'm not concerned yet. When everyone has 80% of their team recruited, then I might change my mind!

[kivo1889]

I welcome Vallerand staying here for another season. He knows where the back of the net is, and he still has some gas in the tank.
Also he provides a bit of continuity in the dressing room, which we probably need with the departure of Jono and others.

[Morpheous]

Welcome home Marco, I'm looking forward to him proving alot of people wrong.

I'm putting it out there now - he'll be our top points producer this season.

Came searching for this comment! Still early days but looking good. Still can’t believe people were saying don’t re sign him.

[Doom]

Welcome home Marco, I'm looking forward to him proving alot of people wrong.

I'm putting it out there now - he'll be our top points producer this season.

Came searching for this comment! Still early days but looking good. Still can’t believe people were saying don’t re sign him.

It's always interesting looking back on threads to see if people made a complete ass of themselves (myself included).

In the early part of the Summer I was certainly feeling quite negative with our signings, because it felt like there were going to be too many of last seasons team re-signing.

For me the worry with Vally was an ageing player who was coming off an injury hit season made him a risk, but I became less concerned as more of the squad were announced, particularly Watling and Saucerman.

By the end of the Summer I was actually starting to feel quite positive. We did our pre-season predictions in the pub with one signing still to come and for the first time ever we all went for Steelers to finish top.

When Nicholls was announced we all promptly changed our predictions to Belfast winning it.

Then out of the blue came the Balmas signing and we all u-turned again....we'd make great politicians.

It's a long season and for the last two years we've fallen away badly in the second half, but so far so good this season. We look to have a nice balance, but could do with Watling, Allen and Ciampini finding the net, although it's not a major issue whilst Dowd, Balmas and Vallerand are banging them in.

Games against Belfast will be the real test, because they are the benchmark.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

Welcome home Marco, I'm looking forward to him proving alot of people wrong.

I'm putting it out there now - he'll be our top points producer this season.

Came searching for this comment! Still early days but looking good. Still can’t believe people were saying don’t re sign him.

It's always interesting looking back on threads to see if people made a complete ass of themselves (myself included).

In the early part of the Summer I was certainly feeling quite negative with our signings, because it felt like there were going to be too many of last seasons team re-signing.

For me the worry with Vally was an ageing player who was coming off an injury hit season made him a risk, but I became less concerned as more of the squad were announced, particularly Watling and Saucerman.

By the end of the Summer I was actually starting to feel quite positive. We did our pre-season predictions in the pub with one signing still to come and for the first time ever we all went for Steelers to finish top.

When Nicholls was announced we all promptly changed our predictions to Belfast winning it.

Then out of the blue came the Balmas signing and we all u-turned again....we'd make great politicians.

It's a long season and for the last two years we've fallen away badly in the second half, but so far so good this season. We look to have a nice balance, but could do with Watling, Allen and Ciampini finding the net, although it's not a major issue whilst Dowd, Balmas and Vallerand are banging them in.

Games against Belfast will be the real test, because they are the benchmark.

Regards

Doom

Interesting looking back definitely. Just a point on Watling - even though he's not getting the goals, he's racking up a point per game on assists pretty much. Goals will come I think because his quality is obvious