Steelers SIGNINGS/Departures. Confirmed only , no rumours please

[ginger]

Good to see the return of Diffley.

With Tansey/Cormier and Saucerman/Diffley back, we should have two of the top defensive pairings in the league.

With Fox confirming we're going with an all import defence, the way I see it we'll probably have the best netminder (Nottingham still to show their hand) and defence in the league.

Where I think we're light is goal scoring. We'll be going with 4 British forwards and of those only Dowd is likely to be a higher end scorer.

Whilst I'm happy with the imports signed to date, I wouldn't describe any as goal scorers. If we bring back the likes of Balmas and Watling, they've obviously got goals in them, but I'd still say Belfast will be 20 to 30 goals ahead of us.

It should be a good match up, with Belfast's irresistible force versus our immovable object.

I see Cardiff somewhere in the middle, probably not as many goals in them as Belfast, but they look quite solid at the back.

I'm not quite sure about Nottingham yet, up until their last couple of signings I was very impressed, but their last two look like budget signings which could go either way.

I don't really see anybody else challenging for the title. For me it will be a three horse race, with possibly Nottingham making it four if they sign a couple more top end forwards and a solid netminder.

Regards

Doom

If Cardiff's top 6 and top 4 D hit, they'll be right up amongst it. There's zero goals in that 4th line though, and as good as Richardson and Mosey have been, they're both heading fast towards retirement, so the 3rd D pair could be exploited a bit.

Belfast look great, but still a couple of questions for me in how some players do the 2nd time around. But on paper, definitely the best looking squad so far.

I'm not concerned about lack of goals yet, considering we've only announced 6 forwards, and 3 of them are bottom 6. Dowd, Ciampini and Juusola all essentially at the 20-25 goal mark, with 3 more top 6 players to be announced. Dowd might even end up on the 3rd yet. Shudra continues to develop (as seen in the worlds).

I think we're absolutely fine at the moment, especially if Balmas and Watling return. If Leavens rumour is true he should be at a similar output to Ciampini (Leavens has slightly better PPG in ICEHL than Ciampini). Janutainen I'd pencil in similar to Juusola.

That would give us 7 20+ goalscorers, which is essentially what we had last year. Assuming the above happens of course!

[Doom]

I would suggest we've currently got 3 guys around the 20 goal mark and with 5 imports still to come, I would expect at least a couple to be mid twenties with the rest high teens/low twenties.

If that is the case, I'd still suggest we're probably 25 to 30 goals shy of Belfast who really have stacked up on their scorers (I've got a couple of their d down for 15).

There are however two sides to the game and if we're as stingy at the back end as we were last season, we'll win a lot more than we lose.

I suspect Belfast are intending to adopt their football equivalent of the high press, where they try to pin teams into their own zone. For that to work you need your defence pinching in and being able to skate well, which is why I suspect they've signed an attacking d.

Regards

Doom

[Jayboy]

Welcome back Branon Whistle

https://www.sheffieldsteelers.co.uk/5th ... n-whistle/

A key signing this is, it would have been virtually impossible to replace him at this late stage along with another british forward..

Whistle commented:

I’m very comfortable in Sheffield both on and off the ice, the team I’m coming back to join achieved something very special and the chance to try and defend those trophies is a big pull. I’m also looking forward to the Champions League, that will be really tough but as a player you want to test yourself against the best, I think that then goes on for the whole team, we were a special group last year and we want that test ourselves collectively against some incredible opposition.
Domestically it looks like the rest of the league have all improved looking at the signings they have made, the challenge to defend will be hard but one I think it’s a challenge we are all ready to embrace

Speaking about the injury that kept him out of the World Championship Brandon said

I’ve followed the Dr’s advice and took 10 weeks off, I’m now back at it and in fact have been back on the ice this week for the first time

[Jayboy]

So Far......

Forwards
12 Daniel Ciampini ✓
24 Mark Simpson ✓
27 Cole Shudra ✓
63 Mikko Juusola ✓
74 Brandon Whistle ✓
75 Robert Dowd ✓



Defenders
06 Kevin Tansey ✓
23 Colton Saucerman ✓
58 Dominic Cormier ✓
65 Brien Diffley ✓


Netminders
01 Matt Greenfield ✓
34 Curtis Warburton ✓



Two Way players
28 Nathan Ripley ✓
30 Ben Norton ✓
66 Finlay Ulrick ✓
86 Morgan Clarke-Pizzo ✓
98 Tate Shudra ✓

6 players, who we have no news yet:

10 Josh Nicholls ?
14 Patrick Watling ?
19 Patrick Harper ?
29 Scott Allen ?
88 Marc-Olivier Vallerand ?
92 Mitchell Balmas ?

Confirmed Not returning...

25 Brett Neumann ✕
08 Zack Vinnell ✕
44 Sam Jones ✕
57 Niklas Nevalainen ✕
31 Anthony Morrone ✕

[smbmetal]

Welcome back Branon Whistle

https://www.sheffieldsteelers.co.uk/5th ... n-whistle/

A key signing this is, it would have been virtually impossible to replace him at this late stage along with another british forward..

Whistle commented:

I’m very comfortable in Sheffield both on and off the ice, the team I’m coming back to join achieved something very special and the chance to try and defend those trophies is a big pull. I’m also looking forward to the Champions League, that will be really tough but as a player you want to test yourself against the best, I think that then goes on for the whole team, we were a special group last year and we want that test ourselves collectively against some incredible opposition.
Domestically it looks like the rest of the league have all improved looking at the signings they have made, the challenge to defend will be hard but one I think it’s a challenge we are all ready to embrace

Speaking about the injury that kept him out of the World Championship Brandon said

I’ve followed the Dr’s advice and took 10 weeks off, I’m now back at it and in fact have been back on the ice this week for the first time

I agree an important signing. But not just because he’s a Brit, but he’s also a very good player when fully fit.

Welcome back Brandon.

[Doom]

It's a relief that Whistle is back, because I did wonder if he might be tempted by Belfast who still have a space open for a British forward.

From an output point of view, Whistle had a poor season, but he was badly disrupted by injuries which can't have made things easy for him.

I've not seen it anywhere myself, but my mate reckons the plan now is to fill the final British spot using the two ways with the Dogs.

It's probably going to leave us a bit light in the Brit department compared with the likes of Belfast and Cardiff, but it is a good selling point to get Brits in at the Dogs and will help future development.

He also mentioned that we're going with a spare import, which also makes sense. If our Brit pack is a bit weaker, we can't afford to be playing 2 or 3 imports down should the injury curse strike.

The remaining import forwards will need to add a lot of goals, because my current projection has us 55 goals behind Belfast and 28 behind Cardiff.

I think when we're finished I'll have us close to Cardiff, but a long way still behind Belfast who seem to have gone massively offensive.

Regards

Doom

[smbmetal]

Great news: Brien Difley returns.. Official

Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

I thought Diffley improved quite a lot as the season progressed and became a key player for us down the stretch.

Pleased to see him return.

[ginger]

It's a relief that Whistle is back, because I did wonder if he might be tempted by Belfast who still have a space open for a British forward.

From an output point of view, Whistle had a poor season, but he was badly disrupted by injuries which can't have made things easy for him.

I've not seen it anywhere myself, but my mate reckons the plan now is to fill the final British spot using the two ways with the Dogs.

It's probably going to leave us a bit light in the Brit department compared with the likes of Belfast and Cardiff, but it is a good selling point to get Brits in at the Dogs and will help future development.

He also mentioned that we're going with a spare import, which also makes sense. If our Brit pack is a bit weaker, we can't afford to be playing 2 or 3 imports down should the injury curse strike.

The remaining import forwards will need to add a lot of goals, because my current projection has us 55 goals behind Belfast and 28 behind Cardiff.

I think when we're finished I'll have us close to Cardiff, but a long way still behind Belfast who seem to have gone massively offensive.

Regards

Doom

Fox confirmed in Pete Spencer interview regarding Whis re-signing. Likely to be Ulrick and Ripley initially battling for the 12th forward role. Suspect Ulrick gets first go having already been here and Fox seems to be very positive about him.

Spare import forward apparently - rumour I've heard is Sam Tremblay from Manchester.

Really happy to have Whis back, fingers crossed injury bug is behind him and he can have a proper full season.

[Doom]

I'd seen Tremblay mentioned for Nottingham, but wouldn't be a bad shout for us as a spare.

He's not a big scorer, but topped Manchester's +/- so he's probably responsible defensively.

Regards

Doom

[paul johnston]

Whistle is a very important re-signing. A skilled player who can play on special teams. He is frankly good enough to be a third line player and barring injuries and less ice time last year would have put up more points. A key aspect of our success last year was rolling 4 good quality lines and if we'd have lost Whistle as well as Jones that would not have been possible and I reckon Foxy would have had to front load the offense on the top two lines.