It’s all the CHL’s Fault?

[Firefox1001]

Why not skip the challenge cup competition to make space and reduce the burden? It’s hardly a fair competition as it stands. Let’s be honest Belfast were virtually gifted a semi final place and they played fewer games to get there.

Belfast actually played more group games than we did - 12 to 10.

[Brian]

I wouldn't swop a British trophy for a good CHL run. It’s not a good analogy to say Dundee will never win a challenge Cup so why don't they withdraw . Withdrawing would cost them money in gates and webcasts . Money they can ill afford to lose. We have a choice whether to enter the CHL. We can live without it, in fact we would in my opinion be better off domestically without it.
It depends I suppose on whether you want to watch top class hockey or want to part support the Steelers by not going to games with poorer teams. For me, being the best in the UK is paramount.

[Brian]

Why not skip the challenge cup competition to make space and reduce the burden? It’s hardly a fair competition as it stands. Let’s be honest Belfast were virtually gifted a semi final place and they played fewer games to get there.

Belfast actually played more group games than we did - 12 to 10.

We don't really have a choice of skipping the Challenge Cup. A lot of the decisions made in this league is about keeping the league going, supporting the teams with less income so they can survive. That's why the cup schedule is as it is . It gives the Scottish teams some chance of progressing and therefore the crowds something to watch incentivewise.
The teams who play us in the Cup need those fixtures income wise. If we lose teams because of lack of money we finish up with no one to play as we did in the ISL.

[greeny]

was playing great before and during chl , picked up injuries during chl and not been the same since, so people can make their own minds up if chl was a issue for our domestic game this season,,, always going to be one of those debates

[steeler pete]

Why not skip the challenge cup competition to make space and reduce the burden? It’s hardly a fair competition as it stands. Let’s be honest Belfast were virtually gifted a semi final place and they played fewer games to get there.

Belfast actually played more group games than we did - 12 to 10.

Fair enough I hadn’t spotted that. I think they still had an easier run to get top seed.

As for when injuries occurred I think we went into the Berlin games banged up and without Saucerman. Greener picked his injury up in the Berlin game but up to that point in the CHL I think we’d come through mostly unscathed.

The competition that is most likely to have been affected by the extra CHL games is the league campaign. We still have silverware chances. I agree with Fox we need all the team to commit like last years team did. I think the core are still committed but some of the newer guys less so.

We could still turn it around there’s a long way to go yet.

[greeny]

Personally im not fussed about competing in chl, would rather just be focusing on domestic campaign..If ice hockey in the uk was a bigger more financed sport with bigger rosters / budgets etc then i would be happier to compete on a more even playing field. But its a minority sport and as big as it will ever be in my opinion,,,,, so focus on our bread/butter