Arm Chair Coach Time - Keep or Release?

[kivo1889]

Keep:

...

Rest for me are all replaceable. I'm assuming Ciampini retiring is highly likely, as otherwise I'd add him to potentials depending on budget/role.

Also left Tremblay out as already signed to the Dogs. Shame his PHD takes up so much time as I'd definitely take him full time

I didn't know Tremblay is doing a PhD - that would take a lot of his time, for several years! I wondered if him becoming a 2 way was some cunning plan to increase the number of imports available, but the PhD would do it too.

More generally, we must have a good budget with over 300k fans through the doors, so I'd like to see some younger power forward type players - it seems to work well for Belfast.

And improve the special teams, and get a quality backup for Greenfield if he stays (I hope that rumour is correct!). Was Morrone's visit also a quick job interview?

Edited to correct 3m to 300k fans through the door! Should give us a cracking budget though, presumably the highest in the league?

[Firefox1001]

NM
USA Matthew Greenfield Goaltender 30 Keep
ITA Marco De Filippo Goaltender 34 Release
GBR Ben Norton Goaltender 21 Release, stay with Dogs full time.
GBR Curtis Warburton Goaltender 23 – Brit – Keep in role now
GBR Daniel Crowe Goaltender 21 Brit – Release.

D
GBR Sam Cooper Defenceman 20 Move to Dogs full time.
CAN Dominic Cormier Defenceman 27 Keep
USA Brien Diffley Defenceman 29 Keep
CAN Sacha Guimond Defenceman 34 Release
FIN Joona Huttula Defenceman 28 50/50
GBR Reece Kelly Defenceman 23 Keep – Brit, Put on a 2-way.
USA Colton Saucerman Defenceman 32 Release
CAN Kevin Tansey Defenceman 32 Keep
FIN Veeti Vainio Defenceman 27 Release


F
CAN Mitchell Balmas Forward 27 Release
GBR Ivan Bjorkly Nordstrom Forward 22 Keep on 2-way deal
CAN Daniel Ciampini Forward 34 Release
GBR Robert Dowd Forward 36 Keep
FIN Joel Janatuinen Forward 30 Release
FIN Mikko Juusola Forward 27 Keep
CAN Daniel Leavens Forward 31 Release
GBR Nathan Ripley Forward 23 Release – Stay with Dogs full time
GBR Cole Shudra Forward 26 50/50
CAN Mark Simpson Forward 29 Keep
CAN Samuel Tremblay Forward 29 – Signed elsewhere
GBR Finlay Ulrick Forward 25 Keep – Brit as full time
CAN Marc-Olivier Vallerand Forward 36 Release
CAN Patrick Watling Forward 31 Release
GBR Brandon Whistle Forward 27 Keep

Needing
1 Back-up netminder
1 Brit netminder
4 Import Defencemen
7 import forwards
1 Brit forward on a 2-way deal.

[ginger]

Keep:

...

Rest for me are all replaceable. I'm assuming Ciampini retiring is highly likely, as otherwise I'd add him to potentials depending on budget/role.

Also left Tremblay out as already signed to the Dogs. Shame his PHD takes up so much time as I'd definitely take him full time

I didn't know Tremblay is doing a PhD - that would take a lot of his time, for several years! I wondered if him becoming a 2 way was some cunning plan to increase the number of imports available, but the PhD would do it too.

More generally, we must have a good budget with over 3 million fans through the doors, so I'd like to see some younger power forward type players - it seems to work well for Belfast.

And improve the special teams, and get a quality backup for Greenfield if he stays (I hope that rumour is correct!). Was Morrone's visit also a quick job interview?

I'm hoping Morrone is back, but I'm not sure if Greenfield stays, unless agreement in advance that there's going to be a more even split of games. Morrone left for a starting job, got one and has had a very solid season on an average team in DEL2. I can't see him coming back for less than 40-50% of games.

A lot of people seem to have forgotten Tremblays PHD as the reason he's playing NIHL. He's self funded it I believe as well so obviously a very high priority to him. Can't fault it, gonna need a career after hockey.

In terms of power forwards, it's something we missed a little bit this year until Tremblay came in. I think we'll definitely be in that market. It's balance though, as likely power forwards available are not going to be top line material (those players get snapped up by better leagues)

[BontSteeler]

I'm pretty stunned that @Firefox1001 wants to release Balmas?!

He's a certain keep for me.

[ginger]

Tansey, Kelly and Dowd all confirmed returnees this morning

[Doom]

If all players want to stay, then I see us requiring minor tweaks rather than wholesale changes.

We took the league title race to the last period of the season, but for a couple of things going our way we would have won the league.

Had we not qualified for the 2nd stage of the CHL I think we would have picked up enough extra points to win the league. Those games against Berlin killed us because of the injuries we picked up.

If Golod hadn't left then he did I think we would have won the league. He was doing for us what Fossier did for Nottingham.

It was fine margins, which is why for me it's minor tweaks.

I'd be happy with the following next season:

Greenfield
New Import Backup
Warburton

Huttula
Cormier

Saucerman
Tansey

New import D
Kelly

Balmas
New Import Centre
Juusola

Golod
Watling
Dowd

New import winger
Simpson
Tremblay or New Import

Shudra
Whistle
Bjorkland/Ulrick

I've listed the lines like that, but would happily move them around.

I do think we need a strong faceoff winning centre, because that's an area we fell short last season, especially when Simpson was out. I was surprised how good Tremblay was at faceoffs.

I think for the likes of Ciampini, Vally and Leavens, age was starting to catch up with them all. They were borderline return, but with another year I'd expect a further dip in their performances.

I'd say the same for Guimond and Vainio, who for me both fall just short.

The big fail was obviously Janatuinen. He was a gamble which didn't pay off. You could see his quality, but the poor guy just couldn't shake off his past issues.

Hopefully all those on my keep list want to stay.

Possible adds would be Harms from Dundee, who put up big numbers and was top of their +/-.
Another would be D'Aoust at Manchester.

I would expect both to be affordable, although Belfast have gone down that route with the likes of Tedesco and it didn't work.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

If all players want to stay, then I see us requiring minor tweaks rather than wholesale changes.

We took the league title race to the last period of the season, but for a couple of things going our way we would have won the league.

Had we not qualified for the 2nd stage of the CHL I think we would have picked up enough extra points to win the league. Those games against Berlin killed us because of the injuries we picked up.

If Golod hadn't left then he did I think we would have won the league. He was doing for us what Fossier did for Nottingham.

It was fine margins, which is why for me it's minor tweaks.

I'd be happy with the following next season:

Greenfield
New Import Backup
Warburton

Huttula
Cormier

Saucerman
Tansey

New import D
Kelly

Balmas
New Import Centre
Juusola

Golod
Watling
Dowd

New import winger
Simpson
Tremblay or New Import

Shudra
Whistle
Bjorkland/Ulrick

I've listed the lines like that, but would happily move them around.

I do think we need a strong faceoff winning centre, because that's an area we fell short last season, especially when Simpson was out. I was surprised how good Tremblay was at faceoffs.

I think for the likes of Ciampini, Vally and Leavens, age was starting to catch up with them all. They were borderline return, but with another year I'd expect a further dip in their performances.

I'd say the same for Guimond and Vainio, who for me both fall just short.

The big fail was obviously Janatuinen. He was a gamble which didn't pay off. You could see his quality, but the poor guy just couldn't shake off his past issues.

Hopefully all those on my keep list want to stay.

Possible adds would be Harms from Dundee, who put up big numbers and was top of their +/-.
Another would be D'Aoust at Manchester.

I would expect both to be affordable, although Belfast have gone down that route with the likes of Tedesco and it didn't work.

Regards

Doom

Whistle is 99.9% nailed on going to Belfast, appears Logan Neilson will be replacing.

I'd agree with most of the above apart from that. Face-offs are huge though. If Simpson stays, we need 3 more good face-off winners to support him and Dowd (who is great on his strong side, but needs a Scott Allen type who can take draws in place of Dowd on his weak side).

Sauce I'm 50/50 on - start of the year looked like his play off form from the GS season, but after his concussion he just wasn't quite firing. I believe he's also due to become a father this off season so might also be part of any decision.

Tremblay as well is definitely not going to be an option with his PHD. I get the feeling that the organisation doesn't really want to handicap the Dogs again either. 1 new import needs to be in a similar mould - and 1 of the upgrades needs to also be a more physical presence. Nicolls did that quite well in the GS season, whilst putting up similar output to Leavens.

[Brian]

I agree with Doom. Wholesale changes carry big risks and although many of us were disappointed in the finish to the season , remember we played superbly in Europe and narrowly missed out on all 3 trophies.
Much will depend on costs when bringing in new blood. Not only wages, but housing for players who have wives , dogs ( Hi Mr Brust ! ) etc. lots to think about and this is where a good coach earns his money !

[paul johnston]

Definitely need out and out scorer or two, face off winners, pp specialist, size and physicality and to get younger. A lot to expect from only 3-4 changes!

[Brian]

The budget will ultimately decide whether we get all those things, but if course the other problem is no one can guarantee any new players will fulfil those roles , there will be disappointments and some pleasant surprises , there always are.
I just hope we don't replace good players with ones that turn out to be worse as there is little scope under league rules to fire and hire during the season.