Player signings thread - Sheffield...

[ginger]

People also forget just how good 20 year old Bowns was - he was way ahead of pretty much all current Brit netminders around that age.

Cost is horrendous to play hockey now - quick breakdown of playing rec as an adult:

Kit from scratch (not even top of range ) - £900
Sticks - £125 each
Fees - £100 approx registration, £12 average per training cost (an hour probably). Games - £10 per game.
Then add travel, hotels (if going for weekend tournaments etc)

So just as a rec player, playing once a week, it quickly adds up.

I remember one of the other issues raised by Paul was getting ice time.

It may have been prior to Ice Sheffield, so probably not as bad now, but I recall him mentioning they had to travel down to Nottingham on a Friday night to get an hour of ice time at 10pm.

They'd get back home after midnight.

I'm terrible with names, but I think his son was called Jonathan Tindall?

Unfortunate for him that Bowns was a freak who comes along once in a generation.

Regards

Doom

Ice time for senior rec hockey is terrible. Used to train at 11pm on a Tuesday, and that was at Ice Sheffield. Played a game in Nottingham that faced off at 10:30pm on a Friday night. All pretty common. Juniors do get better slots but even that can not be ideal. Used to be much worse before ice Sheffield but still not great.

Having kids in junior hockey definitely is difficult - I played roller with someone who has 3 kids all playing (although one is now an adult, and the middle one is approaching it). Definitely been a huge financial cost to them over the years.

[southernsteeler]

Stephen Harper confirmed as our latest (and last?) signing

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/1 ... hen-harper

[Jayboy]

Stephen Harper now confirmed:

Steelers head coach Aaron Fox has concluded his initial batch of import signings after agreeing a contract with experienced power forward Stephen Harper.

Harper split his time last season between Slovakia and Austria but also has experience in Czechia and Germany, in fact when in the DEL with Düsseldorfer in 2023 he scored 13 goals and 31 points in 54 regular season games plus another 6 points in 7 play off appearances.

Stephen is a big power forward who skates well for his size and should bring us a quality 200 Foot game. He’s played really well and put up some good numbers in some premium leagues and can play all 3 F positions. I think Stephen will be great on draws so will start him out as a C and already have some line combos that I think will be effective. Watching him play, I think he will really be hard to handle around the net and should be able to play in all situations.

https://www.sheffieldsteelers.co.uk/wel ... en-harper/

https://www.sheffieldsteelers.co.uk/int ... aaron-fox/

[ginger]

Good signing - very happy with the team overall on paper.

[paul johnston]

I think this looks a cracking signing. A top two line power forward type centre. Im glad we've actually signed a centre. I know a lot of guys on here feel the forwards can rotate from wing to centre and vice versa but I always like to see guys playing the role and position they are familiar with.

As per Ginge feel the team looks decent on paper, now to see how they gel on and off the ice, hopefully avoid a glut of bad injuries and see where we go. Roll on a few weeks.

[smbmetal]

Sounds like a cracking signing!

I particularly like the reason he was interested in Sheffield from the article on the Steelers website......

“I started getting interested in the Steelers and the UK at the time of the Champions Hockey League, like many others I was surprised at just how well Sheffield did in the company they were drawn against".

Another reason for aiming to play in the CHL, it can attract potentially good/better signings.

Welcome to Sheffield Stephen.

[heathk01]

Welcome to Sheffield Stephen
Have I missed something does any one know what is happening to Simpson he is still down as Sheffield player .

[ginger]

Welcome to Sheffield Stephen
Have I missed something does any one know what is happening to Simpson he is still down as Sheffield player .

Considering Harper completed the import signings, I'd say he's leaving. Not sure where to - I still wouldn't be surprised to see him pop up somewhere in the league, but it won't be in Sheffield.

As much as I like Simpson, he's not a top 6 forward for a league challenging team, and I suspect he wants top 6 minutes/money

[Doom]

Another solid addition to the roster and I would guess our first line centre.

Until the season gets underway it's always difficult to say, but my gut feeling is we'll be a little bit stronger at faceoffs this coming season.

Harper, Pu, Dowd and Tremblay all look capable of posting over 50%.

I don't think any of our new guys will match some of our rivals for goal output. My guess is Chase Pearson and Pattick Grasso will score much more heavily than the likes of Pu, Harper and Jasper etc, but we have plenty of scoring depth again, which is how Fox likes to play it.

I like the balance of our squad and think we should be in serious contention for silverware, which is all I can really ask at the start of a season.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

By the sounds of it, he skates with Balmas and Gentile in summer. Wouldn't be shocked to see them tried together at some point - Balmas takes LW.

That would probably leave Juusola/Pu/Tait as a line, and Seitz/Dowd/Jasper

To me, it's a top 9 where every forward on paper could reach a ppg. They won't (or if they do we'll be winning the lot), but having that kind of depth helps.

D we look very solid and goaltending as well.

To me it's too close to call with Us, Belfast and Nottingham.

Cardiff/Glasgow probably the 2 who could upset that, but not putting anything past Coventry after last year. Guildford I think are the weakest of that block and I think could even find themselves in 7th. I think the battle for 8th is a 3 horse race for Fife, Dundee and Manchester, but on paper it looks like one of the most competitive seasons in ages. There'll be no phoning it in against Fife for example. Don't turn up in a game next year, expect to lose.