Derek Gentile has left - signed for Atlanta in ECHL.
I assume we will have a replacement lined up. My guess is on Brandon Troock or Brett Ritchie. Troock played with Watling in Slovakia - was top scorer on the team. Bounced between Slovakia and Liiga this year. Just released by Sport (Liiga).
Ritchie lots of NHL experience - just played 8 games in ICEHL.
No knowledge it's either of them but most likely from recent departures from European teams. Troock more likely I suspect if it is one of them
Gentile leaves
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Doom
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Gentile was always one of those players who was difficult to call when he signed.
He'd had some very good numbers in USports and although I had him down for 20 goals, I thought there could be a much bigger up side.
Sadly it never quite worked out and he didn’t even manage 20. He was a little bit too lightweight for our league and probably a bit too slow.
This decision works for both parties.
If this is the final import replacement we can make, it had better be a good one which addresses our forward issues, because as things stand we look more like 4th than 1st.
Regards
Doom
He'd had some very good numbers in USports and although I had him down for 20 goals, I thought there could be a much bigger up side.
Sadly it never quite worked out and he didn’t even manage 20. He was a little bit too lightweight for our league and probably a bit too slow.
This decision works for both parties.
If this is the final import replacement we can make, it had better be a good one which addresses our forward issues, because as things stand we look more like 4th than 1st.
Regards
Doom
I'm pretty sure Gentile was probably quite high on people's replacement list if someone was available, so no real surprises he's left.
Interesting that the decision was not made by mutual consent, so perhaps another unhappy camper along with Mr Neilson. All doesn't appear right in the camp for me from the outside looking in.
We managed to pick Desbiens up at this time of year in seasons past, so I remain hopefully we can upgrade!
Interesting that the decision was not made by mutual consent, so perhaps another unhappy camper along with Mr Neilson. All doesn't appear right in the camp for me from the outside looking in.
We managed to pick Desbiens up at this time of year in seasons past, so I remain hopefully we can upgrade!
Let’s hope so. Desbiens was a brilliant addition!smbmetal wrote: ↑Thu Jan 08, 2026 8:41 amI'm pretty sure Gentile was probably quite high on people's replacement list if someone was available, so no real surprises he's left.
Interesting that the decision was not made by mutual consent, so perhaps another unhappy camper along with Mr Neilson. All doesn't appear right in the camp for me from the outside looking in.
We managed to pick Desbiens up at this time of year in seasons past, so I remain hopefully we can upgrade!
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Bryan
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When he first appeared he looked a slight figure to me and I wondered if he would survive in our league. I didn’t feel he made up for it with skill or speed particularly. Let’s hope can do better. Heard has certainly proved to be a good pickup.
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MLL79
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Can’t remember a season in recent times where there have been quite so many changes - almost a quarter of the roster to date! I’m not sure we’re done yet either with the D rotation, although Tansey seems content to play forward and does give us some much needed size and hustle, this has weakened the D corps and he would be better placed there overall, which I hate to say leaves Southorn vs Dougherty competing.
We need a big body (s) up front I feel for Fox style of play to work - we talk about speed and transition play, but this seems to break down into fragmented uncoordinated breakaways, the majority of play to me seems to devolve into tip/dump and chase - we had more success in previous seasons with big guys like Simpson and Allan who could barge in and make something happen. I feel like this is what’s missing and only seems to start to work with the likes of Tremblay, Heard, Tansey and Shudra (though not always with the end product). Guys who can bump in and get possession out of the corners etc. and create some room. I think this is where the likes of Gentile struggled, he had some nice clever touches and linked up well with Balmas a lot of the time, but couldn’t help wincing when the big D men were lining him up…
Don’t know what others thoughts are?
Cheers
We need a big body (s) up front I feel for Fox style of play to work - we talk about speed and transition play, but this seems to break down into fragmented uncoordinated breakaways, the majority of play to me seems to devolve into tip/dump and chase - we had more success in previous seasons with big guys like Simpson and Allan who could barge in and make something happen. I feel like this is what’s missing and only seems to start to work with the likes of Tremblay, Heard, Tansey and Shudra (though not always with the end product). Guys who can bump in and get possession out of the corners etc. and create some room. I think this is where the likes of Gentile struggled, he had some nice clever touches and linked up well with Balmas a lot of the time, but couldn’t help wincing when the big D men were lining him up…
Don’t know what others thoughts are?
Cheers
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lovedenisvial
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Yea! very much a broken season so far! I never thought Gentile was a EIHL player? he was too slight and far too easily knocked off possession and to be fair he was the one to drop out whenever we had a full roster.
It doesn't look good for the weekend? unless we can use 1/2 of the Steeldog players, we are going to be pretty short come Dundee on Sunday!
I think it looks like we will drop down the standings, lets hope we pull something big out of the weekend and the cup semi final in Feb.
It doesn't look good for the weekend? unless we can use 1/2 of the Steeldog players, we are going to be pretty short come Dundee on Sunday!
I think it looks like we will drop down the standings, lets hope we pull something big out of the weekend and the cup semi final in Feb.
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Jayboy
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That leaves 15 imports: and looking at them, they would not be a great squad, that gave me hope....
and a bang average set of brits, Dowd being the exception!
Forwards
Ryan Tait
Mitchell Heard
Stephen Harper
Sam Tremblay
Evan Jasper
Mikko Juusola
Mitchell Balmas
Sin Bin
Nick Seitz
Logan Neilson
Derek Gentile
Cliff Pu
Defenders
Joona Huttula
Kevin Tansey
Jordon Southorn
Jack Dougherty
Dominic Cormier
Brien Diffley
Netminders
Matt Greenfield
Eamon McAdam
and a bang average set of brits, Dowd being the exception!
Forwards
Ryan Tait
Mitchell Heard
Stephen Harper
Sam Tremblay
Evan Jasper
Mikko Juusola
Mitchell Balmas
Sin Bin
Nick Seitz
Logan Neilson
Derek Gentile
Cliff Pu
Defenders
Joona Huttula
Kevin Tansey
Jordon Southorn
Jack Dougherty
Dominic Cormier
Brien Diffley
Netminders
Matt Greenfield
Eamon McAdam
And here's who'd I'd have back next season from our current imports:Jayboy wrote: ↑Thu Jan 08, 2026 3:13 pmThat leaves 15 imports: and looking at them, they would not be a great squad, that gave me hope....
and a bang average set of brits, Dowd being the exception!
Forwards
Ryan Tait
Mitchell Heard
Stephen Harper
Sam Tremblay
Evan Jasper
Mikko Juusola
Mitchell Balmas
Sin Bin
Nick Seitz
Logan Neilson
Derek Gentile
Cliff Pu
Defenders
Joona Huttula
Kevin Tansey
Jordon Southorn
Jack Dougherty
Dominic Cormier
Brien Diffley
Netminders
Matt Greenfield
Eamon McAdam
Ryan Tait
Mitchell Heard
Sam Tremblay
Mitchell Balmas
Kevin Tansey (only as a defender).
Dominic Cormier
Matt Greenfield
Eamon McAdam