The completed squad - Your verdict

[ginger]

Having looked at Cardiff so far, Martin, Cox and Sandford all known quality and should be down for 20+ (although feel Martin starting to decline). Ully could easily, but if Kielly a risk after injury, then Ully definitely is too as only played 7 games last year. Busch, Brandt will not trouble the scoreboard very often and Barrow has potential to get to 20 but not a definite.

So again, with where both rosters are, not concerned by our goal scoring potential yet

[House_of_Steel]

https://www.eliteprospects.com/team/203/belfast-giants

Take a look through not many at a ppg but all capable of scoring above 20 goals at either echl level or in our league

Apart from Sato, who's stats are nowhere near suggesting that.

Oliver Cooper looks very similar to Kielly (when look at season before last seeing as Kielly injured).

Nazarin looks like he could, but could finish slightly under.

The big plus points for me on Belfast's roster is picking up Tedesco and Barriga as both proven over here. Add them to Lake and M. Cooper and McLeod and they've got 5 I would definitely expect over 20.

However, I think our D is stronger overall (assuming Saucerman is the final D).

We still have 2 top 6 forwards to announce. Ciampini, Neumann, Vallerand and Dowd I would expect 20+ from. Until we see the final forward group, I don't think we are miles behind at all.

It’s not so much that they’re going to score that amount you know yourself lower down the lines means less minutes to produce but they are all capable of moving up through the lines with injury woes, that as we know too well happen.

If Tedesco takes a knock Nazarian steps up hope you get my point

Their D doesn’t look as good but then again they have Besko I wouldn’t be too worried back there if I was them

[ginger]

https://www.eliteprospects.com/team/203/belfast-giants

Take a look through not many at a ppg but all capable of scoring above 20 goals at either echl level or in our league

Apart from Sato, who's stats are nowhere near suggesting that.

Oliver Cooper looks very similar to Kielly (when look at season before last seeing as Kielly injured).

Nazarin looks like he could, but could finish slightly under.

The big plus points for me on Belfast's roster is picking up Tedesco and Barriga as both proven over here. Add them to Lake and M. Cooper and McLeod and they've got 5 I would definitely expect over 20.

However, I think our D is stronger overall (assuming Saucerman is the final D).

We still have 2 top 6 forwards to announce. Ciampini, Neumann, Vallerand and Dowd I would expect 20+ from. Until we see the final forward group, I don't think we are miles behind at all.

It’s not so much that they’re going to score that amount you know yourself lower down the lines means less minutes to produce but they are all capable of moving up through the lines with injury woes, that as we know too well happen.

If Tedesco takes a knock Nazarian steps up hope you get my point

Their D doesn’t look as good but then again they have Besko I wouldn’t be too worried back there if I was them

Agree Besko a big help, and get the point on moving up to cover injuries, but that's the same for us with Kielly, Simpson etc.

[SteelerBlade]

We will need to take some risks and be creative in our recruiting to match Belfast. The likes of the rumoured Juusola has undoubted ability having hit 10 in Liiga before. But he scored 0 last year.

This means he will be available within our budget when he previously would’ve been unattainable. Then it’s down to if we can get him to produce in an offensive role like Látal did.

Proven quality at higher levels costs ££££, we need to be smart within our budget.

[Doom]

One of the concerns for me is why have we fallen away so badly two years running under Fox?

The club seem to be at a bit of a loss as to why this has happened, but just like the joke about Panthers and Christmas, we seem to do the same thing in the new year.

The only thing I can think of is the age of the squad with the older players struggling to keep firing on all cylinders in the latter half of a long season.

This is why I'm concerned if we keep too many of last seasons forwards, because players who were already past their peak would be another year further on.

I really hope the rumours of Allen and Kristo returning are just that, rumours, because we need to be getting younger. Allen on his own wouldn't be the end of the world, but please not both of them.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

I think it's a number of factors to be honest on the post Christmas fall off and interestingly I think both years it's coincided with losing a key D - Todd in 21/22 and Piche last season.

[Joesteeler]

I think it's a number of factors to be honest on the post Christmas fall off and interestingly I think both years it's coincided with losing a key D - Todd in 21/22 and Piche last season.

We don't deserve to win the league if 1 player results in a collapse, IMO

I just think Belfast have the better contacts to recruit.

[Doom]

I think it's a number of factors to be honest on the post Christmas fall off and interestingly I think both years it's coincided with losing a key D - Todd in 21/22 and Piche last season.

We don't deserve to win the league if 1 player results in a collapse, IMO

I just think Belfast have the better contacts to recruit.

Belfast do generally seem to recruit well, but I do wonder if you swap Conway with one of our forwards last season would we have won the league?

Conway has been huge for them, not just in terms of points, but also face-off wins.

It will be interesting to see how Belfast perform without him next season.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

I think it's a number of factors to be honest on the post Christmas fall off and interestingly I think both years it's coincided with losing a key D - Todd in 21/22 and Piche last season.

We don't deserve to win the league if 1 player results in a collapse, IMO

I just think Belfast have the better contacts to recruit.

Belfast do generally seem to recruit well, but I do wonder if you swap Conway with one of our forwards last season would we have won the league?

Conway has been huge for them, not just in terms of points, but also face-off wins.

It will be interesting to see how Belfast perform without him next season.

Regards

Doom

Exactly my feeling on this - Conway was huge for Belfast. Goodwin as well. Whilst they've signed some good players, they've got some really big shoes to fill.

[ginger]

I think it's a number of factors to be honest on the post Christmas fall off and interestingly I think both years it's coincided with losing a key D - Todd in 21/22 and Piche last season.

We don't deserve to win the league if 1 player results in a collapse, IMO

I just think Belfast have the better contacts to recruit.

Not saying we did, and I did say there were a number of factors. Example being we had a 2/3 week period where most of the team had flu. Add in losing a really key piece (Todd arguably no. 1 D and Piche easily 3rd best D last year) long term, plus other injuries and individual losses of form then losing 4/5 games in a critical period is understandable, if ultimately frustrating.