Ben to Clan

[Marty]

As much as I like Ben's play and think he is a great Brit, big changes are needed. In my heart I'd wanted Ben to stay but we can't forget that the team ended up 9th no matter how much we rate individuals. A total fresh start may be a good thing.

 

[Wannabe2]

Our players were so lousy other teams are queuing up to sign them.???? .

 

[voth26]

No disrespect but I cant believe there are no comments on mark smiths move to the blaze equally an important player for the devils

 

[Kipper]

I really do feel people are deluded if they think Whis will be able to recruit players of a better quality and with the heart and desire of Ben and Smithy next season with his budget

 

[mazza03]

I really do feel people are deluded if they think Whis will be able to recruit players of a better quality and with the heart and desire of Ben and Smithy next season with his budget

I agree, where are they going to come from?

 

[Budgie]

I hear Bens move was more about Ben and not the Devils, as he was considering a move into Europe!

 

[Budgie]

No disrespect but I cant believe there are no comments on mark smiths move to the blaze equally an important player for the devils

Fo me Mark Smith was great in front of the goal but to slow mid ice and missed a lot of passes on the point!
I have to admit that for me he has slowed down a lot over the last two seasons and has become injury prone, although still a great player and I wish him luck and dread us playing against him

 

[chillee]

Irrespective of our finish last year losing a home-grown, emerging International & Elite Brit is a strong indictment of the state of the Devils.

Depends on your technical knowledge of skill & dynamics of the game, maybe the time Whistle spent with the team he's found him to be a crap player for the money, doesn't mean others won't want him. Even the Devils management are not that dumb as to call a player crap and lazy in public.

Who knows, Whistle may not even come back to the UK, anything is possible, people change there minds and plans change, it wouldn't surprise me if he had a better offer somewhere else.

It would have be sensible to have had some signings to announce at the time players leave, that's simple business PR, then again Whistle went back to Canada and who in the Devils beyond fans seem to give a toss anyway.

 

[chillee]

I really do feel people are deluded if they think Whis will be able to recruit players of a better quality and with the heart and desire of Ben and Smithy next season with his budget

I agree, where are they going to come from?

A college/s in Canada, whistle was coaching college hockey before comin to Cardiff, some guys may want to move and improve there CV and UK could get them a foot into Europe, so whist probably goin to look there.

 

[Foxy]

Irrespective of our finish last year losing a home-grown, emerging International & Elite Brit is a strong indictment of the state of the Devils.

Depends on your technical knowledge of skill & dynamics of the game, maybe the time Whistle spent with the team he's found him to be a crap player for the money, doesn't mean others won't want him. Even the Devils management are not that dumb as to call a player crap and lazy in public.

Who knows, Whistle may not even come back to the UK, anything is possible, people change there minds and plans change, it wouldn't surprise me if he had a better offer somewhere else.

It would have be sensible to have had some signings to announce at the time players leave, that's simple business PR, then again Whistle went back to Canada and who in the Devils beyond fans seem to give a toss anyway.

I hope thats got no foundation of truth in it..........

 

[Wannabe2]

It wouldnt surprise a lot of people.

 

[Ocko]

I really do feel people are deluded if they think Whis will be able to recruit players of a better quality and with the heart and desire of Ben and Smithy next season with his budget

I agree, where are they going to come from?

A college/s in Canada, whistle was coaching college hockey before comin to Cardiff, some guys may want to move and improve there CV and UK could get them a foot into Europe, so whist probably goin to look there.

Which would be great if we could actually sign college players...

For work permit reasons we cannot sign any players straight from college or junior hockey. We have to sign proven professional players from the UHL or above as per UKBA rules.

 

[chillee]

For work permit reasons we cannot sign any players straight from college or junior hockey. We have to sign proven professional players from the UHL or above as per UKBA rules.

I didn't know that.

 

[calv]

I thought that those rules had been changed and teams could now employ players straight from college, for example Dennis Rix of Edinburgh appears to have come straight from College. The rules set out here: http://www.icehockeyuk.co.uk/work-permits-s13021 are for the 08-09 season and are out of date.

Also the UHL no longer exists

 

[calv]

I thought that those rules had been changed and teams could now employ players straight from college, for example Dennis Rix of Edinburgh appears to have come straight from College. The rules set out here: http://www.icehockeyuk.co.uk/work-permits-s13021 are for the 08-09 season and are out of date.

Also the UHL no longer exists

Also, I think Andrew Coburn came directly from NCAA to play for Hull Stingrays a few seasons back