Flyers Vs Devils - League - 17th Dec 23 - FO 17:30

[Devil94]

Then we won't be winning the league any time soon.

If we want to be winning league titles we need a team that's as good as the team that won the league under Lordo.

Disagree. Those were some of the best teams ever seen in the UK. In 2017 year we had 135 NHL games experience on our 4th line. Our roster had 1550 AHL games experience. Sheffield had 2500 of AHL experience. Belfast had 1900.

Not one team comes close to even half those numbers these days. Belfast and Sheffield are both in the 400s AHL matches in their roster. Much has changed for a variety of reasons, but that's a good indicator that you can't compare to those sides and you don't need to be as good as that to win this year.

 

[CaldicotDevil]

It’s hard to compare against the Lordo era. No disrespect but Lordo is a lot better at recruitment than anyone currently at the Devils. He just had a talent for recruiting players with a similar winning mentality to him and always built well rounded team. It’s why the Swamp rabbits are top of the league and it’s probably why he’s destining for bigger things.

We just caught lightning in a bottle having Lord as a coach.

 

[fridaysfingers]

Unless something crazy happens to Sheffield they are going to win this league at a canter.
Of the three games they have lost one was on penalties and the other two were by one goal.
All three of those games could quite easily gone the other way and they would be running at 100%
Yes they have probably have won a couple by a single goal too but they know how to win and don’t have nights off
Devils were poor tonight but PR needs to be in situ for a couple of seasons at least to settle and build

 

[Mooney#16]

i think we all look back in a very rose tinted fashion at Lordo’s days and it does distort reality. There was often common themes similar to now also. The traditional November slump started in Lordo’s days. That usually involved a good humping of someone as it came to a head. People often said those teams were bullied and why Lordo kept the guys on leashes even when that included Bordeleau and Louis.

But what those teams did have was resilience and ruthless instinct. Players who wanted to be the difference. Players who wanted to be out in the big situations to make the big plays. Players who had the composure to make those plays. Players who knew their role and did it perfectly.

This Devils team has and is in a period of adversity. It is a good team. Capable of a lot more than what they are currently showing but I continue to question the mentality. Where are the guys to stand up and lead. To live and breathe that winning culture. That no reason or excuse is good enough to accept. I want to see a lot more from a lot of players to be convinced they can function within a winning culture. When you are winning it’s easy. It’s times like this that championships are won and they need to identify it, step up and quick. If there was one thing Lordo’s teams did do it was snap losing streaks quick so they didn’t become a problem.

 

[kristian]

I think the problem is that we don't have a guy who when the chips are down will take the game by the scruff of neck and make something happen. Let's be honest we have been spoilt in the past Haddad,Hotham, Ulmer, Martin, Fournier the list goes on and on.

 

[bb1]

Our team this season has some really talented players. The problem is they seem to pick and chose when they want to show up.

Brandt leads the way in work ethic and attitude and if some of our guys had an ounce of what he had we would likely be at the top of the league standings and still in the challenge cup!

Lordo recruited some amazing teams and one thing I would say this season is that we don't have the one or two 'studs' we always had in a Lord team.

Looking back Lordo brought us Hotham, Haddad, Prime Joey M, G Fournier, Faryna, Kurka, Russell, Ulmer, Benti, Linglet, (one of the very best), Dixon, Blood (for 12 games)........All of these guys were exceptional, yet we haven't had many players in this calibre since he left. That is a big problem.

Cox, Sanford and Coughler together were incredible but we need some players comparable to the above to get back to a title winning side imo. I guess we were just very fortunate to have had Lord when we did.

We do have a very good team this season but if PR doesn't or isn't allowed to make a roster change or 2 then I honestly see another trophyless season.

 

[moggy#9]

Disagree. Those were some of the best teams ever seen in the UK. In 2017 year we had 135 NHL games experience on our 4th line. Our roster had 1550 AHL games experience. Sheffield had 2500 of AHL experience. Belfast had 1900.

Not one team comes close to even half those numbers these days. Belfast and Sheffield are both in the 400s AHL matches in their roster. Much has changed for a variety of reasons, but that's a good indicator that you can't compare to those sides and you don't need to be as good as that to win this year.

Yes, it's true that the make up of teams has changed. In fact, with the echl planning expansion the talent pool is going to get further diluted. If you look at other teams, they've cast their recruitment net wider bringing in European talent. We stick doggedly to North Americans.

The important thing is the level of the team compared to our opponents and their attitude on the ice. We've had players in the past who got nowhere near the nhl, or in some cases near being drafted. What they did have was a hardworking attitude, and they hated to lose.

Every year, when the team is under performing we hear, "oh, there's plenty of hockey to be played", and "we're not far behind". That ignores the fundamentals of what's happening in the ice. Are we competing for every puck? Are we standing up for team mates? Are we protecting the goalie? Are we blocking pucks? Is absolutely everything being left out on the ice? Does the team seem focussed on every shift? Those are qualities that make champions.

The way I see it, this team needs to develop accountability and maturity and do it quickly.

 

[Finny]

I think there are some posters on here who actually enjoy us losing because they can give us their expert opinion on where we are going wrong. Of course, there are a couple of posters on here who are just pretending to be Devils fans (welcome back now that Coventry/Belfast are winning) but it's best to just ignore them.

Anyway, I didn't watch Sunday's game so I have no idea how we played or who played well other than from the comments on here.
However, after Wednesday's game I was pretty sure we wouldn't have back to back 4 point weekends.

Wednesday night the effort was there - but so was the tiredness. This is our 5th week in a row playing 3 games a week and it's starting to show - especially when you have several key players missing through injury.

We're second in the league. 4 points off Sheffield.
Yes Sheffield are on a great run but they haven't had any of the sort of injury issues we have had yet. 2 months ago Belfast were apparently going to run away with the league again, but have some injuries and confidence issues themselves and they're now 4 points behind us having played a game more.
Could this happen to Sheffield? Well it did last year. And the year before that. And the season before Covid.
Perhaps this will be the year the Steelers don't bottle the second half of the season. After all that has happened to them this year it's going to need incredible mental strength to keep going all year to fair play to them if they do.

Each year we complain that the league isn't competitive enough from top to bottom. Well this year it seems to be very competitive - and now fans are complaining that we aren't winning every game.

We've got 4 days off this week for the first time in over a month. Let's hope we can get a couple of players back during this time because the next 3 weeks are going to super-intense fixture wise too.

 

[BostonBart22]

4 points behind before Christmas and it's already over? Behave

Correct, it's been known this time of year that the orange men have their annual slump, may long it continue, like I said before, these 2 games v Sheffield over Xmas is big even more now.

 

[BostonBart22]

Well I’m pretty sure we've got a better budget than Fife and they’ve just beaten us comfortably! I’m sure our budget is competitive, I don’t think that’s the problem.

Especially with more sellouts this season, perhaps bus rides to Scottish games rather than expensive flights will help with budgets I'm sure .

 

[Finny]

Several people have claimed that we would never have been this inconsistent under Lordo. So comparing each season since the new ownership takeover for how many games we had lost after 18 league games:

2014-15: 8 losses
2015-16: 6 losses
2016-17: 4 losses
2017-18: 7 losses
2018-19: 5 losses
2019-20: 6 losses

2021-22: 7 losses (Skalde)
2022-23: 8 losses (Dupont)
2023-24: 6 losses (Russell)

So we've lost 2 games more than our 1st title.
1 game less than our 2nd title
Same number of losses as the Covid season when we probably would have won our 3rd title.

 

[Wannabe2]

Any interviews after the Fife game.

 

[Earnie]

Yes

 

[Wannabe2]

Where ???????????

 

[Jayess1]

Any interviews after the Fife game.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1736488527687209458

Only this I've seen. Not the most in depth.

 

[Wannabe2]

Thanks jayess1.

 

[Slartibartfast]

It was a shite performance but some of the comments here would make you think we were 9th not second.

The lines have been like a revolving door due to various injuries and that can kill the chemistry. In the Fife game we saw a lot of stray passes but the worst problem was the finishing which has been poor in recent weeks but that is common when lines change.

I agree that there have been one or two passengers but most of the team seem to be working hard but just seem to struggle with scoring which makes us take bigger risks that we get caught on. The loss of Donaghey seemed to really disrupt the defence also.

The one thing I will agree with is that the PP is awful and has been for a while.

But I would not write off the season so quickly. We had a crazy schedule which resulted in tired players and injuries. If we can get back to full strength and a normal schedule we are still in with a shout at the league or at least the playoffs. (although the continental cup will not help)

Steelers are flying high at the moment but a few injuries could bring them down to earth. Look where Belfast are.

 

[Kristoff]

We are lacking a shit house, Allen type player, someone happy to do the dark arts but also support and protect our skilled players. Wonder if they would play better knowing someone has their backs? We are such a nice team to play against.

 

[Swarley]

We are lacking a shit house, Allen type player, someone happy to do the dark arts but also support and protect our skilled players. Wonder if they would play better knowing someone has their backs? We are such a nice team to play against.

That's the problem though, the coach doesn't want a shit house player on his team, he wants smaller faster guys who are happy to get out muscled and bullied all over the ice and just accept it.

I'm not writing the season off but my expectations over the last couple of seasons has dropped because nothing has changed, our power play is a joke, the only two guys who would run through walls for the badge have been practically neutered, Chad and Brandt would raise hell for this team if they were allowed to get physical.

 

[Rempel16]

That's the problem though, the coach doesn't want a shit house player on his team, he wants smaller faster guys who are happy to get out muscled and bullied all over the ice and just accept it.

I'm not writing the season off but my expectations over the last couple of seasons has dropped because nothing has changed, our power play is a joke, the only two guys who would run through walls for the badge have been practically neutered, Chad and Brandt would raise hell for this team if they were allowed to get physical.

Totally agree…

It’s a sad indictment when we play a home game and throw 1 hit in 60 mins. That’s not Devils hockey and probably a reason why the atmosphere is so flat. The most noise on Saturday was during the after buzzer shenanigans. Funny that, the fan base reacts when there’s emotion displayed…