Who we want and don’t want back for next season
- Thread starter The_Puck
- Start date
Yeah I was surprised Carruth started the last 4 league games. I expected Kozun to start at least one of those games.
Kozun was great for the majority of the season when called upon. For me it started to go downhill a bit during the 6-3 away loss to Glasgow at the end of February. I’m not sure he ever regained his confidence after that. I think Guildford scored 6 against us in his last match for us.
I suspect a decision was made a while ago that he won’t be coming back next season.
Kozun was great for the majority of the season when called upon. For me it started to go downhill a bit during the 6-3 away loss to Glasgow at the end of February. I’m not sure he ever regained his confidence after that. I think Guildford scored 6 against us in his last match for us.
I suspect a decision was made a while ago that he won’t be coming back next season.
Maybe just getting Carruth game sharp ready for play offs? Got to remember Kozun had a disjointed season the season before being farmed out everywhere. Think consistency will come and I’d like to see him back. Very able number 2 and if he can get consistent, could see him being number 1 and I wouldn’t be disappointed with that.
The last 4 games though? I'm not convinced he needed to start the last 4 games to get him ready for the play offs after starting 50 odd games this season. But who knows, maybe that was the plan all along. I suppose we'll never know whether it was more to do with getting Carruth ready for the play offs or losing a bit of confidence in Kozun.
I like Kozun though. As i said earlier i thought he was very solid for the majority of the season. It probably hasn't helped him that his best form for us was pre Christmas. If they were 50/50 on bringing him back i'm not sure his form since February has helped.
I like Kozun though. As i said earlier i thought he was very solid for the majority of the season. It probably hasn't helped him that his best form for us was pre Christmas. If they were 50/50 on bringing him back i'm not sure his form since February has helped.
Yeah possibly. If Kozun was carrying an injury you wouldn't want the opposition knowing that if anything happens to Carruth we'll be relying on Murdy.
I still think it was probably more to do with Dupont and Franny losing a bit of confidence in Kozun. Clearly those last few league games and the play offs were crucial for Dupont in being considered for the role full time so he probably thought "I'm going with Carruth every game". Particularly after we conceded 6 in Guildford.
I still think it was probably more to do with Dupont and Franny losing a bit of confidence in Kozun. Clearly those last few league games and the play offs were crucial for Dupont in being considered for the role full time so he probably thought "I'm going with Carruth every game". Particularly after we conceded 6 in Guildford.
4 games is only really a week or two though. Know it’s higher load and the sport is different to football and goalkeepers but generally playing regular keeps you sharp. Think as well as you generally don’t know who you’re going to come up against in the play offs, exposing Carruth to a variety of different style teams just before play offs may be something to do with it? Yeh he’s played them all already, but again contributes to sharpness. Just my opinion anyway!
Keep -
CCS line
Reid
Crandall
Brits (unsure about a couple but appreciate the brit pool is sparse)
Register
Mikkelson
Louis
On the fence -
Dixon (would need to drop lines)
Kozun (but if keeping then as no.2)
Brandt (but love his energy and it obvs lifts the team, so would prob prefer to stay)
Go -
McNally
McNulty
Lammon
DuPont
CCS line
Reid
Crandall
Brits (unsure about a couple but appreciate the brit pool is sparse)
Register
Mikkelson
Louis
On the fence -
Dixon (would need to drop lines)
Kozun (but if keeping then as no.2)
Brandt (but love his energy and it obvs lifts the team, so would prob prefer to stay)
Go -
McNally
McNulty
Lammon
DuPont
Unsure about DuPont as coach. This to me is the most vital decision as we don’t want a coaching merry go around. From a playing perspective he was a massive let down.
Todd’s decision over Skalde is now looking like a good call but I would ask the question if we hadn’t won the playoffs would Dupont be in the running . Really tough decision that. Oh to be a GM
Players to keep
Reid
Crandall
CCS line
Waller
Richardson
Register
Louis
Batch
Mikkelson
On the fence
Dixon (love him to bits but worried he may be getting to the end - maybe need to drop down the lines)
Davies (obviously a Brit so like gold dust but hasn’t produced anything anywhere near the levels he used to against us when he played for Guildford)
Losing (as back up)
Duggan (hasn’t progressed as much as I’d hoped but a Brit so very valuable).
Brandt
Go
McNulty
McNally
Lammon
This is always a really tough question to answer and we are all emotionally invested in a lot of these players. But we need to improve as we were way off the pace in the league. We don’t need wholesale changes.
Todd’s decision over Skalde is now looking like a good call but I would ask the question if we hadn’t won the playoffs would Dupont be in the running . Really tough decision that. Oh to be a GM
Players to keep
Reid
Crandall
CCS line
Waller
Richardson
Register
Louis
Batch
Mikkelson
On the fence
Dixon (love him to bits but worried he may be getting to the end - maybe need to drop down the lines)
Davies (obviously a Brit so like gold dust but hasn’t produced anything anywhere near the levels he used to against us when he played for Guildford)
Losing (as back up)
Duggan (hasn’t progressed as much as I’d hoped but a Brit so very valuable).
Brandt
Go
McNulty
McNally
Lammon
This is always a really tough question to answer and we are all emotionally invested in a lot of these players. But we need to improve as we were way off the pace in the league. We don’t need wholesale changes.
Must keeps:
Register
Coughler
Crandall
Brandt
All of the Brits
Happy to keep:
If the Coughler, Cox, Sanford line were to return then I feel we'd need to have size elsewhere in the forwards.
Joey Martin and Crandall together would be exciting, but I feel we'd need to replace Reid with a big bodied goal scoring winger (someone in the mould of Sam Herr). As much as I appreciate Reid's sniping ability, I felt at times that he was a little one-dimensional and once teams worked him out his goals dried up somewhat (3 goals in the final 12 league games).
I wouldn't be disappointed to see Mikkelson (retiring) and Louis (what a warrior he's been for us) return.
The third line needs to be a checking line, and if Dixon were to return this is where he should stay. I'd want to see Waller and a big, tough, checking winger alongside them (An Ian Mcintyre clone please).
4th line of Davies, Duggan and Brandt would be fine.
Herr-type and Mcintyre-type would provide the size and grit that we lacked at times.
Thank you for your efforts:
McNally (too hit and miss - he'd follow a good performance with an anonymous performance)
McNulty (did nothing wrong, but is replaceable and upgradeable)
Lammon (again, did nothing wrong, but we can upgrade for sure).
Register
Coughler
Crandall
Brandt
All of the Brits
Happy to keep:
If the Coughler, Cox, Sanford line were to return then I feel we'd need to have size elsewhere in the forwards.
Joey Martin and Crandall together would be exciting, but I feel we'd need to replace Reid with a big bodied goal scoring winger (someone in the mould of Sam Herr). As much as I appreciate Reid's sniping ability, I felt at times that he was a little one-dimensional and once teams worked him out his goals dried up somewhat (3 goals in the final 12 league games).
I wouldn't be disappointed to see Mikkelson (retiring) and Louis (what a warrior he's been for us) return.
The third line needs to be a checking line, and if Dixon were to return this is where he should stay. I'd want to see Waller and a big, tough, checking winger alongside them (An Ian Mcintyre clone please).
4th line of Davies, Duggan and Brandt would be fine.
Herr-type and Mcintyre-type would provide the size and grit that we lacked at times.
Thank you for your efforts:
McNally (too hit and miss - he'd follow a good performance with an anonymous performance)
McNulty (did nothing wrong, but is replaceable and upgradeable)
Lammon (again, did nothing wrong, but we can upgrade for sure).
I think we can upgrade in various areas
For next season, however, I wonder whether there Is sufficient £££ in the budget to do so?
If not, I think we could see a fair few returnees from this years team.
Economically, I get the feeling it might be another year or two before we once again ice a really strong league challenging team.
For next season, however, I wonder whether there Is sufficient £££ in the budget to do so?
If not, I think we could see a fair few returnees from this years team.
Economically, I get the feeling it might be another year or two before we once again ice a really strong league challenging team.
Right then, I've been thinking this through and here's my list...
Must keep...
Richie
Batch
Cox
Coughler
Waller
Would like to keep....
Register
Big Lou
Sanford
Reid
Crandall
Dupont
Unsure....
Kozun
Duggan
Davies
Brandt
McNally
Time to move on....
Carruth
Mikkelson
McNulty
Dixon
Lammon
Reasoning...
Players like Cox and Coughler etc. have been integral to any success and really consistent across the season. Waller has been voted best young Brit.
Register could go up into must keep but if I had to choose him or Ben Blood, I'd go with Blood. I've gone with Dupont as I'd like to see what he could do with this core. If we'd not seen him skating this year, opinions may be different, so controversially, I'm saying he's in the keep pile.
Unsure about Duggan. He's not been as prominent as I'd hoped. He has flashed but not enough for me. Depends if there's a Brit upgrade available. Not convinced Kozun can't be replaced either etc.
For moving on I went with Carruth, Mikkelson etc as that is exactly what they seem to be doing. Dixon is a favourite but I think he's getting to the end now. Lammon hasn't convinced me at all this year.
I've weighted Brits above imports for obvious reasons. I'm not saying Batch is better than Register. Just more challenging to replace a Brit in general.
That's my take.
Must keep...
Richie
Batch
Cox
Coughler
Waller
Would like to keep....
Register
Big Lou
Sanford
Reid
Crandall
Dupont
Unsure....
Kozun
Duggan
Davies
Brandt
McNally
Time to move on....
Carruth
Mikkelson
McNulty
Dixon
Lammon
Reasoning...
Players like Cox and Coughler etc. have been integral to any success and really consistent across the season. Waller has been voted best young Brit.
Register could go up into must keep but if I had to choose him or Ben Blood, I'd go with Blood. I've gone with Dupont as I'd like to see what he could do with this core. If we'd not seen him skating this year, opinions may be different, so controversially, I'm saying he's in the keep pile.
Unsure about Duggan. He's not been as prominent as I'd hoped. He has flashed but not enough for me. Depends if there's a Brit upgrade available. Not convinced Kozun can't be replaced either etc.
For moving on I went with Carruth, Mikkelson etc as that is exactly what they seem to be doing. Dixon is a favourite but I think he's getting to the end now. Lammon hasn't convinced me at all this year.
I've weighted Brits above imports for obvious reasons. I'm not saying Batch is better than Register. Just more challenging to replace a Brit in general.
That's my take.
The budget is of course a massive question. It will be interesting to see it anything happens with naming rights to the arena (would the team get that, or without it go to the council?), and a headline sponsor. While I'm not sure we'll ever get a company as big as BT again, it would be nice to have a household name sponsoring us.
Even if you look at the Belfast roster for last year, they signed a few players that we know they could have had better, but were restricted by the budget. Jeff Baum and Tyler Soy for example would have been pretty cheap.
So next year, with possibly 3 or 4 extra players for clubs to find to fill the roster, the average budget per player might be even lower. So looking at Brandt and McNulty, with all due respect on the cheaper end of the scale, might be returnees for that reason. They both seem like real characters off the ice and did a steady job on it, so I would prefer to keep then than look elsewhere for players of the same calibre.
So next year, with possibly 3 or 4 extra players for clubs to find to fill the roster, the average budget per player might be even lower. So looking at Brandt and McNulty, with all due respect on the cheaper end of the scale, might be returnees for that reason. They both seem like real characters off the ice and did a steady job on it, so I would prefer to keep then than look elsewhere for players of the same calibre.