|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Aug 5, 2019 12:46:40 GMT
This season will now all be about Wallace’s coaching ability because pound for pound & player for player, we are in a different league to Sheffield, Cardiff & Belfast.
To also add that we have employed someone specifically to recruit players.
From a poor season last year, we’ve pretty much (on paper) downgraded everyone who’s left and modelled ourselves on a Steelers roster from 2017.
Unfortunately when you see the names being picked up by Belfast this week (on top of already strong Steelers and Cardiff signings), there is only one positive you can draw out from this Panthers roster... Jackson Whistle is an above average backup.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Jul 3, 2019 11:03:06 GMT
Got to say I agree and I think social media and forums such as this are part of the problem. Players get slagged off left right and centre - some players will take this “appreciation” into account when looking at others offers. It must do. But theres no smoke without fire. The amount of players who underperform for us is silly. Steve Lee is a great example, put him in a GB shirt and hes a different player. Im convinced theres a culture problem at the club. Its just too many players for it to just be them. 100% true in my opinion. The overall effort and quality of play that Lee, Lachowicz etc put in for team GB shows that there is a club problem for me. I think it is a simple culture thing. At team GB they went fully focused on making a name for themselves and pulling something (in short, they went to play). In Nottingham, it’s pub quiz night next week so forget about the result, just give the fans a wave at the end of the game and make sure tickets are sold for quiz night (again, in short, we’re ultimately ran by Brian Potter the GM). Even Farmer has taken a significant drop in his form/output recently. His first season was outstanding, but there was no incentive for him to stay at that level. Unfortunately then though, the fans pick up on lazy/lethargic performances (not just from Farmer) and slate the player - myself included, because he’s the underpreformer you see on the ice (the tip of the iceberg maybe).
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Jun 23, 2019 19:37:13 GMT
Hoping that the signings are not just 'mates' brought into the team. Swings both ways with mates. Best signing of mates I can remember was Cruikshank bringing over Boynton (who in turn brought with him Moran). Then you have Lawrence bringing Carter as the antithesis.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Jun 23, 2019 19:16:17 GMT
Taylor or no Taylor, Carr looks bang average and you can’t really tart it up any more. He won’t be the best in the league and he won’t be the worst. And you'd lay money on that, would you? Or you have special inside knowledge? Maybe you've seen him play a load of games? Lies, damned lies and statistics. Stats are little more than a very inaccurate guide... for a start, you simply cannot use the environment of a different team in a different league to accurately predict what a player will do for us over here. And as others have correctly said... especially with a netminder, it's not just about him... it's the defensive unit in front of him. You could have an absolutely stellar netminder with rattlesnake-fast reactions and upper-end AHL skills, and if he's got a bunch of clueless pylons in front of him - or if, for whatever reason, he can't/won't work well with the D - then over the long haul of the regular season, he's likely to be overtaken by a mid-level competent netminder who is part of a tight defensive unit. It's the essence of teamwork... the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Now I (like virtually everyone else) was massively underwhelmed by Gui Lepine last season - although right near the end of it he did seem to be picking up a bit - so sadly there is a noticeable chance of having at least one weak link in the blueline corps. But if Doucet can recruit some stalwarts and Wallace can coach them all (including Lepine) into a tight unit... then who knows? Maybe Carr can slot in nicely. Is it? According to the most vocal types around here, a "stereotypical Panthers signing" is an over-the-hill 'veteran' with a great CV who comes over here and does sod-all, is just used by the Panthers as a PR coup, and allegedly demonstrates that the club have no ambition, no foresight, etc etc. I don't see how Carr fits into any of those categories... He has, in every league he’s played in, been a middle of the road keeper. He won’t be the best keeper in the league and he won’t be the worst. There are many ways to dissect it further but for me (and this is my opinion) that Panthers don’t sign the best players coming to the league and they don’t sign the worst. That’s why Panthers are rarely the best team in the league and never the worst. The “over-the-hill veteran” as you mention is a common signing for Panthers but at a rate of one or two a year, hardly the stereotype.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Jun 23, 2019 14:58:55 GMT
Taylor or no Taylor, Carr looks bang average and you can’t really tart it up any more.
He won’t be the best in the league and he won’t be the worst. It’s a stereotypical Panthers signing.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Jun 18, 2019 15:55:37 GMT
Most likely putting 2+2 and getting 5, but there is a fairly new twitter account called “Barry Taylor” who tweeted about Panthers having signing news hours before the main account posted.
He says he knew the signing news as it “directly effects” him.
Possibly points towards Danny Taylor.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Apr 5, 2019 17:23:22 GMT
Much like Patrick Galbraith last year, his stats showed him as having a much better year than Garnett. As with Munson this year, the team always seemed to play better in front of him too.
Whether it is that Garnett is unliked or because he’s a much higher calibre keeper they feel they can relax, I don’t know.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Mar 19, 2019 21:33:52 GMT
Depends whether Dowd can outscore Lacho in the ‘General Knowledge’ round as to whether we make an offer or not.
If he can’t tell you which year Waterloo took place or who was Christmas number 1 in 2006, he’s got no place in a Panthers jersey.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Mar 19, 2019 20:30:58 GMT
The 37th Panthers pub quiz of the 18/19 season tonight, good job they’ve had a few solid days rest and not over-exerted themselves recently! The club have had 37 of these player/fan functions; is that correct? I might have slightly over-exaggerated, but it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it feels like these quizzes etc are becoming too common and too much of a distraction. Its mid-March and we should be in the final straight, full focus on a title challenge and getting prepared for the playoffs. In reality, we left the title chase in 2018, just been turned over by a weak and tired Dundee squad, and the players are trying to guess the names of songs from the GMs iPod.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Mar 19, 2019 19:40:31 GMT
The 37th Panthers pub quiz of the 18/19 season tonight, good job they’ve had a few solid days rest and not over-exerted themselves recently!
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Feb 6, 2019 19:32:29 GMT
I think it definitely says something about Panthers when you see Devils instagram story of how intensely they train (multiple times a day), yet the majority of our players have recently been on holiday - mostly at Guinness brewery in Dublin but others around Europe.
To be honest, I’ve no idea if Cardiff or Belfast let their players take European holidays mid-season but seeing as we’re consistently dropping points on teams, it’s hardly the actions of players/management in a team with serious aspirations.
The quiz nights etc are becoming a farce in my opinion. The odd bit of fan engagement, signing session and promo for sponsors is OK but Panthers are letting off ice engagements overtake the focus on ice.
I’m sure their are bigger issues somewhere, but the eagerness of having pub nights with the fans makes me think the GM’s outdated attitude to modern sport plays a big part. Hence why a players with good CVs turn up in August and get to February looking like they’re ready to hang up the skates.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Oct 13, 2018 21:49:47 GMT
Good win against a particularly flat and uninspired Steelers side. The biggest issue for Steelers in my eyes is the gamble-gone-wrong Whistle (not to mention the free wage his brother takes home). The amount he spills and fumbles is actually quite shocking... maybe Barrasso can improve him but he’s along way off Bowns!
Guptill continues to impress, seems like the player Shalla should have been last year... big, tough sniper.
Thought Garnett had a great game overall. Continues to fluctuate in form which is a concern, from sublime to sieve. Nice to see we got him on the sublime side tonight.
Also point out that Lacho and Biggs seem to have a bit of chemistry going. Great set up play by Lacho which is great to see again.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Oct 1, 2018 19:20:26 GMT
If you were a hockey coach you would have to be very wary of taking the Steelers job wouldn’t you bearing in mind all the different coaches that have come and gone in the last fifteen or so years and with all the trouble and shenanigans that follows the Steelers around. I may have missed a couple but who have they had in the coaches hot seat in that time ? Mike Blaisdell Dennis Maxwell Paul Heavey Dave Whistle Dave Matsos Doug Christiansen Ryan Finnerty Gerald Adams Paul Thompson That’s a heck of a list over not many seasons,don’t think it’s a job I’d be considering if i was a coach ! Ben Simon too.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Sept 30, 2018 22:25:27 GMT
Nothing unusual about Corey having a good September!
All the best to him/them though.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Sept 29, 2018 22:04:02 GMT
Anyone else failing to see what Biggs does? Apart from dodgy hits? Every game I see him, I don’t know what he brings to the team Just me? Doty is a bigger question mark for me. Slow, lumbers around and too often behind the play. Biggs has shown flashes of contributing well, works pretty hard with Henderson and I’ve got more trust that he’ll be effective given more time. As he can handle himself when needed, I’d rather see Doty move on and his place get taken by a more offensive threat.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Sept 22, 2018 21:11:33 GMT
These games are the ones that make you title winners or not!! At home you need your 2 points no matter who you play. Sometimes when your tired and are under performing you got to grind out the win!! Great win for clan though. Do the Devils win every single game at home?
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Sept 22, 2018 20:44:55 GMT
Clan were very good. Panthers performance came straight out of something last November/December 2017.
To say that we couldn’t string passes together for the whole 60mins, 5-2 rather flatters us.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Sept 19, 2018 20:25:46 GMT
Woke up again to close it off. Must be one of our best (highest scoring) wins in Belfast for some time?
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Sept 19, 2018 20:10:12 GMT
3rd game in a row we’ve had 2 great periods then fell asleep in the 3rd.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Sept 19, 2018 19:30:49 GMT
I thought Giants had signed an import netminder this year? Besko from Edinburgh, yes. Although Murphy got MoM in their last match so probably why he got the nod.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Aug 30, 2018 18:51:58 GMT
Salzburg will be favourites, a lot of Red Bull money behind them (Salzburg being where the company is based), and have some very good players on their roster.
Devils should fancy an upset though as the gap between us and the Austrian league has been shortening... until the UK produce consistent NHL quality players, they’ll always be seen as a better league though.
*just writing this and Salzburg have score 2! At least I’ve not put money on a Devils result!
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Jul 30, 2018 16:51:03 GMT
I don’t know if I’m ready to watch settled lines and players being played to their strengths
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Jul 2, 2018 11:46:04 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Jun 28, 2018 12:00:43 GMT
As he’s not been announced by them yet (don’t know why not) but I’d take Matthew Myers back again happily. Tyson Strachan from the Devils too.
Personally I always really rated Paul Phillips on D, mainly from his time at Manchester but had another good season last year in MK. Still only 26 and the kind of offensive defenceman we’re likely to sign next. ...I can’t say I’ve watched Phillips extensively too, so MK and Storm fans may beg to differ, but I’ve often thought he was pretty classy, hard working and responsible in his own zone too.
|
|
|
Post by Kovalchuk17 on Jun 19, 2018 19:41:44 GMT
Last week Cherno told the Post that some players from last season had decided to move on but recently had been calling him up asking to re-sign, immediately I thought it could be Pither. Great player and another reason to believe that Chernomaz is building something special. I’d be surprised if he was one of those who changed their minds he did state at the end of the season that he wanted to stay. I thought it might be Delargo that changed his mind or Mok. What a great signing will be great to see what he can do over a full season. Made me think that Pither might have been looking elsewhere in Europe, certainly good enough to give it another go in Sweden or elsewhere. Pleased he’s back though! Derlago & Mok are good shouts for those wanting to come back.
|
|