By Andrew Birrell
Now on to the third and fourth placed teams from last year, firstly the Cardiff Devils. Last year everyone thought at the start of the season thought the Devils could win the league with the squad they had but they managed 3rd and they also won the Challenge Cup, they have managed to retain a good few guys from last year, both net minders form last year are back as are defence men Josh Batch , Callum Buglass, Trevor Hendrix, Carl Hudson and Mark Richardson and finally the fantastic devils captain from last year Tyson Marsh. In the forward ranks the Devils have retained Joey Haddad, player Coach Andrew Lord, Chris Jones, Joey Martin, Jake Morissette and Luke Piggott, and Brent Walton. The boys are joined by former Clan and Panthers player Leigh Salters, former Hull and Panthers player Guillaume Doucet. The Devils this year will be the same average height and weight so yet again a force to reckon with and the additions up top they’ve made, they will be even more dangerous can they mount a challenge for the title. I think on paper they have another good looking squad and could make the top 3, well what do think?
Now on to the third and fourth placed teams from last year, firstly the Cardiff Devils. Last year everyone thought at the start of the season thought the Devils could win the league with the squad they had but they managed 3rd and they also won the Challenge Cup, they have managed to retain a good few guys from last year, both net minders form last year are back as are defence men Josh Batch , Callum Buglass, Trevor Hendrix, Carl Hudson and Mark Richardson and finally the fantastic devils captain from last year Tyson Marsh. In the forward ranks the Devils have retained Joey Haddad, player Coach Andrew Lord, Chris Jones, Joey Martin, Jake Morissette and Luke Piggott, and Brent Walton. The boys are joined by former Clan and Panthers player Leigh Salters, former Hull and Panthers player Guillaume Doucet. The Devils this year will be the same average height and weight so yet again a force to reckon with and the additions up top they’ve made, they will be even more dangerous can they mount a challenge for the title. I think on paper they have another good looking squad and could make the top 3, well what do think?
On to the fourth placed team last year the big, bad,
black cats from Nottingham - the Panthers. The previous two season they have
finished in fourth place, and until last year they had won the challenge cup
something crazy like 5 years in a row. This year’s team will be slightly
different again as the panthers stalwart K-wall is finally away and the
panthers have a new number 1 netminder he is Miika Wiikman, and back for
another season is back up Dan Green, at the back they have kept Steve Lee and
Sam Oakford. The new guys so far are, from Dundee Paul Swindlehurst has signed,
Bryan Schmidt, Jeff Dimmen, Geoff Waugh and Former NHL player Theo Peckham, up
front the Panthers have kept hold of Betteridge, David “Mr Nottingham “ Clarke,
Robert Farmer, Robert Lackowicz and Evan Mosey. The new recruits are Andy
Bohmback, Jurak Kolnik, Erick Lizon and Logan McMillan and GB forward Matt
Myers. The Panthers this year will be a little bit taller and have more weight
to push teams around as I think a lot of teams managed to bully the panthers
last year at times, with the guys they have this year I can’t see many teams
bullying them but the question is can they make it in to the top 3 we will have
to wait and see.
So, who is your money on?
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You can still read Andrew's first part here
You can still read Andrew's first part here
Don't forget to follow Andrew on Twitter: @coloradoflyer
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