The British Hockey Thread 2016-17

[marksbros6]

What is it with these hideous novelty jerseys?!

On another note, I caved and have renewed my Flames season ticket...

That is dedication mate. Did my sums in the off-season and would have to got to double the games I already go to for an ST to be cost-effective!

[archibalduk]

What is it with these hideous novelty jerseys?!

On another note, I caved and have renewed my Flames season ticket...

Money to burn haha did you like the pun I slipped in there

Haha very subtle!...

Do you think you'll get to many games next season?

I doubt it. I think I got to about four or five last season. It's a bit too expensive to go to too many and it means trying to kill time in Guildford for much of the Saturday as I have to arrive early in case of any flight delays. I was thinking I'd just put the money towards watching streams, but I cancelled my Premier Sports subscription instead (the EIHL coverage is not that great really - better off with the clubs' streams IMO). I'd like to get to more games next season, but it costs the equivalent of nearly the cost of the season ticket per game for the travel and hotel (on top of the cost of the season ticket) which is madness and why I wasn't going to renew. But I have a cracking seat and don't really want to give it up.

[nino33]

But I have a cracking seat

Maybe with your season ticket renewal they'll be able to afford to repair your seat!

[archibalduk]

But I have a cracking seat

Maybe with your season ticket renewal they'll be able to afford to repair your seat!

Ah it would lose it's appeal if it didn't have cracks!

[MWE]

Steelers have signed Christoffer Bjorklund who was last playing for Mora IK.

[Calv]

Steelers have signed Christoffer Bjorklund who was last playing for Mora IK.

Looks pretty good Do any of the swedes here know of him?

[Manimal]

Steelers have signed Christoffer Bjorklund who was last playing for Mora IK.

Looks pretty good Do any of the swedes here know of him?

I don't know of him. It seems he has mostly been a depth guy in Allsvenskan at best.
He will probably not be as productive as Vestberg offensively but he should be good for about half a point per game and solid defensively

[Calv]

Looks like big decisions for me next season, as I'll probably be moving back to Manchester

[archibalduk]

Looks like big decisions for me next season, as I'll probably be moving back to Manchester

I can't see why you can't follow both. It's just the rather unpleasant people on THF that say you have to follow one or the other. Though I suspect Storm will be more fun to watch.

[MWE]

Looks like big decisions for me next season, as I'll probably be moving back to Manchester

Storm

[Calv]

Looks like big decisions for me next season, as I'll probably be moving back to Manchester

I can't see why you can't follow both. It's just the rather unpleasant people on THF that say you have to follow one or the other. Though I suspect Storm will be more fun to watch.

I was planning on picking & choosing which games I go to for both teams. Phoenix are likely to be closer, but I tend to enjoy EIHL games more than EPL games. I'll probably try to get to a select few EPL games (Flames, Steeldogs is always a good game, MK, Basingstoke & Telford), and then aim to get to as many Storm games as I can as well

I probably won't be using your Flames season ticket anyway

[Calv]

The youngest (& best ) Staal brother has signed for Edinburgh! Who'd a thunk it?!

[archibalduk]

So we have Mike Will as a backup to Ullberg. I always thought he wasn't too bad in the EIHL, but he hasn't played too many games since he played in Australia. Still, not a bad replacement for Rocky.

[MWE]

Andreas Valdix has signed for the Steelers he was last at Innsbruck in the EBEL

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=514

[Calv]

Another Swede!

Apparently Erik Lindhagen (also Swedish) is close to signing for Nottingham, and has been talking to a number of clubs in the league

[Calv]

Current trend in EIHL is to sign the family of famous people

Jared Staal has signed for Edinburgh, Darcy Zajac (brother of Travis) has signed for coventry, Mark Heatley (brother of Dany) has signed for Manchester and Liam Stewart (son of pop start Rod Stewart) has signed for Coventry.

Braehead have signed Jay Rosehill (Former Toronto & Philadelphia enforcer/goon). I'm not overly happy with the number of goons signing this season, I'd hoped the league had moved past signing them....

[Calv]

Also, this promo is pretty cool https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB2OKuSpB4o&sns=tw

[nino33]

Also, this promo is pretty cool https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB2OKuSpB4o&sns=tw

Pretty cool! The scraps remind me of the fights from "the old days" where guys stood toe-to-toe and let 'em fly and at first I thought the music was a piano version of Styx's Suite Madame Blue HaHa

[CJ]

Also, this promo is pretty cool https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB2OKuSpB4o&sns=tw

Looks like any top European league! (except the audience) I hope to see GB i the world championships some day!

I haven't followed what we call the B-class countries championships (sorry, don't mean to offend!)?! Dunno what you call them.. where Italy, Ukraine and those are? Are GB with them?

The scraps remind me of the fights from "the old days" where guys stood toe-to-toe and lets 'em fly

We're still there in Europe! But it's a dying art..

[Calv]

Also, this promo is pretty cool https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB2OKuSpB4o&sns=tw

Looks like any top European league! (except the audience) I hope to see GB i the world championships some day!

I haven't followed what we call the B-class countries championships (sorry, don't mean to offend!)?! Dunno what you call them.. where Italy, Ukraine and those are? Are GB with them?

The scraps remind me of the fights from "the old days" where guys stood toe-to-toe and lets 'em fly

We're still there in Europe! But it's a dying art..

In the World Championships we've choked the past 2 years in WC 1B and have been about 4/5 minutes away from gaining promotion to 1A only to throw it away. This year we lost out to Ukraine, the previous year we lost to Lithuania and Korea gained promotion. We've got the quality to get promoted, and I think we could compete with Poland & Korea but we seem to lack the mentality in the final game.

We also have a lack of focus on junior development which is also hampering us, although it looks like things might be (slowly) changing. We've now got new leadership at Ice Hockey UK (governing body) who seem to have a good idea of how to move forward. We're also appointing a national development office which is a good move as well.

[CJ]

In the World Championships we've choked the past 2 years in WC 1B and have been about 4/5 minutes away from gaining promotion to 1A only to throw it away. This year we lost out to Ukraine, the previous year we lost to Lithuania and Korea gained promotion. We've got the quality to get promoted, and I think we could compete with Poland & Korea but we seem to lack the mentality in the final game.

We also have a lack of focus on junior development which is also hampering us, although it looks like things might be (slowly) changing. We've now got new leadership at Ice Hockey UK (governing body) who seem to have a good idea of how to move forward. We're also appointing a national development office which is a good move as well.

Very interesting to read!
As a Finn I only recognize countries who are in WC 1A (as you might call it?). Japan were usually(90s, 2000s?) there but you're talking about Korea nowadays (so they're the best Asian country in hockey).
I think I have a slight memory of GB playing in WC 1A sometimes when I was a kid or something? Or I might confuse it with a hockey game or something, hahaa!

[Calv]

1A was: Slovenia (promoted) Italy Poland Austria Korea Japan (relegated)
1B was: Ukraine (promoted) GB Lithuania Croatia Estonia Romania (relegated).

In 1993 we played a load of Canadians with GB passports and we got promoted to the top group. In the top group in 94 we played 5, lost 5, scored 7 conceded 44 We lost 12-3 to Russia, 4-0 to Germany, 10-2 to Italy, 8-2 to Canada and 10-0 to Austria

[Calv]

The swedish invasion continues

[MWE]

Steelers won both of their warm up games this weekend against Aalborg Pirates 4-1 on Saturday and 5-1 on Sunday.

[kempelito]

The swedish invasion continues

Zajkowski did wear some pretty cool set-ups under his time in Modo



He never really took the final step to become a trusted SHL keeper though, especially the part where he could cramp up during any game because of not drinking enough beforehand