Thank you to Tony for this contribution to FSB. All credit for this piece goes to him so any queries you can contact Tony on Twitter at @DISGU15ED
Tony has come up with a challenge, one that we think will test us all. Do you think you know the Elite League as good as you reckon you do? How about predicting the standings of this season's EIHL at the end of the season. Who will get their hands on the Monteith Bowl? Who will miss out on the end of season final eight?
This is what Tony thinks:
League Champions : Braehead Clan - don't think they'll end up with the
best win % but the statistically weaker conference fixtures will give
them enough points. They might get a point or two in the CHL too if a
few breaks go their way.
Runners-Up : Belfast - much as I don't think that Forney will score as well as he did last year, their new coaching regime and their refusal to accept another mid-table season will prove enough to top the Erhardt.
Third : Cardiff - if they were to stay in the BBT all season then I'd put them closer to the title, but can't help but think that the new surroundings will hurt them as it will remove their massive home advantage.
Fourth : Sheffield - I hope this is being pessimistic but we need another huge season from our first line to repeat in the league, and I'm not sure our net minder will last the season. This might be a consolidation year for Thommo, and a step towards greater things in the future.
Fifth : Coventry - I saw what happened in the second half of last year, and heard the hype, but was there really such a revolution? Narrow wins in the play-offs were great but the reported gulf in finances from the Arena teams will make repeating those tricks hard if the going gets tough.
Sixth : Edinburgh - with Emmo at the helm and a new wave of optimism running through Murrayfield then they should have enough to get good points from their conference games, especially as the Erhardt teams beat each other up all year long.
Seventh : Nottingham - and they should consider themselves lucky I put them that high.
Eight : Dundee - think MLF will do enough to make the play-offs, and will have the beating of Manchester and Fife to help rack up the points, but the rebuild doesn't convince me that they will compete just yet.
Missing out on the play-offs : Manchester and Fife - Much as I love the way the Storm are going about their fan engagement they will struggle with consistency in their first year, and will finish bottom unless their Goalie is an unexpected stud. Fife seem to be content with mediocrity and with no new coaching ideas I don't see why they will improve on last year, whilst others will.
Cups and Play-offs will be a lottery as per previous years, but I think the Erhardt teams will share the prizes, here's hoping that the Steelers get the Cup at the Motorpoint and the Panthers make the playoffs and win at the NIC - only joking, I'll give the playoffs to the Giants.
Runners-Up : Belfast - much as I don't think that Forney will score as well as he did last year, their new coaching regime and their refusal to accept another mid-table season will prove enough to top the Erhardt.
Third : Cardiff - if they were to stay in the BBT all season then I'd put them closer to the title, but can't help but think that the new surroundings will hurt them as it will remove their massive home advantage.
Fourth : Sheffield - I hope this is being pessimistic but we need another huge season from our first line to repeat in the league, and I'm not sure our net minder will last the season. This might be a consolidation year for Thommo, and a step towards greater things in the future.
Fifth : Coventry - I saw what happened in the second half of last year, and heard the hype, but was there really such a revolution? Narrow wins in the play-offs were great but the reported gulf in finances from the Arena teams will make repeating those tricks hard if the going gets tough.
Sixth : Edinburgh - with Emmo at the helm and a new wave of optimism running through Murrayfield then they should have enough to get good points from their conference games, especially as the Erhardt teams beat each other up all year long.
Seventh : Nottingham - and they should consider themselves lucky I put them that high.
Eight : Dundee - think MLF will do enough to make the play-offs, and will have the beating of Manchester and Fife to help rack up the points, but the rebuild doesn't convince me that they will compete just yet.
Missing out on the play-offs : Manchester and Fife - Much as I love the way the Storm are going about their fan engagement they will struggle with consistency in their first year, and will finish bottom unless their Goalie is an unexpected stud. Fife seem to be content with mediocrity and with no new coaching ideas I don't see why they will improve on last year, whilst others will.
Cups and Play-offs will be a lottery as per previous years, but I think the Erhardt teams will share the prizes, here's hoping that the Steelers get the Cup at the Motorpoint and the Panthers make the playoffs and win at the NIC - only joking, I'll give the playoffs to the Giants.
I'll be giving my predictions in the next few days, let us know yours too.
Mark
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