We covered the Gardiner Conference in the first part of the preview, now we turn our attentions to the Erhardt Conference.
This is the conference in which five heavyweights do battle over 32 regular season games and looking at the rosters each have assembled this season; it promises to be as competitive as ever. Each of the five have definitely upped their respective game, and stand as good as a chance as their rival.
Enough of the introduction, time to look at the teams:
Belfast Giants
The team to beat as current league champions; therefore the ones to be shot at. Everything went so good for Giants last season; save for a collapse in the Challenge Cup Final second leg and the Play-Off Final. Paul Adey and most crucially Todd Kelman are gone; Steve Thornton is the man running the show in the “O” now. The majority of last season’s side are back and that breeds continuity; will the Giants celebrate their 15th season with more silverware?
Player to Watch: Stephen Murphy - The GB internationalist always gives the Giants a chance to win every night even if they are having offensive problems (rare I know) and returns for a sixth consecutive campaign in the Northern Irish capital. A native of Dundee, Stephen is probably the stand out British netminder of his time and is notoriously hard to beat: seldom having a bad game.
Cardiff Devils
Now rid of the whole Ragan/Pope tandem, which threatened to destroy one of the most popular clubs in the UK; the Devils return under a regime fronted by Todd Kelman. This should ensure the future of the South Wales side for a while, on and off the ice. The squad has been massively reshaped from front to back with new faces coming into the red, white and black. It’ll be very interesting to see how Andrew Lord deals with the dual role but at least Neil Francis is back to support him.
Player to Watch: Doug Clarkson - Brother of current Toronto Maple Leaf David Clarkson, and thus the name will be the biggest talking point. However, Dougie is keen to make his own impact and will definitely add size to the Devils offence. At just 25 years of age, he is in just his third season as a professional but could prove to be the one that surprises all this season.
Coventry Blaze
Like Cardiff, Blaze have massively reshaped their squad ahead of the new season. Under the full time control of Marc LeFebvre now, Blaze have a squad that promises to do well if they hit the ground running. A combination of youthful exuberance and experienced bodies have been mixed together as the club plans to get back on the winning track after four seasons without a single piece of silverware. Could the glory days be on their way back to the SkyDome?
Player to Watch: Steven Goertzen - When it was announced that Goertzen was not returning back to Sheffield, a team he led to Play-Off glory last season, many thought he would end up back in North America as his studies were complete. However, he has resurfaced in the West Midlands and will bring a winning mentality and consummate professionalism to his new team. He is the key; in my eyes; to how well Blaze will do.
Nottingham Panthers
After winning the treble in 2013, many expected Corey Neilson and the 2014 Panthers to pick up the baton and carry on running with it. But it didn’t turn out that way at all, and the team finished a distant fourth in the Elite League standings and were also comprehensively humiliated and dumped out of the play-offs by sister club Braehead. Neilson has changed the side around with several new faces (especially on D) and the pick up of League winner Chris Higgins from Belfast looks a shrewd move.
Player to Watch: Craig Kowalski - Now entering his fifth season between the pipes for the black and gold, “K-Wall” will be keen to put last season behind him when he missed a massive proportion through injury following a collision with Kevin Harvey. Craig has single-handedly won games on his own in the past for the Panthers and should be pivotal as Neilson looks for a considerable improvement on 2013-14.
Sheffield Steelers
Last season was a strange season in Steelerland. The recruitment of Doug Christansen proved to be a massive flop as the performances failed to deliver consistently. However bringing former player and ex-Cardiff coach Gerad Adams saw the whole dynamic change and players started to be freed from the shackles of the DC era; hence the true potential started to be revealed. “G” has now recruited his own side for 2014-15 and there is massive confidence (on and off ice) that success is genuinely possible again.
Player to Watch: Colton Fretter - With Jeff Legue now plying his trade in the EPL with the Steeldogs, Steelers needed a goal machine to replace him: Fretter is expected to be that man. The 32-year-old Canadian has scored pretty well wherever he has gone, and 110 points in just 185 regular AHL games pinpoints to a quality signing. If he starts scoring, opposing defences could have a hard season ahead.
So that’s the ten teams reviewed, and believe you me it was hard to write the preview and pick a name to watch as well. Therefore whom am I predicting to win the silverware this season ahead? These are my predictions, but just don’t line up the firing squad when they go horribly arse over tit as usual:
Elite League Champion: Sheffield Steelers; Runners-Up - Belfast Giants
Gardiner Conference: Braehead Clan
Erhardt Conference: Belfast Giants
Challenge Cup: Nottingham Panthers
Play-Offs: Sheffield Steelers
Dark Horses: Dundee Stars, Coventry Blaze, Cardiff Devils
Basement Club: Hull Stingrays (sorry Jo, my number one cake lady)
Top scorer: Brent Walton (Cardiff) or Jèremiè Tendler (Coventry)
With that all that remains for me to say for now is enjoy your season folks, and keep supporting the team closest to your heart.
Yours in hockey,
Mark
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