Mark Duell: Spoilt, But Spare A Thought Elsewhere

Mark Duell (@hockeybhoy) returns with talk of British cheer and Welsh tears.

Since the bombshell over Steven Goertzen’s departure to the West Midlands has been consigned to the annals of old news, we’ve had a double Brit core signing and news is breaking about problems elsewhere with one of our fellow EIHL clubs.

Normally it wouldn’t have been the time and place for me to blog about that but it does have a loose connection in Steelerland – so I will do. Anyway I hope you are all well and dandy, and are like me in counting down the days until September comes around.

The Opposition Bench: Panthers In Europe

I like to think that we at FSB are a welcoming, friendly bunch. We welcome contributions from all over the ice hockey world, even from our nearest and not-so-dearest down the M1. But the Panthers entering the CHL is a pretty big occasion in my eyes, and so I asked friend of the blog (kinda, a bit, we talk on Twitter, you know the score) Tom from Panthers Banter if he'd give us his thoughts on the draw.

Farewell, Stevie G

I'm not going to make this sound like an eulogy because, well, he hasn't died. That doesn't mean I'm not upset, but y'know, this is professional sport where players move around on a regular basis.

I will, however, recall a story.

Mark Duell - Surprise Time

Oft-time contributor Mark Duell returns with his take on the past week.

Don't you just love the off season?

Players re-signing, players leaving and players retiring. In the world we all know as Steelers World, it’s never normal. I can’t remember many seasons recently when we have had a period of smoothness. There’s always been something happening that makes you sigh, and inhale a sharp intake of breath.

Each of us collectively do this every season and wonder what the time between the first or second week of April and the start of September is going to throw at us. These last six days have been nothing out of the ordinary.

An Awkward Analysis - Roddy's Return & Stevie G's Shocking Switch

I'm in a state of shock right now. After the joyful news this morning that Rod Sarich would be returning to the club, it has literally just been obliterated by the news that the teams captain, Steven Goertzen, has left the club at the end of his university deal and has joined the Coventry Blaze.

However, I shall get onto that in a bit, as firstly I am going to talk about Sarich returning to the club.