The 2013/14 Belfast Giants – Season Preview

The typical off season for an EIHL fan would be one of change. Just as you’ve started to get your tongue around the name of that French-Canadian sniper whose ability you’ve grown to adore, the season has ended and he’s gone. Soon to be replaced by the latest incumbents whose short term contracts would give them the chance for temporary adulation by the local faithful.

But not this year, not in Belfast.

For the first time in the history of the franchise, only 4 names on the roster are players who have never donned the Teal and White shirts of the Giants. Meaning almost 80% of this season’s Belfast side are returning players or former players, back having plied their trade elsewhere for a season or two.

One major change, however, is the much vaunted acquisition of Paul Adey as head coach. Adey steps into the rather large shoes of Doug Christiansen, now of the Sheffield Steelers. His arrival was into a side already under construction by General Manager, Todd Kelman. Names such as Darryl Lloyd, Stephen Murphy, Mark Garside, David Phillips and captain Adam Keefe already on the books for the forthcoming season, despite interest from elsewhere in the league and beyond for their services.

The Belfast Giants PR behemoth has branded this season as #GiantsNewEra. A new coach, new owners in The Odyssey Trust and an associated wedge of cash for development in the game night experience have been at the forefront of the promotion leading to the new season. But as the team were brought together piece by piece there was a distinctly familiar feel to the “New Era”.

That, I stress, is not a criticism. The recruitment of this side has been well thought out and appears to have a balance to it which will hopefully lead to great things this season.

In goal, the ever reliable Stephen Murphy, without doubt the best British netminder there is. His ability to outshine a great deal of his import opposite numbers is both a credit to the development of the game in the UK, and a massive asset to any coach in the EIHL, giving the option to put all imports as out-skaters and thus draw strength in the side from the ability of the netminder.

Arguably the ability of the netminder will fall hand in hand with the ability of the defence infront of him. Too often in the past the amount of rubber sent toward goal falls statistically as too great for the ability of a netminder to deal with. Sadly in cases like this it is the netminder who would be seen as the culprit for the failing, when in reality the defence stand as lacking in their job to reduce the attack on the goal.

Last season it was felt that the Giants were lacking that “big” defenceman. Not this year. Cody Brookwell steps onto the Odyssey ice having already publically stated his belief in his role. 6’4” and over 200lbs, he is without doubt a stay-at-home d-man brought in to protect the goal, block shots and look after the farm when a defensive partner pinches in. Brookwell arrives with high calibre from the ECHL.

Another new addition is the vastly experienced Calvin Elfring, arriving from the DEL with very impressive offensive statistics for that league. He appears to be seen as the “all round defenceman”, while many have brought up his age, 37, as a deriding factor, his captaining of a DEL side before coming into the EIHL adds leadership to his experience. It would be a brave man to write off the ability of this player. No doubt he will be very active in a Giants side where I see special teams being unusually strong compared to seasons past.

The remainder of the Odyssey blueline holds that aforementioned “familiar feeling”. Jeff Mason, Rob Sandrock, David Philips and the return of his brother Kevin Philips top off what, for me, is one of the strongest d-corps the Giants have had since the birth of the Elite League.

In the attack the familiarity continues however there are some new names. Chris Higgins, a powerplay specialist who, despite having missed a large number of games in the last few seasons through injury, is seen by Paul Adey as “having yet to reach his full potential”. Whether this is the sign of a coach “taking a chance” or if he feels that he sees what he can bring out in the former Gwinnett Gladiator is yet to be seen.

The ability of Dustin Whitecotton, however is without question. Another highly experienced player straight from the DEL, the first time we’ve recruited two former DEL players since our time in the Ice Hockey Super League, Whitecotton was “a point every other game” player. While this may sound restricted, to pull stats like that in the DEL brings you as vastly overqualified to do so in the EIHL. Whitecotton is a top line centre/left wing player who will most likely be seen as a principle goal scorer.

These is a lot to be said about bringing back players who know the game, know the arena, the fans and former teammates. Kevin Phillips returns on the blueline, but at the front Evan Cheverie was a surprise inclusion to Paul Adey’s recruitment. A player whose CV is well established at EIHL level, Cheverie returns following a number of seasons in Norway and France where he averages around a point per game. A player who knows where the net is and amassed 90 points when he last took to the Odyssey ice he is a welcome return to the teal and white.

In a season when many teams have “bulked up”, the Giants grit remains on the 3rd line with the highly successful cooperation of Keefe, Garside and Lloyd. Keefe’s reputation is well renowned in the EIHL now and one that he and Lloyd have worked hard together to maintain. Lloyd walks into many opposition arena’s to the sound of derision, his abilities as an antagonist working to great effect while Keefe’s extensive ability with his gloves off, equal that with his gloves on. The creativity and face off talent of Mark Garside will ensure these three retain their status as probably the best 3rd line in the league.

Kevin Saurette was a late inclusion to last season’s side but provided a big impact. He and Colin Shields will most likely be seen as part of a secondary scoring line, and a strong one at that. Shields stands as one of the top british players on the market, while Saurette’s puck handling ability brought delight to many fans with more than a few outstanding solo goals.

It is important for the Giants to retain that local representation and further develop the talents of outstanding local hockey players. Robbie Brown, Gareth Roberts and Andrew Dickson return to the Giants in a means to strengthen their ability. With Graeme Walton having retired at the end of last season, the application of these young players remains as ever more important in furthering the game in Northern Ireland.

As Paul Adey put his side together there remained the question of “something missing”, a power forward maybe? A skilled gritty player who could lead the line? The final signing needed to be one to create a buzz and set down a marker for the season to come.

That signing was Jeffrey Szwez.

Szwez’s last stint in Belfast, 4 years ago, saw him become one of the leagues outstanding players. Soft hands, fast skates, outstanding vision and a hockey brain that allowed him to bring gasps and cheers from those in the stands. While it is easy to point out that the likes of Elfring and Whitecotton have an established CV at a significantly higher level than Szwez, the returning forward is the signing that pricked up the ears of many a fan around the league, and one that brought delight to the Giants fans there to hear it be announced. Whether he still has that ability to captivate the league is yet to be proven, but I doubt he will be far off the pace.

As the season draws ever closer and preseason allows teams to gel, this Belfast Giants side start with a fantastic advantage. Familiarity. While I’ve mentioned it time and time again, it is something that will allow Belfast to come out of the blocks at speed in a season that looks to be one of the toughest in many many years. The Players know each others game, they know each others personality, there will be next to no “getting to know you” period.

The Erhardt conference is as strong as it can be; Sheffield, especially, looking onpaper as the leading lights. While the Gardener Conference continues to improve, led by a Clan side that Ryan Finnerty will be hoping to prove a point with.

Yet despite the wholesale improvements to the league, the increase in the stature of the players and the high-level experience being brought back to our shores, I still feel the balance of this Giants side and the experience of the new coach will allow Belfast to maintain their everpresent challenge for silverware.

Let the fun begin!