Coventry Blaze preview: Feeding The Fire
The past two seasons in Coventry have been both disappointing and worrying. After seven seasons at the top of the pile, the following saw the Blaze slip into mid-table mediocrity.
This past off-season has seen a period of reinvention; changing faces on the ice and perhaps going back to the philosophy that made the club so successful in the first few years in the Elite League. Gone is the distraction of running two clubs in Hull and with a large company secured as the major sponsor, hopefully the financial worries are gone as well.
Money is still a big topic in Coventry. Mainly because many people try to compare the budget of the Blaze with those of Belfast, Sheffield or Nottingham.
It’s not comparable. They have always had more money and the Blaze have found a way to compete.
The deal with Coventry University isn’t as unique a selling point as it was back in 2004 that allowed the team to secure talents such as Neal Martin and Dan Carlson and perhaps the recruiting edge has been lost. Now the Blaze have to find other ways to recruit and continue to think a little differently from everyone else.
Take Shea Guthrie as an example.
“Injury prone”
“Too small for the pro game”
Yet a couple of scouts saw something and Paul Thompson took a chance.
A year later, Guthrie is returning as the Blaze captain and the reputation as one of the top offensive talents in the league. Thompson was quite open that for the upcoming 2012-13 season, Shea was the minimum standard of import that the team wanted. And it looks like they have gone out and secured them. Brad and Greg Leeb have been signed straight from the DEL with a wealth of experience and point-scoring talent. Mike Egener and Michael Schutte will provide solidity on the blueline and Gerome Giudice will play that all important defensive forward role that every team needs.
The biggest capture and also the most controversial one has been Mike Danton. The former NHL forward was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and spent a little over five years in prison. Since his release he has attended university in Canada and made big steps to turn his life around, but currently finds his visa application refused by the UK Border Agency and cannot enter the country to play.
There are arguments for and against allowing him into the country, but considering he has spent his conviction, shown remorse and admitted guilt and taken measures to improve not only his life but convey his message to others to stop them making the same mistakes; surely he deserves a second chance? Only time will tell.
It’s not all new faces at the Blaze. Peter Hirsch, Jerramie Domish and Russ Cowley are also returnees as well as young prospects Ross Venus and Matt Selby (two-way with the NIHL Blaze side). Adam Goss played one game for the side in nets last season and is a product of the Blaze junior system; he becomes the new backup for Hirsch. Sam Smith is new to the club but not the league signing from Cardiff and Steven Chalmers arrives on a two-way contract with Telford having previously played for Dundee.
There could be troubled times ahead however. With Danton not in the country, the Blaze only have eight full time forwards – not enough to put out three lines of forwards. Whilst the forwards may be talented, having a short bench may eventually take its toll on the side. Many of the other sides in the Erhardt conference have three full lines + depth to back that up. If Danton comes into the side, three lines will be there but the team will be relying on them avoiding injuries if they are to be successful long term.
On paper, the quality is there but the side will need to gel quickly and stay healthy in order to pick up some silverware.
