So you want to be a hockey GM: Part 2

by Mark Duell

Welcome to the second update as we decide to suit up and become a hockey General Manager, kind of fantasy ice hockey if you care to call it that. For those who didn’t read the first part which was online about a fortnight ago, we’ve decided to become the new GM at Elite League side Sheffield Steelers and pulling the strings off the ice whilst relying upon Dave Matsos to deliver the silverware on it. Six players have been signed prior to the drop of the first puck, including proven import scoring machine Sean McAslan after Adam Calder had decided instead to go to Germany despite us tabling the best offer our finances could allow.

Pre-season was a bit up and down to be honest but then again who reads anything into this eh? The low point was a loss to local ENL side Sheffield Spartans at Ice Sheffield by 4-2 with winger Ryan Handisides causing our star studded line-up so many problems. We won the others though and received news through that the Challenge Cup qualifier would be against the old rivals Nottingham Panthers, a two legged affair with the winners on aggregate qualifying for the semi-finals later in the season. We couldn’t have really asked for anything harder - well apart from a game against either Coventry or Belfast. Belfast were also installed as the bookies favourites to win the Elite League, with most pundits reckoning we would finish about 4^th behind the afore mentioned Blaze and Panthers.

So how did the first month go? Pretty steady to be honest as we didn’t really pull up any major trees so to speak. To say we ended the month in 5^th spot is quite accurate to say this. The major highlights were a 6-0 home blanking of Cardiff Devils in the House of Steel, with six different scorers on target for us including 18 year old Tom Squires who is on a two-way deal from the Scimitars. We also showed great spirit to recover from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Panthers 4-2 at home with Jeff Legue scoring a brace and assisting on the other two. Downsides included losing the first leg of the Challenge Cup tie 4-3 in the NIC with pre-season target Lee Brathwaite assisting on Jade Galbraith’s game winner and also slipping to a 2-1 road to Belfast despite leading 1-0. Our defenceman Scott Basiuk got the Player of the Month gong though for his own personal exceptional start to the season though.

Onto October, and things didn’t really change much at all. We finished the month still in 5^th spot despite having the best goalie in the league. The Panthers were eliminated from the Cup though in one of the highlights this month, a 3-2 home win in the second leg levelled matters and don’t ask why but we got through without need for overtime and penalties. Strange. Also we enjoyed a very good 5-2 home win over the Blaze, scoring an impressive 3 powerplay goals and Matt Hubbauer nabbing 3 assists in the win. We did let ourselves down though, losing twice in a shoot-out. One at home to Hull Stingrays and the other at Edinburgh Capitals: two sides we should really have beaten really. Player of the Month was American Dan Carlson of the Blaze.

November came and things started to kick into gear as the players started to buy into what we are preaching. The fact we have improved to lead the Elite League, albeit by a single point from Coventry and Belfast, shows how we changed things around. Belfast got spanked 4-1 at the House of Steel after leading 1-0 early doors, Cardiff were beaten 4-2 in the Big Blue Tent in a game which we were 3-0 ahead after the first and despite a rally from them – we finished them off with an empty netter, and the lads recorded a splendid win in Coventry too. They won 5-3 with a burst of three goals in as many minutes to turn the game on its head with Robert Dowd getting 2+2. Low point was losing 6-4 at Nottingham though after the first two periods had ended 3-3. Panthers’ former NHL-er Jay Henderson won Player of the Month.

We’ve changed the side a bit too, which has probably been a factor in why November was so good. Mark Thomas has been sent down to the Scims with Mark Williams coming in on the blue line to replace him as a direct replacement. In fact, the former Chelmsford man scored the 5^th goal in the Coventry road win: thereby justifying his inclusion. We’ve also added a bit of experience too with two new signings, 36 year old defenceman Simon Howard, once of Milton Keynes, Guildford and Telford, has joined us and settled in well. Also back in Sheffield and in Steeler colours is Les “Lester” Millie. We believe their experience will be vital, and so far you can say it’s been proven right.

Onto the statistics briefly before we close this update. McAslan hasn’t set the league alight yet with 5+5 so far in his Steelers career, we are expecting him to improve more as the season rolls onwards. Top scorer though is young Dowd, with 5+15 although Legue leads the way in terms of goals with 8 so far to his name. We do have the best netminder in the Elite League though in Andrew Verner who has posted a brilliant 2.08 GAA with a 92.50 save percentage. It’s looking good so far. Stay tuned for the next update in a fortnight probably.

Mark

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Cardiff	0-3	Basingstoke
12th March 2006 19:00
Coventry	5-3	Sheffield
12th March 2006 19:00
Edinburgh	4-5	Belfast
12th March 2006 19:00
Newcastle	1-4	Nottingham
12th March 2006 19:00
Basingstoke	4-4	Cardiff
11th March 2006 19:00
Newcastle	2-4	Coventry
11th March 2006 19:00

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

Chelmsford	5-8	Telford
19th March 2006 19:00
Hull	5-1	Wightlink
19th March 2006 19:00
Romford	4-1	Milton Keynes
19th March 2006 19:00
Slough	5-2	Swindon
19th March 2006 19:00
Solihull	3-7	Bracknell
19th March 2006 19:00
Sheffield	1-1	Guildford
19th March 2006 19:00

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

	Club	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts

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