Part Two, Simmsy – Man behind the microphone

SHEFFIELD,U.K- In the second part of Simmsy – Man behind the microphone, Dave Simms look’s ahead to the new season and predicts who will take the 2008-09 Elite league season by storm.
Looking ahead to the new campaign, and with teams in the process of finalising their rosters, I asked Simms about his tips for the title in 2008-09.  Will any of those teams with the option of an extra import be able to step up and make a challenge for the title?
“I don’t think so, no, the title race will be between Belfast, Coventry and Sheffield,  Belfast have improved more than any other team and to be honest, they’re stacked. Coventry still look good, their team has changed because Koenig, Martin and Clouthier have gone but they’ve been replaced by good players,” Simms said “Sheffield finished the best team in the league and again, we have improved so I think it will be between those three.”
And what about the old enemy, the Panthers, who defeated the Steelers for the Challenge Cup last season?   “Nottingham won’t win it because they don’t have the mentality to win over 60 games, they’re a glamour club,” Simms said  “Winning the League is different to winning a Challenge Cup or Play Off trophy, It’s about mental preparation and whether the club is set-up and designed to win I think Nottingham will beat every team in the League next season, home and away but I don’t think they are geared to win the League.”
Perhaps one of the most interesting teams to watch next season will be the Hull Stingrays who, after having previously been tarred with a reputation as the least exciting team in British ice hockey, have assembled a batch of hard-nosed enforcers reminiscent of the now defunct London Racers team of 2005. 

While some might question the logic of putting together a team that is going to spend most nights fighting and taking penalties, Simms was quick to jump to the defence of Stingrays’ Head Coach Rick Strachan. 
“The one thing you could say about the London Racers was that they had an identity and if you try to sell anything you want it to have an identity, In fairness, the Racers were a shocking club, run dreadfully bad coached dreadfully bad but fans would still turn up every night because they knew something was going to happen,” Simms said 
“Since the Stingrays have been back in the Elite League, they haven’t had any identity whatsoever, neither have Basingstoke or Edinburgh.The reason other clubs get frustrated is because they can’t draw with games against these teams. People in Nottingham won’t go and watch home games against Hull because they know it’s going to be a crap night,” Simms said “It might be close on the scoreboard but everybody’s fallen asleep by the end of the first period.”
“In fairness to Hull, they’ve tried to change that whether it works or not, we won’t know for another 40 weeks.  But I credit them for doing something different and at least trying to carve out an identity within their own community, they’ve gone down this broad-street bully route and brought in tons of toughness,” Simms said “Of course you need to combine that with a bit of scoring punch but Rick Strachan is no mug, he knows that so I tip my hat to them and wish them well.”
With most of the big-name signings completed for next season, who does Simms rate as the most inspired capture of the summer?
“I think if Andrew Verner can play as well as he has in recent years then he will be a super goaltender for Newcastle, the Vipers are always going to face a lot of shots,” Simms said “They aren’t a high budget team and their skill level perhaps isn’t going to be as high as other teams so goaltending is extremely important.”
“Last season, Nottingham missed having a British player in their side that could score goals, Matthew Myers is one of my favourite British players but he can do everything except score,” Simms said “By bringing David Clarke back, Nottingham finally have a Brit who can score so I think he will be a great signing for them.” Topping the list is surprise choice.“The most important signing I think though has to be Brad Voth every club would have liked him and by Cardiff Devils being able to retain his services for next season, it’s like having a new player for them,” Simms said
In spite of Voth’s horrific check on Ashley Tait last season that left the Steelers’ forward out of action for many weeks, Simms has never hidden the Steelers’ desire to have Voth in South Yorkshire.
In truth, Simms very rarely hides anything.  His brutal matter-of-factness is a refreshing novelty in a sport where most of the real action seems to happen off the ice, behind closed doors. 
As a Panthers fan myself I never thought I’d say this, but every team could do with its own Dave Simms.
Contact the author at   Matt.kane@prohockeynews.com Contact the photographer’s at Mark.tredgold@prohockeynews.com  & Arthur.foster@prohockeynews.com