Elite league season preview

UNITED KINGDOM – The Elite League sees two significant rule changes for 2008/9.   As well as introducing a second referee into the game, those teams that finished outside of the top four last season – Basingstoke, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Hull, Manchester and Newcastle – are all entitled to play an extra import which should at least make the League more competitive.
 
Last season’s League champions, the Coventry Blaze, will certainly find it tough defending their title.   Yet despite losing the likes of Trevor Koenig,

Neil Martin and Sylvain Clouthier, the retention of Adam Calder and Dan Carlson together with the signing of Sylvain D eschatelets will still make them bookies’ favourites for the League.
 
Hot on the heels of Coventry are likely to be last season’s Play Off champions, the Sheffield Steelers who, unlike the Blaze, have not seen wholesale changes.   In comes back-up goalie Dan Green, defenceman Scott Basiuk, forward Nathan Gilles and controversial British enforcer Andrew Sharp yet the team essentially remains unchanged.   One player not returning to Sheffield this year however, is Dan Tessier who was forced to leave the Steelers amid rumours that he was unpopular in the dressing room.
 
And in a move that will upset many Sheffield fans, Tessier has returned to the Nottingham Panthers, the side he walked out on three seasons ago, where he will link up with the likes of David Clarke, Johan Molin and Jade Galbraith in what is likely to prove the most formidable offensive unit in the League.   After two trophies in consecutive seasons under Mike Ellis, expectations will certainly be high for Corey Neilson’s first season in charge.
 
Another rookie coach who will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor is Steve Thornton who replaces Ed Courtenay at the Belfast Giants.   The Giants’ are many critics’ choice for the title this season and with players like Paul Deniset and Evan Cheverie in the side you can see why.  
 
On Tyneside, the Newcastle Vipers will be looking to build on the form that saw them qualify for last season’s Playoff Weekend.   Netminding ace Ryan McDonald has gone but his replacement, Andrew Verner, is already being touted as the signing of the summer.   Together with a number of other new players, including former NHL defenceman Chris McAllistair and Vancouver Canucks’ draft-pick Tyler Willis, the Vipers’ prospects for the coming season definitely look bright.
 
Change is the order of the day for two more of last season’s mid-table sides, the Cardiff Devils and Manchester Phoenix.   Eight of Cardiff’s eleven imports are new, whilst only Ben Clouthier survives from last season’s Phoenix roster as coach Tony Hand starts from an almost blank canvass.   Jason Silverthorn, Brad Voth and Rod Hinks will be ones to watch for Cardiff,whilst Grant Jacobson, David Beauregard and Nathan Ward look the more promising picks following Manchester’s revolution.
 
Amongst the teams likely to be battling it out at the bottom of the table, there isn’t much to choose between the Edinburgh Capitals and the Basingstoke Bison.   Edinburgh may have lost their top scorer from last season, Colin Hemingway, but should have enough firepower in the shape of Andrej Rajcak, Martin Cingel and Doug Christiansen to cause teams problems.  
 
After last season’s purported financial troubles, Basingstoke seem to havestayed well clear of the big names.   However, having been forced to cancel their pre-season games due to visa and work permit delays, there are question marks around how prepared the Bison will be for the forthcoming season.
 
Last, but not least, are the Hull Stingrays who, ever since joining the League in 2006, have struggled with the concept of winning games and entertaining crowds.   In an attempt to address this second issue, Stingrays’ coach Rick Strachan has brought in a number of hard-nosed tough guys.   They may not win many games but at least Hull should be a little more exciting to watch than in previous seasons.
 
Contact the author at matt.kane@prohockeynews.com