Part three is the final look into the opposition facing the Giants in this seasons Elite league campaign.  The three teams covered here have all got the potential to challenge the Giants all season long for their championship crown.  The new coaches and players in place we take a look at who and what’s likely to stand in the Giants way when they come up against the Newcastle Vipers, Nottingham Panthers and the Sheffield Steelers.

Newcastle Vipers

Players In:
Rob Wilson, Head Coach (Newcastle Vipers); Glenn Mulvenna, Ast Coach (Newcastle Vipers); Michael Tasker, F (Newcastle Vipers); Jonathan Weaver, F (Newcastle Vipers); Matthew Rich, F (Edinburgh Capitals); Jeremy Cornish, F (Newcastle Vipers); Andre Payette, F (Newcastle Vipers); David Longstaff, F (Newcastle Vipers); Paul Ferone, F (Newcastle Vipers); Shaun Johnson, F (Newcastle Vipers); Jez Lundi, D (Solihull Barons); Jason Robinson, D (Sheffield Steelers); Pavol Mihalik, D (Coventry Blaze); Curtis Cruickshank, G (Nottingham Panthers).

Players Out:
Simon Leach, D (Free Agency); Pavel Gomenyuk, D (Hull Stingrays); Trevor Koenig, G (Coventry Blaze); Jan Krajicek, D (Nottingham Panthers); Matus Petricko, F (Nottingham Panthers).

Previous 3 seasons:
03-04: n/a
04-05: n/a
05-06: 2nd in Elite League with 25 wins and 13 defeats.  Won the Playoff Championship.

05-06 vs Giants (W-L-T): 2-4-0

What to expect:
Like Coventry the year before, newcomers Newcastle took the league by storm last season.  They finished runners up in the title chase to the Giants but put on a fine display to win the playoff championship.  With nearly all last years team returning for more this term there’s no reason to suspect that Newcastle cannot put up yet another big challenge.  Again they will look to intimidate with their physical aspect in which they have added to this year but with the new zero-tolerance rules it’s something that could end up catching them out.

In 9 games against the Giants in their history the Vipers have won 2, lost 7, and tied 0.  They have scored 22 goals and let in 40.

KEY PLAYER:
Andre Payette: A goon who can score is what most people will think when they talk of Andre Payette.  The big Canadian who started his EIHL career with Coventry in their treble winning season is now going into his second with the Vipers.  Dropping the gloves night in, night out with any willing combatant, Andre will also rack up the points making his value to the Vipers, who like to play it tough, invaluable.  In two years this side of the pond Andre has won back to back playoff titles, making it a hat trick will be his big aim this season.

Nottingham Panthers

Players In:
Mike Ellis, Head Coach (Bracknell Bees); Calle Carlson, Ast Coach (Nottingham Panthers); Sean McAslan, F (Milwaukee Admirals); Steve Simoes, F (Laredo Bucks); Rod Stevens, F (EC Bad Tolz); Ryan Shmyr, F (Rio Grand Valley Killer Bees); James Cooke, F (Nottingham Panthers); Matthew Myres, F (Nottingham Panthers); Blaz Emersic, F (Nottingham Panthers); David Clarke, F (Nottingham Panthers); Paul Moran, F (Nottingham Panthers); Matus Petricko, F (Newcastle Vipers); Mike Rees, D (Corpus Christie Rayz); Corey Neilson, D (Florida Everblades); Jan Krajicek, D (Newcastle Vipers); Danny Meyres, D (Bracknell Bees); Evan Lindsay, G (Rio Grand Valley Killer Bees); Geoff Woolhouse, G (Nottingham Panthers).

Players Out:
Shaun Sutter, F (Sheffield Steelers); Richard Wojciak, F (Milton Keynes Lightning); Dion Darling, D (Cardiff Devils); Mike Blaisdell, Head Coach (Free Agency).

Previous 3 seasons:
03-04: 2nd in Elite League with 34 wins and 16 defeats.  Won the Challenge Cup.
04-05: 4th in Elite League with 25 wins and 20 defeats.  Lost in Playoff finals.
05-06: 3rd in Elite League with 23 wins and 13 defeats.

05-06 vs Giants (W-L-T): 3-2-1

What to expect:
The Panthers are forever the ‘there or there about’s team’.  Always good enough to stay in contention but never quite good enough to take it to the winning level.  This year however the Panthers faithful will tell you it’s going to be different.  They have always proven to be tough opposition against the Giants and even had a winning record against the champions last season.  With a new coach in place and a few healthy signings the Panthers have yet again got to be placed in the, could go all the way bracket. 

In 44 games against the Giants in their history the Panthers have won 22, lost 22, and tied 0.  They have scored 125 goal and let in 149.
Note that games from the 00-01 season do not count towards this total.

KEY PLAYER:
Jan Krajicek: Arguably the leagues top defenseman last season, the Panthers struck Gold when they signed him away from the Vipers.  Able to put big points on the board from the blue-line as well as play superbly in his own end, Jan no doubts will yet again be one of the leagues top defensemen.  The Panthers dreams of ending what seems like a life-time since winning the league will depend heavily on Krajicek’s performance.  There’s little doubt though that he will be as good as they come.

Sheffield Steelers

Players In:
David Matsos, Head Coach (Cardiff Devils); Scott Ricci, Ast Coach (Asiago HC); Brett Clouthier, F (Binghampton Senators); Shaun Sutter, F (Nottingham Panthers); Shawn Maltby, F (Basingstoke Bison); Dan Tessier, F (Lausanne); Warren Tait, F (Sheffield Steelers); Jason Hewitt, F (Sheffield Steelers); Phil Hill, F (Cardiff Devils); Jonathan Phillips, F (Cardiff Devils); Ian Manzano, D (Johnstown Cheifs); Rod Sarich, D (Sheffield Steelers); Reagan Darby, D (Cardiff Devils); Mark Thomas, D (Sheffield Steelers); Jody Lehman, G (Sheffield Steelers); Davey Lawrence, G (Sheffield Steelers).

Players Out:
Dave Whistle, Head Coach (Alberni Valley Bulldogs); Ron Schudra, D (Sheffield Scrimitars); Stefan Sjogren, D (Free Agency); Jason Robinson, D (Newcastle Vipers); Gavin Ferrand, F (Basingstoke Bison); Jonas Lennartsson, F (HC Val Pusteria); Paul Sample, F (Cardiff Devils); Martin Massa, F (Grenoble MH38); Mark Dutiaume, F (Belfast Giants).

Previous 3 seasons:
03-04: 1st in Elite League with 44 wins and 9 defeats. Won Playoff Championship.
04-05: 5th in Elite League with 25 wins and 20 defeats.
05-06: 6th in Elite League with 15 wins and 21 defeats. Lost in playoff finals, won British Cup.

05-06 vs Giants (W-L-T): 0-5-1

What to expect:
Sheffield have had a strange couple of years.  Once Britain’s most dominant team, the Steelers have faded away in league contention ever since winning the title in 2004.  Two bad years on the trot seen the Steelers head coaching position turn into a revolving door with it’s latest change coming just this off season when ex-Giants coach Dave Whistle quit just halfway through his player recruitment stage.  He was quickly replaced by another ex-Giant Dave Matsos who retired due to bad injuries last season.  Matsos, the third ex-Giant to coach the Steelers in as many years, has it seems, taken on the coaching mantle well with some excellent signings and optimism of a successful season in Yorkshire is as high as it’s been for quite some time.

In 50 games against the Giants in their history the Steelers have won 27, lost 21, and tied 1.  They have scored 125 goals and let in 140.
Note that games from the 00-01 season do not count towards this total.

KEY PLAYER:
Dan Tessier: This players move to Sheffield this off season left a bitter taste in the mouths of rivals Nottingham.  Tessier played the first half of last season in Nottingham and put on a fine display.  With the exception of Theo Fleury, Tessier was dominating the point’s scoring tables until his move to Switzerland.  The move never worked out and again the Elite league came looking in the form of Sheffield and not Nottingham (at least it was Sheffield he choose to sign for.  If he can repeat the play that he started with last season with then Sheffield are going to be a huge threat.

Category: Elite League » |

............................................................................................................................................................................