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2024-25 SPHL Season Thread

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JMCx4

JMCx4

#91 and counting ...
Sep 3, 2017
15,892
10,819
St. Louis, MO
With closeout of the SPHL 2023-24 thread sanctioned by @CHRDANHUTCH, we can advance to 2024-25 matters. So far the new-news I’ve seen has centered around SPHL team coaching positions …

• Knoxville interim head coach Andrew Harrison stepped down

• Fayetteville head coach Ryan Cruthers left for a USHL head coaching position, and was replaced by his assistant coach Kyle Sharkey

• Quad City head coach Dave Pszenyczny is out for the sake of “a change in leadership”

ETA: Birmingham extended their head coaching pair.

ETA: QC named their new head coach, someone familiar to lingering Mallards fans.


Beyond the want ads, SPHL teams are focusing on season ticket sales & releasing home game schedule announcements & all the other usual off-season administrative tasks that leave hockey fans to their Silly Season musings. So … whaddya got? :popcorn:
Click to read more...
 
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I am Bettman said:
Any way too early standings predictions?
Click to expand...
I'm ALWAYS bad at this, so I'm ready to keep my streak alive ...

Here's the 2023-24 end-of-season rankings for reference ...

SPHL 2023-24 Regular Season Final Standings.jpg


My Cut for next season ...
▪︎ Birmingham will feel they have unfinished business, and a returning coaching staff should help them. If they just make sure they finish Top 2, they should be more competitive in post-season & in a better spot to finally get their shot @ the President's Cup.
• Huntsville & Roanoke - and maybe even my '24-'25 dark horse, Pensacola - will leap frog defending champs Peoria, who will see a lot of turnover ... hopefully including a long overdue change behind their bench. :crossfing
• Fayetteville is headed for a slip after losing their head coach to the USHL, and sticking with the "safe" promotion of an assistant will hurt them more than help them.
• The rest of the field will trip over one another (and themselves), and have roughly equal chances to make or miss the playoffs - though this season's #9 & #10 are more likely to remain there.
 
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JMCx4 said:
I'm ALWAYS bad at this, so I'm ready to keep my streak alive ...

Here's the 2023-24 end-of-season rankings for reference ...



My Cut for next season ...
▪︎ Birmingham will feel they have unfinished business, and a returning coaching staff should help them. If they just make sure they finish Top 2, they should be more competitive in post-season & in a better spot to finally get their shot @ the President's Cup.
• Huntsville & Roanoke - and maybe even my '24-'25 dark horse, Pensacola - will leap frog defending champs Peoria, who will see a lot of turnover ... hopefully including a long overdue change behind their bench. :crossfing
• Fayetteville is headed for a slip after losing their head coach to the USHL, and sticking with the "safe" promotion of an assistant will hurt them more than help them.
• The rest of the field will trip over one another (and themselves), and have roughly equal chances to make or miss the playoffs - though this season's #9 & #10 are more likely to remain there.
Click to expand...
To clarify, you think Peoria should move on from Trudel? Or did you mean Pensacola? 2 Cups in the last 3 years for Peoria means that Trudel will remain for a long time unless he gets a great opportunity elsewhere.
 
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He wants that…. I want security Sam’s polo shirt from the bobcats though as a collectible.
 
I am Bettman said:
To clarify, you think Peoria should move on from Trudel? Or did you mean Pensacola? 2 Cups in the last 3 years for Peoria means that Trudel will remain for a long time unless he gets a great opportunity elsewhere.
Click to expand...
Trudel, yes, though that's been my opinion for years. If you read the link I included in my prediction post, you'll see that Mr. Eminian hinted at a JGS decision point approaching. I assume that would be a full-time hockey ops management position with PEO, leaving coaching to someone whose style is less bully & more brains.
 
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JMCx4 said:
Trudel, yes, though that's been my opinion for years. If you read the link I included in my prediction post, you'll see that Mr. Eminian hinted at a JGS decision point approaching. I assume that would be a full-time hockey ops management position with PEO, leaving coaching to someone whose style is less bully & more brains.
Click to expand...
The article seems to be referring to last may, why switch to somebody else after winning 2/3 cups in the last 3 years? He has the highest points percentage in league history so I’m not sure there are many coaches out there with more brains.
 
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I am Bettman said:
The article seems to be referring to last may, why switch to somebody else after winning 2/3 cups in the last 3 years? He has the highest points percentage in league history so I’m not sure there are many coaches out there with more brains.
Click to expand...
It's one of those: "Do you use them for good, or for evil?" conundrums.

And BTW, where's your prediction?
 
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VaCaps Fan said:
if only the SPHL knew how to communicate to fans….
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Have you personally experienced a communication problem with them? They let the teams handle business-fan interactions, which reduces League oversight & overhead. 2024-25 will be the League's 20th season, so they've made the model work (in large part) for a goodly amount of time.
 
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JMCx4 said:
It's one of those: "Do you use them for good, or for evil?" conundrums.

And BTW, where's your prediction?
Click to expand...
Birmingham number one for the same reasons as you.
Roanoke 2nd, champions a year ago and we know they are good.
Huntsville 3rd, I think they ride the adrenaline of the finals run and build throughout the year.
I think Peoria takes a step back without Hagaman, likely finishing 4th but I could see them finishing higher if Hagaman decides to coach and if Trudel (player) steps up.
I have no clue about the rest of the order.
 
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Just spitballing after reading the basic website and enjoying your posts way more.

JMCx4 said:
Have you personally experienced a communication problem with them? They let the teams handle business-fan interactions, which reduces League oversight & overhead. 2024-25 will be the League's 20th season, so they've made the model work (in large part) for a goodly amount of time.
Click to expand...
 
VaCaps Fan said:
Just spitballing after reading the basic website and enjoying your posts way more.
Click to expand...
"Traditional web content" (aka, "websites") is used less & less to market sports at all levels. Fans prefer hot takes & quick bites of info, then move on to the next shiny thing that catches their attention. If I was in the business, I'd ditch the www. and focus my marketing $$ on whatever that week's popular social media platform was.
 
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I am Bettman said:
The article seems to be referring to last may, why switch to somebody else after winning 2/3 cups in the last 3 years? He has the highest points percentage in league history so I’m not sure there are many coaches out there with more brains.
Click to expand...
Trudel wants to focus on the NA3 team. The plan was to have Hagaman be the assistant this past year and take the head job in 24-25. There was a change in the family situation (I think it was his wife's family?) and that's why he got back on the bench and actually retire this summer instead of continuing in coaching.
 
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