Jeremy Hronek
Registered User
I hope one day GB can become a competitive hockey country. It would be really good for the sport.
WC: Team Great Britain 2022 - Helsinki/Tampere
- Thread starter ChaiTiefling
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aquaregia
Registered User
I mean I only closely follow the national team myself, but in terms of D-men, Richardson-Tetlow are far and above the rest, esp when it comes to ability to position and sense danger. Guys like Batch and Ehrhardt are more symptoms of us not having anyone better - the first two are among very few players who can actually compete at D1A, let alone WC level.
Forwards are a bit more debatable, but Lewis looked kinda ropey when he played for us, perhaps that's because he's not that bothered about suiting up in GB colours in the first place or simply doesn't get on with the coach, who knows, but his stats in the German 2nd tier don't suggest to me that we're missing a world beater either way. Betteridge at last deserves a spot in our 3rd line, and based on this tournament I'd have Neilson and Conway above Brendan Connolly.
Also previously mentioned you need role-players like Lachowicz to put on a shutdown line and balance out the roster. Similar deal with Davies, not exactly a technical wizard but someone who buys into Russell's system and can raise his game for the NT, esp with a team like GB you can't afford to carry any wallies who aren't prepared to die for the jersey.
Many people on this board have mentioned this before and in more detail but with the current structure and split incentives between the EIHL and Ice Hockey UK, being a yo-yo team between WC and D1A is pretty much GB's ceiling.
There'd need to be some real incentive for the franchises to put more resources into youth development, which at the moment just aren't there, and probably won't be for the forseeable future.
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SoundAndFury
Registered User
- May 28, 2012
- 12,284
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It's going to be really interesting to watch how GB survives this generational shift as well. O'Connor, Phillips x2, Richardson, Dowd, Mosey, Myers all on their way out. Not exactly an irreplaceable bunch but still the young guys need to be developed to reach their level.
See Sam Duggan. In general, so many kids that looked promising are in kinda dubious point of their careers.
See Sam Duggan. In general, so many kids that looked promising are in kinda dubious point of their careers.
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aquaregia
Registered User
Of those you mentioned I think losing Richardson will have the most serious impact - compared to the players we had available 5 years ago, the forward options look already much healthier, just defensively there is a bit of a risk we end up stumbling into a situation where the choices are Tetlow + a bunch of numpties.
