Doyle to Fill Steelers Pipes?

Since Canadian goaltender Frank Doyle left the Cardiff Devils due to problems with his chosen degree course, the rumour mill has started turning violently, with the Sheffield Steelers looking to be the most likely destination.

A source at British Ice Hockey magazine seems to have all but confirmed this move, and it is looking more and more likely Doyle, who has 4 seasons of AHL experience, will be donning the Steelers colours come September.

Spending the last three seasons in Italy playing for Fassa, Doyle has conjured average numbers, last season over 41 games he had a 3.66 goals against average, and a .911 save percentage. Admittedly not the most amazing numbers, but if the rumours are true, Doug Christiansen must feel the goaltender has potential to flourish at this level. 

A positive for this potential move is that Doyle is 32 years old, and would therefore bring some much needed experience in the goaltender position. 

The Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield has also started its rebuilding for the next season, with the seats being replaced, and all facilities being upgraded. 

Steelers Swoop to Sign Menei

Few Sheffield Steelers fans will of being disappointed when the city awoke to the news that 26 year old scoring forward Ryan Menei had signed for the club.

The Winnipeg native joins an already offensive minded Steelers squad, and if his stats are anything to go on, he will be an instant hit with the Steelers faithful. Starting his career split between the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL and the Selkirk Steelers, Menei then went on to make 177 appearances for the Saskatoon Blades,  scoring 114 points over 3 seasons. 

Menei then split his time between the ECHL, CHL and Italy's top league. Playing alongside ex Steeler Colt King, at the Rapid City Rush of the CHL. 

Menei has so far had an impressive rate of scoring for all his clubs, and if he can settle well into the Steelers team, should be a great player. 

Speaking to the Sheffield Steelers website Menei said:

"Colt King is a good friend of mine and we have spoken about Sheffield" said Menei "he has said nothing but good things about the organisation and the fans.

"Doug Christiansen was another reason I joined the Steelers. He explained the clubs history and that this was a team that expected to win and chase a championship. I'm hungry to win hockey games and championships so the chance to join Sheffield was more than appealing"

Menei will make his home debut against the Nottingham Panthers on Sunday the 8th of September.

Okay, So,it's been a while.

Hello hockey fans,

As you are aware, it has been a little while since I last blogged on here.

Luckily, i won't be covering everything that's happened since i last published a blog post. Instead, let's call this a fresh start.

First of all, i am delighted to see "Big" Doug in Sheffield, he comes across as a consummate professional who puts a lot of work into his scouting and knowledge of players, this can only bode well for the season ahead.

Equally, i am delighted for Ryan Finnerty in his job at Braehead, he seems to be recruiting well, and putting together a team that will make tough opposition.

Another piece of news that has been met with mixed emotions is the resignation of GB head coach Tony Hand. I wholeheartedly feel that the GB squad needed stability going forward, so seeing Tony leave is a big loss, however he had a mixed bag of results since his appointment in 2011, and if he felt he couldn't take the team forward any more then i respect his decision. I think everybody will remember him for his achievements in the Olympic qualification campaign.

While no one is currently in frame for the job, i think the consensus is that the new coach should be someone with no other current responsibilities, this will allow them to scout and plan his squad in more depth.

Back to the Elite League, squads are starting to form and the fixtures are out, but the summer is going by slowly, Hockey fans may be the only people in the world who wish the summer away, so they can get back to the barn and watch their heroes.

So, with the memories of plastic seat's, entry songs, hard checks, and Simmseys dulcet tones, its back to the waiting game.

Changes needed in the House of Steel?

Any Hockey fan who attended the Sheffield Steelers games against Nottingham and Coventry will tell you there was something missing from the performance. Six periods of patchy hockey ended in a disappointing 1 point from a possible 4, and the Steelers looked a patch on the team that won in the NIC the week before.

It’s unfortunate when you have to throw around such phrases as lazy, lacking in passion and generally sloppy when talking about a Steelers squad, but this weekend you could argue the Steelers were all that and more.

The Steelers have brought in pedigree players, tipped to wow the fans and bring success back to the arena, and Finner will undoubtedly be disappointed that some of the guys he has spent so much time, effort and of course wage budget to entice to the Arena, don’t seem to be awake.

The Steelers fans demand a level of commitment: finish checks, chase every puck, and fight every battle, and some of the players have given that, Lee Esders and Danny Wood in particular looked very good when they got on the Ice. Jason Hewitt and Ashley Tait have awakened the skill and intensity that made them fan favourites.

It will be no secret that Jeff Legue, Rod Sarich and John DeCaro were told to shape up or risk their jobs, and for all intents and purposes they have done. I would challenge anyone to argue that DeCaro was to fault for the losses this weekend.

So it all boils down to this question; where do the Steelers go now?

If I was to speculate I would say a head or two may roll, and as I speculate that I also ask, has Corey Pecker been the impact guy we expected?

Has Steven Goertzen shown that NHL calibre, and has Shawn Limpright produced the grinding displays he was signed for?

But, Steelers fans, one weekend does not make or break a season, frustrated as he is, Finner has obviously seen something in these guys, and will give them a fair chance to produce, and let’s not forget we have a spare import spot left on the roster.

Expect changes at the house of steel before long.

A Birthday Party To Remember

This Saturday the Sheffield Steelers and Cardiff Devils rolled back the years to welcome home the stars of years gone by. The Festival of Hockey welcomed back Steelers Legends “Turbo” Tim Cranston, “Rocket” Ron Shudra, “Laser” Les Millie and many more as they faced off against long-time rivals from the past years John Lawless and his Cardiff Devil Legends.

The day started with friendly games between the Steelers and the Devils of the future, some brilliant hockey was played and a big well done to all players who took part from the under 10’s right up to the under 16’s, a credit to both teams.

Then the emotions started to flow as one by one the Sheffield Steeler’s legends were introduced back onto the ice on which they made their fame. The players looked visibly excited as they took to the ice and did a lap of honour; unfortunately one player who couldn’t make it was Goalkeeper Pasi Raitinen so Sheffield Steeldogs Ben Bowns took to the ice in his place.

After the introductions the Cardiff devils took to the ice and an emotional moment as legends from both teams met in the faceoff circle and welcomed their old friends.

Without further ado the game was underway, all the players a little bit slower, but still showing off the skills that graced the ice of the British Leagues for so long, the game was played in good spirit, and every player had a huge grin on their face for the whole game.

The game was a two period hockey game and after the first the Steelers were infront 4-0, the second period saw the introduction of Ben Bowns in place of legend Wayne Cowley and the Steelers looked solid, but the Devils bounced back and the second period ended with the Steelers triumphing over the Devils 7-3.

One of the most important and emotional moments of the night then started to unfold, firstly the Sheffield Steelers and Cardiff Devils of this Season were welcomed onto the ice, and then after introductions were made we welcomed The Duke, Tommy Plommer onto the ice to have his famous number 11 shirt raised to the rafters, a huge honour and an emotional moment not just for Plommer but for all those who remember him gracing the Arena ice in Sheffield.

Then came the game between the Steelers and Devils, and in these kind of ties theres no such thing as a friendly! The game started brightly for the Steelers with the line of Legue Ramsay Clarke giving the Devils D-men real trouble with the raw pace and power, but the breakthrough eventually came through a well worked goal from young British talent Tom Squires as he put away a neatly shot wristshot over the glove hand of Stevie Lyle.

With the Second period underway hard hitting winger Colt King then scored a well worked goal with an assist from Jason Hewitt to leave the devils trailing by 2-0. The devils looked lacklustre in places and this was proven true as Veteran Defenseman Rod Sarich turned the screw with a well worked shorthanded goal assisted by Jeff Legue to further the devils misery.

The third period was a stronger one from the devils as they managed to fight back with two goals, but the difference was too much for Gerad Adams and his Cardiff Devils as the game finished 3-2 in the Steelers favour.  A great day enjoyed by all and it was wonderful to see the Steelers and Devils Legends mingling with fans after the games and taking the time to talk to anyone who wanted too!

Positivity in Sheffield???

Confidence and safety are breeding in the Steelers fans over recent weeks, and it seems that Tony Smith has brought a level of stability to the club, however as a Steelers fan I have a hereditary condition that leads me to worry about the club off the ice.

I don’t want to be cynical but owners have come and gone so often in my time as a Steelers fan that I have a distrust of many of them, ironically the only one I’ve felt safe under in recent years was a certain Mr Ragan…. How wrong I was... I only hope that the good moves so far by Tony Smith keep coming and we “put bums on seats” in the arena.

One place we don’t seem to be struggling Is the roster, the guys Finnerty has brought in so far are exciting players, and the new guys last week are no exception, John DeCaro is going to be a top Goaltender at this level, tall strong and quick, the guy fights night in night out for the “W”. I have had the privilege this week of catching up with Steelers new forward Mike Ramsay, and this guy’s stats talk for themselves, he lead his league in shots on goal last season, and has consistently scored goals all of his professional career. I will be publishing my interview with Ramsay shortly on www.britishicehockey.co.uk and www.sshof.co.uk so keep an eye out guys.

The guys Finner has brought in are not only individuals, but I certainly feel they will gel as a team very well, it’s going to be a longer that usual season for the Steelers as we are competing in Europe as well, so we cannot rely solely on individuals, some nights the guys are going to be tired so team work and camaraderie is a must have.

The festival of hockey is fast approaching and it can’t come soon enough, some of the best players ever to grace the British game, will be returning in their Steelers jersey to put the Devils of the past to bed once and for all. I’m absolutely delighted at the players we are bringing back in, Dennis Vial returns which in itself is a miracle after his parting shot when he quit the Steelers, looks like the Queen Mother is due to be announced this week Dennis!! More festival news is due this Monday, Wednesday, and Friday so keep an eye on www.sheffieldsteelers.co.uk guys!

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to read this blog, if you find it interesting, funny, cool or any other manner of adjective, the please please please tweet the link to your followers, post the link on Facebook or let your Steelers friends know about it!!

Follow me on Twitter @Dplanty or search Facebook for Daniel Plant to keep up to date with my Blog and Articles. You can also subscribe to email alerts when a new entry is available or RSS feed subscription is available.

Until the next time Steelers fans, if you see a panther “Drop The Bomb”

Pre-season in Sheffield just wouldn’t be the same without some controversy!

Sorry guys, it’s been a long few weeks, and a lot has gone on, so I’m afraid this blog post is a little bit on the long side, as I appreciate your support, I like to fill you in with all the news in the Steelers world. I hope you enjoy the read and if you like it, why not follow me on here, or on twitter (@Dplanty91) and be sure to leave feedback.

A week of turbulence in Sheffield was finally ended when Shareholder Tony Smith took over day to day management of the Steelers. Paul Ragan will keep his share in the Steelers, but will remain a silent partner, handing all responsibility to Smith.

Paul Ragan, owner of Elite League Rivals Cardiff Devils, hit out at League winning ex-Coach Ben Simon, accusing him of offering highly paid contracts to his “buddy’s” Neil Clarke and Rob Globke and trashing his rented accommodation in Sheffield. Ragan went on to say that it was partly Simon’s slack control of finances that had jeopardised the Sheffield Steelers finances. Many fans were outraged at Ragan’s remarks toward their former coach, and some feel that Ragan made it impossible for himself to stay at the club.

Ben Simon responded to Ragan’s attack in a way befitting of all he represented in his time in charge of the Steelers; with grace, and honesty. Following the events of the past week and the backlash of the fans, Ragan decided he would relinquish control of the club to board member Tony Smith. Ragan will remain a shareholder in the club, but will take no active role in the running of the Steelers, deciding instead to focus his time on the Cardiff Devils.

Smith, aged 57, is the owner of Rhino Sports and has been involved with the Steelers since January 2011 when he bought a share in the now liquidated “Rinkcorp Limited”.

As a local man and steelers fan, Smith has been received well by the Steelers fans and has made promises to move the club forward in the right way:

“What the fans of this club have been through year on year is outrageous and starting from today it ends. This club can be stable and we will ensure that it is. It’s a fine balance between that stability that as Steelers supporters we all strive for and on ice success that we have become used to. I’m positive that with me running the business side and Ryan Finnerty the hockey side we will combine well and take this club forward”

“It’s been a busy few days since I put forward my plan to take full control. We have many people to talk too, many people to satisfy and much work to-do as the season is only a couple of months away. Ryan and the players have been remarkable, we have reiterated to Ryan that his position and that of his players is solid and they have our full confidence going forward. Ryan is enthusiastic and we hope to complete the signing of the squad shortly”

Thursday night saw the Steelers fan forum take place. With Smith leading proceedings, he assured fans that season ticket’s would be honoured and that the clubs stability was his main aim. However, as a measure believed to be reducing costs the Sheffield Steelers have decided to scrap plans for a shop due to be opening in Meadowhall shopping centre, and the “big screen” that was due to be unveiled in the arena has also been cancelled. In place of the shop, the club will be unveiling a new website, and online store to help increase sales of merchandise. Tony Smith has also taken the decision to lower the prices of the “Festival of Hockey” to attract more fans to what’s sure to be a fantastic day of past and present stars battling on the ice.

Elsewhere the Steelers have signed young British winger Lee Esders from Hull Stingrays. Esders played 53 games last season for the Stingrays posting 7 goals and 6 assists.

Unfortunately the Steelers received some bad news when Superstar forward Joey Talbot decided to retire to focus on his family and start a career in his native Canada. Joey will be missed on the ice and in the dressing room.

Controversially the Steelers are also rumoured to be signing ex Panther Jade Galbraith. While Galbraith is a proven point’s scorer in the league, consistently near the top of the point’s scorers list, he is also known for being hard to coach, and a bit of a “loose cannon” off the ice. Just how the Steelers fans will receive Jade if he does sign remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain, with 5 days of big news coming of the Steelers camp, it’s going to be a busy week for the Steelers fans.