The new EIHL season is finally upon us this weekend as the teams get ready to face-off this Saturday. I’ve refrained from making predictions for the season as I haven’t got a clue, with most teams making significant changes to their rosters and many of the signings being new to the league. I have though had a punt at how I see the opening day’s fixtures panning out.

Basingstoke vs. Coventry: I can see only one winner from this game. Despite the higher wage budget and obvious talent advantage that Coventry have, I would still have given the Bison a fighting chance of taking this game as I’ve been impressed by some of their signings this summer and they will be wanting to come out fighting after putting a troubled previous season behind them. However they have been hit once again by financial problems with a £30K hole in their budget being announced by their owner (now filled by the generosity of fans as well as a substantial donation by the Cardiff Devils). This inevitably will have had a distracting effect on the team’s preparations and coupled with the cancellation of their pre season game with Cardiff they can be forgiven if their performance is slightly below par. They go back to Coventry on Sunday for the second round of this double header so it should be a hard fought game with both teams wanting to gain the psychological edge. I see a comfortable Coventry win.

Hull vs. Manchester: Hull will be going all out to provide their long suffering fans with something to cheer about and their new super-sized squad will want to prove that they can play a little too after a poor show against Sheffield last weekend. From Manchester’s signings I can’t see an obvious improvement on last season’s roster and I expect to see them grind out their victories where they can. I think Manchester will just edge this one.

Newcastle vs. Nottingham: A tough opening game for Nottingham who are expected by many to mount a serious challenge for trophies this season. Newcastle have on paper a much improved team from last term and despite talk from their camp playing down any title aspirations they will be hoping to be up there come the end of the season. They will also been keen to get a win under their belts after their pre-season hammering by Coventry. It will be interesting to see how the Panthers’ new coach Corey Neilson has his team playing this season as they have a good mix of skill and toughness in their roster. This could go either way but I think Nottingham will win.

Belfast vs. Cardiff: Belfast have assembled a great squad this summer and should be a force to be reckoned with if rookie coach Steve Thornton can get them playing to their potential. Cardiff also look like they will be strong but I think their advantage lies mainly in their home rink where the smaller ice will allow them to play the rough and gritty game that has been so effective for them. It will be a tough game for Belfast and it will be interesting to see how their skilled players stand up to Cardiff’s intimidation. I’ll go for a Belfast win.

Sheffield vs. Edinburgh: Sheffield start as the overwhelming favourite for this game and it’s hard to see anything other than a home victory. Sheffield should have the jump on most other teams as they have already played five competitive warm up games. Having said all this, Edinburgh have improved their roster for this season and have proven to be a thorn in the Steelers’ side on many occasions in the past. Sheffield may also have one eye on the following day’s tough trip to Cardiff and be looking to conserve energy which could work in Edinburgh’s favour. On paper it should be a comfortable home win..

In other news the Capitals have announced that Neil Hay has re-signed for his 9th season up in Scotland. Hay is a solid British forward, if not a bit lightweight at 5’11” and 187lbs, and has improved year on year. Edinburgh will be hoping he can further develop and improve on his 25 point tally from last season.

Steelers’ fans have been celebrating in the streets of Sheffield as they clinched the much coveted Yorkshire Cup, beating Hull in a close series which finished 15-6 on aggregate. The win must have come as a shock to the rest of the league who had confidently predicted that Steelers would give up before the end of the first period due to sheer fright. The Steelers didn’t manage to make it a double though, losing the Charity Shield 5-4 to Coventry. No one cares about that trophy though do they? Just ask Nottingham.

Czech forward Marek Ivan has been unveiled as the final piece of Newcastle’s jigsaw. Ivan spent a productive season with Nottingham in 2004-05 but courted controversy with his on-ice attitude and off-ice antics. In a game against the London Racers he provoked a mass brawl after the London bench objected to his enthusiastic goal celebration. Not known as one to back up his mouth with his fists it will be interesting to see how long he lasts in what appears to be a tougher league this season, although there are no shortage of ‘minders’ for him on the Vipers’ bench.

It has also been announced this week that after a short existence during pre-season the 2 referee system has been dropped. It appears that a lack of enough competent officials (never!) and an unwillingness from the league’s teams to foot the bill of £35,000 to fund the experiment has been the stumbling block.

In the NHL–KHL tug-of -war Alexander Radulov has been suspended without pay for this season by the Nashville Predators who he is contracted to for the 2008-09 season. Radulov had earlier this year announced that he was leaving Nashville to play for Salvat Yulaev Ufa in the KHL. This suspension now leaves Radulov few options as he is also suspended from all IIHF competitions (which includes the KHL) until Ufa void his contract. It remains to be seen as to whether the KHL will allow Ufa to risk the wrath of the IIHF and play Radulov but it seems clear that they hold little regard for the transfer agreements agreed between themselves and the NHL earlier this summer. With the season commencing this week we won’t have to wait long to find out and what ever the outcome I look forward to the fireworks next time Russia and the USA meet on the ice, I can envisage a replay of the 1987 World Junior’s game between Russia and Canada.

Scire tuum nihil est, nisi te scire hoc sciat alter

The Ice breaker

THEY are bigger, they are stronger and they are tougher - who? The Hull Stingrays or, as their coach Rick Strachan calls them, the NEW Hull Stingrays.

Whilst the Steelers have kept the vast majority of last year’s team and added just a few players, Strachan has kept a few and added a dozen new faces, most of them 6′3″, most of them 220lbs plus and most of them keen to drop the gloves. Strachan I think was fed up at being beaten in his own rink and took the view that if are going to beat them this year you are going to feel the pain in doing so. Will it make Hull a better team? I don’t think so but it will make them more entertaining and it will give them an identity at long last. We, of course, will find out more about Hull this weekend.

We are in Hull tonight for the first leg of the Yorkshire Cup and tomorrow will play the Stingrays at the Sheffield Arena (6pm - tickets 0114 2565656).
The good news for David Matsos is that all of the players are in town and fit. Steve Munn was the last to fly in and all the team have had three training sessions behind them before this weekend. The majority of the team have been in town for 10 days or more, ensuring that we will be the fittest team in the league once the season begins next Saturday when Edinburgh come to the Arena (7pm).

With a game against Coventry on Wednesday, Steelers will have played five exhibition games; I can’t ever remember us being so well prepared ahead of a league season. Now the test is to turn that preparation into a good start, make sure we win six or seven of the opening seven or eight games, get ahead of the pack, put early pressure on Coventry and, I think, Belfast who I am sure will be the top teams alongside Steelers this season.

I’m also sure that this weekend we will see the start of Andrew Sharp’s Steelers career. Andrew will no doubt have to fight on several occasions in these two days. With Hull boasting several tough guys, Andrew will be called on to lead the charge physically.

Good luck to the lad, he is fighting for our shirt.

David Simms