d-men

worthingflame · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 6:41 pm

given the scandalous decison to let Ben Austin go and the fact Ricky Skene has also departed,can anyone think of a qualty british d-man that is avaliable as i'm scratching my head to think of any canidates

drummerlad06 · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 7:08 pm

I beileve but might not be true but Andy Finn from Swindon Wildcats and Joe Graham have not resigned for a club yet so maybe!!!!!!!

luke801 · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 9:25 pm

Joe Graham would be quite good but Andy Finn isn't as good as either Skeney or Aussie IMO (he's only young though I guess).

Our defence could end up weaker this season!

Please say we've got some EIHL star waiting in the wings to sure us up at the back! :lol:

Albus · **Joined:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 8:35 pm **Posts:** 103

Most teams use 4 Ds.
We've got 4 of the very best in the league (Digger/Savage/Lundin/Liddiard).

We will also sign a 5th D - probably Mr Graham, who is better than Skene and Austin, so we're looking very good defensively.

If we sign Finn he'll be the "new Austin" i.e. a decent 6th D that hardly ever gets to play.
Personally, I'd rather we'd kept Ben, as I think he's a great guy but he just wasn't getting used because teams just don't need 6 Ds.

QuickBen · **Posted:** Wed Jul 28, 2010 11:16 am

You can't run a season on 4 D. They get run down. Teams use 6 D, although 5 & 6 less than top 4.

Bison D this year Keiras, Oakford, Reynolds, Redmond, Skene, Graham
Good top 4, EPL standard 5/6

MK, Sluff the same

Joe Graham is not better that Skene. He stands like a pylon in front of the net and watches forwards skate by. Has no appetite along the boards and doesn't seem to want to bock shots (2 areas where Ricky is strong). Wont match Skene SH either, which again was a key as if Skene took alot of SH shifts it kept top 4 fresh for PP and 5 on 5

Skene might not move the puck as dynamically as our top 4 but he will be hard to replace as a no.5

Finn is young with some upside....better then Austin? I guess that depends on whether Ben jumped (for more ice time and a N01 D slot at Hornets) to aid his development or was pushed. i.e does Digger rate him and he left or does he actually see Finn as having more potential. I'd trust Diggers judgement on that. Interesting that Aussie said on joining Hornets that it wasnt good going into the summer not knowing where he would play....seems like he didn't get an offer straight away.

Goalie · **Posted:** Wed Jul 28, 2010 12:00 pm

QuickBen - Basingstoke will all have 4 D this season as Tony Redmond is going to be a forward unless they get an injury. We mustn't forgot there are two more spaces in the roster so we could have signed anyone as D.

QuickBen · **Posted:** Wed Jul 28, 2010 12:06 pm

I am sure Digger has signed 2 more D men ........I guess the point is I'd rather they weren't just "anyone" but actually improved the team over last year

luke801 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 28, 2010 2:15 pm

QuickBen wrote:

I am sure Digger has signed 2 more D men ........I guess the point is I'd rather they weren't just "anyone" but actually improved the team over last year

That's exactly the point. Kirk said at the Supporters Club AGM that all the players needed were already signed and that was over a month ago now. Given that we've run with 6 D-men for the past few seasons at least, I think it's fair to assume that's what he meant.

I'd definitely have Joe Graham if he was no. 6 but I'd like us to sign him along with a no. 3... :wink:

(Hope that isn't too harsh on the guys we have already but I just feel we really need to step it up in D from last season given the way that a) we fell apart in games last season and b) other teams are going to be even stronger next season).

stix · **Joined:** Sun Feb 07, 2010 4:28 pm **Posts:** 125

Radmall, he's a D-man with fairly good quality. He hasn't re-signed for MK yet! Bison had quite a good D-man who came in late last season, his name was Fischer i think?

Don't think he re-signed.

Albus · **Joined:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 8:35 pm **Posts:** 103

stix wrote:

Radmall, he's a D-man with fairly good quality. He hasn't re-signed for MK yet! Bison had quite a good D-man who came in late last season, his name was Fischer i think?

Don't think he re-signed.

Steven Fisher played 2 games late on for Bison last year.
But he's a forward, not a D.
And besides, he's already signed for Swindon! :wink:

worthingflame · **Posted:** Wed Jul 28, 2010 8:54 pm

I'd go with Radmall and possibly Graham,not so sure on Finn

stix · **Joined:** Sun Feb 07, 2010 4:28 pm **Posts:** 125

worthingflame wrote:

I'd go with Radmall and possibly Graham,not so sure on Finn

So if they are free we should snap them up. Quick somebody call Digger :!:

From what i read on MK's site, is that they are in a simillar situation as us with just 5 signed defencemen, one of them just come up from the juniors!

luke801 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 29, 2010 7:18 am

Stix, as I have said before, we have already signed the team. All that's left is to announce it.

dramont1 · **Joined:** Fri May 15, 2009 8:27 am **Posts:** 68

Forgot about Radmall - he had the decency to applaud the Flames fans after our last game up there, which is something the rest of their team weren't very good at. He is a decent D man, and I would take him if available

drummerlad06 · **Posted:** Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:42 am

Well it wont be Andy Finn has he has signed for the Northern Stars:

Look at link from THF:

Quote:

e TDC Waste Management Northern Stars Ice Hockey Academy are delighted to announce the signing of British defenceman Andy Finn from the Swindon Wildcats. Darlington born Finn moves back to his native North East following a stint in the English Premier League where he patrolled the blueline for the Wiltshire based team.

19-year-old Finn who has also played for the Billingham Bombers and the Sheffield Spartans, moves to the Metro Radio Arena as the Northern Stars head into their first season of existence. Having been promoted from ENL Division 2 as champions, the Stars will embark on their first season in the revamped Northern League.

Northern Stars joint head coach Ivor Bennett confirmed he was delighted to add such a quality player to the roster: “Andy is a quality defenceman and someone we’re delighted has agreed to join the Stars” said the former Durham Wasps player. “Having played in the EPL last season for Swindon he’s a bit of a coup for us and he’ll bring that experience to our blueline this coming season. We’ve been very impressed with him so far in training, you can see what he is going to bring to the team. Myself and Fozzy [Stephen Foster] are looking forward to working with Andy.”

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