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On 17/04/2018 at 16:07, #Gary said:

 Out of interest,  would you support a Murrayfield Racers team if they were to be given entry into the EIHL?

Would you suspect most other Caps fans would? 

The fanbase seems to be pretty split between those who are Caps fans and those who are "fans of hockey".

A lot of the Caps' support were irked by a large chunk of fans disparaging the team by harping on about how they longed for the "good old days of the Racers", so the fact the new club are calling themselves the Murrayfield Racers doesn't help get those sorts on-side. Although there's plenty of blame to be dished out for the death of the Caps, they would still be in existence if the group of folk hadn't tried to start a new club. Many Caps fans will never forgive them for that and will probably be lost to the sport after attending a handful of games at other rinks.

There's another set of fans who don't care what the team is called or what happened behind the scenes and just want to turn up on a Sunday evening, watch decent hockey and chat to the same folk they have been for decades. They're probably quite excited about the prospect of watching a team next season that might be well run and avoid finishing bottom, but Caps fans have always been overoptimistic.

I see where both sides are coming from but the way things have played out over the last month has really split hockey fans in Edinburgh and there's quite a lot of bad feeling going around.

Personally, I'm out of the country so don't have a decision to make, but I'd probably use it as an excuse to stop going. I'll never have the connection with the Racers that I did with the Caps.

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  • 2 weeks later...

So the EIHL have rejected the Racers' application and form the wording, it sounds like Capitals are  definitely oot. 

http://eliteleague.co.uk/view/eliteicehockey/latest-news/news_502858

I'm glad in a way the league have rejected it, rather than just trying to keep the status quo. I wonder if Racers or Caps will apply to the NIHL, although that opens up an entirely new tin of worms as a lot of the midlands based teams are already none too happy about trekking up to Dumfries. 

Either way, it's a mess. 

Edited by gavin_3110
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A lot of suggestions that Hull step up and take the 12th spot. I personally would like to see a Great Britain U20s team playing as they do in the Slovak league.  Can't see it happening though, why bother with youth development when you can just sign ECHL rejects 

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34 minutes ago, Torpar said:

A lot of suggestions that Hull step up and take the 12th spot. I personally would like to see a Great Britain U20s team playing as they do in the Slovak league.  Can't see it happening though, why bother with youth development when you can just sign ECHL rejects 

How does that work? Are the players contracted to the league and complete the full season or do they play for a "parent" team or something?

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If the league and fans alike were unhappy at the uncompetitiveness of the Caps then I'm not sure they'd be keen on a GB U20 team getting pumped every week.

No to the Racers, yes to Hull. Those were the strongest rumours in the weeks leading up to the vote and it looks like that's what will transpire. I've no idea how the Racers crew never picked up on the league's dislike for them.

It seems like they'll try their hand at NIHL2 where they can truly be Racers-esque and score ten goals a game against the likes of Deeside reserves.

The Caps are dead, they're not coming back, the rink don't want them.

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Sounds like the league didn't even entertain the Racers bid at all. No discussion, no anything really. Just an email flat out rejecting them. 

 

I feel sorry for the fans and i get the ill will towards the Hands but tbh Caps couldn't have continued the way they were, and it seems that the rink just really didn't want them regardless of any other bids for tenure.

I'd put 90% of the blame on that Scott character.

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

 Confirmed that the league will be going ahead with the 11 teams next season,  Hull have delayed their application. 

 

All teams will play each other 6 times,  3 at home and 3 away. 

 

Much fairer structure. 

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 Confirmed that the league will be going ahead with the 11 teams next season,  Hull have delayed their application. 
 
All teams will play each other 6 times,  3 at home and 3 away. 
 
Much fairer structure. 
Better from a fan's point of view. Watching the same teams 8/10 times a season, whatever it was, was numbing.
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  • 1 month later...

A much improved logo. It'd be nice to see their alternate logo as I reckon that one could be a bit too busy for a small size use. (I'm also still not a fan of the name "Clan" for a Glaswegian team).

The Murrayfield Racers also revealed their logo recently. I think it's an absolute belter though perhaps it's a bit too oblong to look good on a shirt. I'm not particularly enamoured with their "The Racers Are Back!" slogan though as this lot have even less to do with the 1966 incarnation than Sevco do with Rangers RIP.

racerslogo.png?fit=1280,591&ssl=1

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

This year has to be better than last year for both my teams.

Major changes at the Clan. A couple of unknowns in the squad for me. Josh Gratton has clearly been a role player in his career but in recent years he's moved from being an enforcer to a power forward. It'll be interesting to see if he continues that with us and if he gives us a decent points return. My favourite EIHL player is still Colt King - he was a guy who could put up points and was lethal when dropping the gloves. The goaltender is also an interesting one. His NCAA numbers are good. His ECHL numbers rank around (sometimes higher, sometimes lower) guys like Andy Isles and Nic Riopel who were really good in our league. He'll have a good D in front of him this year. Travis Erhart was a great signing and looks to be one of the better blue liners in the league. Up front we're going back to tried and tested guys like Pitt and Beca. Signing Connolly was huge and he's a genuine top class game-changing forward.

I'd pick us to finish 5th but if things don't work out in Sheffield then we could find ourselves 4th. I have serious doubts over the Steelers. Thommo has it in him to be a good coach or a garbage one and whilst they've signed a few good players, I'm not convinced with their squad overall. I dont think it would take much for them to struggle, Panthers and Devils again look the pick of the bunch.

 

I'll be in Mannheim in December for a couple of games in the SAP (v Augsburg and then Ingolstadt). We had a terrible start to our DEL campaign last year and despite bringing in guys with NHL and extensive AHL experience we never really convinced. We've shipped out a few of the older imports (Steelers signed Aaron Johnson) and I like the look of some of the guys we've brought in. I thought Denis Endras had a poor season last year and has a bit to prove this year. Still in his early 30s so young enough for a goaltender but he wasn't great. Not all his fault though - he had a poor team in front of him and we had serious injury troubles. I'm hoping that Phil Hungerecker can have a big season after coming through as injury cover last year and doing really well.Ben Smith was an absolutely great signing coming off of a Calder Cup winning year with the Marlies and a decent number of NHL games on his CV. Andrew Desjardines will be important for us too and Luke Adam gives us a real spark up front. I was sad to see Macmurchy go but his age and last season's injury issues prevented him from contributing as much as he could. Not sad to see Johnson or Colaiacovo co. Johnson will do a job for the Steelers, but he isnt going to be an EIHL stand out, and Carlo would have done the same. Neither were good enough to continue for Die Adler.

Top 4 and a deep play-off run is the minimum I'd expect from Die Adler, although the money of Red Bull Munich will probably influence the course of the season.

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This year has to be better than last year for both my teams.
Major changes at the Clan. A couple of unknowns in the squad for me. Josh Gratton has clearly been a role player in his career but in recent years he's moved from being an enforcer to a power forward. It'll be interesting to see if he continues that with us and if he gives us a decent points return. My favourite EIHL player is still Colt King - he was a guy who could put up points and was lethal when dropping the gloves. The goaltender is also an interesting one. His NCAA numbers are good. His ECHL numbers rank around (sometimes higher, sometimes lower) guys like Andy Isles and Nic Riopel who were really good in our league. He'll have a good D in front of him this year. Travis Erhart was a great signing and looks to be one of the better blue liners in the league. Up front we're going back to tried and tested guys like Pitt and Beca. Signing Connolly was huge and he's a genuine top class game-changing forward.
I'd pick us to finish 5th but if things don't work out in Sheffield then we could find ourselves 4th. I have serious doubts over the Steelers. Thommo has it in him to be a good coach or a garbage one and whilst they've signed a few good players, I'm not convinced with their squad overall. I dont think it would take much for them to struggle, Panthers and Devils again look the pick of the bunch.
 
I'll be in Mannheim in December for a couple of games in the SAP (v Augsburg and then Ingolstadt). We had a terrible start to our DEL campaign last year and despite bringing in guys with NHL and extensive AHL experience we never really convinced. We've shipped out a few of the older imports (Steelers signed Aaron Johnson) and I like the look of some of the guys we've brought in. I thought Denis Endras had a poor season last year and has a bit to prove this year. Still in his early 30s so young enough for a goaltender but he wasn't great. Not all his fault though - he had a poor team in front of him and we had serious injury troubles. I'm hoping that Phil Hungerecker can have a big season after coming through as injury cover last year and doing really well.Ben Smith was an absolutely great signing coming off of a Calder Cup winning year with the Marlies and a decent number of NHL games on his CV. Andrew Desjardines will be important for us too and Luke Adam gives us a real spark up front. I was sad to see Macmurchy go but his age and last season's injury issues prevented him from contributing as much as he could. Not sad to see Johnson or Colaiacovo co. Johnson will do a job for the Steelers, but he isnt going to be an EIHL stand out, and Carlo would have done the same. Neither were good enough to continue for Die Adler.
Top 4 and a deep play-off run is the minimum I'd expect from Die Adler, although the money of Red Bull Munich will probably influence the course of the season.
You make it to last nights game? Although the score wasn't great I thought the performance showed promise with a few nice passages of play. Russel was brilliant in goals and like the look of Wilson and Connelly in particular.
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No. I dont go to friendlies. And since I hate where the away fans sit in Fife, my first game will probably be Dundee away on Sept 9th.

 

Seen a few posts on the fan forums that were positive about our overall play. For our first game its probably as much as we could have expected. Connelly was a huge signing. Potentially one of the best forwards we've had.

Edited by BallochSonsFan
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No. I dont go to friendlies. And since I hate where the away fans sit in Fife, my first game will probably be Dundee away on Sept 9th.
 
Seen a few posts on the fan forums that were positive about our overall play. For our first game its probably as much as we could have expected. Connelly was a huge signing. Potentially one of the best forwards we've had.
What's the best forum to join?
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Dundee have mix of young guys and more experienced guys who look like a real upgrade on previous seasons.  Bouchard has an outstanding pedigree but didnt play last year.  Sjogren in goals looks like a good signing too. A lot to be optimistic about but the whole league is upgrading every year.

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1 hour ago, Tartantony said:
5 hours ago, BallochSonsFan said:
No. I dont go to friendlies. And since I hate where the away fans sit in Fife, my first game will probably be Dundee away on Sept 9th.
 
Seen a few posts on the fan forums that were positive about our overall play. For our first game its probably as much as we could have expected. Connelly was a huge signing. Potentially one of the best forwards we've had.

What's the best forum to join?

The hockey forum is good for UK hockey.

For clan fans you have cllanfans or the purple army forum. Both full of some absolute bellends as well as some decent folk.

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I think most folk on THF come across as being those fucking weirdos you get when you follow any American sport but don't have the football to keep you normal.

The "banter" is utterly mingin but there are a couple of good folk who know their hockey. I would say, in the main, the Scottish contingent on THF are the normal ones.

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I like THF. Any forum that bans a certain Ayrshire fanny (who despite allegedly hating football had a log in for here) isn't the worst place in the world.

It's very English lower league focused. It's become friendlier towards the EIHL in recent years but it's NIHL North chat is poor so not ideal for Solway.

Purple Army Rocks forum is probably the better of the two clan forums. Just a shame that both are full of smug, ITK happy clappers who act high and mighty because they don't follow football.

It's the thing I hate most about UK hockey fans. The whole nice family atmosphere thing whilst also wearing hockey's minority sport status as a badge that makes them special.

The German hockey fans know how to create atmosphere. 

Edited by BallochSonsFan
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