Just over a year ago, I speculated an almost complete haul of not just Devils players, both returning and new, but also ran up a count of almost 20 signings, including a number of goalies and one particularly exciting prospect, Cameron Pound to join the EIHL for this past season.
Some left, as you can never account for team integration, player personality or club environments when you go by analytics, gut hunches and keen observation.
However, whilst not trying to be a scout, it was fun having a look at what options were out there, pouring over stats and weighing up likelihoods of whether they would even sign here in the UK, let alone being accurate in analysis.
For those who follow on X/Twitter, you would have noticed the retweets, threads, quote tweets regarding selects, mentions and debated postulations for a raft of players. No matter who tried to shout some down, at the end of the day, the exercise was successful. Very successful.
So I decided for this summer, to release an article based series of some players I would initially like to see signed at the Devils (without any involvement on official basis with the club) as well as to who I feel would be a good league pick up in general.
This would mean some critically harsh decisions of some peoples favoured players which some picks could replace.
So always bear in mind, this is one guy, who loves his hockey, going by his knowledge of the game, the league, the nature of the industry and his thoughts and observations. It is never personal. Even if I do have my own marquee favourites.
This series will follow a big write up regarding a great hockey hotbed in Canada and the players who have laced up their skates and iced out in the EIHL this season. There might be some collaborations with some people that I constantly talk hockey with, even some coverage on the EIHL Face-Off podcast.
The entire project is designed to be fun, something for fellow hockey nuts and enthusiasts to sink their teeth into during the off-season and get the hockey conversation flowing in the UK, as we all wait for the grind to start again next season.
Here are some articles written for Chasing The Puck during last years off-season;

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