Blaze set to sign a NHL player. (1 Viewer)

[Houdi]

With the NHL in current lockdown the Blaze are set to announce the signing of a current NHL player.I doubt it will be Sidney Crosby still we can dream.they have named the bar in his honour.:claping hands:
It will be some wage cut though,maybe a multi million dollar contract to a few hundre pound a week.Let's hope he doesn't get injured though as his club won't be too happy.

 

---

[Tad]

With the NHL in current lockdown the Blaze are set to announce the signing of a current NHL player.I doubt it will be Sidney Crosby still we can dream.they have named the bar in his honour.:claping hands:
It will be some wage cut though,maybe a multi million dollar contract to a few hundre pound a week.Let's hope he doesn't get injured though as his club won't be too happy.

Rumours are its Deryk Engelland from the Pittsburgh Penguins. He's a 30 year old Defencemen that's played 145 NHL games and during which managed to pick up 29 points. That's pretty good for a Defenceman. Can't see how we can afford any NHLer really. He must surely be paying his own insurance...

 

[Bertola]

The NBA had a lockout last year, and several players went to China, or came over to Europe to play whilst they were locked out. They took massive pay-cuts, but most had contract clauses allowing them to return as soon as the new Labour deal was arranged.

All of them returned praising their experiences abroad, so hopefully Blaze will have a similar effect on their new signing.

As for them taking a pay-cut, well they aren't being paid during the lock-out so i guess they'll see an opportunity to play in a foreign league as a way of staying in game-shape, and collecting some wages.

Excited to see who it is.

 

[Nick]

What do the lockouts mean?

 

[Tad]

What do the lockouts mean?

It's when the players union and the league can't agree on the terms for the coming season. If terms can't be agreed by a certain time, the season can get cancelled or held back. Like most things in life, it boils down to MONEY.

 

[Tad]

Anaheim Duck player Matt Beleskey now confirmed as the signing:

Genting Casino Coventry Blaze are pleased to confirm the signing of National Hockey League forward Matt Beleskey.

The 24-year-old Ontario native has made 173 regular-season and play-off appearances for Anaheim Ducks, registering 44 points (19 goals and 25 assists).

Beleskey, also a fourth-round draft pick by the Ducks in 2006, is the third player to join the Rapid Solicitors Elite League due to the NHL lock-out following Carolina Hurricanes forward Anthony Stewart (Nottingham Panthers) and Detroit Red Wings forward Drew Miller (Braehead Clan).

Blaze will have Beleskey in the line-up for Sunday’s Challenge Cup tie against Panthers at the Skydome (5.15pm face-off)

Coach Paul Thompson highlighted the important role assistant coach Matt Soderstrom and the club’s sponsors had in helping secure the deal.

He said: “Matty spoke to a few of the sponsors and they have helped make this deal possible. I cannot thank Matty and the sponsors enough.

“The sponsors can see the type of team we have and the attitude and commitment of the side and they were happy to help.

“Had we had a full line-up we would not have been looking. But I have been overplaying guys and they needed some support. This is going to give them a huge lift.

“I was looking for a young, hungry player who can play the intense, in-your-face style we have been producing this season and Matt fits the bill. I am expecting him to contribute heavily to our offence.

“I am absolutely excited to have signed Matt. He is a talented player and I cannot wait to have him in our line-up.”

 

[Houdi]

What do the lockouts mean?

Basically there is a dispute between the owners/clubs and the players over shared revenue,which means the start of the season has been cancelled.Talks are ongoing but already part of the season has been wiped out,but it is a 82? game regular season,plus 4 rounds of the play=offs,best of 7 games.
The trouble is the schedule is quite difficult to organise,as for example my team Vancouver will often have sometimes 8/9/10 road games in a row,because of the huge distances involved.The dispute has already cost both sides millions in lost revenue.
New signing announced as Matt Beleskey from the Anaheim Ducks,should be a stand out player at this level.:claping hands:

 

[sky blue zam]

heres a video of him with the cardiff enforcer

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=wD0xKOYSZqI&desktop_uri=/watch?v=wD0xKOYSZqI&gl=GB

 

[Nick]

Does that mean it will be fashionable for me to wear my Mighty Ducks top again?

 

[sky blue zam]

too right nick, lol. you'll be fine but get to skydome sunday grudge match v nottingham do get tickets quick.

 

[Tad]

too right nick, lol. you'll be fine but get to skydome sunday grudge match v nottingham do get tickets quick.

How long do you think before the "quack, quack, quack..." chant will start

Great movies!

 

[sky blue zam]

How long do you think before the "quack, quack, quack..." chant will start

Great movies!

not long, hope we do the flying d, lol

 

[Houdi]

Has flown in overnight from California,and will be interviewed live on BBC Midlands Today at 1.30.He will go straight into Sunday's grudge match against the Panthers.:claping hands:

 

[coundonskyblue]

Great win tonight.

Beleskey fitted in well!

 

[Tad]

Tough game tonight but we managed to win 3-1. Belesky was good. He looked a bit tired - understandable with all the travelling - at times, but he still played great. Wasn't that impressed with Nottinghams NHLer though. Seemed very uninterested for large chunks of the game.

Think that's up there for me as being Hirsch's best games for us. Played out of his skin.

 

[Houdi]

What a game that was,yet again the team left everything on the ice.Fantastic hit from Beleskey in the first period,the poor guy didn't know what day of the week it was.And when Lee took exception to it,Beleskey dropped them and flattened him within seconds.A great photo of Egener's hit on Lepine,where the plexi looks like its about to break.
Great to go to a game against the Panthers without having to listen to their fans gleefully chanting,'you got battered',not this year we won't.:jerkit:.Big Ben Olson offering Lepine a chance 'to dance',and him turning it down priceless..This Blaze team is not one to be messed with,something sadly lacking last year.
And when Leeb scored the empty netter,it was great to see the Panther fans trooping out in their droves.Great game in front of a virtual full house,lets hope the lock out stays on for a few months yet.I think Beleskey really enjoyed that,although it must be a huge cultural shock,going from Anaheim,California to downtown Coventry.

 

[Tad]

Egeners hit was a real beauty! Can't believe I forgot to mention that. Even the youngsters gave everything. Sam hit everything that moved and Griffin annoyed more then a few Panther players

 

[sky blue zam]

was a great game, nice to see egeners first fight and although over pretty quick he did do alright with lepine but think that was possibly the best hit ive seen since lee put penner on his backside. panties fans were quick with the easy chant after that fight so we had pay them back when beleskey smashed lee up, lol. apparently well over 2800 there aswell.

 

[andy86]

Real buzz around the blaze at the moment, reminds me of the grand slam team alot. I'm not saying we will match that, but it's a similar feel.
Sunday night's game against Panthers was one of the most intense performances i've seen for a good few years!

 

[Tad]

The NHL have made an offer to the NHLPA that could potentially end the NHL lockout and have the season start late. The offers pretty fair (50/50 split) and the NHLPA would be crazy to reject it in my opinion. This means all NHL players are to return to their NHL teams.

For those who don't know, all NHL players are allowed to play elsewhere providing there is a lockout. If the lockout ends, they have to return to their NHL team...

Not great news, but we're still very strong without Belesky

 

[sky blue zam]

hope we get to see him v sestito saturday though, a proper nhl bout

 

[Tad]

hope we get to see him v sestito saturday though, a proper nhl bout

I'm sure they'll play that game. If agreed, the NHL season will start around the 5th of November - they hope. There's a lot of NHL players out there that could be heading back to America. Tom Sestito (Sheffield), Anthony Stewart (Nottingham), Drew Miller (Braehead) will all be leaving our shores and going back to their NHL teams..

Think everyone knew they wouldn't stay for long, but this is shorter then we thought haha.