The Guildford Flames are the conundrum of the Elite Ice Hockey League.
Maybe partly through scheduling, but by and large if you only watched the EIHL in September and October you might think the Flames would have multiple championship banners hanging in their rafters by now. Coach Paul Dixon has recruited some top-tier talent in his five seasons in the EIHL and Guildford have often taken an early lead in the league table, then struggled to stay competitive across the campaign and dropped into mid-table by March.
That’s not to say that Guildford can’t still compete at the sharp end of the season either. Belfast fans know how good the Flames can be after needing an overtime win to lift the 2019 Challenge Cup and being pushed to the wire again in a tense Playoff semi-final that year.
Can they be thereabouts in March and April this year?
I think Ben O’Connor could be the key to Guildford’s title ambitions. NHL trades are often graded on the overall package, but often the team getting the best player wins the trade. So if you said you could trade Mac Howlett and Jordan Cownie for Ben O’Connor and Morgan Clarke-Pizzo, you probably take that trade, all due respect to the former Flames who are solid Elite League players in their own right.
Guildford added the premier British defenceman that they haven’t really had before in the EIHL, except maybe in Steven Lee, and on top of O’Connor’s ability you open up a further import forward spot. That combined with the extra roster player allowed this season and Coach Dixon’s recruitment has given Guildford the ability to build three regular scoring lines.
That change may be bearing fruit already. Last season Guildford’s top point scorer in the league was Jamal Watson, a defenceman, ranked 18th overall. The Flames only had two forwards scoring at a point-per-game pace in the league, albeit with some solid secondary scoring.
So far in league play the Flames have five players contributing at least a point-per-game or more, with four of those in the league’s top ten. Ian McNulty is second in goals, Sam Marklund sits fourth. They are getting more shots on goal than everyone else if you take out Belfast’s one game, and their goals for average ranks third, again taking out the Giants. It’s a small sample size in October that could crumble with Guildford’s recent league trajectories, but offensively the Flames are firing.
Their problems may materialise on defence.
Guildford are giving up more shots per game and have a higher goals against average than any of their early title rivals so far. You expect that to a degree at the start of every season as new players bed into new systems, but ominously Cardiff and Sheffield have already started well in that regard.
Additionally the Flames have already played league games short at the back, with Mike Crocock missing two games. They won those games and do have spare import forwards to run four lines in that scenario, but as ever in the EIHL defensive injuries and how they are managed may dictate how Guildford can compete in the title race.
Notable Players
From day one Daniel Tedesco and Bradley Lalonde have been lighting up my EIHL fantasy team, proving once and for all that you can successfully scout players on Elite Prospects.
…..
I did pick the current top three offensive defenceman from week one, to be fair. Just saying.
Lalonde has been a dynamic offensive defenceman for the Flames thus far and has two overtime game-winning goals across league and cup action.
Ian McNulty has continued his form from last season with five goals and three assists in the league so far, in only five tilts. Sam Marklund matches that stat line in seven games.
Eamon McAdam has taken the bulk of Guildford’s league starts, with Taz Burman shoudlering the Challenge Cup work.
Depth Chart
Marklund 20 – Ferguson 18 – Eriksson 28
McNulty 29 – Griffiths 77 – Crinella 72
Tedesco 27 – Lachowicz 7 – Tait – 8
Clarke-Pizzo 86 – Frei 13 – Ripplinger 16
Crocock 46 – Lalonde 5
O’Connor 14 – Locke 6
Yuill 24 – Klimek 42
McAdam 27
Burman 1
Long 30
The Flames have a largely settled top line and defence, but have mirrored the Giants of late in trying to balance their depth. McNulty and Peter Crinella have largely been together on the second line, with McNulty changing to left wing from centre in Guildford’s last two games. Tedesco started on that wing but has found some chemistry with Lachowicz and Tait. Frei and Ripplinger have move into centre and wing spots respectively as needed.
Quick Hits
There have been some good quality hockey games already this season.
I didn’t feel as a Belfast fan that I would be gutted at not taking points from SHL-leaading Skellefteå AIK, but here we are. Coach Keefe may have a bet on not icing the same team twice all season, but it’s a great problem to have and the Giants have the talent to push for silverware again.
Cardiff may have struggled in the Challenge Cup but they are running the table in the league. Sheffield look like another strong Aaron Fox team at first glance, blistering at times offensively, prone to the odd mistake on defence. I’m still jealous of his Czech Extraliga contacts.
The Coventry Blaze were making a pretty good run at the 2019/20 EIHL title before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. They fell off last season but are looking stronger again.
There is a lot of positivity around the Panthers due to Omar Pacha’s revolution. Results-wise… It’s a work in progress.
Manchester are trying to confuse everyone by losing at home and winning more away.
Dundee need work but they have some talent. Fife have brought in a plethora of EIHL experience alongside some European standouts and look better for it.
Glasgow… Glasgow fans are some of the most craic at the EIHL Playoff Final weekend, their display for Hockey is for Everyone at the 2019 Playoffs was excellent. I hope they get some light at the end of the very dark tunnel they are in soon.
Overall I think the league is looking pretty strong right now. Hopefully that continues into March and April and perhaps we’ll get another five-horse race for the title.
FC Hockey Media 