The Black and Gold Wire

I wasn't expecting to be writing this now, but here we are. The EIHL decided to call off the season on Friday, and whilst it absolutely was the right decision, it does sting a bit, as I genuinely think that this is the best Panthers team we've seen in many years. I never thought I'd be saying that after the mess we were in during October, when the season being called off would've been a blessing. Looking at the problems we had in  my article for the Cat's Whiskers back then and comparing it to where we've found ourselves is truly incredible. The resilience and work ethic shown allowed us to sneak into the title race, and were even some people's favorites to be crowned champions for a very brief period.  The early months of the season weren't even a blip. We found ourselves in a literal crisis. Years of failure made game night somewhat of a chore for fans, and after a summer rebuild, it didn't just remain the same, it got worse. As in, heading to

Signing high quality free agents midway through the season can be an incredibly difficult task, as the majority of the best players are already snapped up. The market is significantly smaller than in the off-season, but Guillaume Doucet has done brilliantly to bring in 5 additions to the squad that have had a massive impact on the Panthers success, which has seen them claw their way back into the title race, even if it is arguably out of sight now.  Jake Hansen Eyebrows were raised when ex-Coventry winger Jake Hansen was announced, not because his CV was poor, but because at the time, Panthers were crying out for a go to goalscorer. However, his 25 points in 23 games for Coventry still showed he was capable of making an impact, and what an impact it has been.  The 2007 Columbus Blue Jackets draft pick proved many of his doubters wrong as he has become a key figure in the Panthers offence, putting up a phenomenal 60 points in all competitions at the time of writing. He made hi

Panthers Brit core has been an interesting talking point this season. The departures of Robert Farmer and Steve Lee have hindered the depth of the roster, and there is a good chance this will be an area addressed during the off-season, especially with the import limit decreasing from 14 to 13, meaning the players you have outside of this bracket will become more significant to your chances of success.  Panthers current British contingent consists of:  Brett Perlini  Jackson Whistle  Joe Hazeldine (2-way) Jordan Kelsall (2-way) Josh Tetlow  Ollie Betteridge  Robert Lachowicz  Sam Gospel (2-way)  With many of those players still developing, a marquee British signing would do wonders for the Panthers going into next season. Brits are prized possessions in the EIHL, as there isn't exactly an overload of homegrown players out there who meet the required standards to play in the UK top flight. As a result, clubs typically hold on to these players, and poaching the