HOW THEY LINE UP
My probably totally wrong guesses at how
Streathams lines will look in 24/25
So the 2024/25 season roster now looks to be completed, or thereabouts with 3 goalies, 8 defenders and 11 full time forwards with an additional 12th who's on a two way deal. Possibly the club has an additional 12th forward to announce, but the fact the team has begun training, and the teasers from socials have ended I'd suspect we are looking at the completed roster for 24/25
No doubt Ben already has in mind who will be playing on a line with who heading into the season, and will fine tune this during pre season training and the 2 pre season games vs Slough. But I have my own ideas of what pairings we will be seeing, so in this blog I'm going to pop on my coaches cap and see if I can successfully guess the lines heading into the season.
Goal Tenders
Always build from the net outward, its a saying I always apply to team building in hockey. signing and picking a solid starter is the difference between winning and losing. In the case of Streatham choosing the starter is not the toughest of choices. Danny Milton of course gets the nod here with Matt Friend my A choice for the back up position.
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS
This is where things began getting tricky. The way the teams defensive corps is built this year, has seen size, and physicality signed along with offensive ability and steady effective defensive players. I decided I wanted to try and balance lines where each player complimented the others negatives with their own positives. But I also wanted to avoid the top heavy approach by pairing Stead and Baird together.
1. SAM WALLER AND PRESTON TOMBS
Keeping this pairing together was easy for me to see. They were incredibly effective last season, and really complimented each other. Waller provides the physicality and offensive ability of the pairing. While Tombs brings that youth, extra speed and tenacity. This saw the two of them cover for one another shift after shift. Usually Waller going for an offensive move would see Tombs move a bit back in preparation for any turnovers, he'd usually be the one back to collect pucks behind the net and find an outlet to Waller
2. BAIRD AND GREGORY
I've tried to balance things here, as Brendan Baird tends to play a more offensive minded D game, and I would expect to see him pinching down, and also providing that transitional outlet play. As such I'd expect to see Jordan hanging back in that stay at home role here. While also providing the physical presence on the line battling in the corners and using his size to guide players out to the boards. As Gregory was often paired with Callum Burnett who had offensive tendencies
3. STEAD AND WARMAN
So again with this line I went for the mix of offensive and physical play styles. However in this case both players match that description. While its true that Ben has said Harvey has been signed in order to improve the teams offensive transition play. But Harvey much like his brother Will is not shy about playing that physical Streatham style. Much the same as his line mate here in James Warman, James has an offensive approach himself to plays at times. Having hit highs of about 15 assists in previous seasons James is just as a capable at setting up the offensive plays. But he is of course also well known for those big bone crunching hits at centre ice.
4. SKOKAN AND AIKEN
A top tier offensive defensemen paired with the other solid work horse on the back end. Tomasz Skokan clearly fits the bill of offence on this line. A great 200ft player Skokan is however prone to being caught out pinching down to use that wrist shot of his, so I thought Aiken operating in that defensive role where he hangs back to cover this doing what he does best, which is that hard work on the back end that made me describe him as a gold dust player because of how vital he is to the overall make up of the roster.
FORWARDS
So picking the forward lines I told myself I needed to try and be mindful of not falling into the age old traps of loading up 1 line for bear, and just sticking the youth players on the 4th line. However at the same time, being mindful of what I know works from previous seasons, combined with fitting the new faces in around that. Last seasons mix of suspensions and injuries mean there isn't a set core line group for me to call on here, as Ben had to blender the lines on a seemingly weekly basis. Ideally i'm aiming for lines that mix speed, physicality and scoring.
BRITTLE BEESLEY NORCLIFFE
Beesley was a lock for first line centre for me. Streatham's best player all last season, and leading scorer Ziggy was in beast mode stepping up to fill the void left by friend Vanya Antonov's departure. As Jordan Lawday described him he is a player who can place the puck in the net from anywhere around the net. Luke Brittle started out slow but really hit the after burners in the scoring column throughout the season. If Brittle had the puck around the net it was highly likely he would be scoring or his goto in Ziggy would be scoring. Lastly we have the new face on the line in George Norcliffe. I described George as being potentially the best power forward in the league this season. And thats what Luke and Ziggy need, a big body capable of scoring and setting them up who will also make space for them, much the same way Brandon Miles did.
INGOLDSBY PAYNTER PITCHLEY
I juggled centering this line with Doughty, but decided to stick with Ben as he's the best 2 way centre in this league, and of course was the 2nd line centre last season. But face offs and 200 ft games are not the only reason I chose Ben in this role of course, his offensive ability as well are why. As Ben has posted multiple double digit seasons in both goals and assists for Streatham over his time with the club. On the wings I wanted to try and recreate an old classic from the clubs history in part, and also keep two players together who I feel work well together. Bang and crash hard hitting hockey is a big part of the Streatham way of hockey, and Danny Ingoldsby and JJ Pitchley both embody this perfectly I feel. JJ provides that energy player who is capable of getting the puck about the ice as we saw last season. While Danny I'm hoping would rekindle the partnership he had with Ben in 19/20 that saw Danny end that season with 35 points. But he also provides that physicality, combined with a quick edge to it.
WATT DOUGHTY J LANE
The embarrassment of riches in the clubs forward group has made me fall into the trap I didn't want to here. But more on that in the next section. Doughty I have put at centre because of his net front presence and size. I have seen a lot of highlights of him shovelling loose pucks in front, and generally making a nuisance of himself to opposition goalies. Watty of course takes up position on the wing where I envision him doing what he does best which is dangling down the wing, and cutting in for those chances, while also being in prime position to rotate to the point for one of his long range bombs. Both Doughty and Watt should be able to generate space for Jared Lane to move into and use his speed. Watt and Lane had a solid partnership in the past so I envision this should work out well.
E LANE CATHCART PLAYER ROTATION/ERSKINE
And so I have fallen into the trap I set for myself, I have put the 2 young prospects on a line together in favour of loading up the top 3 lines, and adding in the 2 way player on this line alongside the rotation. I wanted to move Cathcart and Ethan up somewhere in the top 9 but every time I looked at the trios I had I couldn't find anyone who I could move down the order in place of them. Ive used Roman in the centre because as Ben has described him he's a physical presence but with speed which is what you need in a centre. Ethan Lane of course everyone will hope pushes on from the impressive form he showed last season and finds a way to continue adding to his 4 goal total. Ethan is a player who has found regular scoring at every level, so hopefully he will continue that trend at NIHL 1 level.
It would be easy to see this as the 4th line that gets rolled out when the goal difference is very favourable but I don't see it that way. Roman and Ethan are established at this level, in Romans case he has international and NIHL experience under his belt. Add in a solid rotated forward working with them, most likely Ben himself or Watty and these 2 youngsters should come on leaps and bounds together.
So there it is, how I think the lines will match up and why. Possibly if Ben see's this he'll be having a chuckle at how wrong I am. We'll have to wait till the season starts on the 7th September to find out though.
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