OK I'll bite... Flyers didnt develop Sam Jones not even a little bit. He was ready for Elite league from the first day he arrived in Fife. Already had a few pro seasons on his CV before coming here and was a few years older than Reece. Just look at every young fife player who has "played" with the flyers Caly Robertson Reece Cochrane Chad Smith Scott Jamieson these guys all know each other, Caly and both Reece's grew up playing together you think they dont talk to each other how it was sitting on the bench all season long. There are others who simply cant get a look in and have moved away from fife because the chances are just not there. Even the previous head of junior development left with his son to move to Dundee.
You see why I would say for Reece Kelly to stay far enough away.
Above all that the chance to play and be coached in Finland sorry but I would say thats simply far to good an opportunity to pass on when the alternative is a club that has a track record of not developing young players at all with the current head coach.
Or could Todd actually be correct and the brits that are coming through dont have the basis talent to make it in the elite league? The players youve mentioned we’ll start with Smith, Todd didnt fancy him clearly so he left and went to Glasgow and again got limited ice time. Were both coaches wrong or is the talent just not there? Finished the season in the SNL at murrayfield so perhaps not even good enough for NIHL level?
I’ll combine Robertson and Cochrane because i do think they have the talent to play at elite level but at this stage in there careers are they ready? Id say probably not and given both played NIHL last season then other coaches think the same, so again Todd probably justified in not giving ice time to guys who arent ready to play at the level required.
Jamiesons signed this season but im guessing his ice time will be limited as well because he’s probably not at the level required YET. Maybe best for him to ply his trade in the NIHL sooner rather than later.
In terms of Sam Jones, youre right he probably was ready to step up to the elite league but at probably 7 of the teams he wouldnt have got the ice time he did in Fife. So surely Dutes has to be credited with some responsibility in his development? He was playing top 4 minutes, PP, PK. Would he have gotten in the GB team if he didnt get that ice time?
I think Dutes has his hands tied in regards to the British situation. Peacock will be guaranteed big minutes and if we sign a British defenceman then im absolutely sure he’ll get his fair share of ice time.
In the past ten years i cant think of one brit thats came out of Fifes system and went on to play regular minutes in the EIHL. This to me suggests that the raw talent just isnt there anymore and the gap between leagues is far too big.
Bari McKenzie - 478 EIHL games before pulling on a Fife sweater, has spent games sitting without a shift or games with 1 or 2 shifts. He was over 30 when he came here yet still got the dutes treatment. Another player who played regular minutes in the EIHL moved to Fife and rode the bench until retiring Euan Forsyth. This is a Dutes problem with British players.
I simply Dont believe there isnt or hasnt been one player that could have cracked it with the Flyers, lets agree the Gap is to big between SNL and EIHL so how do you fix it. Do you do what Neil black did and send your top prospects to NA for training or do you send your top guys to the NIHL with agreement to develop these guys with said club basically a feeder team down south.
Its well known the flyers coaching staff have nothing to do with Junior development Hutchy has confirmed that he doesnt work with any players other than flyers players! not exactly building for the future is it.
Lets take one of the guys you mentioned Chad Smith thats your take on his time at Fife. How about we dig a little deeper and see if the raw talent was there.
15/16 - 16 year old
Kirkcaldy Kestrels SNL 16 8 9 17 10 |
Fife Falcons Scotland U20 10 8 10 18 49 |
Great Britain U18WJC-18 D2A 5 0 1 1 0 1
Young player performing well as a 16 year old in u20's 18 pts in 10 games just over a PPG player in the SNL clearly one to watch.
Also selected GB u18's only player from KIHC and 1 of 3 scots. Should be firmly on Flyers radar following this season. A plan should be in place with KIHC and the player at this point.
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2016-17 17 year old
Fife Flyers EIHL 7 0 0 0 0 |
Kirkcaldy Kestrels SNL 14 12 10 22 47 |
Fife Falcons Scotland U20 10 20 22 42 8 |
Great Britain U18 WJC-18 D2A 5 1 0 1 0 -1
Just dominates the u20's league with his brother and Caly Robertson the are in the top 4 in league scoring Chad sits 3rd behind Caly. Improves on his SNL totals out performing his u20's peers in this league. Again selected for world championships u18's for GB. Clearly on the Flyers radar as he dresses for 7 games during the 16/17 season. Great move bringing him up to the pro level to get the exposure and understanding of what he needs to do to stick around in seasons to come. Again his development is now reaching a critical stage so clear plans have to be in place.
2017-18 18 year old
Fife Flyers EIHL 46 0 1 1 0 | Playoffs 4 0 0 0 2
Fife Flyers EIHL CUP 7 0 1 1 0
Kirkcaldy Kestrels SNL 9 6 11 17 41 |
Sydney Bears AIHL 1 0 0 0 2 |
Great Britain U20 WJC-20 D2A 5 0 0 0 0 -1 |
Development stalls as he dresses for 57 EIHL Games see almost no ice time at a crucial time in his career, Does however pick up first 2 points in the EIHL. Only plays 9 SNL games (half of games played by the kestrels)but is selected to u20' GB team so talent is still seen by GB coaches.
2018-19 19 year old
Fife Flyers EIHL 54 1 0 1 0 -2 | Playoffs 2 0 0 0 0 0
Fife Flyers EIHL CUP 6 0 0 0 2 -1
Kirkcaldy Kestrels SNL 2 3 0 3 0 |
Great Brit U20“A” WJC-20 D2A 5 3 2 5 0 4 |
Dresses for 62 EIHL games again little to no ice time but does score his first EIHL goal. Only 2 SNL games played scores 3 goals. Ice time during this season a massive issue as thats almost 2 full seasons lost sitting on the bench watching EIHL hockey. Selected again for GB U20's and is named Assistant Captain for the WJC 5 Games 5 points. Development has still taken place as shown by the GB performance but far to much time lost watching hockey from the bench. Has been dressed for 126 EIHL games by the end of this season. You can probably count the total number of shifts on one hand!
2019-20
Fife Flyers EIHL 16 0 0 0 0 0 |
Glasgow Clan EIHL 26 0 0 0 6 -6 |
Basically gives up at Fife after bench warming again for another 22 games.
2020-21
M/field Racers SNL 0 0 0 0 0
Biggest thing that jumps out at me from the info above is the lack of ice time at crucial ages. The junior club clearly has/had talented players, you don't play for GB teams without having something to your game. At 16 Chad clearly had masses of potential however his development in the pro leagues was next to nothing you cant as a 17/18/19 year old sit and watch games you MUST be playing. I watch/listen to the Spittin Chiclets podcast and the Duncan Keith one he spoke about learning to play defence in the AHL from his coach when he was 20/21 years old he got ice time and was coached on how to play defence the right way. Turned out to be a decent player for the blackhawks after the 2 AHL seasons. The point of saying that is at 20 even as good as player as he was he needed to be shown how to play the game, he needed time and games to become an NHL player. Do you think he becomes the player he was if he rides the pine for the 2 AHL seasons. Do NHL coaches go the gap between the NHL and other leagues is too big so let't not bother developing players.
Our coaching staff think these guys will just suddenly become better faster stronger without the club actually investing any time or money into their prospects. The truth is countless examples of talented young players not reaching their potential at Fife because they are not being provided with the right development once they reach the flyers.
Reece Cochrane did it for parts of 2 seasons while still playing SNL and U20's and went enough I'm out when he was 18 and moved down south. Not as part of any Flyers plan they had for him just off his own back to give himself the best chance at a pro career. Will be interesting to see how he does with the clan and with a coach known for bringing on young players.