Following the conclusion of the 2024/25 EIHL league campaign, Panthers fan Rhys Williams has submitted his thoughts on the Panthers fortunes and the performance of the team.
Black and Gold…and Finally Going for Gold
A year ago, the Nottingham Panthers went into the last weekend of the season with their playoff place on the line. This time around, they entered the final weekend with a mathematical chance of lifting the Elite League title for the first time since 2013.
This is by no means comparing the two rosters. Last season’s team should go down as the most courageous to ever wear the black and gold, playing in the most difficult circumstances of all, it’s more to stress the success of the huge rebuild that took place that summer, not least with Danny Stewart becoming the club’s sixth head coach in four seasons.
The Canadian brought 14 years of coaching experience in the EIHL to the opposite side of the Midlands, most notably 8 years behind the bench in Coventry, but could he handle the rise in expectations that came with his new role? The answer to that was yes. Although they narrowly missed out on the silver bowl, a competitive identity has been reinstalled, and a 6th playoff championship of the modern era is now a realistic aim.
It’s a culmination of a lot of factors…
Old Faces, New Ambitions
Rebuilding shouldn’t have to mean entirely starting from scratch, but the Panthers haven’t always succeeded on this front. They hadn’t retained their highest scoring import since 2012, when Jordan Fox put pen to paper ahead of what was, let’s just say, a pretty special season. There was no messing around on this occasion though, three of the club’s four top scorers from the 23/24 campaign would extend their stays on Lower Parliament Street, top scorer Otto Nieminen, Hugo Roy and Didrik Henbrant.
It was a strong baseline for the forward unit who would also be joined by not just a former Panthers top scorer, but league leading scorer, the sensational re-signing of Sam Herr after four years away would send excitement levels through the roof. With no change in the club’s British contingent (excluding two-way players), there was a solid core to build on, ensuring the roster wasn’t merely a bunch of strangers thrown together.
Offence From Left, Right and Centre (Figuratively and Literally)
It is a mystery that Herr didn’t sustain a back injury from carrying an entire hockey team in his 2019/20 spell, but the new forward unit he linked up with would be one of the club’s strongest in over a decade. Mitch Fossier, Kristoff Kontos, Didrik Henbrant and Herr himself would regularly exchange the top points scorer spot throughout the season, headlining a ruthless forward unit.
None were among the league’s highest, which is a minor criticism, but putting the puck in the net was very much a team effort. Tim Doherty and Matt Alfaro were among those who also put up solid numbers, making up a high quality attack right through the lines.
The Great Wall of Nottingham
The one table the Panthers did finish top of is the goals conceded column, or lack thereof. Their 120 goals conceded was by some distance the best defensive record in the EIHL. Aside from Josh Tetlow, this was an entirely rebuilt backline – one that was recruited phenomenally.
Zsombor Garat narrowly missed out on being the league leader in +/-, with Matt Spencer and Jaaklo Niskala not far behind. Injuries to Quinn Wichers and Cooper Zech, the latter of which put up strong offensive numbers after his return, can be attributed to Stewart’s team not quite getting over the line.
Behind them was the club’s best goaltending contingent since Craig Kowalski. Ryan Bednard was a cut above most in the EIHL and it’s no wonder he’s being linked with a move to a much higher level. His injury wouldn’t derail the title push, with Jason Grande ending the season with the league’s best goals against average and save percentage.
Breaking the Steel Curse, and keeping the Devil out of the detail
Losing to your rivals once is painful. When it’s 22 times in a row, it’s eyebleach, especially when they wedge a Grand Slam into that period, the number itself paints an oversimplified picture given the circumstances of last season, but even without that, the battle of the M1 has been one sided for a number of years. You have to compete with the best to be the best, which the Panthers finally did, splitting the league points evenly. This included a very long awaited home win over the Yorkshire side that was a major contributor to finishing 6 points out of top spot.
In the rear view mirror was the Cardiff Devils, but victories in every home game against the Welsh side ensured they were no threat in the dying weeks. This team is capable of turning up when it matters, although no wins across two double header weekends with eventual champions Belfast was key to falling short.
We’re not done just yet…
The Panthers head into the playoffs in a strong position to end an 8 year wait for silverware. Whether they manage it or not should not define the plans for next season, the title push they’ve put together warrants keeping the vast majority of the roster.
The 2024/25 season will go down as one that has re-captivated the dreams of the black and gold faithful, and a path back to greatness seems to be taking shape. Here’s to hoping they enter the next step of their bid to become top of the pile with a trophy in the cabinet.
If you would like to submit an article for consideration, please email it to tcwonlinetv@gmail.com
thecatswhiskersonline.com 