It’s that time again…
Ten years of four lads gathered around microphones, like (or maybe unlike for that matter) every other couch-coach around the world who’re even slightly interested in this game we call hockey.
There’s one rule on this podcast though; we can’t pick the Belfast Giants.
We’re all Giants fans and either are or have been Season Ticket holders over the history of this greatest of teams, but on Door 14 Hockey we’ve always tired our best to look at things across the league with as neutral a stance as we can – but there’s no shaking it, when it comes to deciding who’s going to win, it’s like there’s a teal magnet pulling at us under the skin. That’s why, then years ago we decided and made the rule with our podcast predictions that we take our pick from the other teams across the league. No teal-tinted spectacles. No tongue in cheek pokes or jibes (OK maybe one or two). Just a pure uneducated and poorly researched grasp at who might take silverware every year, away from Belfast.
Are we successful when it comes to this? Well, every year the Giants win something – NO!
Every year someone else wins something – probably less so!
Last season, only two predictions were correct, with Marty and John both calling Playoffs for the Nottingham Panthers, long before anyone in the EIHL knew who Jason Grande was…can we do better this year?!
So with all that in mind, let’s look at what the guys said when it comes to the teams that need to make space in their trophy cabinets and why.
Marty
Let’s start with the host. The man probably most in-the-know and with the greatest research head on him (mostly because almost everything you see or hear on the podcast comes from him!).
League: Nottingham Panthers
Coming off a huge amount of momentum and showcasing incredible resilience at the tail end of last season and depth in postseason securing their Playoff title in 2025, Marty can’t help but feel Nottingham are in a strong position to stake claim on the 2025/26 League Championship. Re-signing Jason Grande certainly helps too!
Challenge Cup: Cardiff Devils
Last season was a struggle, but the Devils have new leadership in the shape of Paul Thompson and Marty thinks he will look to make his mark on this team as soon as possible and the Challenge Cup may represent the best potential start to this ‘new era’ in Cardiff Bay and the search for resurgent success.
Playoffs: Nottingham Panthers
He’s not happy about it, but he’s giving them two trophies this coming season…
Nottingham were by far the strongest team in postseason last year, and with well considered and thoughtful recruitment as well as key re-signings. Coming off last seasons high, an ability to perform under pressure – he’s giving the Playoffs back to the Panthers.
Dave
League: Nottingham Panthers
Dave can’t look past the Panthers. They’ve improved so much from last year and they were phenomenal at the end of last season! Dave thinks they have all the right pieces in place to be a stable force during the 2025/26 season with strong netminding no small part of this.
Challenge Cup: Fife Flyers
In a shock turn of events, for the first time in ten years of Door 14 Hockey, someone other than John has gone for Fife in the predictions! Dave considers the resurgent wave of optimism surrounding the Flyers to be key to unlocking potential success. He reckons savvy recruitment and a feeling of a new start in the locker room in Kirkcaldy could see some magic occur in this ‘short form’ competition. He thinks the aim should be second in their group and to target the play-in game and to buy into their ‘underdog’ status and cause some upsets, just like they have previously.
Playoffs: Sheffield Steelers
He couldn’t not mention them in his predictions. They are formidable and should never be discounted. Dave considers that Foxy needs a trophy this year to keep his position secure. Recruitment has been strong and the preseason results against the Devils look to show they’ll be right up there challenging for everything, and should the League Championship go by them, the other teams in postseason should be afraid…very afraid…of a team that will throw everything at a postseason title.
John
League: Sheffield Steelers
A continual powerhouse is what they are, and with the preseason undressing of the Cardiff Devils, Aaron Fox seems to have filled those important departure gaps in his squad. Opposition teams should have a healthy fear of this team, who will enter this coming season as a force to be reckoned with.
Challenge Cup: Nottingham Panthers
The Continental Cup will take place in Nottingham, we know this. A single weekend already stands between the Panthers and the ‘Dinner Plate of Destiny‘. With no earlier stages to concentrate on in their 2025/26 European campaign, the Panthers may well look to the Challenge Cup to be just that preparation, and correctly executed, could see them breed multiple successes. Just for good measure, let’s just mention Jason Grande again!
Playoffs: Coventry Blaze
John is going a little left-field with this one. He’s certainly going left field if you heard the podcast and heard him talk all about Danny Stewart’s Coventry Blaze…by which he clearly meant Kevin Moore’s Coventry Blaze! The Blaze have postseason pedigree, and John feels this is still something to be reckoned with. He also feels that Playoffs would be nice to see go to a team outside of the top four, and there’s no more deserving or historically relevant side to achieve this that Coventry. If they can make it to the final four, he thinks they can do it!
Aaron
League: Cardiff Devils
Aaron knows everyone’s looking at Nottingham and Sheffield, and he get it. They’ve both got depth, big names, and they’ll be right there in the mix. He can’t shake the feeling that Cardiff might just sneak this one. He’s said it in previous pods, they was always worth keeping an eye on. Paul Thompson coming in feels like the start of something, and the roster looks built to last a whole season, solid D, two goaltenders who can steal you games, and just enough scoring to keep them dangerous every single night. Does he want to see someone new take the league title? Yes. Does he think the Devils could be that team? Absolutely.
Challenge Cup: Nottingham Panthers
This one just feels inevitable to Aaron. He thinks it’s great to see all of the guys think the Panthers have what it takes to bring some silver way home. The Panthers have shown they can handle pressure, they’ve got strong goalies between the pipes, and they’ve got the kind of roster you need for a short, sharp competition like the Cup. If they don’t take the league, it would be fitting for their hard work and turnaround over the past year to still be rewarded with silverware. The Panthers lifting the Cup? Yeah, he can see it clearly.
Playoffs: Fife Flyers
Now this… this is the dream. Look, Aaron know it’s a long shot, he know it probably won’t happen, but how good would it be? New ownership, a fresh coaching setup, youth players coming in thanks to the new rules, and Owen and Purboo giving them the best netminding tandem they’ve had in years. Imagine them fighting their way to the final four in Nottingham, the underdogs in every sense, and then just… catching fire. He believes in that Cinderella run. Aaron wants to see Fife lift the Playoff trophy and shock the league. So yeah, this is the one worth properly wishing for in Aaron’s view.
