The Eagles of Nice start their season with the reception of Amiens on September 9. Stan Sutor, the club’s general manager, discusses his team’s upcoming season.
“We are coming off a season end that didn’t satisfy us,” explains the manager of the Eagles of Nice. Last season, Nice narrowly avoided relegation after participating in the relegation group. This group includes the last four teams of the regular season. They compete in a mini-championship in a round-robin format. At the end, the last in this group is relegated.
To avoid another complicated scenario, the Eagles have strengthened their team, with a focus on experience. “We lacked leadership. We brought more experience to the locker room by recruiting leaders and experienced players. We want to try to get through difficult times more quickly, which every club faces during a season,” justifies Stan Sutor. The team strengthened during the offseason. On the club’s social media, several arrivals, extensions, and departures have been announced. The roster is now complete.
“I can tell you that the players, at the moment, are having a tough time”
On August 14, the whole group reunited for the training resumption. “We train twice a day. It’s certain that these workouts aren’t the best for the players. I can tell you, at the moment, they are having a tough time. But you have to go through it to have a good season,” emphasizes Stan Sutor.
He adds: “They were eager to return. It is always a very long break for the players. We can see they are motivated because they are working really hard.” Before the start of the championship, the Eagles won the Riviera Cup at home.
Sustaining the club in Ligue Magnus
The general manager does not want to relive the same season. He sets a new goal for this 2023/2024 championship: to participate in the playoffs. In other words, finish in one of the top eight positions of the regular season standings. “We need to be ambitious. We want to renew what we managed to accomplish three years ago. This would show that the club is progressing and that last season was just a bump in the road,” believes the Eagles’ general manager.
For that, they will have to face the great competition offered by the Ligue Magnus. “The championship grows every year. It is increasingly coveted by top players. Just today, I read that a great player signed with Rouen. Before, we didn’t see such resumes coming to play in France. The Ligue Magnus has made a name for itself in the world of European and global hockey,” states Stan Sutor.
See you on September 9 at the Jean Bouin ice rink to attend the first Ligue Magnus match with the reception of Amiens.
