Looking at the moves made in the off-season, it's easy to read between the lines and see how Elite League coaches have reviewed what went right and wrong in 2008/09.

For some, the lessons learned are more obvious than others. Blaze boss Paul Thompson concluded that his line-up needed "major surgery" after a trophy-less season and an ugly playoff finals weekend in Nottingham.

Sheffield Steelers look to defend their title in 2009-10

Vipers coach Rob Wilson already knew that his patchwork line-up couldn't compete by just sticking to the system. And Manchester and Basingstoke knew that the Elite League was no longer for them.

For other teams, the lessons learned were a bit more subtle, but they've still had a key role in shaping each roster throughout the summer and have given coaches a reminder of what needs to be done when the season gets underway.

Belfast Giants: Protection

A slew of injuries to star forwards Paul Deniset, Andrew Martin and Bobby Robins in 2008/09 made Giants player-coach Steve Thornton go window shopping in the January sales to find a true enforcer. Jason Rushton arrived in Belfast to bang a few heads together, but by then the damage had already been done. Whether teams were taking liberties with Belfast's top line or whether it was just a co-incidence, Thornton learned that he needed a big man to make the opposition at least think twice.

Thornton wasted no time this year in bringing in heavyweight slugger Sean McMorrow from the AHL to protect his skilled forwards. However, the Elite League isn't as tough as it was last year with the likes of Adam Stefishen, Brett Clouthier and Jeremy Cornish elsewhere. And with only 10 on-ice imports this time, McMorrow's signing could cost the Giants offensively. On the flip side, discounting injuries, the Giants were the second best team in the Elite League last season and if McMorrow's only role is to keep the rest of the squad healthy then it could turn out to be a great move from Thornton.

Cardiff Devils: Only 50% of games are at home

The roster Gerad Adams assembled last season was a great fit for the Bay Arena, but not necessarily for the road. The Devils competed better on their smaller ice pad, but were often left stranded in the bigger rinks such as Belfast and Nottingham.

Until mid-season acquisition Matt Elich arrived, the Devils didn't possess the same threat on the big surfaces. Now with plenty of speed on their first line in the shape of Matt Miller and Mark Smith, the Devils have the extra zip necessary to compete with other quick forward units. By retaining the "Raptor" line of Phil Hill, Brad Voth and Jay Latulippe, Adams has given the Devils an extra dimension, which will offer a different style to the speedy first line. If the Devils are going to break into the top four, they will have to beat the established top four on the road - something which they only accomplished twice during the 2008/09 regular season.

Coventry Blaze: Secondary Scoring

After originally intending to throw all his eggs in one basket last season by pairing Sylvain Deschatelets with AC and DC, Blaze boss Paul Thompson soon shifted things around when he realised that his team needed another scoring threat.

This year's Blaze line-up features five of the top 14 points-scorers in the league last season, as Thompson brought in underrated ex-Manchester Phoenix winger Luke Fulghum and Team GB duo Greg Chambers and Greg Owen. The newcomers should give Coventry enough of a secondary attack, and it will be interesting to see what Chambers' impact will be on a title contender instead of playing meaningless games for the Bison.

Edinburgh Capitals: Season starts in September

In their race for the eighth playoff spot last year the Caps became a very competitive club, taking points off the top teams and dealing out some heavy losses. Unfortunately, for most of the season they were up against it, struggling to come together and there were too many nights when they just were not at the races. The Zoom Airlines crisis instantly put them on the back foot and Doug Christiansen was facing an uphill struggle.

With only eight teams in the Elite League this season, there won't be a race for the playoffs. If one team hits rock bottom early their season will be over very quickly. The Caps need to be competitive from day one, which for them is September 19 when they travel to face Hull.

Hull Stingrays: Character Guys

With Rick Strachan at the helm the Rays started last season with a volatile bunch that eventually proved to be their downfall. Bad boys like Jake Riddle and Rick Kozak didn't bring the right character to the locker room, and although Strachan improved things the horse had already bolted.

Above all else, new player-coach Sylvain Cloutier has put together what appears to be a locker room of dependable low-risk players, led by returning captain Jeff Glowa. Skilful forwards Matt Reynolds and Konstantin Kalmikov give the Rays some much needed continuity and Cloutier, a long-time AHL veteran, won't stand for any nonsense.

Newcastle Vipers: Goals win games

For a considerable chunk of last season, at least until Ed Courtenay and Jeff Hutchins surfaced on Tyneside, Rob Wilson was Newcastle's second top scorer. The now retired defenceman proved he could still hang, but it was a sign of just how bad things were for the Vipers. David Longstaff's 57 point haul represent the lowest mark in team scoring in the Elite League and only the Bison scored less goals. Playing without a full roster was mainly responsible for Newcastle's offensive shortcomings, but Wilson realised he need to take steps to solve the scoring drought.

While Wilson might not have been able to sign an out-and-out goalscorer, he does have a much more mobile defensive unit that will help the Vipers move the puck and has proven quality with Matus Petricko up front. Don't expect the Vipers to set the league on fire offensively, but don't expect Wilson to be leading them in points either - and not just because he's retired!

Nottingham Panthers: Goalie is the most important position

If the Panthers haven't figured this out by now they never will. Once again Nottingham have a great looking roster on paper, but do they have the right man between the pipes in Kevin St. Pierre? Since player-coach Corey Neilson joined in 2006 the Panthers have changed their goalie every year. If Jody Lehman had been in net for the Panthers (imagine that Nottingham fans) they might be gunning for their fourth straight league trophy this season. Instead, they're still searching for that elusive Elite League title.

No pressure Kevin. No pressure at all.

Sheffield Steelers: Defence wins championships

As soon as the first puck dropped last year, it was clear that the Steelers had far and away the best defence/goalie combination. Unless Rod Sarich's switch to the wing is a smokescreen, it's not certain that they have the best rearguard again. However, with most teams opting for three import defencemen the Steelers can afford to make some changes. And it wasn't just the strength of the blueline that powered Sheffield's defensive success; it was the back-checking of three forward lines too.

But it wasn't really Dave Matsos who needed to learn the lesson on the importance of a good D- he already knew, as did everyone else. Only in the Theo Fleury /NHL lockout-years has a team won the Elite League title without having the best defensive record. Chances are the squad that concedes the fewest goals will win the league again.

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