Last year, I wrote a blog about what the rosters to an OJHL All-Star game might look like, if they had one, based on Conferences like many other leagues in the world (You can find it here if you're interested). With the 2016-17 season over half done, and the Eastern Canada Cup All-Star event done back in mid-November, I thought I'd do it again this year, since it was fun a season ago and people seemed to like it (and disagree with me, which is also fun!).
If you're unaware, the OJHL is split up into the Northeast and Southwest Conferences, and like many other all-star games, I'll force myself to pick at least one player from each team; and further from that they must be on the team at time of this writing. As I wrote last year, I have a lot of great friends and think very highly of a ton of players in the league, so as always, exclusion from this is not an indictment or anything like that! Also, it's just for fun (unless Commissioner Savoy reads this and wants to find a way to make it happen ;)).
The format I have set, like last year, is 12 forwards, six defencemen, and three goalies per team. It's going to be tough to pick from all the talent, but here goes nothing!
Northeast Conference
Forwards
Brayden Stortz, Wellington Dukes
Nic Mucci, Wellington Dukes
Luke Keenan, Whitby Fury
Nik Coric, Whitby Fury
Liam Morgan, Trenton Golden Hawks
Lucas Brown, Trenton Golden Hawks
Cameron Lamport, Lindsay Muskies
Danny Bosio, Kingston Voyageurs
Ryan Casselman, Cobourg Cougars
Rylee St. Onge, Markham Royals
Kyle Thomas, Pickering Panthers
Mel Melconian, Aurora Tigers
Defencemen
Brennan Roy, Cobourg Cougars
Louis Di Matteo, Trenton Golden Hawks
Cole Thiessen, Newmarket Hurricanes
Max Novick, Stouffville Spirit
Kyle Hallbauer, Kingston Voyageurs
Justin Bean, Wellington Dukes
Goaltenders
Stefano Durante, Cobourg Cougars
Connor Ryckman, Wellington Dukes
Logan Gauthier, Whitby Fury
Some thoughts
Pretty tough to leave some of the beasts of the east out of this, to be honest. I love what Jeremy Pullara of Trenton and Josh Maguire of Cobourg bring, so to leave them off stinks, and if Brenden Locke, also of the Cougars, hadn't gotten hurt, keeping his skill off would probably have been impossible. Certainly a bevy of other guys on Trenton, Cobourg, and Whitby probably deserve to be here (you could have an East All-Star game and it would be a blast), but the mass of talent in the east also pushed out deserving Northerners like a couple of Newmarket's excellent forwards who have been great lately such as Alex Ierullo, Todd Winder, and Marco Bozzo. Trenton's Josh Allan would've been the best defenceman in the league in my opinion if he were healthy, but he has not been, while it's a numbers game for Markham's Laine McKay and Aurora's Eric Holland. In net, Matt Menna has been ridiculous (in a good way) for Cobourg lately in Durante's absence, and it is hard to argue with the numbers of Trenton's Chris Janzen...but sample size for the former, and the team in front of him for the latter has probably hurt their perception in my eyes. Both those guys are deserving, nonetheless.
Southwest Conference
Forwards
Christian Difelice, Buffalo Jr. Sabres
Phillip Lagunov, Burlington Cougars
Chris Cobham, Burlington Cougars
Jack Jacome, Georgetown Raiders
Josh Dickinson, Georgetown Raiders
Chris Karabassis, Mississauga Chargers
Ture Linden, North York Rangers
Ryan Foss, Oakville Blades
Bryce Misley, Oakville Blades
Jackson Bales, Oakville Blades
Cameron Wright, St. Michael's Buzzers
Zack Lyons, Orangeville Flyers
Defencemen
Matt Watson, Burlington Cougars
Brad Yowart, Milton Icehawks
Mark Paolini, St. Michael's Buzzers
Gianfranco Cassaro, Toronto Jr. Canadiens
Ryan Wells, Toronto Patriots
Jacob Payette, Georgetown Raiders
Goaltenders
Jeremie Lintner, North York Rangers
Josh Astorino, Georgetown Raiders
Cossimo Lazzarino, St. Michael's Buzzers
Some thoughts
Choosing and not choosing players in my own conference is such agony, since I know so many of the kids around it. A big reason why some potentially obvious players were left out was not because of talent, but because I watch so many games in this conference that consistency of effort and performance loom large. Of course I could easily fill this team with Georgetown Raiders, who have absolutely dominated the Southwest from the beginning till now; while on the flip side, I could not in good conscience pick one of those three Oakville monsters without taking all of them (they've been that good). St. Mike's guys like Finn Evans, Lucas Breault, A.J. D'Orazio, and Cam Searles are all deserving too, but I can't all of them! The crease is pretty crowded with talent, and it isn't performance or consistency that hurt the Jr. Canadiens tandem of Dalton Ewing and Andrew Cippolone...it's simply that they are such a 1a, 1b that it would be too hard to take either of them. Milton's Will Rawski has been good in net, but it's still too hard to take a goalie that gets shelled, even if it's not his fault, and while we're on the topic of goaltending, Oakville's Brendan McGlynn is certainly the #4 in this group, and sucked to leave him off too. I would've loved to take Colton Kalezic of the Patriots, but his hot start has really cooled off, while the biggest agony of the conference was not picking North York Rangers captain Kyle Clarke, who is more than deserving, but just could not fit. Speaking of Jr. Canadiens, the health of Sal Filice kept him off despite the fact that he is as good as any defenceman on this squad. If I had a couple more D spots, my own personal love of Oakville D-man Jeff Clarke's game would've probably forced my hand, but alas...rules.
Anyways folks, that's it! Let me know what you think, if you disagree, etc, and thanks for reading.
Saturday, December 3, 2016
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge OJHL Team Previews
Well it's November, so it's the time of year where the OJHL sends four squads to the premier Junior 'A' all-star tournament in Ontario known as the "Eastern Canada Cup"...the 'Eastern' Part changing depending on which part of Ontario the tournament is played. For a second year in a row, the 2016 version is going to be in Cornwall's Cornwall Civic Complex, the home of the CCHL's Colts.
So as you may or may not be aware, I love talking about players, and specifically ones in the OJHL...so here is my preview of each of the four teams the league is sending to the event running form Nov. 14-16.
You can find all the rosters by clicking here
Team OJHL Oates
Coaches: Jeff Angelidis and Michael Henrich (both from the Toronto Jr. Canadiens).
This team has a lot of question marks for me, but just because it isn't the most star-laden squad, does not mean it doesn't have a shot. It is often the team that gels and comes together the quickest that has the most success at these events, so that will be the key for an Oates team with only three '96 birth years.
One thing this squad most definitely has is an excellent group of defencemen. I have heard whispers that Josh Allan isn't 100 per cent, but especially if Trenton's best D-man is there, wow, what a group. Cobourg's best defender Brennan Roy is as smooth and creative as they come in the entire league, while Burlington's Matt Watson is not talked about anywhere near enough relative to his elite talent. Auston Cho is lighting it up with a loaded Georgetown defence corps, and he'll have the solid Matthew Thom along with him on this squad as well.
Up front, Kingston's Danny Bosio has a lot of skill and has done a lot of heavy lifting for the Vees so far this season, so watch for him to play some great, free hockey over the tournament. Angelidis can turn to a speedy, and very north-south oriented all Whitby Fury line in Luke Keenan, Ryan Heeps, and Ryan Taylor, but the rest of the group, which is quite young, will be looking to make a name for itself. I've liked Buffalo's Christian DiFelice for a while, look for him to be a bit of a sleeper if this team goes far.
I honestly cannot comment on their goaltenders, as I have not seen Logan Gauthier of Whitby play, and I have not personally seen Chris Janzen of Trenton face anything close to a difficult game. Go form an opinion guys!
Team OJHL Nieuwendyk
Coaches: Dave Demarinis (Pickering Panthers) and Jon Campbell (Lindsay Muskies)
This is a very well-balanced team and I like it a lot. Beware of Nieuwendyk! Still, like I said before, they still need to come together.
The best part of this forward group is it's variety. They have lots of grit - including perhaps the league's best defensive forward in Josh Dickinson from Georgetown, and Cobourg's Matt Carroll who is no fun to play against - and even more skill. Whitby's Nik Coric is electric, and the ready-made Trenton line of Lucas Brown, Liam Morgan, and Michael Silveri has rarely been stopped, blending great talent with great chemistry (especially Brown and Morgan). Brendan Locke and Ryan Casselman from Cobourg can also light the world on fire, and watch out for one of my favourite sleepers in the whole league, the big 16-year-old Mitchell Hewitson from Mississauga, to wow some people when he gets the chance. Good luck stopping this group of forwards!
With all those forwards and Trenton's Lou DiMatteo, one of the OJHL's premier passers and puck movers, on the back end, Nieuwendyk should have an unbelievable power play. I would love to see DiMatteo play beside the Toronto Jr. Canadiens' Gianfranco Cassaro back there; with DiMatteo's passing and Cassaro's cannon, look out! The Patriots' Ryan Wells and Nik Kalpousos (the latter of whom's health has been a question mark), and Whitby's monster Reilly Smith are all well-rounded, while Andrew Cordssen-David is a rugged, physical presence. The forwards are more spectacular, but the D look rock solid; which sounds good to me!
In net the club is set with the OJ's second best goaltender, in my humble opinion, in Wellington's Connor Ryckman. The league's third-best save percentage is very athletic, and very competitive; so look for him to play their big games while Milton's Will Rawski has a chance to show what he can do.
Team OJHL Coffey
Coaches: Mark Jooris and Kirby Tokarski (both of the Burlington Cougars)
This is a team with excellent goaltending, and some awesome forwards especially, so don't bat an eyelash if Coffey goes far as well.
The thing that makes Coffey as dangerous as any team in the tournament is Stefano Durante, Cobourg's No. 1, and in my opinion (and in my people's opinion), the league's best. The numbers back me up on that too: he has a 1.53 GAA and a .941 save percentage. If they go to the other guy, Cossimo Lazzarino from St. Mike's, they are still in excellent hands. Lazzarino has been on fire lately and has a save percentage around .935...so hard to go wrong there.
As good as the Oakville Blades trio of Ryan Foss, Christian Rajic, and Drew Worrad are - and they are elite talents in this league - they haven't actually played much together the last couple of years. Foss' line with Jackson Bales and Bryce Misley have dominated this season, but those two are on different squads in the tournament, so it'll be interesting to see what Jooris does with those three. Chemistry he can absolutely count on to dominate can be found in the Wellington Dukes line of Brayden Stortz, Nic Mucci, and Brent House; the first two of those three lead the league in scoring at the moment. Stortz can light a game up at will, and having that kind of chemistry instantly will be invaluable. One sleeper forward I'd love to keep my eye on is Stouffville's Josh Argier, who was so electric in midget for the Whitby Wildcats a couple years ago. Laine McKay of Markham was awesome at the CJHL Top Prospects game a couple seasons ago too, so he could be another intriguing sleeper.
The D-corps is an interesting group, led undoubtedly by Stouffville star Max Novick, who I feel like has been in the league forever. He is a great skater that is great at improvising, and can play in his own end as well. Georgetown's Griffen James and Jacob Payette are both massive human beings that are pretty smooth puck movers too, while Matt Kellenberger of Oakville, and former Blade and current Orangeville Flyer Michael Mannera can be exciting offensive players. This group just needs to be solid, because Durante and Lazzarino are both pretty spectacular in my opinion.
Team OJHL Hawerchuk
Coaches: Joe Washkurak (Mississauga Chargers) and Garrett Rutledge (Oakville Blades)
I'm not one for predicting the winners of tournaments, but whatever happens, I guarantee this team will be a ton of fun to watch. I know I have used the word electric for a couple of players in this tournament already - well, this squad has a bunch that qualify in that category.
Oakville's Bryce Misley and Jackson Bales have both been flying most of this season, and with Bales' work rate and Misley's dynamic ability and cannon of a shot, it's a great combination. There are all sorts of fun options for Joe and Ruts to decide on here, with St. Mike's smooth, puck-protecting star Cam Wright, and Georgetown's Jack Jacome, he of incredible tenacity, speed, and hands, as a compelling combo as well. North York's monster Kegan Blasby and new Trenton forward Chris Sekelyk have played a bunch together and are as unstoppable as they come in the league when it comes to power forwards, and I expect the talents of Aurora's Mel Melconian and Newmarket's Alex Ierullo to shine through as well. A lot of hockey in a short span for JRC's star 16-year-old Jack McBain, who is presently away with Hockey Canada; but there will be intense, and well-earned, attention on him if he's on the ice. There is a lot to like up front here. Lucas Condotta, Markham's captain, provides a lot of grit and character as well, and is my choice for sleeper up front on this squad.
A power-play pairing of St. Mike's Mark Paolini and Wellington's Justin Bean is pretty mouth watering. Those two guys are tremendously creative and are lighting it up offensively, while playing big, tough minutes as well. Toronto Jr. Canadiens captain Sal Filice is steady, as is Cobourg Cougars' big man Sam Dunn, so it's an interesting group on the back end as well. A lot of offense, and a lot of steady.
Oakville's Brendan McGlynn has been excellent so far this season, as has Stouffville's youngster Hunter Jones (who like McBain is away with Hockey Canada at the moment); so some pretty capable hands in goal here as well.
Notes:
- I don't mean to leave anyone out on purpose: I only try to talk about what I feel I actually know myself instead of guessing.
- There are lots of possibilities that guys will decline to go, because of injury or for whatever reason, so if someone that I mentioned doesn't show up, don't shoot the messenger.
So as you may or may not be aware, I love talking about players, and specifically ones in the OJHL...so here is my preview of each of the four teams the league is sending to the event running form Nov. 14-16.
You can find all the rosters by clicking here
Team OJHL Oates
Coaches: Jeff Angelidis and Michael Henrich (both from the Toronto Jr. Canadiens).
This team has a lot of question marks for me, but just because it isn't the most star-laden squad, does not mean it doesn't have a shot. It is often the team that gels and comes together the quickest that has the most success at these events, so that will be the key for an Oates team with only three '96 birth years.
One thing this squad most definitely has is an excellent group of defencemen. I have heard whispers that Josh Allan isn't 100 per cent, but especially if Trenton's best D-man is there, wow, what a group. Cobourg's best defender Brennan Roy is as smooth and creative as they come in the entire league, while Burlington's Matt Watson is not talked about anywhere near enough relative to his elite talent. Auston Cho is lighting it up with a loaded Georgetown defence corps, and he'll have the solid Matthew Thom along with him on this squad as well.
Up front, Kingston's Danny Bosio has a lot of skill and has done a lot of heavy lifting for the Vees so far this season, so watch for him to play some great, free hockey over the tournament. Angelidis can turn to a speedy, and very north-south oriented all Whitby Fury line in Luke Keenan, Ryan Heeps, and Ryan Taylor, but the rest of the group, which is quite young, will be looking to make a name for itself. I've liked Buffalo's Christian DiFelice for a while, look for him to be a bit of a sleeper if this team goes far.
I honestly cannot comment on their goaltenders, as I have not seen Logan Gauthier of Whitby play, and I have not personally seen Chris Janzen of Trenton face anything close to a difficult game. Go form an opinion guys!
Team OJHL Nieuwendyk
Coaches: Dave Demarinis (Pickering Panthers) and Jon Campbell (Lindsay Muskies)
This is a very well-balanced team and I like it a lot. Beware of Nieuwendyk! Still, like I said before, they still need to come together.
The best part of this forward group is it's variety. They have lots of grit - including perhaps the league's best defensive forward in Josh Dickinson from Georgetown, and Cobourg's Matt Carroll who is no fun to play against - and even more skill. Whitby's Nik Coric is electric, and the ready-made Trenton line of Lucas Brown, Liam Morgan, and Michael Silveri has rarely been stopped, blending great talent with great chemistry (especially Brown and Morgan). Brendan Locke and Ryan Casselman from Cobourg can also light the world on fire, and watch out for one of my favourite sleepers in the whole league, the big 16-year-old Mitchell Hewitson from Mississauga, to wow some people when he gets the chance. Good luck stopping this group of forwards!
With all those forwards and Trenton's Lou DiMatteo, one of the OJHL's premier passers and puck movers, on the back end, Nieuwendyk should have an unbelievable power play. I would love to see DiMatteo play beside the Toronto Jr. Canadiens' Gianfranco Cassaro back there; with DiMatteo's passing and Cassaro's cannon, look out! The Patriots' Ryan Wells and Nik Kalpousos (the latter of whom's health has been a question mark), and Whitby's monster Reilly Smith are all well-rounded, while Andrew Cordssen-David is a rugged, physical presence. The forwards are more spectacular, but the D look rock solid; which sounds good to me!
In net the club is set with the OJ's second best goaltender, in my humble opinion, in Wellington's Connor Ryckman. The league's third-best save percentage is very athletic, and very competitive; so look for him to play their big games while Milton's Will Rawski has a chance to show what he can do.
Team OJHL Coffey
Coaches: Mark Jooris and Kirby Tokarski (both of the Burlington Cougars)
This is a team with excellent goaltending, and some awesome forwards especially, so don't bat an eyelash if Coffey goes far as well.
The thing that makes Coffey as dangerous as any team in the tournament is Stefano Durante, Cobourg's No. 1, and in my opinion (and in my people's opinion), the league's best. The numbers back me up on that too: he has a 1.53 GAA and a .941 save percentage. If they go to the other guy, Cossimo Lazzarino from St. Mike's, they are still in excellent hands. Lazzarino has been on fire lately and has a save percentage around .935...so hard to go wrong there.
As good as the Oakville Blades trio of Ryan Foss, Christian Rajic, and Drew Worrad are - and they are elite talents in this league - they haven't actually played much together the last couple of years. Foss' line with Jackson Bales and Bryce Misley have dominated this season, but those two are on different squads in the tournament, so it'll be interesting to see what Jooris does with those three. Chemistry he can absolutely count on to dominate can be found in the Wellington Dukes line of Brayden Stortz, Nic Mucci, and Brent House; the first two of those three lead the league in scoring at the moment. Stortz can light a game up at will, and having that kind of chemistry instantly will be invaluable. One sleeper forward I'd love to keep my eye on is Stouffville's Josh Argier, who was so electric in midget for the Whitby Wildcats a couple years ago. Laine McKay of Markham was awesome at the CJHL Top Prospects game a couple seasons ago too, so he could be another intriguing sleeper.
The D-corps is an interesting group, led undoubtedly by Stouffville star Max Novick, who I feel like has been in the league forever. He is a great skater that is great at improvising, and can play in his own end as well. Georgetown's Griffen James and Jacob Payette are both massive human beings that are pretty smooth puck movers too, while Matt Kellenberger of Oakville, and former Blade and current Orangeville Flyer Michael Mannera can be exciting offensive players. This group just needs to be solid, because Durante and Lazzarino are both pretty spectacular in my opinion.
Team OJHL Hawerchuk
Coaches: Joe Washkurak (Mississauga Chargers) and Garrett Rutledge (Oakville Blades)
I'm not one for predicting the winners of tournaments, but whatever happens, I guarantee this team will be a ton of fun to watch. I know I have used the word electric for a couple of players in this tournament already - well, this squad has a bunch that qualify in that category.
Oakville's Bryce Misley and Jackson Bales have both been flying most of this season, and with Bales' work rate and Misley's dynamic ability and cannon of a shot, it's a great combination. There are all sorts of fun options for Joe and Ruts to decide on here, with St. Mike's smooth, puck-protecting star Cam Wright, and Georgetown's Jack Jacome, he of incredible tenacity, speed, and hands, as a compelling combo as well. North York's monster Kegan Blasby and new Trenton forward Chris Sekelyk have played a bunch together and are as unstoppable as they come in the league when it comes to power forwards, and I expect the talents of Aurora's Mel Melconian and Newmarket's Alex Ierullo to shine through as well. A lot of hockey in a short span for JRC's star 16-year-old Jack McBain, who is presently away with Hockey Canada; but there will be intense, and well-earned, attention on him if he's on the ice. There is a lot to like up front here. Lucas Condotta, Markham's captain, provides a lot of grit and character as well, and is my choice for sleeper up front on this squad.
A power-play pairing of St. Mike's Mark Paolini and Wellington's Justin Bean is pretty mouth watering. Those two guys are tremendously creative and are lighting it up offensively, while playing big, tough minutes as well. Toronto Jr. Canadiens captain Sal Filice is steady, as is Cobourg Cougars' big man Sam Dunn, so it's an interesting group on the back end as well. A lot of offense, and a lot of steady.
Oakville's Brendan McGlynn has been excellent so far this season, as has Stouffville's youngster Hunter Jones (who like McBain is away with Hockey Canada at the moment); so some pretty capable hands in goal here as well.
Notes:
- I don't mean to leave anyone out on purpose: I only try to talk about what I feel I actually know myself instead of guessing.
- There are lots of possibilities that guys will decline to go, because of injury or for whatever reason, so if someone that I mentioned doesn't show up, don't shoot the messenger.
Thursday, October 6, 2016
Neugybowl Previews: Game #2 - Oakville @ Newmarket Oct. 6
The Thomas Milne era in Newmarket begins in less than ideal circumstances as the Hurricanes have not earned a point since Sept. 16 - a seven-game losing skid - and have four straight opponents coming up with win percentages north of .722. Up first. the South Division leading Oakville Blades come to the Ray Twinney Sports Complex Thursday night with the Southwest Conference's Player of the Month for September, Ryan Foss, in tow.
For their part, head coach Mike Tarantino's Blades are 7-2-0-1, and the scary thing is that despite that shiny record, the club as a whole knows they have not hit anywhere near their stride. Foss' line, with his committed mates of Bryce Misley (Vermont) and Jackson Bales (Merrimack), have been extremely consistent, combining for 21 of Oakville's 49 goals so far, and all three have at least 17 points through the club's 10 contests. The next highest point-getter is Clarkson commit Drew Worrad, who has 11, and while this doesn't specifically trouble the Blades' staff, the significance rests with the fact that this roster has so much more potential than it has shown so far.
Oakville's well-prepared staff will know that if the underdog Hurricanes are going to cause them trouble, it will either come through the highly skilled combination of Todd Winder and Alex Ierullo, or the impressive power-play acumen of Newmarket captain and defender Christian Dedonato. Newly acquired offensive-minded defenceman Cole Thiessen has not disappointed either for Newmarket, and could be an X-factor for the Hurricanes on the night.
The Blades, on the other hand, cannot wait for the combination of Christian Rajic and Jack Jeffers to really explode, and they appear to be slowly finding the right track with each nabbing points in their last three games with the physical grinder Tyler Hildebrandt on their wing.
Chris Elliot was strong in net in Oakville's last game, a 4-1 win at the often tricky confines of Port Credit Arena in Mississauga, but expect veteran Brendan McGlynn to get the call. The dimensions will be more to the Blades' liking in Newmarket, as the ice surface, though not as big as at Sixteen Mile in Oakville, is still at least regulation size.
Aidan Doak came in relief of Jesse Hodgson in Newmarket's latest contest in Cobourg, and did well, allowing one goal on 21 shots. Both have struggled this year, but I expect the more veteran Doak to get the start on Thursday in Milne's first game behind the Hurricanes' bench.
My prediction is that on paper the Hurricanes are in very tough, but the high-powered Blades have a history of not fully showing up in games that are perceived as mismatches - both teams have a chance to prove that assessment wrong.
For their part, head coach Mike Tarantino's Blades are 7-2-0-1, and the scary thing is that despite that shiny record, the club as a whole knows they have not hit anywhere near their stride. Foss' line, with his committed mates of Bryce Misley (Vermont) and Jackson Bales (Merrimack), have been extremely consistent, combining for 21 of Oakville's 49 goals so far, and all three have at least 17 points through the club's 10 contests. The next highest point-getter is Clarkson commit Drew Worrad, who has 11, and while this doesn't specifically trouble the Blades' staff, the significance rests with the fact that this roster has so much more potential than it has shown so far.
Oakville's well-prepared staff will know that if the underdog Hurricanes are going to cause them trouble, it will either come through the highly skilled combination of Todd Winder and Alex Ierullo, or the impressive power-play acumen of Newmarket captain and defender Christian Dedonato. Newly acquired offensive-minded defenceman Cole Thiessen has not disappointed either for Newmarket, and could be an X-factor for the Hurricanes on the night.
The Blades, on the other hand, cannot wait for the combination of Christian Rajic and Jack Jeffers to really explode, and they appear to be slowly finding the right track with each nabbing points in their last three games with the physical grinder Tyler Hildebrandt on their wing.
Chris Elliot was strong in net in Oakville's last game, a 4-1 win at the often tricky confines of Port Credit Arena in Mississauga, but expect veteran Brendan McGlynn to get the call. The dimensions will be more to the Blades' liking in Newmarket, as the ice surface, though not as big as at Sixteen Mile in Oakville, is still at least regulation size.
Aidan Doak came in relief of Jesse Hodgson in Newmarket's latest contest in Cobourg, and did well, allowing one goal on 21 shots. Both have struggled this year, but I expect the more veteran Doak to get the start on Thursday in Milne's first game behind the Hurricanes' bench.
My prediction is that on paper the Hurricanes are in very tough, but the high-powered Blades have a history of not fully showing up in games that are perceived as mismatches - both teams have a chance to prove that assessment wrong.
Saturday, October 1, 2016
Neugybowl Previews: Game #1 - Toronto @ North York Oct. 2
Another year, another Neugybowl. Is it self serving to create such a thing? I don't know. It's been a fun joke among people that know what I'm talking about, so let's keep it going!
Last year the Oakville Blades were the clear winners of the Neugybowl, taking seven wins from nine games with a tie thrown in. North York got the silver medal by going 4-3-1, while Toronto limped to the bronze at 1-7-1. This year there is a fourth entry into the event, the Newmarket Hurricanes, so competition, and potential for more difficult math for Jamie, is increased.
I will endeavour to write game previews for each Neugybowl clash, and the first one goes Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. at Victoria Village Arena when the Rangers and Patriots do battle for the first time this year.
Head coach Mario Cicchillo and general manager Mark Joslin seemed to have successfully righted the Toronto ship. Clearly they started where all hockey teams need to be started, in goal, and in their platoon of Tyler Fassl and Cam Gray, I can say they are happy beyond a doubt. Both the Texan Gray, and the newly acquired Sauble Beach-native Fassl were brilliant at the showcase, the former stuffing the high-powered Whitby Fury, and the latter doing just enough to clip the similarly emerging Kingston Voyageurs. Which of the two they have the most confidence in at this point is uncertain, but surely both are wins on the part of the Pats. Fassl was excellent in a Friday night road win in an often-tricky Lindsay Recreation Centre, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's Gray that gets Joslin's old organization the Rangers Sunday afternoon.
To give Fassl's brilliance so far some context though, he is 3-0 with a 2.24 goals-against average, and a league-best .940 save percentage - not too shabby.
A major key to the Pats turning it around is the emergence of an excellent top defence-pairing in league second-year man Nick Kalpousos, and rookie Ryan Wells. Wells sat out in Lindsay for rest, and to give guys in suits some playing time, but this mobile, intelligent pairing will see big minutes on Sunday. Those around the league, especially those that saw Newmarket last year and the Young Nats midgets before, knew what Kalpousos could bring, but Wells was a bit of a wild card, and the Pats clearly hit a home run on that young man. Beyond them, Graeme MacLean has been very safe, smart and involved all over the ice, despite a lack of points, and always seems to show up in big moments for the Pats thus far, especially at the defensive end. Who will Cicchilo match up against Keegan Blasby and Chris Sekelyk, should those two NYR monsters be on a line together? Could be Cicchilo' own physical defensive monster Josh Chiarot. We will have to find out!
Up front, Joslin has finally found success in bringing some depth. The Jeff Joynt, Colton Kalezic, Andrew Petrucci (who is a man, and proved it against Whitby at the showcase) unit has been extremely consistent since training camp, but getting Dante Spagnuolo from Trenton and Oliver Benwell to report has been huge for secondary scoring. Off-season Guisten Annetta is back from injury and is still finding his sea legs, but showed promise on a Kanata Junior 'A' team that really struggled last year. I expect he'll make an impact before it's all said and done for Toronto. Paul Violo hasn't produced so far this year, but the rookie out of the Toronto Marlies has promise and is my sleeper to have a solid first year in the league.
Jeremie Lintner has been excellent in net for North York, and I expect he'll get the start again after a great showing at the Showcase vs. Trenton, and then again Friday night in Buffalo. His numbers speak well for him once again (just like last year), with the athletic goaltender sporting a 2.25 GAA (0.01 behind Fassl, as an aside), and a league third-best .936 save percentage. The Rangers are fine in net.
Key veteran defender Shawn Tessier didn't have a training camp due to an illness, and while he is fully recovered from that, he has yet to fully find his groove. A man with vast junior experience, including 52 games in the Ontario Hockey League, the two-way defender will be great for NYR, he just needs to catch up to the rest of the field after circumstances that were out of his control befell him. One asset he certainly has is the brilliant addition of Matthew Ferrari, a big-bodied, smooth-skater who joins Tessier as the Rangers' No. 1A or 1B defender. I expect these two to take on the Petrucci unit, if Schomogyi has his way.
The club's other returning defenceman, Adam Giacomin, is a key veteran leader, and plays an old-school, physical brand of hockey. His presence alongside the likes of offensively inclined rookies Joey Maziarz and Harrison Toms will be huge for head coach Geoff Schomogyi and staff teaching the young guys how to play at this level. A lot is expected of Cornell committed Peter Muzyka, but the big, rangy defender is jumping straight from minor midget, and that is never an easy jump. He will learn, settle, and be a fine player at this level eventually; I have no doubt.
I mentioned Sekelyk and Blasby earlier, and for good reason: those two can be unstoppable at this level, if they want to. They were absolutely smothered by both Whitby and Trenton at the Showcase, but holding them down long just won't happen this year. They both are big and strong, with huge shots, great hands, and wonderful patience with the puck, and the Rangers need them to be key leaders in the energy and effort area to be successful as a club. It's hard not to enjoy watching the combination of Louis Kereakou, Nick Zanette, and captain Kyle Clarke. Those three play with energy, passion, and very underrated skill, and clearly value wearing the Ranger logo on their chest. They were one of the true underrated units in the league last season, and came up big with a goal apiece on Friday night's win in Buffalo. When they are at their best, this North York team is at a whole other level.
Rookie Rocco Andreacchi and veteran Ryan Hunt have been impressive at times, but like most of this North York forward corps, have yet to find great consistency throughout the first six games of the year.
Despite whatever has happened through the games so far, it is still very early, and the information we have on any of the teams in the league (with the probable exception of Trenton), is still too limited to know for sure what is in store.
My prediction is that it will be a one-goal, hard-fought tight game. The Pats have won four in a row and are feeling great about themselves, while the Rangers are breathing a sigh of relief after the win Buffalo following a rough showing at the Showcase. I'll go the cliche route: whoever is better between the goalies, Gray/Fassl and Lintner, will decide the outcome.
Let the Neugybowl begin.
Last year the Oakville Blades were the clear winners of the Neugybowl, taking seven wins from nine games with a tie thrown in. North York got the silver medal by going 4-3-1, while Toronto limped to the bronze at 1-7-1. This year there is a fourth entry into the event, the Newmarket Hurricanes, so competition, and potential for more difficult math for Jamie, is increased.
I will endeavour to write game previews for each Neugybowl clash, and the first one goes Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. at Victoria Village Arena when the Rangers and Patriots do battle for the first time this year.
Head coach Mario Cicchillo and general manager Mark Joslin seemed to have successfully righted the Toronto ship. Clearly they started where all hockey teams need to be started, in goal, and in their platoon of Tyler Fassl and Cam Gray, I can say they are happy beyond a doubt. Both the Texan Gray, and the newly acquired Sauble Beach-native Fassl were brilliant at the showcase, the former stuffing the high-powered Whitby Fury, and the latter doing just enough to clip the similarly emerging Kingston Voyageurs. Which of the two they have the most confidence in at this point is uncertain, but surely both are wins on the part of the Pats. Fassl was excellent in a Friday night road win in an often-tricky Lindsay Recreation Centre, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's Gray that gets Joslin's old organization the Rangers Sunday afternoon.
To give Fassl's brilliance so far some context though, he is 3-0 with a 2.24 goals-against average, and a league-best .940 save percentage - not too shabby.
A major key to the Pats turning it around is the emergence of an excellent top defence-pairing in league second-year man Nick Kalpousos, and rookie Ryan Wells. Wells sat out in Lindsay for rest, and to give guys in suits some playing time, but this mobile, intelligent pairing will see big minutes on Sunday. Those around the league, especially those that saw Newmarket last year and the Young Nats midgets before, knew what Kalpousos could bring, but Wells was a bit of a wild card, and the Pats clearly hit a home run on that young man. Beyond them, Graeme MacLean has been very safe, smart and involved all over the ice, despite a lack of points, and always seems to show up in big moments for the Pats thus far, especially at the defensive end. Who will Cicchilo match up against Keegan Blasby and Chris Sekelyk, should those two NYR monsters be on a line together? Could be Cicchilo' own physical defensive monster Josh Chiarot. We will have to find out!
Up front, Joslin has finally found success in bringing some depth. The Jeff Joynt, Colton Kalezic, Andrew Petrucci (who is a man, and proved it against Whitby at the showcase) unit has been extremely consistent since training camp, but getting Dante Spagnuolo from Trenton and Oliver Benwell to report has been huge for secondary scoring. Off-season Guisten Annetta is back from injury and is still finding his sea legs, but showed promise on a Kanata Junior 'A' team that really struggled last year. I expect he'll make an impact before it's all said and done for Toronto. Paul Violo hasn't produced so far this year, but the rookie out of the Toronto Marlies has promise and is my sleeper to have a solid first year in the league.
Jeremie Lintner has been excellent in net for North York, and I expect he'll get the start again after a great showing at the Showcase vs. Trenton, and then again Friday night in Buffalo. His numbers speak well for him once again (just like last year), with the athletic goaltender sporting a 2.25 GAA (0.01 behind Fassl, as an aside), and a league third-best .936 save percentage. The Rangers are fine in net.
Key veteran defender Shawn Tessier didn't have a training camp due to an illness, and while he is fully recovered from that, he has yet to fully find his groove. A man with vast junior experience, including 52 games in the Ontario Hockey League, the two-way defender will be great for NYR, he just needs to catch up to the rest of the field after circumstances that were out of his control befell him. One asset he certainly has is the brilliant addition of Matthew Ferrari, a big-bodied, smooth-skater who joins Tessier as the Rangers' No. 1A or 1B defender. I expect these two to take on the Petrucci unit, if Schomogyi has his way.
The club's other returning defenceman, Adam Giacomin, is a key veteran leader, and plays an old-school, physical brand of hockey. His presence alongside the likes of offensively inclined rookies Joey Maziarz and Harrison Toms will be huge for head coach Geoff Schomogyi and staff teaching the young guys how to play at this level. A lot is expected of Cornell committed Peter Muzyka, but the big, rangy defender is jumping straight from minor midget, and that is never an easy jump. He will learn, settle, and be a fine player at this level eventually; I have no doubt.
I mentioned Sekelyk and Blasby earlier, and for good reason: those two can be unstoppable at this level, if they want to. They were absolutely smothered by both Whitby and Trenton at the Showcase, but holding them down long just won't happen this year. They both are big and strong, with huge shots, great hands, and wonderful patience with the puck, and the Rangers need them to be key leaders in the energy and effort area to be successful as a club. It's hard not to enjoy watching the combination of Louis Kereakou, Nick Zanette, and captain Kyle Clarke. Those three play with energy, passion, and very underrated skill, and clearly value wearing the Ranger logo on their chest. They were one of the true underrated units in the league last season, and came up big with a goal apiece on Friday night's win in Buffalo. When they are at their best, this North York team is at a whole other level.
Rookie Rocco Andreacchi and veteran Ryan Hunt have been impressive at times, but like most of this North York forward corps, have yet to find great consistency throughout the first six games of the year.
Despite whatever has happened through the games so far, it is still very early, and the information we have on any of the teams in the league (with the probable exception of Trenton), is still too limited to know for sure what is in store.
My prediction is that it will be a one-goal, hard-fought tight game. The Pats have won four in a row and are feeling great about themselves, while the Rangers are breathing a sigh of relief after the win Buffalo following a rough showing at the Showcase. I'll go the cliche route: whoever is better between the goalies, Gray/Fassl and Lintner, will decide the outcome.
Let the Neugybowl begin.
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Trenton-Toronto trade, my analysis
It is September 21st, 2016, and finally the deal that sends Jeremy Pullara to Trenton for rookie forward Dante Spagnuolo and 19-year-old goaltender Tyler Fassl back to Toronto, is done. It took a long time, and a lot of figuring out, but it is done, and those three will be on the ice tonight; ironically as the Trenton Golden Hawks head to Westwood Arena to take on the Toronto Patriots.
This is a move well-done by both squads, and in my opinion really reflects good relationship the two GMs, Jerome Dupont of Trenton and Mark Joslin of Toronto, have with each other. The old hockey adage regarding trades is so often true: you have to give up steak, to get steak. Well, I know for sure Trenton got Kobe Beef; and while Spagnuolo and Fassl have to prove themselves at this level, I'd be willing to wager they'll turn out to be great assets as well.
In the soon-to-be 20-year-old Pullara, Trenton gets a winner through and through. No matter what era of hockey you're talking, Jeremy is a metric powerhouse. He is an elite face-off man (I'd put him against anyone in the OJHL), he is player with a far more solid frame than his 6', 175-pound line would suggest, and he is an excellent puck possessor. Jeremy has a cannon of a shot, and scored 27 goals last year on a Patriots team that had all sorts of trouble doing so. He also has a knack for terrorizing Trenton at the Duncan McDonald Memorial Gardens, so it is also a case of "can't beat 'em? acquire 'em."
Not only is he a great player at this level, but he has an extra comfort factor in that he joins one of his closest friends, Louis Di Matteo, on the Hawks. Louis was with Jeremy in midget and his first two years of junior, and is an elite OJHLer in his own right, counting as one of the few true high level power-play quarterbacks on the back end this year (as an aside: watch out for the combination of DiMatteo and Josh Allan on Trenton's power play this year...scary stuff).
But as I started the last paragraph, he is a winner. He went from the Telus Cup bronze medal game to a Dudley Hewitt cup semi-final over the span of two years, and with that winner's heart, he certainly has the personality to take those two experiences of falling just short of big-time glory as a big-time chip on his shoulder.
Call me biased if you want, I know the kid well, and we have a great relationship. But I'm also being honest: Golden Hawks fans better buckle up.
Back the other way, Joslin and the Pats have to be happy with themselves. Nobody started more games in Greater Ontario Junior 'B' Hockey League than Fassl did, and only one other goaltender won more games (and, with no disrespect to Mark Sinclair, the guy who I was just talking about, I might be able to win a few games in net for Caledonia...). So in Fassl and Cameron Gray, Toronto is now very able in net - and some say that is half of hockey.
The forward Toronto got, the recently-turned 18-year-old Dante Spagnuolo, is a kid that scored over 40 goals two years in a row in midget with an excellent Richmond Hill Coyotes squad. He's a strong kid, has great speed, nice hands, and a good frame, and while he has yet to get a chance to prove it at this level, the Pats can have two or three seasons with him in their Top 6 to give him that opportunity. On top of that, Dante is an excellent young man with a great head on his shoulders, and there was not one ounce of sulk in him regarding the move from the Dudley Hewitt Cup hosts. He knows his opportunity to produce will be great in Toronto, and that maturity will serve him very well.
Bottom line is I like this trade all around and it is refreshing to see a truly even trade in this day and age.
This is a move well-done by both squads, and in my opinion really reflects good relationship the two GMs, Jerome Dupont of Trenton and Mark Joslin of Toronto, have with each other. The old hockey adage regarding trades is so often true: you have to give up steak, to get steak. Well, I know for sure Trenton got Kobe Beef; and while Spagnuolo and Fassl have to prove themselves at this level, I'd be willing to wager they'll turn out to be great assets as well.
In the soon-to-be 20-year-old Pullara, Trenton gets a winner through and through. No matter what era of hockey you're talking, Jeremy is a metric powerhouse. He is an elite face-off man (I'd put him against anyone in the OJHL), he is player with a far more solid frame than his 6', 175-pound line would suggest, and he is an excellent puck possessor. Jeremy has a cannon of a shot, and scored 27 goals last year on a Patriots team that had all sorts of trouble doing so. He also has a knack for terrorizing Trenton at the Duncan McDonald Memorial Gardens, so it is also a case of "can't beat 'em? acquire 'em."
Not only is he a great player at this level, but he has an extra comfort factor in that he joins one of his closest friends, Louis Di Matteo, on the Hawks. Louis was with Jeremy in midget and his first two years of junior, and is an elite OJHLer in his own right, counting as one of the few true high level power-play quarterbacks on the back end this year (as an aside: watch out for the combination of DiMatteo and Josh Allan on Trenton's power play this year...scary stuff).
But as I started the last paragraph, he is a winner. He went from the Telus Cup bronze medal game to a Dudley Hewitt cup semi-final over the span of two years, and with that winner's heart, he certainly has the personality to take those two experiences of falling just short of big-time glory as a big-time chip on his shoulder.
Call me biased if you want, I know the kid well, and we have a great relationship. But I'm also being honest: Golden Hawks fans better buckle up.
Back the other way, Joslin and the Pats have to be happy with themselves. Nobody started more games in Greater Ontario Junior 'B' Hockey League than Fassl did, and only one other goaltender won more games (and, with no disrespect to Mark Sinclair, the guy who I was just talking about, I might be able to win a few games in net for Caledonia...). So in Fassl and Cameron Gray, Toronto is now very able in net - and some say that is half of hockey.
The forward Toronto got, the recently-turned 18-year-old Dante Spagnuolo, is a kid that scored over 40 goals two years in a row in midget with an excellent Richmond Hill Coyotes squad. He's a strong kid, has great speed, nice hands, and a good frame, and while he has yet to get a chance to prove it at this level, the Pats can have two or three seasons with him in their Top 6 to give him that opportunity. On top of that, Dante is an excellent young man with a great head on his shoulders, and there was not one ounce of sulk in him regarding the move from the Dudley Hewitt Cup hosts. He knows his opportunity to produce will be great in Toronto, and that maturity will serve him very well.
Bottom line is I like this trade all around and it is refreshing to see a truly even trade in this day and age.
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Early August Pre-Season Power Rankings SW Top 5
Well, it's August, and that means the OJHL season is going to be upon us before you know it! Camps will start in just over two weeks, and pre-season games right after, and while it's true that I have no idea who will make certain teams, both in and out of the league, this blog is for fun; so with that in mind, I'll make power rankings based on what I know at the moment.
Here is the SW Conference Top 5, in my opinion.
Southwest Conference
#1: Oakville Blades - the team is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, and while they didn't get the Dudley Hewitt Cup tournament as they had hoped, new general manager Jordan Seliger, head coach Mike Tarantino, and company, are absolutely loaded. Adding grit in defenders Nick Turenko and Jeff Clarke, and in big forward Chris Brill-Morgan will make trips to Sixteen Mile a lot less fun, while former St. Catherine's Junior 'B' power forward Tyler Hildebrandt has all the tools to supplement an offence already full of firepower. Christian Rajic is easily among the Top 3 most explosive players in the conference (maybe even the league), and look for sophomore D-man Michael Mannara to step into a bigger role this year. Jackson Bales will look to be a key producer as well, along with Ryan Foss and Bryce Misley, who was one of the league's top 1999-birth year forwards a year ago.
#2: Georgetown Raiders - Head coach and GM Greg Walters built a young team last year that went to the finals by clearly and seriously buying in. They also had an elite veteran goaltender last year in Andrew Masters, who they lose to graduation, but whoever wins the starter job between new-comers Josh Astorino and Marcus Paulino will have a finely-tuned machine in front of them. Jack Jacome is with the aforementioned Rajic in the Top 3 most dangerous customers in the conference (also, maybe the best player in the league), while smart big men Austin Cho, Griffin James, and Jake Payette will make the Raiders D-Corps as tough to face as any in the OJHL. Look for big years up front from talented scorers Jordan Crocker, Daniel Hardie, and Ryan Takamatsu. It should be another fun year at Alcott Arena.
#3: North York Rangers - new bench boss Geoff Schomogyi inherits an extremely dangerous and cohesive group that were within one game of the conference final last year. The health of elite goaltender Jeremie Lintner will be huge for the Rangers, as when he was healthy last season, he was as good as anyone in the OJHL. The loss of Grayden Gottschalk to the Ontario Hockey League will hurt, but Chris Sekelyk and Keegan Blasby are as good power forwards as there are in the OJHL. Additionally, the sublime skill of Nick Campoli should put the sophomore centreman firmly on the radar of National Hockey League scouts. The energy line of new captain Kyle Clarke, with Louis Kereakou and Nick Zanette were extremely effective last season, and all three took steps forward productively. A lot of impetus on the back end will be put on former OHLer Shawn Tessier, who came to the Rangers in the middle of the season last year, but he has a lot of character behind him in Adam Giacomin and Jacob DeMaeyer. It's worth repeating though: if Lintner is healthy, everyone should fear NYR.
#4: Buffalo Jr. Sabres - who stays or goes on a year-to-year basis south of the border is a mystery to me, but from the great improvement they made as an organization last season at their beautiful HarborCenter arena, I can only assume they'll continue that growth curve. Slippery talisman and captain Zach Evancho is gone, but if all or most of Chris Berger, Timmy Nicksic, David Baskerville, and Brendan Dunning are back, than Buffalo should certainly be an offensive force. On the back end their monster Wilson Vershay is gone, but true hockey fans love the gritty, in your face style of Evan Bennett, and Aaron Reinig and his cannon of a shot only scratched the surface of his potential last year (and he had nine goals and 35 points!). The amount of power plays Buffalo gets every year will serve Reinig very well this year though, you can count on that. Canisius commit Tucker Weppner has the tools to be a solid goaltender in this league, but whether he puts it together for a full season will go a long way in determining Buffalo's fate.
#5: Burlington Cougars - The Cougars had an incredible turnaround with Mark Jooris at the helm as head coach and GM last year, and even though they lose captain and power-play trigger man Willy Paul, they do keep a big corps of the group that upset the Blades in the second round last year, and pushed the Raiders to six games in the conference final. The biggest question is whether star defenceman Zac Hermann will make the USHL's Omaha Lancers - my belief is that he is more than good enough to do so - which leaves the question of whom will replace them at the top of the Cougars defence depth chart; especially with Griffin James off to Georgetown. One option could be Junior B import Max Balinson, who has a lot of skill. Veteran scorers Chris Cobham, David Thompson, and James McLaughlin look to lead the line up front, and will be supported by talented newcomer Jeff Schrattner. Like last year, they will score goals; but can they keep them out? I haven't seen import goaltender Mario Cavaliere enough to make a claim on him, though both of last year's goalies have graduated.
Here is the SW Conference Top 5, in my opinion.
Southwest Conference
#1: Oakville Blades - the team is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, and while they didn't get the Dudley Hewitt Cup tournament as they had hoped, new general manager Jordan Seliger, head coach Mike Tarantino, and company, are absolutely loaded. Adding grit in defenders Nick Turenko and Jeff Clarke, and in big forward Chris Brill-Morgan will make trips to Sixteen Mile a lot less fun, while former St. Catherine's Junior 'B' power forward Tyler Hildebrandt has all the tools to supplement an offence already full of firepower. Christian Rajic is easily among the Top 3 most explosive players in the conference (maybe even the league), and look for sophomore D-man Michael Mannara to step into a bigger role this year. Jackson Bales will look to be a key producer as well, along with Ryan Foss and Bryce Misley, who was one of the league's top 1999-birth year forwards a year ago.
#2: Georgetown Raiders - Head coach and GM Greg Walters built a young team last year that went to the finals by clearly and seriously buying in. They also had an elite veteran goaltender last year in Andrew Masters, who they lose to graduation, but whoever wins the starter job between new-comers Josh Astorino and Marcus Paulino will have a finely-tuned machine in front of them. Jack Jacome is with the aforementioned Rajic in the Top 3 most dangerous customers in the conference (also, maybe the best player in the league), while smart big men Austin Cho, Griffin James, and Jake Payette will make the Raiders D-Corps as tough to face as any in the OJHL. Look for big years up front from talented scorers Jordan Crocker, Daniel Hardie, and Ryan Takamatsu. It should be another fun year at Alcott Arena.
#3: North York Rangers - new bench boss Geoff Schomogyi inherits an extremely dangerous and cohesive group that were within one game of the conference final last year. The health of elite goaltender Jeremie Lintner will be huge for the Rangers, as when he was healthy last season, he was as good as anyone in the OJHL. The loss of Grayden Gottschalk to the Ontario Hockey League will hurt, but Chris Sekelyk and Keegan Blasby are as good power forwards as there are in the OJHL. Additionally, the sublime skill of Nick Campoli should put the sophomore centreman firmly on the radar of National Hockey League scouts. The energy line of new captain Kyle Clarke, with Louis Kereakou and Nick Zanette were extremely effective last season, and all three took steps forward productively. A lot of impetus on the back end will be put on former OHLer Shawn Tessier, who came to the Rangers in the middle of the season last year, but he has a lot of character behind him in Adam Giacomin and Jacob DeMaeyer. It's worth repeating though: if Lintner is healthy, everyone should fear NYR.
#4: Buffalo Jr. Sabres - who stays or goes on a year-to-year basis south of the border is a mystery to me, but from the great improvement they made as an organization last season at their beautiful HarborCenter arena, I can only assume they'll continue that growth curve. Slippery talisman and captain Zach Evancho is gone, but if all or most of Chris Berger, Timmy Nicksic, David Baskerville, and Brendan Dunning are back, than Buffalo should certainly be an offensive force. On the back end their monster Wilson Vershay is gone, but true hockey fans love the gritty, in your face style of Evan Bennett, and Aaron Reinig and his cannon of a shot only scratched the surface of his potential last year (and he had nine goals and 35 points!). The amount of power plays Buffalo gets every year will serve Reinig very well this year though, you can count on that. Canisius commit Tucker Weppner has the tools to be a solid goaltender in this league, but whether he puts it together for a full season will go a long way in determining Buffalo's fate.
#5: Burlington Cougars - The Cougars had an incredible turnaround with Mark Jooris at the helm as head coach and GM last year, and even though they lose captain and power-play trigger man Willy Paul, they do keep a big corps of the group that upset the Blades in the second round last year, and pushed the Raiders to six games in the conference final. The biggest question is whether star defenceman Zac Hermann will make the USHL's Omaha Lancers - my belief is that he is more than good enough to do so - which leaves the question of whom will replace them at the top of the Cougars defence depth chart; especially with Griffin James off to Georgetown. One option could be Junior B import Max Balinson, who has a lot of skill. Veteran scorers Chris Cobham, David Thompson, and James McLaughlin look to lead the line up front, and will be supported by talented newcomer Jeff Schrattner. Like last year, they will score goals; but can they keep them out? I haven't seen import goaltender Mario Cavaliere enough to make a claim on him, though both of last year's goalies have graduated.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Plundering the Coyotes
It should come as no surprise that Jerome Dupont and Mark Jooris, the general managers of the Buckland Cup champion Trenton Golden Hawks and the OHA Coach of the Year at the junior level, respectively, were paying attention to the 2015-16 Richmond Hill Coyotes AAA midgets. Of course, being ranked No. 1 in Ontario will do that, and although the club slipped up at the OMHAs, and had to watch a North York Rangers team that many of the Coyotes were familiar with lift the Telus Cup in New Brunswick a month later, it was still a remarkable year for head coach Kevin Ryan and company.
In order to accomplish that sort of notoriety at the midget level, a club has to be flush with junior ready - or almost ready - talent, and this group was no different, and this off-season, Richmond Hill's ranks are being plundered at an incredible rate. According to the team's twitter account, 11 players from the squad, comprising 1998 and 1999-birth year players, have moved on to juniors, and look to make an instant impact, especially on the Ontario Junior Hockey League.
The 2013-14 York Simcoe Express minor midgets certainly deserve a shoutout along these same lines (the group that spawned recent Colorado Avalanche second rounder Cameron Morrison), with the pick of the Coyotes litter coming out of there. The group of YSE minor midgets/Coyotes midgets includes new Burlington Cougar Andrew Badali, a mature and fleet-footed winger, as well new Trenton Golden Hawks Cole Thiessen, a smooth skating, point-producing machine from the back end, and the dynamically skillful Dante Spagnuolo.
Joining Badali on the Cougars is Darius Dimitriadis, a great passer with a solid frame, while sniper Conor Smart will look to fill one of the holes left in the high-powered offence of the Oakville Blades. Vinny Boniauto, a speedster that played on a very good Toronto Titans minor midget team two years ago, will join new head coach Justin Teakle on the Orangeville Flyers.
I am not privy to the other signings at the moment, though I'm sure whoever runs the Coyotes' fine twitter account will divulge that information soon enough. Nevertheless, the young men about to break into the OJHL out of Richmond Hill, as well as their excellent, athletic goaltender Ryan Franz, who is set to join Kanata of the Central Canadian Hockey League, are all fine individuals who I have seen play many times.
They will make their marks on the OJ before long.
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