Guelph Storm 2023-24 Off-Season Thread (Part One)

MidwestStorm

Registered User
Oct 9, 2023
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43
Wow, more bad luck again this year.
Not sure the plan was to trade him at the deadline. Not all bad as it will give Singh and Topp more ice time to develop and not be scratched. We need to hang in until January when Allen, Beauchense and hopefully Poitras return but may be a tough 2 months especially if Buchinger is on the world juniors.
Looking forward to a second half similar to last year.
 

StormWatcher

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Nov 26, 2013
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Once again these SOG numbers are driving me up the wall. If this is what we look like when everyone returns from injury/U17's, I say sell.
 

Living Vicariously

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Mar 15, 2014
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Fergus
Once again these SOG numbers are driving me up the wall. If this is what we look like when everyone returns from injury/U17's, I say sell.
I was just about to come on here and ask when we’e going to start talking about the issues with this team and what the season plan should be, versus what was thought it would be.

The last five games have told a few tales. Mini- slump or something else?
 
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MidwestStorm

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Oct 9, 2023
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4 of the last 5 games were on the road where it seems the game plan is defense first. Then win 3 to 2 with our solid pk, pp and goaltending. Our biggest need or tweak is to improve 5 on 5 scoring.
Too early for major sell or buy until we know the status of Poitras in my opinion.
 

StormWatcher

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Nov 26, 2013
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I was just about to come on here and ask when we’e going to start talking about the issues with this team and what the season plan should be, versus what was thought it would be.

The last five games have told a few tales. Mini- slump or something else?

I think that they have been giving their rookies ++ minutes, which is good for their development but doesn't bode well for a team looking to make a run. We have no bona fide 2nd line, we have depth players capable of scoring, but they are out of their depth with the current lineup.

I'm also disappointed in Wiseman. It's a tough go as he got promoted internally last year after Walker had to step back for health reasons. I can't see Walker returning even if he wanted to now that Cooper is gone. It's unfortunate that the owners won't let George hold both roles, as he excels at both. They have been wallpapering the arena with ads (also not a fan of covering the player tributes with giant ad banners), but need to defer to George when it comes to hockey ops.

I will pause as I'm starting to sound like I belong on my porch hollering at the wind about the good ole days.
 

DB26

Registered User
Aug 30, 2023
4
1
It is amazing how much of a ripple effect not having Poitras return has had with this line-up. I am not sure there should be any player movement until you know for sure that Poitras is staying the full year in Boston. I do think that it is unlikely that he will be returned.

I think you look at what Mississauga was able to accomplish last season when they moved players as a template, if indeed Poitras is not back.
 

nelli27

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May 21, 2011
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London, Ontario
What was the name of that goalie who started for Guelph as a 16 year old rookie (maybe 12 or so years ago)? I think he was American, drafted by Detroit and spent his last season in the O with Barrie. Not very many 16 yr rookies capable of being the #1.
 

Ward Cornell

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Dec 22, 2007
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What was the name of that goalie who started for Guelph as a 16 year old rookie (maybe 12 or so years ago)? I think he was American, drafted by Detroit and spent his last season in the O with Barrie. Not very many 16 yr rookies capable of being the #1.
Thomas McCollum? He went to Brampton not Barrie.
I remember him as a routine shaping the ice shavings around his crease into a straight line along his goal line in the net.

 
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nelli27

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thenumbersguy

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Feb 14, 2010
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I’m going to go on a limb and say Slavik is going home at Christmas and not coming back.

Wiseman was asked after Wednesday’s game about his lack of playing time. I think his answer was a crock.

Wiseman on Damian Slavik:
"Our schedule has kind of allowed Brayden to play more than he probably should. We haven't had a lot of three-in-threes. but our schedule gets pretty hectic here in December ... (Slavik's) head's on right, he understands the process."

He’s had numerous opportunities to put him in a game. This past week was basically a 3 in 3 and he didn’t see the net.

As for his comment about December, we do have some games close together but we have another 3 in 3 next week.

I’m not holding out hope that he comes back after the break. What a waste of a draft pick that could have helped us in other areas where we are weaker.

Feel sorry for Slavik. It’s not like he’s played badly in any game, the Kingston game was not his fault, the whole team played like crap.
 

StormWatcher

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Nov 26, 2013
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It is unfortunate that Gillespie and Slavik are the same age. Hopefully Slavik gets some starts soon.

Daydreaming about a world where we get Poitras back and go big, trading for Beck.
Could you imagine?

Namestnikov/Poitras/Bowman
Karabela/Beck/Luchanko
Alriksson/McGuire/Paquette
McKenzie/Snelgrove(McFadden?)/Serlin

Now there is a 1a/1b.

One can dream....
 
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MidwestStorm

Registered User
Oct 9, 2023
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That would be a dream but at a heavy price.
I may prefer an 05 rather than Beck at that price such as Ritchie, Terrance, Wainwright or MacDonnell. Windsor and Niagara have 06's but probably not available.
So hard treading water for another month waiting to hear if Poitras returns.
 

DB26

Registered User
Aug 30, 2023
4
1
One can dream that Poitras is returned, but I don't see Boston doing that considering they are 1st overall in the league and have only lost one game in regulation. I think it is more likely that George moves some of our veterans and retools the line-up around our younger players.
 

OHL4Life

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Sep 6, 2017
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That would be a dream but at a heavy price.
I may prefer an 05 rather than Beck at that price such as Ritchie, Terrance, Wainwright or MacDonnell. Windsor and Niagara have 06's but probably not available.
So hard treading water for another month waiting to hear if Poitras returns.
why would those teams give up any of those players?
 
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thenumbersguy

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Feb 14, 2010
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I don’t think Poitras is coming back and the sooner the team realizes that, the sooner they decide on a direction they take. If it’s to trade our veterans to retool again that won’t sit well with the fans.

This team is in need of help up front and on the back end. We can’t score a lot of goals and if it wasn’t for Gillespie’s play we wouldn’t be stopping them either

Even with Allen’s return, we can only hope he plays like he did in his rookie season. We need to shoot more and find the back of the net.

If things don’t change quickly I won’t be surprised if changes are made and I don’t mean in the player category.
 

StormWatcher

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Nov 26, 2013
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I don’t think Poitras is coming back and the sooner the team realizes that, the sooner they decide on a direction they take. If it’s to trade our veterans to retool again that won’t sit well with the fans.

This team is in need of help up front and on the back end. We can’t score a lot of goals and if it wasn’t for Gillespie’s play we wouldn’t be stopping them either

Even with Allen’s return, we can only hope he plays like he did in his rookie season. We need to shoot more and find the back of the net.

If things don’t change quickly I won’t be surprised if changes are made and I don’t mean in the player category.
I agree with this post, well said.
 

EvenSteven

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Sep 3, 2009
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I don’t think Poitras is coming back and the sooner the team realizes that, the sooner they decide on a direction they take. If it’s to trade our veterans to retool again that won’t sit well with the fans.

This team is in need of help up front and on the back end. We can’t score a lot of goals and if it wasn’t for Gillespie’s play we wouldn’t be stopping them either

Even with Allen’s return, we can only hope he plays like he did in his rookie season. We need to shoot more and find the back of the net.

If things don’t change quickly I won’t be surprised if changes are made and I don’t mean in the player category.
Poitras has just 1 point in his last six games. 3 in his last 10.

I bet he’s released to Team Canada. Then? Depending on the Bruins roster, I can see him back in Guelph.

Of course, the latest Lucic news could have an effect on the Poitras decision.
 

frontsfan67

Registered User
Dec 3, 2022
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Poitras has just 1 point in his last six games. 3 in his last 10.

I bet he’s released to Team Canada. Then? Depending on the Bruins roster, I can see him back in Guelph.

Of course, the latest Lucic news could have an effect on the Poitras decision.
100% nobody thought wright would be back for a good chunk last year and same goes for Dylan guenther in the whl. I see Boston keeping him until wjc. He goes there and then is back in Guelph in January.
 
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