ETA 2000 Fan
Registered User
- Apr 16, 2015
- 583
- 185
If the season were to start tomorrow, how would the team line up? Here's my best guess:
Goalie:
Andree
Cranley:
Defence:
Okhotyuk-Hoefenmayer
Bahl-Robertson
Rippon-Wilson
Peric
Belanger
Forwards:
K.Clark-Chmelevski-Felhaber
Keating-Rossi-G. Clarke
Tolnai-Hoelscher-Bitten
Quinn-Boomhower-Yule
Losev
Things that NEED to happen:
1) Add a Goalie who can put up a .905+ save percentage;
2) Add an Overage Forward who can play in the top six (even if Barron returns)
If the season were to start tomorrow, how would the team line up? Here's my best guess:
Goalie:
Andree
Cranley:
Defence:
Okhotyuk-Hoefenmayer
Bahl-Robertson
Rippon-Wilson
Peric
Belanger
Forwards:
K.Clark-Chmelevski-Felhaber
Keating-Rossi-G. Clarke
Tolnai-Hoelscher-Bitten
Quinn-Boomhower-Yule
Losev
Things that NEED to happen:
1) Add a Goalie who can put up a .905+ save percentage;
2) Add an Overage Forward who can play in the top six (even if Barron returns)
My take? Hoelscher, Tolnai and Bitten (sometimes) are all centres and none of Boomhower, Yule or Quinn are. Hoelscher is a drafted 18 year old and Rossi will need some time to adjust to NA game.
My guess is it looks more like:
Felhaber-Chmelevski-Clark
Keating-Hoelscher-Clarke (hopefully GC's 'complete' game is ready for top-6)
Bitten-Tolnai-Quinn
Yule-Rossi-Boomhower/Losev (IF Boomer's energy can be brought under control - I'm not sure Losev is an OHL player)
I'd much rather see Chem on RW and a legit #1 centre brought in. That bumps down everyone on the right side and you'll likely lose 1D and/or 1F in the process, depending on the trading partner's needs.
Also, to get a legit #1 goaltender, you KNOW at least one of the D are gone and possibly one of the F. The bulk of last season, Ottawa played with 7D and 11F (mostly, I assume, because Peric was a pleasant surprise). That eliminates a 4th line and leaves you two 'spot duty' forwards which limits their playing time and taxes one or two of the other forwards who do double time to get them minutes. I don't see that as an effective long-term strategy.
Losing nothing on the back end, they have 7 experienced OHL D-men now. They'll have to make room for Belanger. One is likely gone but that still leaves 7, which, of course, is fine if they don't all expect to play every game.
It will be interesting to see what Mr. Boyd and Mr. Tourigny have up their collective sleeves.
I doubt Hoelscher goes anywhere, too much upside and I've been told really liked by the brass. We have plenty of other assets so we don't need to touch him. If we do load up with another top 6 forward, having Hoelscher as your third center starts to look like we have a true contender.Yes, they will roll with SEVEN D-Men. Usually the 16 year old gets spot duty here and there during injuries and rest days for 3 in 3’s. The only issue is it will be tough to “rest” any of our current top 6 as they are all bonafide OHL D-Men. You are likely right. They will dress 7 D-Men and 11 Forwards. The good part about that is if you are correct and Rossi starts on the 4th line then he will always get a legit winger to play with when that player drops down for a shift.
It is fun to do these projected lineups but the reality is we know we will likely lose a few players in the process. Something tells me Hoelscher is the odd man out if we make a big move for a top centre. Clarke will likely not waive his NTC. Bitten and Quinn are local. No sense trading a top 6 player in Keating, Clark or Chmelevski to get a similar aged player. That leaves Hoelscher as the likely candidate to move if we have to toss a young’ish forward back. I just can’t see any of the other players that don’t have trade protection being all that coveted up front, at least until the underage window opens and they will start asking for Tolnai.
My take? Hoelscher, Tolnai and Bitten (sometimes) are all centres and none of Boomhower, Yule or Quinn are. Hoelscher is a drafted 18 year old and Rossi will need some time to adjust to NA game.
My guess is it looks more like:
Felhaber-Chmelevski-Clark
Keating-Hoelscher-Clarke (hopefully GC's 'complete' game is ready for top-6)
Bitten-Tolnai-Quinn
Yule-Rossi-Boomhower/Losev (IF Boomer's energy can be brought under control - I'm not sure Losev is an OHL player)
I'd much rather see Chem on RW and a legit #1 centre brought in. That bumps down everyone on the right side and you'll likely lose 1D and/or 1F in the process, depending on the trading partner's needs.
Also, to get a legit #1 goaltender, you KNOW at least one of the D are gone and possibly one of the F. The bulk of last season, Ottawa played with 7D and 11F (mostly, I assume, because Peric was a pleasant surprise). That eliminates a 4th line and leaves you two 'spot duty' forwards which limits their playing time and taxes one or two of the other forwards who do double time to get them minutes. I don't see that as an effective long-term strategy.
Losing nothing on the back end, they have 7 experienced OHL D-men now. They'll have to make room for Belanger. One is likely gone but that still leaves 7, which, of course, is fine if they don't all expect to play every game. Can't see Hoelscher and Keating together, as other posters mentioned the chemistry wasn't great and I agree. They did not get Rossi to play fourth line imo. I wonder if Rossi although only 17 can be that dynamic forward, game changer we have not had since TK?
I doubt Hoelscher goes anywhere, too much upside and I've been told really liked by the brass. We have plenty of other assets so we don't need to touch him. If we do load up with another top 6 forward, having Hoelscher as your third center starts to look like we have a true contender.
Just noticed I botched my last post. Was essentially replying to ETA fan and saying I don't see Hoelscher/ Keating on the same line. Poor chemistry last year which was mentionned by a few posters. I don't think they picked Rossi so he plays fourth line, and I suspect to get him over there will be some type of icetime garantee. Speaking of Rossi the more I hear and see, I wonder if despite being 17 if he can be that offensive game changer we have not had since TK?
Goalie:
Experienced Goalie
Andree
Cranley:
Defence:
Okhotyuk-Hoefenmayer
Bahl-Robertson
Rippon-Wilson
Peric
Belanger
Forwards:
K.Clark-Chmelevski-Felhaber
Keating-Hoelscher-G. Clarke
Boomhower-Rossi-Bitten
Quinn-Tolnai-Yule
Losev
Trade Bait Rippon and Wilson.
I think that if some of the young draftees do well
A team that is rebuilding will be looking for a good player but will really be looking for draft picks.
Not a bad depth chart. As Sirius has said, Keating and Hoelscher aren’t really a good match so swapping Clark and Keating may be a solution. KEating was a good match with Chmelevski.
I think if we keep Boomhower, it may be better to slide him up the roster a little beside Hoelscher and Clarke. He may add that extra umph that the lineup is missing. That puts Clark with Rossi and if he is the passer he looks like, Clark may end up with a lot of scoring opportunities. It may balance the lines a little better.
As much as I dislike Robertson, playing him with Bahl may be interesting as Bahl can cover for him BUT I think Bahl may start to assert himself a little more offensively this season. If so, playing him with Wilson who will simply stay back at all times may be a better fit. Either that or Wilson and Robertson to allow Robertson some more time and space to push the play (which should be his strong suit). Rippon and Bahl would be a nasty pairing physically.
Lol I think you need to lay off the Kool aide.I think the 67s are a Michael DiPietro away from being Memorial Cup favourites, what do 67s fans think? Am I out to lunch on this line of thinking?
Lol I think you need to lay off the Kool aide.
I think the 67s are a Michael DiPietro away from being Memorial Cup favourites, what do 67s fans think? Am I out to lunch on this line of thinking?
I think the 67s are a Michael DiPietro away from being Memorial Cup favourites, what do 67s fans think? Am I out to lunch on this line of thinking?
It could be but unless Windsor can make him give up his NTC then he is not going anywhere until the Christmas break. Dipietro is in a very enviable position that he can call the shots and I am sure he is going to want to go to a team that is on the ice performing like a championship team.I think the 67s are a Michael DiPietro away from being Memorial Cup favorites, what do 67s fans think? Am I out to lunch on this line of thinking?
It could be but unless Windsor can make him give up his NTC then he is not going anywhere until the Christmas break. Dipietro is in a very enviable position that he can call the shots and I am sure he is going to want to go to a team that is on the ice performing like a championship team.
If you look at this team we are the same team that he turned down last year.
If you are looking for him then you would have to go with the goalie3s that we have now for a few months. I am not sure that is a good idea.
Some interesting 67's reading in Brock Otten's (OHL Prospects blog) interview:
An Interview With Brock Otten of OHL Prospects
HE really drew a line in the sand there. He projects him as anywhere from a “no-sign” draft pick to a two way 2nd line centre depending on his development. I sorta found that funny.