Owen Sound Attack 2018 Offseason Thread

[AttackSound]

Pretty Impressive exhibition games by a team with a bunch away at camps.

Should be a great year for this franchise!

Agreed HLLYWD99, the young core of the team that was brought in from training camp mixed with the returning players should make for an exciting club this season.

Mix that with the returning vets like Szypula, and Friend as senior players mixed in with talent like Suzuki, Phillips and Dudas I think they should be able to compete with anyone this year in the top half of the conference early on in the year. Russell has seemed to as promised by Dale big and skilled for his size so should be exiting now and for the future of the club

 

[Jack Attack]

Even if it is just pre-season, the Attack dominated their opponents without so many good players. I'm curious what's going to happen with the glut of forwards.
And unlike some people, I wouldn't worry too much about the prospect of Nick Suzuki sticking in the NHL. As good as he is, he's still a smallish forward who needs at least another year of Junior. If Mitch Marner needed to play Junior at age 18, almost everyone does. Why wouldn't an NHL team (with McGill as assistant coach) want to send a guy like Suzuki back to dominate, possibly play in the World Juniors and Memorial Cup?

If everyone is back, what do you think the lines will be opening night? Here's my guess:

Gadj-Hancock-Suzuki
Sushko-Syzpula-Dudas
Lysz-Struthers-Campbell
Pryce-Russell-Groulx

Friend-Phillips
Bourque-Durzi
Chibrikov-King or Cameron

Bowman
Guzda

A few thoughts:
-again, it's only pre-season, but when has a 16 yr old D-man ever gone +10 in 5 games like Chib has??? Has he not earned his way in the top 6?
-with 16 forwards, I have to think that a guy like Roberts gets traded. He's the only one with good value that's expendable.
-I predict a big victory on Satuday night. I think the Attack will come out flying and Flint will be outskated and outhustled. My guess is 7-3 win.

 

[AttackSound]

Courtesy of EPTransfers

Bourque,Gadjovich and Roberts have all been sent back to the Sound leaving Sushko and Suzuki the only remaining two Attack players unaccounted yet on returning back to the "O" I'd expect Maxium and Nick to be a little after the opening week.

That will set the lines up something like this for opening night

Gadjovich-Hancock-Campbell
Lysz-Szypula-Struthers
Filyayev-Russell-Pryce
Moro-Dorherty-Groulx

Bourque-Durzi
King-Beamish
Cameron-Chibrikov

Bowman (Starter)
Guzda (backup)

At least until Maxium and Nick return from the Flyers and Golden Knights respectively leaving Friend and Phillips as the last remaining two guys yet to return to the club

 

[ohlfanos]

Sushko returned last week....he played both games against north bay....

 

[Millpond]

The Attack currently have rostered 27 .

Dale DeGray says he'd like to go with 24 on the roster.

Some very tough decisions ahead.

Looking forward to this campaign .

As we all know, the preseason and predictions mean nothing .

But the Attack have a lot of hype to live up to.

They've got the biggest STH base in history, there is huge excitement around town .

They've done a great job of building this team. Let's see where it takes us.

 

[Lefthander]

Courtesy of EPTransfers

Bourque,Gadjovich and Roberts have all been sent back to the Sound leaving Sushko and Suzuki the only remaining two Attack players unaccounted yet on returning back to the "O" I'd expect Maxium and Nick to be a little after the opening week.

That will set the lines up something like this for opening night

Gadjovich-Hancock-Campbell
Lysz-Szypula-Struthers
Filyayev-Russell-Pryce
Moro-Dorherty-Groulx

Bourque-Durzi
King-Beamish
Cameron-Chibrikov

Bowman (Starter)
Guzda (backup)

At least until Maxium and Nick return from the Flyers and Golden Knights respectively leaving Friend and Phillips as the last remaining two guys yet to return to the club

Um I think you forgot Dudas?

 

[Millpond]

Courtesy of EPTransfers

Bourque,Gadjovich and Roberts have all

That will set the lines up something like this for opening night

Gadjovich-Hancock-Campbell
Lysz-Szypula-Struthers
Filyayev-Russell-Pryce
Moro-Dorherty-Groulx

Bourque-Durzi
King-Beamish
Cameron-Chibrikov

Bowman (Starter)
Guzda (backup)

Here's my starters once everyone is back

Gadjo Hancock Suzuki

Lys Zippy Sushko

Campbell Dudas Struthers

Roberts Russell Pryce

Friend Phillips

Bourque Durzi

King Chibrikov/Cameron

Bowman

Guzda

 

[BrunoDaBear]

Here's my starters once everyone is back

Gadjo Hancock Suzuki

Lys Zippy Sushko

Campbell Dudas Struthers

Roberts Russell Pryce

Friend Phillips

Bourque Durzi

King Chibrikov/Cameron

Bowman

Guzda

Struthers is a center, not a winger. Zippy played wing last year with James and Palmu and I see him playing wing again. Don't you think so?

 

[Millpond]

Struthers is a center, not a winger. Zippy played wing last year with James and Palmu and I see him playing wing again. Don't you think so?

I just threw lines out. I think if you check the roster features a lot more than four natural centres.
Alway a good thing for any team .

 

[OSA]

Here's how I think the lines will look:

Gadjo Suzuki Hancock
Lyz Dudas Szypula
Pryce Struthers Sushko
Roberts Russell Campbell

*Campbell works his way up and down the lineup depending on need

Phillips Friend
Bourque Durzi
Chib King

*I could see DD adding some stability to that 3rd pairing via trade


Bowman
Guzda

 

[ohlfanos]

First line same
Sushko Dudas zippy
Laz struthers Campbell
Roberts Russell Pryce

 

[Millpond]

First line same
Sushko Dudas zippy
Laz struthers Campbell
Roberts Russell Pryce

Those are pretty deep 3 and 4 lines !

 

[BrunoDaBear]

So which one of Groulx, Moro, and Doherty get sent down or does one of Pryce, Campbell or Roberts get traded. Filyayev can't be traded bc he's a rookie import

 

[AttackSound]

Courtesy of EP Transfers Jacob Friend and Markus Phillips have been sent back to the Bears from the Kings.

That leaves only Nick Suzuki left out of all NHL drafted players yet to be sent back to the Attack uncertain of if Friend and Phillips will be in the lineup tomorrow against the Firebirds but my best assumption would be that are blueline just got a whole lot tougher for opening night

 

[Millpond]

Courtesy of EP Transfers Jacob Friend and Markus Phillips have been sent back to the Bears from the Kings.

That leaves only Nick Suzuki left out of all NHL drafted players yet to be sent back to the Attack uncertain of if Friend and Phillips will be in the lineup tomorrow against the Firebirds but my best assumption would be that are blueline just got a whole lot tougher for opening night

Just read Nick is back today as well ( Friday)
So a full roster to start .

 

[AttackSound]

Just read Nick is back today as well ( Friday)
So a full roster to start .

No confirm on that yet Millpond, Suzuki should return by home opener yet. Would expect him back considering he's 18 so I'd expect him to return asap. but no conformation as of yet on whether he'll be in OS for opening night.

 

[BrunoDaBear]

No confirm on that yet Millpond, Suzuki should return by home opener yet. Would expect him back considering he's 18 so I'd expect him to return asap. but no conformation as of yet on whether he'll be in OS for opening night.

Like millpond said, Suzuki is back

 

[Millpond]

No confirm on that yet Millpond, Suzuki should return by home opener yet. Would expect him back considering he's 18 so I'd expect him to return asap. but no conformation as of yet on whether he'll be in OS for opening night.

Confirmation in today's Sun Times.

 

[AttackSound]

http://http://attackhockey.com/article/jacob-friend-named-22nd-captain-in-franchise-history

Good to see the captaincy named early on in the season especially for Friend and Gadjovich well deserved this year and to Ethan Szypula as a need basis assistant.

Also good have Suzuki returned from the Vegas Golden Knights in preparation of of the season opener against the Flint Firebirds.

Game #1 of 68 versus Flint and the first game against another western conference club for the year

 

[HLLYWD99]

Filyayev no longer on the roster.
Gadjovich, Suzuki & Hancock grab 7 points in 4-3 shootout loss to the Firebirds.
Bowman looked a little shaky.

 

[Millpond]

Filyayev no longer on the roster.
Gadjovich, Suzuki & Hancock grab 7 points in 4-3 shootout loss to the Firebirds.
Bowman looked a little shaky.

Yes, early on .

I thought he got better as the night went on .

It's early days. They'll be better after a solid week of practice.


Ice was terrible it was 30 degrees out .
By the 3rd, it looked like a slurpy.

 

[Noofgoof]

Well, that wasn't exactly how most would have expected the home opener to go. Bowman had a rough start letting 2 out of the first 3 in but played better as the game went on. The whole team looked a little bit off. Friend was a turnover machine out there, and we sure had a tough time breaking out of our end and getting to the other teams blue line. The second half of the game was better but not good enough. I know its game 1 and im sure things will improve once we get our lines all figured out and some full squad practices in. Hopefully it was just nerves or jitters. It almost seemed as though the hype of this season got in their heads a bit and they thought they could walk over flint... that being said the boys did well to fight back from down 2-0 early. Credit where due though flint looked great they had a fantastic road game they have great goaltending and there D look big and strong. They could cause some ruckus maybe this year as the season goes on. Heres hoping things can only go up from here.

 

[AttackSound]

Well, that wasn't exactly how most would have expected the home opener to go. Bowman had a rough start letting 2 out of the first 3 in but played better as the game went on. The whole team looked a little bit off. Friend was a turnover machine out there, and we sure had a tough time breaking out of our end and getting to the other teams blue line. The second half of the game was better but not good enough. I know its game 1 and im sure things will improve once we get our lines all figured out and some full squad practices in. Hopefully it was just nerves or jitters. It almost seemed as though the hype of this season got in their heads a bit and they thought they could walk over flint... that being said the boys did well to fight back from down 2-0 early. Credit where due though flint looked great they had a fantastic road game they have great goaltending and there D look big and strong. They could cause some ruckus maybe this year as the season goes on. Heres hoping things can only go up from here.

Yes I'd have to agree with the "Wasn't exactly how we wanted a home opener to start."

I would have to say that the team played okay for a game #1 against an opponent that we only see a handful of times in the year Bowman seemed to be shaky right off the bat but I'd also say that as a whole the team seemed to have first game jitters.

Coach Gill seemed to live up to expectations from coming over from the Frontenacs, slow starting teams that once their feet are under them they can produce goals at will.

Big learning curve for players and coaches last night all around. I'd expect this will be taken as just a blip on the map for the boys and move forward into game #2 the top line of Gadjo, Hancock, Suzuki really seemed to click early as we the fans would expect.

All in all chalk it up to the learning curve for the guys and move forward no time to dwell on game #1 and look towards preparing for the Rangers Friday night on the road for game #2.

 

[Savard18]

Never been a huge fan of Bowman. He's ok, but didn't impress me a ton in the games I've seen him play against Flint after he was traded. He struggled. I think I remember him being chased on his return to the DFCU. OS is the only other team I really cheer for in the O and I'd like to see you guys hoisting another MC banner next year. I'd love to see you guys upgrade in net but Bowman was decent while in Flint and he's a couple years older and more expierienced so we'll see. The Firebirds had a one game headstart on the Attack to be ready for the game and Kitchener struggled to get through the neutral zone the previous night too. After the first period it was definetly OS's game. It was basically a power play every shift Gadjo-Suzuki-Hancock were on the ice or when it was 4 on 4. Flint got great goaltending and a couple lucky bounces. Period. That IS their game though and they're pretty good at it most nights. I expect OS to be at or near the top of the standings all year and Flint to be a battling mid-pack team.

 

[Millpond]

Never been a huge fan of Bowman. He's ok, but didn't impress me a ton in the games I've seen him play against Flint after he was traded. He struggled. I think I remember him being chased on his return to the DFCU. OS is the only other team I really cheer for in the O and I'd like to see you guys hoisting another MC banner next year. I'd love to see you guys upgrade in net but Bowman was decent while in Flint and he's a couple years older and more expierienced so we'll see. The Firebirds had a one game headstart on the Attack to be ready for the game and Kitchener struggled to get through the neutral zone the previous night too. After the first period it was definetly OS's game. It was basically a power play every shift Gadjo-Suzuki-Hancock were on the ice or when it was 4 on 4. Flint got great goaltending and a couple luocky bounces. Period. That IS their game though and they're pretty good at it most nights. I expect OS to be at or near the top of the standings all year and Flint to be a battling mid-pack team.

I noticed the break put patterns quite a bit different from McGill's.

The Attack have a reputation of developing goalies, I imagine Red Dog has his work cut out this season , if anyone can get Bowman going the right direction it's him .

And I'm excited to see how Guzda handles some real game action .

The Firebirds have some big mean blueline, the Attack couldn't get their speed or stretch passes going with the crappy ice.

Bowman did what was expected, DeGray said when he got him he'd let 3 in a game, but the Attack could score more. Can't hang him out , the first goal off a turn over while we were on the PP.