Sudbury Wolves 2018 Offseason Thread

[dirty12]

Damn, how'd everything get so negative all of a sudden? Missing the playoffs is unlikely IMO...I think we're still better than all 4 teams we finished ahead of last year, at the very least. Maybe close with Barrie.

I want to see the wolves at 2 or (4 or 5) (east division is better than central) with a gap between them and 6-8. Next season, better.
The roster is fine; except D.

 

[cub]

I know replacing Lalonde is not easy; hence, the picks. A comparable replacement does have to be found though. A '2000, '99, or '98. The D as is, is not good enough this year or next.
You have to rely on scouting lists for priority draft because you and I did not make several trips to see all the minor midgets. So, you claim you saw Gihula 1/2 dozen times? Twice? Once?

I saw him Gihula enough to know that i take hometown player Giroux or Moskal over him.

Gihula didn't even get invite to the World U17 Challenge, while 4th round pick Dawson Baker did, what does that tell you. Moskal also got the invite.

I also said i would of taken Bahl over Lalonde.

 

[Northernhockeyguy]

Sounds like a really bitter person. Almost like sour grapes. So it appears to me it is someone who has had a not so good experience with the organization in some capacity. i.e.. player, parent, relative, friend heck even girl or boy friend.

But the most important thing you forgot to mention is that the other 19 teams in the league all have similar stories about someone. So if you do this summary for Sudbury you might as well start one on every teams page. Cause it seems to me Sudbury isn't the only team with some sort of dysfunction in its coaching or team management. I think I just read something about players like Lodnia wanting out, Rippon with Kitchener, Bittmen last season, Proner, etc... If you want to talk coaching and management well every team board has something wrong within management and coaching. I also read an article about Lindsay Hofford a well known coach in the OHL, and other leagues that has had some brush ups lately. So IMO your long winded post is all hatred for an organization that had some connection to you and the relationship went sour. End of story. Get over it and move on. Life is full of ups and downs but its how you deal with it that will make you a better person. Unfortunately you didn't take the high road. There is something to be said about integrity.

WJ

You are wrong on all accounts. This is purely based on the who is there. The Wolves are in trouble. That is what I think of the players only.

I am not bitter at all. I have no ties to the Wolves. Just a break down of what is there. This is a Wolves thread.

 

[I Loveallsports]

You are wrong on all accounts. This is purely based on the who is there. The Wolves are in trouble. That is what I think of the players only.

I am not bitter at all. I have no ties to the Wolves. Just a break down of what is there. This is a Wolves thread.

Did you vote downtown or kingsway. Be honest

 

[BostonOz]

Carson-Levin-Sokolov
Pilon-Pezetta-Pilon
Lane-Bulitka-Gihula
Tabak-Murray-Baker

?-O'Grady
Wilkie-Rhodes
Malik-Ali
Makkonen

In play as trade bait are Valentini, McConville, Hutcheson, Roach & extra picks spread out.
I get impression that Papineau is more concerned about having his stamp on the team than winning in the next two seasons, though; so, Wilkie & Pilons are probably on the bubble. Considering Rhodes & Makkonen will be on the roster, Wilkie does not deserve that fate.

We are Doomed if the Pilon's are your second line. They are 3rd liners at best in my opinion. Some say they are hard pressed to make the team. I think Pez could have a great year this year. Putting him with the Pilon's would hamper any progression in his offensive output. Pez is playing for a Montreal contract as I believe this is his last year to sign one.

 

[djscooter]

That statement is true...... he is a control freak and more players than has been reported have asked for trades..... why do you think Matsos and Smith are gone?

Matsos is gone because he was a terrible coach. arguably worse then Fixter.


Calling Bulitka soft? Have you watched him play? I've honestly never read such a delusional post on here before.

Dunda was one of the most useless players in the OHL last season, he was fast, and could hit, but brought literally nothing else to the ice. He marginally outscored the Pilons despite being a year older and spending the builk of the season with Pezzetta and Yakimowicz.

You'd replace the Pilons with Evan Krassey, a 19 year old with 3 points in 49 career OHL games.

I give up. Clearly you have a bone to pick with someone in the wolves organization.

 

[Wolfman Jack]

We are Doomed if the Pilon's are your second line. They are 3rd liners at best in my opinion. Some say they are hard pressed to make the team. I think Pez could have a great year this year. Putting him with the Pilon's would hamper any progression in his offensive output. Pez is playing for a Montreal contract as I believe this is his last year to sign one.

Let me restate my depth chart since we have started a new page and the other has been put to bed by the Mods.

Levin Valentini Sokolov
Carson Pezzetta Baker
Pilon Bulitka Pilon
Tabek Murray Gilhula
Huctchison Roach Lane
McConville

Ali OGrady
Makkonen Rhodes
Malik Wilkie
Ross Philips
Serentis

McGrath
Frappier

I would package deal a couple of seconds one in 2018 and the other of Erie's in 2021. A 3rd of Erie's with Baker, Lane and Ali. We deal to Erie for Lodnia and Sambrook along with a 4th and conditions. This will give Sudbury a 2nd scoring right winger that we need and stable 19 year old vet on the backend with valuable years of OHL experience.

This will help create the room necessary for Tabek, Murray, Roach, McConville and Hutchison to get in the line up and develop behind some quality established players. We have the team depth and draft picks to make an early season deal with a team that so desperately needs draft picks and players.

Wolves become a power house in the East to start the year and players from all corners will welcome a deal here at the deadline. We also improve our overage spot on the backend by releasing or dealing Wilkie IMO.

WJ

 

[Voice from the North]

I don't believe the Wolves will make the playoffs this year.

They do not have anyone on that roster that can play a defensive game. They had Dunda last year but are deciding to go with Valentini instead. Letting Dunda go was a bad move.

Now that he isn't in the lineup, who are the Wolves going to rely on as their PK/ shutdown player? It can't be Carson, the Wolves need his points, can't be Levin, Sokolov or Valentini. These three were in the top ten for worst +/- last season, and I don't think Sokolov has even been in his own end before.

The Pilon twins do not belong in the OHL. There is absolutely no upside to these two players at all. I would cut them both loose and replace them both with Evan Krassey, for toughness and Gaudreau for a mix of both. The Pilons are a hazard. What do they do besides get stupid penalties?

Lane, Gilhula and Balitka had a hard time playing regularly so there defensive game has question marks all over it.

Now that leaves the draft picks, there is no way any guy the Wolves drafted that can play that style of game.

Now defense:

The blue line is a disaster. On a good team, O' Grady is 5-6 in the lineup. On a great team, he is in the stands or doesn't make it.

Rhodes is a milk bag. Try and define him. He is not an offensive threat, he has a whopping 23 points in in 3 seasons, he isn't a defensive specialist, he is -52 in three seasons, he isn't a physical guy either, only 100+ pims in the last 3 seasons. Why Papineau would trade a 4th round pick for him is a mystery considering he could have got him for the bag that holds the pucks if he waited a bit. Or just saved the pick and looked for a 19 yr old that could do just as well.

Wilkie: He is a disaster.

McGrath: Every shooter in the league know they can blast pucks past his blocker more times than not. This is why he did not get drafted....

Cory Stillman will be interesting as coach. He has zero experience managing Jr players. So can he coach? Not sure. Moxam is no more than a Papineau yes man and has absolutely no say in anything. The trainer has as much input as he does. The new guy, if he is anything like he was in the NOJHA, will have no effect at all.

To be real here, Papineau is worse than Burgess was. Burgess was a jerk period, while Papineau is a jerk an a control freak. This guy has no experience at all. His was a very minor scout for Carolina and was one of the most hated girls hockey coaches in the city. He went from managing a Jiffy Lube to running the Wolves.

Granted, he did a good job in raping the Storm for another undefinable player in Lalonde, behind Levin the second worst pick in the history of the draft.

Players didn't want to come here because of Burgess, now, guys don't want to come here because of Papineau. That is the same reason players want out as well.

Think of this posters: According to the papers, "Matsos left because "they couldn't come to agreement on an extension". BUT, he had a year left on his contract. Smith left because of Papineau, everyone knows that.

Two days after Matsos left, magically Stillman was hired. Pretty coincidental that he was a Carolina guy. But funny things happen. But, to connect the dots, Zulich states on the radio that the first time he met Stillman was at Stillman's farm when he was planting potatoes? This was not even in June, 3 or 4 days after they "parted ways" with Matsos. This was all planned from the get go and the really sad thing is that a coach that brought the team to the playoffs, with the horrible players he had from Burgess, for the first time in forever, is gone because he couldn't come to terms on a contract for 2018-2019? Some people are just stupid....

There is some truth in this very entertaining first post. Let's deal with this in steps.

The Wolves will make the playoffs this year.

Dunda is big and somewhat fast but is one of the dumbest hockey players in the O. He had many, many chances to produce and did not. Valentini, although smaller and soft, brings more offence and was the right choice. Bulitka, Carson and Pezzetta can play the shutdown roles when needed so they aren't totally inept in that department. The other two you mention didn't play enough to know whether they know their own end or not. They can likely do so and as far as the draft picks go, those are Branch's picks and seeing them at camp once isn't a good indicator.

Agree with the assessment of the Pilons and would replace them with any of the big 17 year olds as long as they can skate at OHL level.

Defensemen...agreed on Wilkie, that upgrade needs to be done quickly. Rhodes is minus -52 playing for two years for a terrible team. No one on that team is going to have a great rating, let's see what he brings. McGrath did well as a 17 year old thrown into the fire, his game will progress. He didn't play for the U18 because he was bad. Someone other then the Wolves think highly of him. As far as O'Grady, that's a pretty harsh assessment. He's not a number 1 right this minute but he's top 4 on almost all OHL teams, maybe 5-6 on a Memorial Cup team.

Staff. Don't know much about the coaching staff except to sat Moxam was a Smith/McKenzie hire, not even a BB one. The Papineau comments are mostly correct. He handled the Matsos firing/dismissal badly and should have done it right after the season was over since pretty much everyone knew Papineau wanted his own people in place. Smith was a terrible coach, players were thrilled when he was let go, and Matsos is a better associate coach. There are definately some unhappy players on the roster but most have been traded and the others will likely be happy once they get more playing time as a result of his moves. Being a GM you have to be a bit of a control freak and Papineau certainly made his presence felt last year as a rookie VP but will probably lay off some areas as he learns on the job. He's doing pretty well in the trading department so far and he will learn from last years off ice mistakes

 

[HockeyHell]

Papineau has to be given a chance to show what he can do. Last year was a transition year and yes Matsos probably should have been let go sooner but what is done is done. As far as Dunda I truly thought that rant couldn't have been serious but since it was I will just ask this question..if letting Dunda go was such a stupid mistake then explain why any one of the other OHL teams didn't pick him up. Why is he playing his OA year in the Q? I actually did like what Dunda did defensively but to get on here and say no one else was as good defensively is asinine. I agree with the above poster Carson Pezz and Bulitka can manage our penalty kill. Oh and news flash they are team first guys hardly soft. Pilons may or may not fill a role that is still to be determined. Cutting up Mcgrath? I agree D needs some attention but I am hoping that Papineau will make the right decisions. I think Wilkie needs to be kept and with guidance can be effective. Northernhockeyguy you have some sort of emotional attachment to this team . It is time to let go.

 

[cub]

1. With new coaching staff, anyone think there will be any surprises, that will make team?

2. Just curious what happen to defenceman Charlie Mackie, big defenceman we drafted from Toronto Marlboro, anyone know status on him?

 

[jrwhopper]

Training camp roster available online?

 

[dirty12]

Mackie will be playing for St Michaels again, I believe. He was also drafted by USHL. Maybe, he is attending that camp.
I don't think there will any big surprises at wolves camp. I can see extra 17 yr olds with junior affiliations sticking around for a real shot at knocking off the Pilons. And, I can see a big roster to start; but, the 16 yr olds other than Tabak & Murray need to be found teams to play on. Their stay probably won't last beyond the weekend.

 

[I Loveallsports]

https://mobile.twitter.com/ben_leeson/status/903318890608037889/photo/1

 

[cub]

https://mobile.twitter.com/ben_leeson/status/903318890608037889/photo/1

thank you

 

[dirty12]

https://ohlprospects.blogspot.ca/2017/08/sunday-top-10-unheralded-rookies-who.html?m=1

Some good things said about Baker & Frappier

 

[bigtimefan]

my surprises of the camp are Ross and Levi Siau for team white, Roach for team blue and Makkonen for team grey

 

[cub]

https://ohlprospects.blogspot.ca/2017/08/sunday-top-10-unheralded-rookies-who.html?m=1

Some good things said about Baker & Frappier

Interesting Frappier gets signed, while passovered in his first eligible draft, gets drafted the following year, and Bowman was picked ahead of Frappier. Thats what bothers me about the draft, a lot of favours go around in later parts of draft.

Im glad it worked out for Frappier.

 

[hockeynorth]

New to the thread... but have noticed in the past plenty of debate over northern players we passed over as well as the state of the team and had found an article many on this site may find interesting:

https://trackhockey.wordpress.com/2017/08/29/the-rising-north/

Hoping to be able to contribute in the future to this site and help in these debates

 

[I Loveallsports]

New to the thread... but have noticed in the past plenty of debate over northern players we passed over as well as the state of the team and had found an article many on this site may find interesting:

https://trackhockey.wordpress.com/2017/08/29/the-rising-north/

Hoping to be able to contribute in the future to this site and help in these debates

welcome aboard

 

[I Loveallsports]

thank you

your welcome cubby

 

[Northernhockeyguy]

Papineau has to be given a chance to show what he can do. Last year was a transition year and yes Matsos probably should have been let go sooner but what is done is done. As far as Dunda I truly thought that rant couldn't have been serious but since it was I will just ask this question..if letting Dunda go was such a stupid mistake then explain why any one of the other OHL teams didn't pick him up. Why is he playing his OA year in the Q? I actually did like what Dunda did defensively but to get on here and say no one else was as good defensively is asinine. I agree with the above poster Carson Pezz and Bulitka can manage our penalty kill. Oh and news flash they are team first guys hardly soft. Pilons may or may not fill a role that is still to be determined. Cutting up Mcgrath? I agree D needs some attention but I am hoping that Papineau will make the right decisions. I think Wilkie needs to be kept and with guidance can be effective. Northernhockeyguy you have some sort of emotional attachment to this team . It is time to let go.

The Spitfires wanted to claim Dunda but he wanted to leave the OHL.

 

[dirty12]

Interesting Frappier gets signed, while passovered in his first eligible draft, gets drafted the following year, and Bowman was picked ahead of Frappier. Thats what bothers me about the draft, a lot of favours go around in later parts of draft.

Im glad it worked out for Frappier.

Fortunately for the wolves, Frappier did not impress scouts enough as he was passed over 300 times in the 2016 draft. Just a slightly late bloomer; or, for some reason unable to play for a noticeable team that year. There certainly are favours, in every sport, at every level. That is not going to change in the OHL; unless, the draft changes from 15 selections to 7. One to four 16yr olds make a team and having 4 or 5 players play three years is a successful draft. Usually, the only meaningful part of picks 9-15 are kids having the thrill of being drafted, limiting London's free agents to an extent, and the ocassional Levio and Pouliot.
Personally, I'd prefer two drafts. One would would be 9 rounds for MM with no FA invites of that age allowed to camps. The other would be 7 rounds for 2nd year eligible kids of any league, not just major midgets in Ontario. Then FA invites would be permitted.

Mike Piazza is a HOF, though; favours can work out occasionally.

 

[dirty12]

The Spitfires wanted to claim Dunda but he wanted to leave the OHL.

Is the Q team Dunda went to expected to be good?

 

[I Loveallsports]

Wondering how long is the wolves training camp compared to other teams and is that enough time to get a good look at prospects.

 

[hockeynorth]

Is the Q team Dunda went to expected to be good?

He was claimed by the Moncton wildcats who were the last place team in the Q last season so I wouldn't expect them to perform extraordinarily well however they are extremely young and do appear to have good depth so it is possible that they surprise some teams this season or possibly even make the playoffs, similar to the so greyhounds a few years ago. In my eyes they are in a similar position to Barrie this season minus the top prospect svechnikov of course. Interestingly enough they have another former wolf on their roster in Brady Pataki.