Windsor Spitfires 2018 Offseason Thread

[windsor7]

It'll be a combination of the youth they have now, plus the talent they bring in through trades. Guys like Staios, Henault, Starikov, Corcoran, MacDougall, D'Amico, Playfair will all be big in the rebuild, but once you bring in a handful of 00s and even an 01, that adds to it.

I don't mind mcdougal on that list. Shows the most potential. Rest r 4th line players unless the make huge big strides.

 

[tomschman]

I don't mind mcdougal on that list. Shows the most potential. Rest r 4th line players unless the make huge big strides.

I feel that Corcoran and Playfair have both shown potential in addition to MacDougall. Staios, Henault and D'Amico are 01s, so it is too early to make a conclusion on them.

 

[youngblood10]

I don't mind mcdougal on that list. Shows the most potential. Rest r 4th line players unless the make huge big strides.

4 out of those 7 are defenseman. What do you mean they're 4th line players? Sometimes I have to question if you even follow this team.

 

[randomhero4life]

I like Staios's work ethic, that kid seems like a quick learner also imho

 

[OHLTG]

Same. He and Henault seem comfortable out there and, after a mere 10 games, you want to see that. Give them time and they'll be just fine.

 

[hockeylegend11]

In this segment I will give my assessment after the 1st 10 games both for the team as a whole and individual as well.
Looking forward to comments
Firstly the team

Windsor is 6-3-1 after 10 games, currently sits 4th in the conference,tied for 5th most points in the league,and sitting 10th o/a in league standings.
Their PP is 5th in the league, though they have on the PP the fewest times in the league and only averaging 3 per game,in fact yesterday was the 1st game Windsor had more opps in this area then the opposition all season.
For the PK, Windsor stands 8th o/a, though that might be misleading,in the game against Owen Sound,the Attack went 4-4, in the other 39 PKs against they have killed off 37-39,they are#1 at home in the league 22-23.
Overall special teams very good so far imo.
Major concern is goal scoring only 28,goals against different story only 25 against,and outside the 9-2 loss only 16 in the other 9 games, under 1.8,which is fantastic when you consider 4 rookies on D,only 2D that played in the Mem Cup, Day and McEneny,and world class goaltending from Michael Dipietro.
The coaching staff has done a fantastic job so far with this young no question.
Windsor is 1 of 3 teams affected by players still being away with NHL teams, underagers as I refer to them,Brown, Sergachev, Vilardi and the unavailability of Tyler Nother.
Mississauga and London are the other 2 teams in the same boat.
Should be noted London and Mississauga are a combined 2-15-1
for 5 points, and Windsor has 13 points.
Windsor so far has surprised many,if you asked me,we would be where we are,with the unsettled roster not sure I would say Windsor would be sitting 4th in the conference.
More scoring definitely is needed, moving forward, Luchuk, McEneny are leading the way offensively especially Luchuk with 9G and 15 points, Dipietro has been a rock in goal,and the young D has played very well.
Overall happy so far with this group,would like to see more grit and toughness though.

 

[hockeylegend11]

Now I will give my personal assessments of all the players starting with the goalies.

Michael Dipietro- what else can be said that hasn't already been,having a league MVP start to his year, he has been with the exception of the Kitchener loss simply outstanding,seems even more focused then before and to this point the major reason the team is 4th in the conference,a sparkling 1.82 goals against average in 10 outings and an outstanding save per centage of .946
Brock Baier- In fairness, only 1 game played deserves an Incomplete assessment, played in very tough situation,not really set up to win on the back end of a 3 in 3 against a rested power team in Owen Sound,the rookie and team in front of him that had a bad game resulting in a 9-2 loss,even the players admitted they let him down with their performance,I think he will bounce back from this, learn from it and move on.He is coming off a strong camp and Pre-season,needs to get in some games to show what he can do, regain confidence and move forward.
I have been tracking him the last year or so,and am confident when all is said and done, Windsor has a real good
one here, he has the size and the tools to succeed, looking forward to seeing this happen.

 

[hockeylegend11]

Let's look at the D,populated by 4 rookies amongst the 7 currently on the roster.
Starting with Sean Day,who missed the 1st 4 games being away trying to make
the Rangers farm club in Hartford.
While his play has been ok, I am expecting alot more,on both sides of the puck offensively and defensively,only has 3 points in 6 games,all assists,needs to generate more offense for an offense starved team,needs also to tighten up defense
wise,be a bit more physical, use his size,and at the end of the day, be a leader.
Austin McEneny- leads the D in points with 9 in 9, though none in the last 3 games,has played very well overall, especially before Day arrived,needs to maintain being consistent to be effective
Connor Corcoran- the 2nd year dman
has played very well using his size and
strength nicely,would like to see more offense from him, he has speed and shot to do it,saw more of it yesterday
keep it up.
Thomas Stevenson- oldest of the rookies, just turned 18 this past
weekend,the former 10throunder
has impressed with his size, strength.
calm play,the best of the 4 rookies,
makes the smart play/ outlet,hits,like
him alot.
Louka Henault- the 16 year old,5th rounder has for the most part played
pretty well so far low threshold of panic,sticks his nose in, moves up into the play, mobile enough,just needs to get stronger think he will fine moving forward.
Nathan Staios- another 16 year old,1st
rounder, getting his feet wet,has had his moments,like his footwork, hockey sense, definitely needs to get stronger
Increased confidence will allow him to do what he does best create offense down the road.
Lev Starikov- the just turned 17 year old Russian dman is still trying to settle
in, moves well for size,needs to recognize danger better,has some nice
tools,needs to get stronger,use his stick more and get a little more involved.
A work in progress,but worth persuing.

 

[hockeylegend11]

And now the forwards,
Starting with Captain Aaron Luchuk,
The Mem Cup winning goal scorer has picked up from where he left off,leads the team in goals 9, points 15, scored 2 game winners, and overall being an excellent Captain leading by example
Luke Boka, has played pretty well along side of Luchuk,being his usual physical self, solid defense play, would like to see more offense though,just 2:goals.
Mathew MacDougall-17 year old rookie has played pretty well to date,has 6 points,like his hockey sense, expect when he settles in,will score more,has nose for the net,good 2way guy.
Luke Kitkevicius- the 19 year old Center, is a guy I like,think he has more to give, decent size,plays both ways, physical enough,want more offense from him, has great hands, scored a highlight goal yesterday
Jake Smith RW- the 20 year old winger, another guy I like,small but fast, gritty little bugger, has a great shot, think he will score more,has 7 points in 10 games,2 goals,nice addition from the
Q.
Cole Purboo- the big winger sometimes Center being used in all situations,would like to see more consistency from him offensively, otherwise fine with him,a big guy who I wish was meaner.
Igor Larionov-19 year old forward who has missed the last 3 with strep throat,has been ok, you can see the hockey sense,needs to be on top 6 to be effective
William Sirman- the soon to be 18 year old rookie has played pretty well imo,kills penalties,can and will hit despite not being big,look for a little more offense down the road,I like him so far.
Chris Playfair- 17 year old 2nd year guy,to me has played pretty well this season, using his speed and increased size,has put on 15 pounds,both his goals were game winners,tied
with Luchuk in that department,like his continued improvement, important player for the future.
Tyler Angle- the just turned 17 year
old 2nd year forward, does well defensively,but needs to contribute more offensively,just 1 point a goal in 10 games,I think Playfair has outplayed him to date, looking for more from him.
Daniel D'amico- 16 year old winger
hasn't looked out of place most of the time,not tall,but gritty and works hard.
Think he has upside, early in the
game for him, looking forward to seeing him get better.
Kirill Kozhevnikov- the last forward to discuss, still looking for his 1st goal,at times looks pretty good,skates well, physical,other times like a fog, curious to see what happens next 10 games or so to get full read, thought he played well with Larionov and Kitivicious earlier,needs to get it going.
Joe Mizzi- because he has played only 4 games,got hurt in the 1st period of his 4th, won't pass any judgements this time, incomplete assessment.

 

[OHLTG]

A few things I want to see in the second-quarter...

- D'Amico given more ice time. He's showing to be a gritty, energetic kid who likes to use the body. You need that pin-ball type player and he's showing he belongs in the league. Reward the kid with ice.

- Purboo used in specific situations. When he REALLY wants to get going, he can, as we saw against London, but his general foot speed lacks. Plus, I don't see him getting angry at all. It's frustrating. A Sarnia player hit him last game and he just skated away. No, you're 6'3 215; get in their face and stand up for yourself. It's just frustrating to watch. Park him in front of the net on the PP and use him on the fourth line.

- Kozhevnikov in the top six. He has the speed and the style for offence so let's see what he can do in a bigger role.

- Baier given a shot at home. Play the kid at home and show the fans what he's capable of.

- Acquiring a big power forward. Bring someone in with some snarl, someone who will show the youngsters he has their back.

 

[ohloutsider]

Generally your review is good HL - for me we have 3 lines with players named Boka - they all skate hard, crash and bang in the corners - problem is we don't have anyone in the slot when we finally dig out the puck - we have no pure goal scorer and it shows. MacDougall and Luchuk are the only ones that come close to that. The D are either young or not a pure top pairing. McEneny and Day on most teams would be a 3-4 D pairing. Day has the skill sets but never seems to be focused, could not send or receive a pass all day Sunday. McEneny plays hard just not a number 1 guy. The rookies all need a pass until Christmas - it takes time - I like what I see but after Christmas it becomes a 19 year old league and then we will see how their play stands up.
The net - Mikey and Baier - Mikey the best in the league this year hands down - so how does Baier ever have a chance to live up to that? He will maybe see 10 games this year.
The one thing I really like about the team is the hard work, have not seen this effort level in a few years - that is THE BEST WAY to mentor rookies in this league - time will show the rewards from that.

 

[punch1943]

And now the forwards,
Starting with Captain Aaron Luchuk,
The Mem Cup winning goal scorer has picked up from where he left off,leads the team in goals 9, points 15, scored 2 game winners, and overall being an excellent Captain leading by example
Luke Boka, has played pretty well along side of Luchuk,being his usual physical self, solid defense play, would like to see more offense though,just 2:goals.
Mathew MacDougall-17 year old rookie has played pretty well to date,has 6 points,like his hockey sense, expect when he settles in,will score more,has nose for the net,good 2way guy.
Luke Kitkevicius- the 19 year old Center, is a guy I like,think he has more to give, decent size,plays both ways, physical enough,want more offense from him, has great hands, scored a highlight goal yesterday
Jake Smith RW- the 20 year old winger, another guy I like,small but fast, gritty little bugger, has a great shot, think he will score more,has 7 points in 10 games,2 goals,nice addition from the
Q.
Cole Purboo- the big winger sometimes Center being used in all situations,would like to see more consistency from him offensively, otherwise fine with him,a big guy who I wish was meaner.
Igor Larionov-19 year old forward who has missed the last 3 with strep throat,has been ok, you can see the hockey sense,needs to be on top 6 to be effective
William Sirman- the soon to be 18 year old rookie has played pretty well imo,kills penalties,can and will hit despite not being big,look for a little more offense down the road,I like him so far.
Chris Playfair- 17 year old 2nd year guy,to me has played pretty well this season, using his speed and increased size,has put on 15 pounds,both his goals were game winners,tied
with Luchuk in that department,like his continued improvement, important player for the future.
Tyler Angle- the just turned 17 year
old 2nd year forward, does well defensively,but needs to contribute more offensively,just 1 point a goal in 10 games,I think Playfair has outplayed him to date, looking for more from him.
Daniel D'amico- 16 year old winger
hasn't looked out of place most of the time,not tall,but gritty and works hard.
Think he has upside, early in the
game for him, looking forward to seeing him get better.
Kirill Kozhevnikov- the last forward to discuss, still looking for his 1st goal,at times looks pretty good,skates well, physical,other times like a fog, curious to see what happens next 10 games or so to get full read, thought he played well with Larionov and Kitivicious earlier,needs to get it going.
Joe Mizzi- because he has played only 4 games,got hurt in the 1st period of his 4th, won't pass any judgements this time, incomplete assessment.

Agree with your assessment of a number of these players but will comment on the ones I disagree with. Firstly the player to be moved first in my opinion is Smith the O/A. Gritty yes but they need a power forward IMHO. At this point there is not much value in dealing people like Angle, Purboo or any of the others because the return would be similar prospects or picks.
The team seems to be well coached and won’t get blown out of many games. The only way I see a chance of big improvement is if we can deal a returning player and get a good young guy back in addition to the picks we need.
IMHO given a bit of luck this team might make it into the playoffs ....7th place is where I expect to see them end up.

 

[OHL4Life]

with 60 games under his belt i would like to think that angle would be better. hes not a rookie, were starved for goals and he was brought in as a scoring, playmaking centre. i will give guys like playfair a bit of time, they wherent here last year, but angle's lack of offense is concerning. maybe having him playing limited minutes last year wasnt a great idea, may have been better off staying in jr b

 

[OHL4Life]

It'll be a combination of the youth they have now, plus the talent they bring in through trades. Guys like Staios, Henault, Starikov, Corcoran, MacDougall, D'Amico, Playfair will all be big in the rebuild, but once you bring in a handful of 00s and even an 01, that adds to it.

starikov may not survive the year, we wil need to make room for another import next year and hes not showing much at this point. staios sure, corcoran and macdougall sure, but none of those guys are your taylor hall/mitch marner types. playfair/damico are just depth energy guys, they are not lead guys like bracco. this draft will be the most important weve had in years, i hope we move guys to get more picks, we have maybe 6/7 picks in total this year, with almost all in the mid to late rounds.

 

[youngblood10]

Angle did play the second half of last year in junior b, for factual correctness.... I do agree there isn't going to be a first over all NHL pick in this lot but it's not uncommon for a kid to come into the league and score 4 or 5 goals his first full season then 25, 30 his next and be a solid OHLer and play in the show. True some don't pan out like Daniil Vertiy. Remember the crying about the Spits giving up too soon on him by the chronic critics? Actually the only player who I think is not meeting expectation is Day. He has the talents to dominate but it's not happening for him.

My biggest take so far in the early going is this team is very well coached. They have a good work ethic, play positional sound hockey more than they don't. And have a super star player who gets 60 minutes of ice time.

 

[OHL4Life]

Angle did play the second half of last year in junior b, for factual correctness.... I do agree there isn't going to be a first over all NHL pick in this lot but it's not uncommon for a kid to come into the league and score 4 or 5 goals his first full season then 25, 30 his next and be a solid OHLer and play in the show. True some don't pan out like Daniil Vertiy. Remember the crying about the Spits giving up too soon on him by the chronic critics? Actually the only player who I think is not meeting expectation is Day. He has the talents to dominate but it's not happening for him.

My biggest take so far in the early going is this team is very well coached. They have a good work ethic, play positional sound hockey more than they don't. And have a super star player who gets 60 minutes of ice time.

im not a big fan of semantics, but if were going down that route angle didnt play a jr b game after jan 20th. he was up with the spits for 41 games last year.
http://st-catharines.wttstats.point...?playerid=9096828&seasonid=16158&numgames=all

my point is did we hurt him by keeping him, and are we going to do the same with henault/damico. most good teams dont keep 6th round picks around, just like most nhl teams dont put 19 year old 2nd round picks in the nhl. there are some who can do it, but those are few and far between. theres no way of knowing, but if he put up 40 pts in jr b would be be more skilled and ready for this year? just a thought. i like when guys play lower levels, dominate, and then move up. thats just me thou. daniil verity was a 2nd round pick those guys stick way more often then 6th round picks do. are the 16 year olds here now because we have nothing better or because its the best thing for them? i hope its that they are ready,b ut im worried its because we dont have any other guys to take their spot.

ill reinterate my point, no concern about coaching, if this is a rebuilding year, i dont see alot of guys who are going to be the core of a winning team moving forward. dipietro is fantastic, but hes gone in 18 months.

 

[windsor7]

In this segment I will give my assessment after the 1st 10 games both for the team as a whole and individual as well.
Looking forward to comments
Firstly the team

Windsor is 6-3-1 after 10 games, currently sits 4th in the conference,tied for 5th most points in the league,and sitting 10th o/a in league standings.
Their PP is 5th in the league, though they have on the PP the fewest times in the league and only averaging 3 per game,in fact yesterday was the 1st game Windsor had more opps in this area then the opposition all season.
For the PK, Windsor stands 8th o/a, though that might be misleading,in the game against Owen Sound,the Attack went 4-4, in the other 39 PKs against they have killed off 37-39,they are#1 at home in the league 22-23.
Overall special teams very good so far imo.
Major concern is goal scoring only 28,goals against different story only 25 against,and outside the 9-2 loss only 16 in the other 9 games, under 1.8,which is fantastic when you consider 4 rookies on D,only 2D that played in the Mem Cup, Day and McEneny,and world class goaltending from Michael Dipietro.
The coaching staff has done a fantastic job so far with this young no question.
Windsor is 1 of 3 teams affected by players still being away with NHL teams, underagers as I refer to them,Brown, Sergachev, Vilardi and the unavailability of Tyler Nother.
Mississauga and London are the other 2 teams in the same boat.
Should be noted London and Mississauga are a combined 2-15-1
for 5 points, and Windsor has 13 points.
Windsor so far has surprised many,if you asked me,we would be where we are,with the unsettled roster not sure I would say Windsor would be sitting 4th in the conference.
More scoring definitely is needed, moving forward, Luchuk, McEneny are leading the way offensively especially Luchuk with 9G and 15 points, Dipietro has been a rock in goal,and the young D has played very well.
Overall happy so far with this group,would like to see more grit and toughness though.

One question.

Of all the 6 wins that Windsor has.
How many of the 6 wins are against teams that have a winning record?

 

[youngblood10]

im not a big fan of semantics, but if were going down that route angle didnt play a jr b game after jan 20th. he was up with the spits for 41 games last year.
http://st-catharines.wttstats.point...?playerid=9096828&seasonid=16158&numgames=all

my point is did we hurt him by keeping him, and are we going to do the same with henault/damico. most good teams dont keep 6th round picks around, just like most nhl teams dont put 19 year old 2nd round picks in the nhl. there are some who can do it, but those are few and far between. theres no way of knowing, but if he put up 40 pts in jr b would be be more skilled and ready for this year? just a thought. i like when guys play lower levels, dominate, and then move up. thats just me thou. daniil verity was a 2nd round pick those guys stick way more often then 6th round picks do. are the 16 year olds here now because we have nothing better or because its the best thing for them? i hope its that they are ready,b ut im worried its because we dont have any other guys to take their spot.

ill reinterate my point, no concern about coaching, if this is a rebuilding year, i dont see alot of guys who are going to be the core of a winning team moving forward. dipietro is fantastic, but hes gone in 18 months.

Time will tell, like with most players however with Angle's projections he could very well be a 25/30 goal scorer in two years time.

 

[youngblood10]

One question.

Of all the 6 wins that Windsor has.
How many of the 6 wins are against teams that have a winning record?

I'm going to guess not many or you wouldn't have asked the question as a lame attempt to put down the surprising good start to the season the Spitfires have had.
They have won against the teams they need to beat at home and on the road. What more can you want from a team trying to scrap its way into the playoffs.

 

[OHL4Life]

Time will tell, like with most players however with Angle's projections he could very well be a 25/30 goal scorer in two years time.

the other question ill ask is, why are we even trying to make the playoffs? easily over half the roster will be gone by the time we are ready to win again, and if the kid at the top of the draft is the best player since mcdavid, isnt that the goal? the leafs always pushed to make the playoffs and where always mediocre, only time things got exciting is when they drafted a stud at 1. why not do the same thing, we need a guy to lead the way and be a top player, im not sure were just going to find one of those in the mid rounds.

 

[member 71782]

We're 10 games in and this team is a work in progress.

Pros - the work ethic is there, effort is there, a solid group of potential middle 6 and bottom 4 D. 3/4 year players if they develop well which fills holes in the future.

Cons - no one is showing elite potential among the kids. Some of our newcomers are already 18/19/20 and don't hold much value going forward. This should make some of them one and done so they aren't blocking the young kids come next season.

While things can change as the season develops if the Spits can bring in a couple of younger high end kids to create an environment where the kids are pushing each other for future roles maybe we see more from those already here.

On D, Staois is doing fine and if he progresses well he may become a solid #2. I don't see #1 potential at this point but a solid 2/3.

Corcoran, while playing fine after being bounced between forward and D last season looks to be a potentially solid 3/4 going forward.

The Russian D has a lot of work to do. He has potential but will likely be slow to develop. If he can make it through this season with steady, solid progress he has 3/4 potential but right now he is a 6/7 and if he doesn't show solid progress I would move on and pick up another import at the draft.

Day I imagine won't be here for the season. Right now he looks like he is trying to do too much. He needs to settle down and play more like he did last season, more responsible defensively and more focused offensively. He's a top pairing D on most teams in the league if he plays the way he did last season and his value to the Spits will increase when he gets back to that both in his time here as an example and mentor as well as in a deal if he is moved for another chance at a title.

McEneny has surprised me. I was not a fan last season and have been surprised in the way he has stepped up. He has played within his abilities and has been steady and calming with the kids. He has limited trade value and if he keeps playing the way he has provides more value finishing out the season here.

The rest of the D are bottom 4 potential who may provide decent value over the next couple of years if they develop well. Obviously being 2 - 3 years from being in a position to compete most won't be here as Windsor builds over that time.

Forwards, we are looking at needing to add some high end youth.MacDougall looks like a solid 2nd line player with some scoring potential but I don't know if he can reach the 1st line on a contending team.

The Russian kid has 2nd line potential but for whatever reason isn't putting it together. I like the way he engages physically, looks to have an ability to read the play but something seems to be out of sync If he can't put it together by the end of the season I would move on from him as well at the import draft.

Damico looks like he will be a 3rd line guy in the future. Lots of hustle, will play a solid 2 way game and score a couple of goals. Hopefully he can progress beyond that.

Playfair and Angle both look like 3rd line potential down the road.

Luchuck is a 2nd line center on most teams. He is doing everything asked of him but right now as Windsor's top centre he is holding his own trying to carry the team. I think if he continues to play this way Windsor gets an offer for him by the deadline that will be hard to turn down. Solid on faceoffs, can score consistently, can play in all situations, responsible defensively and has the heart you need on a contending team. I think someone will overpay for him to be their 2nd line centre on a contending team. Will Windsor take the deal at the deadline or will they keep him? I think it all depends on whatever assets they accumulate in other deals. He has value playing out the year here but he may have more value in a deal if Windsor hasn't been able to pick up the assets they are hoping for.

Boka, like Luchuk is playing a top line role when he should be playing on a 2nd line. He plays a solid 2 way game, should be capable of more offense, a top PKer in the league. This year, on a contender he would likely play on a 3rd line so he has more value here this year but I can see him being sought after next year if he continues to progress.

Purboo should be moved or move on from him. He looks slightly improved over last season but not enough to justify blocking some younger kids from being on the team. If he had OA potential I could see keeping him around but he doesn't. Move on and get a young kid here in his place.

Larionov has enough offensive potential and OA potential that I can see him finishing his career here on the 2nd line. Keep him around and hopefully he can help get the Russian duo going through the year.

The rest are 3rd/4th line potential or won't be here in the future when this team should be ready to contend. Hopefully they can be developed enough to be part of potential deals going forward.

In goal we have DiPietro who will provide more value in a deadline deal than anyone else in the league. Until then he gives this team a chance to stay in games they have no business being in and while it will be his call as far as if/when he is dealt s long as he is here we will have a big question mark in goal in the future. If Windsor had any chance this year or next to make a serious run I would say keep him. They don't and his decision to stay or go is the biggest factor on where this team is 3 years from now.

Baier and Patton. What do we really have with these two? We need to find out about both of them soon. Neither is likely to be here when we contend, they are both 18 and have 2 years remaining including their OA years. Outside of Peterborough there are 5 or 6 games where one or both should get starts. Let's get them in there and see what we've got for next season. Only one will be here next year if we are going to develop someone for when we are ready to contend.

Going forward, this team needs a lot. We need a future #1 D and probably a couple of bottom 4 D as well. Does Windsor target any 16 or 17 year olds in deals who will be here in 3 years?

Up front we need a first line and another addition or two on the second line. Again, any 16 or 17 year olds they target in deals?

Or do they focus on drafting who they need in the draft?

It's only 10 games so far, lots can change with the kids we have but right now I see a decent foundation but the high end talent still needs to be acquired.

 

[OHLTG]

I'm going to guess not many or you wouldn't have asked the question as a lame attempt to put down the surprising good start to the season the Spitfires have had.
They have won against the teams they need to beat at home and on the road. What more can you want from a team trying to scrap its way into the playoffs.

If we beat teams we should, it's expected and shouldn't be counted as a thing. If we don't beat them, there's an issue. At this point, take the wins however we can get them, bank the points, and get into the playoffs for experience.

 

[tomschman]

.
I read the comments on this year's team and I agree with most of them. Part of the forward problem will be fixed if and when Vilardi is healthy. He is only one player, but I expect him to come back totally committed and focused. He has a lot to prove that he is a solid player and not a part-time player that spends lots of time injured.

I would expect to have Brown back by November 1. If he is motivated, he can be a force like he was 2 years ago. Last year he did little because he missed about half of the season and didn't seem right when he was available. I don't know if he was playing through an injury or was just not motivated. I do not expect Sergachev to be returned. He has played every game for Tampa Bay. He was gotten decent ice of 12 to 14 minutes in several of the games. However he has only had 6 and 7 minutes in 2 recent games, but is still average 11:41 for the 6 games he has played. Bracco could be returned but he has played in the Marlies last 2 games after sitting the 1st 2 games. If either is returned, I believe they will be traded.

Everyone says we need this or need that. We have the best team that could have been assembled coming out of training camp. We signed Mizzi, Larionov and Smith as FAs. Smith and Larionov have has some production, while Mizzi has only played 4 games. We can all agree that they are role players and not stars. However they were the best available to us.

I expect us to trade Brown and Day to try to restock. However, Day is showing little at the moment, and Brown showed little last year. Vilardi is a question mark because of injury, so his trade value is questionable at the moment. That leaves DiPietro. If we didn’t have him, our 6-3-1 record would probably 2-8 or 3-7.

I think this team is currently over achieving. We have a wizard in goal and little else. I expect this team to finish 6th ahead of London, Erie, Guelph and Saginaw. Those teams are also rebuilding but they don’t have Mikey. My advice is to enjoy the Memorial Cup memories and watch DiPietro highlights this year.

 

[punch1943]

OHL GM's very busy today. (not us) Gotta be at least 4-5 deals....Raaymakers to Knights...apparently Dale doesn't like last place. The Zoo with at least 2 deals. Flintstones , Rangers....Perhaps we can get someones castoffs..
London adds Raaymkers
Hounds add Sandin
Kitchener adds Sherwood

 

[OHLTG]

None of the deals were something we could have been a part of.

We don't need Raaymakers - London did.

We have no room for Sherwood - Kitchener did.

We can't add Sandin - he was SSM property.

If some deals happen that involve power forwards, young talents, or "sell-offs", and we're not a part, then I'll be curious...