2015-16 OUA Thread

Drummer

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Mar 20, 2009
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I expect the OUA will be posting its schedule any day now...in the meantime, Lakehead has posted their's:

http://www.thunderwolveshockey.com/schedule.asp

It looks like it might be even tougher than last year's - they have doubleheaders against McGill, UQTR, Guelph, Western, and Windsor on the road, and against Carleton at home

Wow - that's a pretty stiff schedule. All teams ranked in the top 10 last year. Guelph (OUA Champs-CIS Bronze), UQTR (OUA-East Champ), Windsor (OUA-West runner-up), McGill (OUA-East Runner-up), Carleton (loser to McGill) in playoffs and Western (who Lakehead defeated in the playoffs).

The doubleheaders vs UWO, GUE & WIN are key - if they don't split against division rivals, their opponent will be 4pts farther ahead on Sunday night. I see the late November DHs vs UWO and WIN, on the road, as key for them. Losing those road trips won't kill their playoff changes, but might knock them out of contention in the division.
 

4thline

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Jul 18, 2014
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Wow - that's a pretty stiff schedule. All teams ranked in the top 10 last year. Guelph (OUA Champs-CIS Bronze), UQTR (OUA-East Champ), Windsor (OUA-West runner-up), McGill (OUA-East Runner-up), Carleton (loser to McGill) in playoffs and Western (who Lakehead defeated in the playoffs).

The doubleheaders vs UWO, GUE & WIN are key - if they don't split against division rivals, their opponent will be 4pts farther ahead on Sunday night. I see the late November DHs vs UWO and WIN, on the road, as key for them. Losing those road trips won't kill their playoff changes, but might knock them out of contention in the division.

Not to mention another double header against Waterloo, who despite being incredibly inconsistent last year are still one of the strongest teams in the OUA and are returning pretty much their entire roster.

Not biased I swear :D
 

11111

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Mar 1, 2013
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Nipissing's schedule is also up: http://nulakers.ca/schedule.aspx?path=mhockey

It appears we are back to a 28-game schedule this year across the board. Nipissing's two games that would otherwise be played against Ottawa are instead with their biggest rivals in Laurentian.

If this is how the Ottawa games are being accounted for this season, with every team playing the extra games (2 in the east, 1 in the west, except for Lakehead and Windsor) against their chief rival, have to give the OUA schedule makers a big thumbs up.
 

SnipeShow91

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Nipissing's schedule is also up: http://nulakers.ca/schedule.aspx?path=mhockey

It appears we are back to a 28-game schedule this year across the board. Nipissing's two games that would otherwise be played against Ottawa are instead with their biggest rivals in Laurentian.

If this is how the Ottawa games are being accounted for this season, with every team playing the extra games (2 in the east, 1 in the west, except for Lakehead and Windsor) against their chief rival, have to give the OUA schedule makers a big thumbs up.

The East teams are put into 3 team "divisions". Nipissing, Laurentian and UOIT....RMC, Queen's, Carleton....Concordia, McGill and UQTR. Each team in the division plays each other 3 times while playing the other teams in the conference twice. I know RMC has to play Queen's on the road twice and Carleton comes to RMC twice. Terrible for RMC because when Carleton plays RMC in Kingston in our small rink its like a father/son game with their size and skill in our small rink!
 

11111

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The East teams are put into 3 team "divisions". Nipissing, Laurentian and UOIT....RMC, Queen's, Carleton....Concordia, McGill and UQTR. Each team in the division plays each other 3 times while playing the other teams in the conference twice. I know RMC has to play Queen's on the road twice and Carleton comes to RMC twice. Terrible for RMC because when Carleton plays RMC in Kingston in our small rink its like a father/son game with their size and skill in our small rink!

This format makes sense in theory, and really does highlight the rivalries like I was saying. But as I mentioned, Laurentian and Nipissing are hooking up 4 times this season, not 3. I get it if it's for travel purposes with UOIT being much further away, but where does that leave the Ridgebacks? Who do they then play in their 2 games?

Also, what's the deal with the west - is the extra game just randomly selected or will we see the one Ottawa game filled with by rivalries as well? i.e. Ryerson vs U of T, Laurier vs Waterloo, Western vs Windsor
 

northvanman

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Jun 4, 2009
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This format makes sense in theory, and really does highlight the rivalries like I was saying. But as I mentioned, Laurentian and Nipissing are hooking up 4 times this season, not 3. I get it if it's for travel purposes with UOIT being much further away, but where does that leave the Ridgebacks? Who do they then play in their 2 games?

Also, what's the deal with the west - is the extra game just randomly selected or will we see the one Ottawa game filled with by rivalries as well? i.e. Ryerson vs U of T, Laurier vs Waterloo, Western vs Windsor

Waterloo's schedule is now up and maybe starts to answer this question, but I'm still guessing (good puzzle though!)
http://www.varsity.uwaterloo.ca/schedule.aspx?path=mhockey

As you say, the format that Snipeshow mentions above seems to have one exception in it, likely for travel. In the "division" of UOIT, Nipissing and Laurentian, Nipissing and Laurentian actually play each other 4 times, which makes up the Ottawa games, but leaves UOIT with a gap of two games. One of these extra games is against Waterloo (they play them twice) and if I were to guess, they will play one other OUAW team a second time and I'm thinking that team will be Windsor (because Lakehead and Windsor play double headers againt OUAE teams and Lakehead's schedule has 5 doubleheaders, meaning Windsor will probably only have 4 double headers because of the odd number of teams in the OUAE). That would leave 8 OUAW teams that have to make up the Ottawa game to get to 28, so they'll probably pair up (Win, UWO, WLU, Brock, Guelph, York, Ryerson, U of T).
 
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northvanman

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More schedules posted, although oddly not yet on the OUA site

York (their "Ottawa game" is against Windsor) - so much for using the extra game for geographic rivalries

http://www.yorkulions.ca/schedule.aspx?path=mhockey

Ryerson (their Ottawa game is against Guelph)

http://www.ryersonrams.ca/SportSelect.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=22300&SPID=13614&SPSID=109728

U of T (they only have 27 games listed)
http://varsityblues.ca/schedule.aspx?path=mhockey

Western (they also only have 27 games listed - extra game with U of T, maybe?)
http://www.westernmustangs.ca/schedule.aspx?path=mhockey

Queen's
http://gogaelsgo.com/schedule.aspx?path=mhockey

McGill
http://www.mcgillathletics.ca/schedule.aspx?path=mhockey

Carleton
https://goravens.ca/teams/mens-hockey/schedule/
 

connor macdavid

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Dec 24, 2008
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Tough end to the year for Carleton. Four games away from home, including a tough Northern stretch up in NB/Sudbury and a game against much-improved (on paper) Queen's. Also have UQTR at home on the final weekend.

Figure the Ravens will be about the same as last season. They lost some scoring and replaced it with some serious grit. No more 7- or 8-1 blowouts, but they should be able to buckle down better defensively.

20-5-1 last season. Add in an away game at Queen's, and a home game against RMC, and I've got the 2015-16 Ravens at...

20-6-2 or thereabouts. Probably good for second, maybe third, in the OUA East.
 

northvanman

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Jun 4, 2009
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OUA schedule is now posted

http://oua.ca/sports/mice/2015-16/schedule

A few more teams have moved to 7pm start times this year (Lakehead, Waterloo, Laurier). I see that Carleton has moved away from their 3pm Saturday mantinee games, and that Western, UQTR and McGill have all moved to late Saturday afternoon start times when playing at home. Western experimented with a couple of Saturday 4pm start times last year and they worked out reasonably well attendance-wise so I'm not at all surprised to see this change....travelling teams probably like this start time too.
 

AdamMcg83

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Waterloo has some weird home/away chunking in their sched - they play 6 road games in a 7-game stretch in Oct/Nov, followed immediately by 7 home games in an 8-game span. In fact, when Waterloo returns from McGill on Nov 7, they'll go over two months without travelling further than 90 minutes for a game.

Just an interesting fact, especially when you consider some of the travel distances for OUAE and CW teams.
 

connor macdavid

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Dec 24, 2008
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Judging on announced recruiting classes and rumoured transfers, it appears as though the OUA East will be stronger (and more top-heavy) than the West again in 2015-16.

Carleton - McGill - UQTR just look stronger than the OUA West's top tier. By the same token, there are no RMCs or Concordias at the bottom of the West.
 

AdamMcg83

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Judging on announced recruiting classes and rumoured transfers, it appears as though the OUA East will be stronger (and more top-heavy) than the West again in 2015-16.

Carleton - McGill - UQTR just look stronger than the OUA West's top tier. By the same token, there are no RMCs or Concordias at the bottom of the West.

It sure looks that way, but it's really difficult to handicap recruiting classes these days. Each player adjusts to school life differently, and some players get to this stage of their lives and fall out of love with the game a little bit.

It's also tough to figure out who the late bloomers will be. The top 2 scorers in the OUA last season have a combined 1 game of CHL experience, and the CIS MVP wasn't even a point-a-game player in the Alberta Jr. A league.

Having said all that, I expect the same trio at the top of the east this year, although I'd put Queen's (on paper, anyway) into that mix as well.
 

leafhky88

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Mar 16, 2009
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Judging on announced recruiting classes and rumoured transfers, it appears as though the OUA East will be stronger (and more top-heavy) than the West again in 2015-16.

Carleton - McGill - UQTR just look stronger than the OUA West's top tier. By the same token, there are no RMCs or Concordias at the bottom of the West.

Were they (the top teams) stronger last year too? It certainly felt that way throughout much of the year, but here are the results of the "Big 3" in the OUA West vs. the "Big 3" of the OUA East.

Windsor 1-2 McGill
Western 3-0 McGill
Western 5-1 UQTR
Western 2-5 Carleton
Waterloo 2-1 McGill
Waterloo 3-2 UQTR
Waterloo 4-2 Carleton

OUA Bronze:
Windsor 2-1 McGill

Regular season results show the OUA West's top 3 teams having a 5-2 record against McGill, UQTR and Carleton. (Total results are 6-2 including the OUA Bronze).

Going into the playoffs, I thought it would be different - especially with Western and Waterloo going out early. The Queen's Cup game featured Guelph (which almost did not qualify for the playoffs) against UQTR. You had posted that you could not imagine Guelph keeping up with UQTR. I tended to agree and thought UQTR would have a fairly simple victory. They didn't, with Guelph having a commanding 4-0 victory.

Then McGill, played against Windsor, a fairly average team that has played two straight seasons perfecting the art of winning 1 and 2 goal games (often with an empty netter) by playing a strong system. I imagined Windsor would be in tough and McGill would skate to victory. They didn't - and Windsor took the OUA Bronze.

Finally, in the National Bronze Medal game, I thought UQTR, playing this time on neutral ice against Guelph would have their revenge. But again, they didn't - Guelph winning in overtime.

The oddest thing about this wasn't that the OUA West was strong last year - it wasn't. It was the first year since I had been following (since around 2007) that the OUA East won against the West in cross over games in aggregate. Even the top teams like Waterloo, Windsor and Western all had faults. Waterloo had another great recruiting year, but went through periods where they would lose up to 5 games in a row to mediocre teams like York, Toronto and Nipissing. Windsor was predictably solid - a great team at winning as noted above, but they did so with a 4 line, up tempo/puck possession pace that is consistently just good enough to beat most of the OUA teams on a night in, night out basis, but not really that staggering. Finally, Western was a team that has always been built with great former OHL defencemen and lots of former 50-60 point CHL guys who can score at an elite level. Last year they had more losses of those types (up front) than recruits, and as a result, had to play a style much more similar to Windsor to grind out wins as opposed to outclassing the rest of the OUA West.

Despite this, McGill/Carleton/UQTR couldn't seem to win the big games. They were excellent at beating up the weaker OUA teams (in both conferences) but struggled against very vulnerable OUA West "Elite" teams.

This was odd, as in my opinion, teams like 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 McGill would have run through this year's OUA West.

Based on just strength of projected returning players, I imagine these 3 teams to have better inter conference and post season records against this year's top OUA West teams - but stranger things have happened.
 
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leafhky88

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It sure looks that way, but it's really difficult to handicap recruiting classes these days. Each player adjusts to school life differently, and some players get to this stage of their lives and fall out of love with the game a little bit.

It's also tough to figure out who the late bloomers will be. The top 2 scorers in the OUA last season have a combined 1 game of CHL experience, and the CIS MVP wasn't even a point-a-game player in the Alberta Jr. A league.

Having said all that, I expect the same trio at the top of the east this year, although I'd put Queen's (on paper, anyway) into that mix as well.


Queen's recruiting reminds me a bit of the progress of Carleton's program. I am not sure when they will break through - but sooner than later in my opinion. Maybe as soon as next year as you predict.
 

connor macdavid

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Dec 24, 2008
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[/B]

Queen's recruiting reminds me a bit of the progress of Carleton's program. I am not sure when they will break through - but sooner than later in my opinion. Maybe as soon as next year as you predict.

All of this is pure speculation, of course. On paper, I just personally believe that the OUA East's top teams have more top-end talent.

The results speak for themselves. After seeing Waterloo lay a beating on us up at Carleton last season - only team to beat the Ravens on home ice, by the way - I thought they would win the OUA West *for sure*. I'm quickly learning that collegiate hockey's a funny beast, aha!

What's the skinny at Laurier? As a rookie media guy around the OUA, I was surprised to see a western school with such a large population struggling as mightily as they did last season. I know they had goaltending issues - do those look to be resolved?

Cheers
 

AdamMcg83

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What's the skinny at Laurier? As a rookie media guy around the OUA, I was surprised to see a western school with such a large population struggling as mightily as they did last season. I know they had goaltending issues - do those look to be resolved?

Cheers

Laurier has added a local goalie, Marc Williams (Waterloo native, played Jr B in Kitchener, as well as Jr A in Georgetown). The goaltending issues were primarily injury-related last season, so one would assume that health would help improve that as well.

As for the overarching "skinny" at Laurier, the Hawks have had a peculiar turnover rate in the last few years. By my count, they've dressed no fewer than 13 1st-year players in *each* of the last four seasons. Hard to build a long-term system when half your roster is rookies. No idea why this might be - maybe Blackmarketmob has some more insight?
 

leafhky88

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Mar 16, 2009
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All of this is pure speculation, of course. On paper, I just personally believe that the OUA East's top teams have more top-end talent.

The results speak for themselves. After seeing Waterloo lay a beating on us up at Carleton last season - only team to beat the Ravens on home ice, by the way - I thought they would win the OUA West *for sure*. I'm quickly learning that collegiate hockey's a funny beast, aha!

What's the skinny at Laurier? As a rookie media guy around the OUA, I was surprised to see a western school with such a large population struggling as mightily as they did last season. I know they had goaltending issues - do those look to be resolved?

Cheers

It wasn't always that way. I attended there as a student between 2006-2010. Laurier was coming off a 2005-2006 season that saw them make Nationals. My first year (2006-2007) saw them win the OUA West, and at Nationals beat a strong St. FX team in OT before losing to #1 ranked Moncton (who later lost in the finals to UNB) in double OT. It was also the first year of new head coach, Kelly Nobes, who you are no doubt familiar with. His team also had success in 2008-2009 when they finished with the most points of any OUA team, a remarkable feat given the relatively harder schedule in the OUA West compared to the East at that time. They were ranked #3 in the CIS Top Ten going into the playoffs where they lost to the eventual National Finalists in Western. Each of the 4 seasons I was there saw them ranked in the CIS Top Ten.

Nobes then left after the 2009-2010 season to coach at his alma mater, McGill.

Since then, Laurier has finished 2nd, 8th, 5th, 10th and 9th in the OUA West.

You mentioned goaltending- Laurier has always had good goaltenders since I followed. They had former OHL goalie Jeff MacDougald for 4 years, and former Ottawa Senators draft pick Ryan Daniels splitting time in MacDougald's last year, before starting for 3 straight years, winning the OUA MVP in 2 of them. Laurier knew Daniels would need replacing, so they recruited former Guelph Storm netminder Brandon Foote in Daniels' last year. Foote showed up, played an exhibition game or two, and then I believe enrolled in college to never play a regular season game. The next season, with no starting goaltender at the beginning of recruiting season, they recruited former OHL goaltender and MHL goaltender of the year in Shayne Campbell - he played 4 games before requiring what I believe was season/career ending hip surgery. Then last year, to solidify the goaltending situation, they recruited former Niagara Ice Dog and Montreal Canadiens prospect in Chris Festarini which I felt was a great addition. He suffered a concussion which limited his use to 8 games, and their other goaltender, Vinny Merante (who basically recruited himself in 2013-2014) also missed the majority of the first half of the season with some type of strain, leading Laurier to use an intramural goalie for about half of the first half of the season. In the second half, they also picked up former Kingston Frontenac Colin Furlong. They now have Marc Williams for next year as well, but he was also attending Laurier the past few years already while playing Junior A/B. I have no idea which goaltenders are or are not returning.

As Adam has pointed out - Laurier has had a large amount of roster turnover. Each year seems to bring between 12-16 first year players. Even this year, there were about 6 players who quit midseason. Ideally, I would like to see 7-8 quality recruits each year, to comprise a roughly 26 man roster (some turnover is unavoidable). I am not sure what the reason is for the turnover. I have some theories, but it is all speculation. They have also struggled with injuries - when Nobes was here it seemed like a 22 roster was fine - you could run pretty much your best 12 forwards and best 6 D for almost every game. As the OUA improves, this is seeming to change. Most games in the past 2 years Laurier is missing about 2-3 of their top 12 forwards and about 2-3 of their top 6 D. If you asked me for the top 18 guys in each of the past 2 seasons, I would not be able to find a single game when that group was all healthy for one game.

Not much on the recruiting front so far, but I am hoping to get some picture of what the roster could look like. OUA recruiting is improving across the board and success breeds success. I would like to see Laurier end up midpack this year (around 5 in the OUA West). I think it would help next year's offseason.
 
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northvanman

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The "Ottawa Games"

Just because I'm bored, I thought I'd have a look and see how the schedule maker dealt with the absence of Ottawa on this year's schedule in order to maintain 28 games for all. Leading up to the suspension of the program, for the last several years, I'd describe Ottawa as being a good, competitive opponent and, at the very least, slightly above average if you take the entire OUA into account. So the imbalance that is created to plug the holes created by Ottawa's absence could be a factor if the standings are close.

OUA West
Every team needs to make up 1 game, except Lakehead, who plays double headers against O-East opponents and only plays Ottawa during even numbered years, and Windsor, who needs to make up 2 games because they play double headers against Ottawa during odd numbered years.

Brock - extra game vs. Windsor
Guelph - at Ryerson
Laurier - at UOIT
Lakehead - none
Ryerson - vs. Guelph
Toronto - vs. Western
Waterloo - at UOIT
Western - at Toronto
Windsor - at York, at Brock
York - vs. Windsor

OUA East
Teams in the O-East play a home-and-home against each divisional opponent, so each team has 2 games to make up. As mentioned earlier in this post, 3 mini divisions were created in the East, where each team plays the other team 3 times. Except the mini division of Laurentian, Nipissing and UOIT, presumably because of travel. UOIT makes up its Ottawa games against Waterloo and Laurier

Carleton - at Queen's, vs. RMC
Concordia - at UQTR, vs. McGill
Laurentian - at Nipissing, vs. Nipissing
McGill - at Concordia, vs. UQTR
Nipissing - at Laurentian, vs. Laurentian
Queen's - vs. Carleton, at RMC
RMC - vs. Queen's, at Carleton
UOIT - vs. Waterloo, vs. Laurier
UQTR - vs. Concordia, at McGill
 
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11111

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Just because I'm bored, I thought I'd have a look and see how the schedule maker dealt with the absence of Ottawa on this year's schedule in order to maintain 28 games for all. Leading up to the suspension of the program, for the last several years, I'd describe Ottawa as being a good, competitive opponent and, at the very least, slightly above average if you take the entire OUA into account. So the imbalance that is created to plug the holes created by Ottawa's absence could be a factor if the standings are close.

OUA West
Every team needs to make up 1 game, except Lakehead, who plays double headers against O-East opponents and only plays Ottawa during even numbered years, and Windsor, who needs to make up 2 games because they play double headers against Ottawa during odd numbered years.

Brock - extra game vs. Windsor
Guelph - at Ryerson
Laurier - at UOIT
Lakehead - none
Ryerson - vs. Guelph
Toronto - vs. Western
Waterloo - at UOIT
Western - at Toronto
Windsor - at York, at Brock
York - vs. Windsor

OUA East
Teams in the O-East play a home-and-home against each divisional opponent, so each team has 2 games to make up. As mentioned earlier in this post, 3 mini divisions were created in the East, where each team plays the other team 3 times. Except the mini division of Laurentian, Nipissing and UOIT, presumably because of travel. UOIT makes up its Ottawa games against Waterloo and Laurier

Carleton - at Queen's, vs. RMC
Concordia - at UQTR, vs. McGill
Laurentian - at Nipissing, vs. Nipissing
McGill - at Concordia, vs. UQTR
Nipissing - at Laurentian, vs. Laurentian
Queen's - vs. Carleton, at RMC
RMC - vs. Queen's, at Carleton
UOIT - vs. Waterloo, vs. Laurier
UQTR - vs. Concordia, at McGill

Aside from UOIT, the big winner here is obviously the east division. You've got natural rivalries all over the place being highlighted. The west division on the other hand is all over the place, with UOIT hosting the Waterloo teams. Why not instead sacrifice the battle of downtown Toronto by having the Rams and Varsity Blues visit UOIT, thereby creating a GTA faceoff weekend. Then everything falls nicely in place rivalry-wise like this:

Brock - at York
Guelph - vs Windsor
Laurier - vs. Waterloo
Lakehead - none
Ryerson - at UOIT
Toronto - at UOIT
Waterloo - at Laurier
Western - vs Windsor
Windsor - at Western, at Guelph
York - vs Brock

Brock gets former division rival York, the battle of Waterloo ensues and Western hooks up with Windsor. The rationale behind Windsor's second game being in Guelph is that after London, it's the next closest city they could travel to outside of Waterloo, and it would give an extra game in the rematch of last season's OUA West final, when Guelph upset the then-defending champion Lancers on their way to the Queen's Cup.
 

Dutch

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Concordia announces departure of head coach Kevin Figsby: http://stingers.ca/news.php?id=1079

Seems like a: we want you out of coaching the hockey team but we'll still keep you on the payroll kind of thing, which Fisgby refused.

Altough he's been a real ambassador to CIS hockey, talking to ex-players, they were not kind of his training techniques and tactical side. I guess a change at Concordia can only help bringing them back to compete with McGill.
 

Rob

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15 seasons behind the Stingers bench.

Lifetime 157-191-52 record.

Ten playoff appearances are misleading, as Concordia only made it past the first round once (second round sweep at the hands of UQTR in '01).

All in all, this is probably a positive move for the Stingers.

I just wonder if it will have any impact? Their problem seemed to be recruiting.
 

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