Erie Otters 2018-19 Season Thread (Part 2)

[ohloutsider]

Saturdays game is like a playoff game for Erie and Windsor. Could very well be the deciding game on who picks 4th or 6th in the OHL priority draft.

 

[7D442]

Forgive me if I’m wrong - but I believe we have given up 15 goals in the last 2 games ..we have some solid individual performers but just too many complete breakdowns on the backend ..

Are we kidding ourselves about the state of this rebuild and next years expectataions ?? Say 8 games to .500 and raise that another 12-15 games .. hopefull but not sure we’re going to be 20 plus games ahead next year .. not trying to be negative - just realistic ...

 

[NOA]

Forgive me if I’m wrong - but I believe we have given up 15 goals in the last 2 games ..we have some solid individual performers but just too many complete breakdowns on the backend ..

Are we kidding ourselves about the state of this rebuild and next years expectataions ?? Say 8 games to .500 and raise that another 12-15 games .. hopefull but not sure we’re going to be 20 plus games ahead next year .. not trying to be negative - just realistic ...

Not with this current coaching staff

They all need to go imo

 

[buzzworthy]

I would be willing to bet that something is going on here. I can't imagine Jim Waters or Dave Brown being happy with the results. I can't put my finger on it, as to the cause, but there needs to be improvements for next season or more fans will be lost. If they do lose on Saturday, it really is a win for the club. I can't imagine how they would do in the playoffs. It would be embarrassing at best.

 

[NOA]

I would be willing to bet that something is going on here. I can't imagine Jim Waters or Dave Brown being happy with the results. I can't put my finger on it, as to the cause, but there needs to be improvements for next season or more fans will be lost. If they do lose on Saturday, it really is a win for the club. I can't imagine how they would do in the playoffs. It would be embarrassing at best.

I said that earlier in the season buzz, you just reiterated my thoughts

Fans will be lost. I am actually okay with missing the playoffs again this year because I will take the higher pick in a year where there are more college commits than ever before. Sure playoffs are important but I look at next year as the real important year. If this team can’t get to .500 or better, we simply have a huge concern and the fan support will return to mid 2000s level. And that’s not easy to build back up yet again

I would actually prefer we miss the playoffs if it means having the management and owner recognize that our special teams and defensive play has been terrible all year, worse than even a year ago. No excuse for that but bad coaching.

 

[buzzworthy]

You are spot on, Ottersguy. In the large picture, it is worrisome how the NCAA is snagging some high end players. What with billion dollar budgets (Penn State, Michigan, etc) the OHL just will not be able to compete long term. They can sign whomever they want and give them perks that we can't match. Penn State is starting to make some noise, and it is a powerhouse money-making machine. By the way, I went to Pitt. They aren't doing too bad either money-wise (think UPMC).

 

[buzzworthy]

Any updates on Beamish or Fowler?

 

[Generalsupdates]

Any updates on Beamish or Fowler?

Both are out tonight. Along with Singer, Sedore, and Cohen

 

[Buttsy]

Next weekend is a Home and Away with my beloved Knights. Do not get any ideas of playing spoilers please! No need to be a PITA .

 

[Knowthegame1]

I said that earlier in the season buzz, you just reiterated my thoughts

Fans will be lost. I am actually okay with missing the playoffs again this year because I will take the higher pick in a year where there are more college commits than ever before. Sure playoffs are important but I look at next year as the real important year. If this team can’t get to .500 or better, we simply have a huge concern and the fan support will return to mid 2000s level. And that’s not easy to build back up yet again

I would actually prefer we miss the playoffs if it means having the management and owner recognize that our special teams and defensive play has been terrible all year, worse than even a year ago. No excuse for that but bad coaching.

Actually starts from the owner down. Waters is a rich guy that owns a hockey team and hasn’t got a clue about the game. So he entrust his team that he owns to a guy who he didn’t hire( Dave Brown ). Now what has Brown done to improve the team in the last 4 years? Nothing. He’s the great Wizard of Oz. Now let’s blame the coaches because they scouted these boys. Not! Erie’s scouts have not produced in 15+ years. In fact some were let go just to be brought back to fail again. Why? Did the coach bring them back? Nope. I can say BJ is good at failure. Defense and PK are his babies and he is the best at being the worst. Good job BJ. Wes is the PP and Offensive coach, keep it complicated and don’t shoot always works. Now blame the head coach, he didn’t hire the assistant coaches that thought the job was theirs when Knobloch left. Hmm makes one wonder. Shame on Waters and Brown. If I thought that I was getting a head coaching job just to have someone who left the team come back and be my boss.... well.

 

[NOA]

Actually starts from the owner down. Waters is a rich guy that owns a hockey team and hasn’t got a clue about the game. So he entrust his team that he owns to a guy who he didn’t hire( Dave Brown ). Now what has Brown done to improve the team in the last 4 years? Nothing. He’s the great Wizard of Oz. Now let’s blame the coaches because they scouted these boys. Not! Erie’s scouts have not produced in 15+ years. In fact some were let go just to be brought back to fail again. Why? Did the coach bring them back? Nope. I can say BJ is good at failure. Defense and PK are his babies and he is the best at being the worst. Good job BJ. Wes is the PP and Offensive coach, keep it complicated and don’t shoot always works. Now blame the head coach, he didn’t hire the assistant coaches that thought the job was theirs when Knobloch left. Hmm makes one wonder. Shame on Waters and Brown. If I thought that I was getting a head coaching job just to have someone who left the team come back and be my boss.... well.

If you want to blame the owner, scouting and GM then I’m sorry but take a hike

Erie has NOT had a 2nd round pick since 2014. They have only had 5 picks combined from rounds 3-4 during the 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 draft

The scouting meanwhile has produced this in late round picks since 2010

Brown 13th
Dermott 9th
Headrick 14th
Fergus 8th
Sambrook 10th
Golod 13th

This doesn’t even account for others like Betz 6th, Darren Raddysh 5th, and Murphy 15th

Their late round drafting and scouting has literally SAVED this team from being a 10-15 win team the last 2 years

The only issue with scouting and developing is the goalie spot. Other than that —- I challenge you to find another team that has been better at their 1st round drafting the last 8-9 years. Or another team that has been better at late round picks (8th-15th). There are some teams that are similarly as good but nobody that is much better than Erie. Erie has been top 3-4 in the league over the last decade when it comes to late drafting (and no London or other teams don’t get credit with college commits.. that’s different). Erie has also been top 5-6 of the league with success of first round drafting. I know McDavid/Strome were easy gets but Raddysh/Lodnia/McShane at the last 2-3 picks of the draft were top tier

So let’s pump the breaks on the issues


Here’s the issues - Goalie play, star talent, and potentially coaching

Goalie play/coaching - let’s see how Dave Brown addresses this during the 2019 offseason

Star talent? Let’s see how Fowler, Cajka, Drysdale, Golod develop for next year. And let’s see what our top 5 OHL pick and top 15 import pick looks like

Also.. the reason the star power is missing???? Ohhhh I don’t know, might have something to do with 4 straight 50 win seasons and going for each and every year. That depleted our assets and made us trade away great young talent.

How many more wins would we have if Allan McShane and Brett Neumann we’re still on the roster? Add those 2 and a better goalie and we probably have 10-12 more wins.
So seriously pump the breaks on bashing the entire organization. Anyone who understood junior hockey knew it would be a rebuild process. If we don’t start seeing progress next year, then yes I would start to question many more things. But right now? This is all part of the process and plan to get back near the top.

There are questions and issues but I’m not ready to throw in the towel on the GM, scouting, and owner..

 

[Knowthegame1]

No pumping the brakes. Waters, Brown and the scouts all take ownership of a loosing team. These boys didn’t just show up in Erie, someone drafted them. Do you know what a back door goal is? Probably not. How about a break away goal? Probably not again. My point is this whole “team” is bad not just the goalies. The Scouts don’t have a clue about goalies or defense. So yes they do own that. It’s a very important part of their job. Defense has left the goalies to hang out way too many times this year. Again BJs job. I really don’t care where or how many draft picks you have. Those stats mean absolutely nothing. There is talent all over the place you just have to know what you are looking at.

 

[OttersFan]

I'd like to argue that this team does have potential and that there late round drafting has saved them in addition to the already created list.

Fellows - 7th
Henry - 9th
Yetman - 10th
Headrick -14th

I'd say that there's so much this team needs to do over the offseason. We have what, 2 or 3 college commits? Drysdale has very close ties with Alexander. If he's able to sway him, then i'd already see that as an upgrade next season. We have so much talent to work with and staying young this year was the thing to do. All of these kids can come back next year (minus Ceci and possibly Poddubnyi) on top of new draft picks and signings. This teams needs a first round exit in playoffs for experience and i'd day we will be better next year.

We do need a new PP/PK assistant. PP worse than the PK, but still someone who can run it.

Erie has had good defense in recent years so the scouts much have done something right. This team is just young.

We have OAs in Singer, Poddubnyi (if he's back), Martin, Golden so we definitely have core leadership there for next year. I'd expect Drysdale to be the next Otters captain and even that could sway Alexander to sign.

We have the talent and if we don't see better results next year, then that's when i'd feel concerned about this team. This team goes out and works every night. They just don't get the bounces they need. They're not getting shut out ever night either, it's usually a 1-2 goal game.

 

[nofriendsinhockey]

+/- shows all that you need to know on why we cant win those close 1-2 goal games. To be successful we need to be more defensively responsible

 

[Knowthegame1]

Your examples of the late drafts is not really that impressive. DeBrincat wasn’t even drafted but hands down one of the best players Erie ever had. Oh but did I say not drafted. Erie scouts missed him. If Bassin hadn’t seen him the kid would be a nobody.
If you are limited by the number of picks you have, then be smarter about your choices. If your team is hurting for defense, then draft defense. Same with goalies. It’s really not that hard. But for some reason the scouts and Brown don’t get it.
Also Erie has a bad habit of giving away more than they should when it comes to trades and receiving next to nothing in return. Fix that problem (Brown)and Erie would have better picks down the road.
Yes, I still think an absent owner is bad. I do not want to see this team take another 15 years to rebuild. The common denominator between now and the past are the scouts. Hockey politics are bad and often blind judgment.....I could care less if your dad drove a race car or played NHL.
Oh and BJ needs to go. Defense is way too soft.

 

[buzzworthy]

Soo...two big games for the boys this weekend. Friday night they played a very good team with a top notch goalie. The officiating was spotty at best. They spent too much time on the PK. I do give them kudos for playing very hard. Three inches to the left on Golod's shot in OT and we win that one.
On Saturday night they looked gassed and off kilter in the first period. Two quick Windsor goals had me concerned that we would see a blow-out. Then, the boys rallied and started to take it to Windsor in the 2nd and third periods. It was a terrific overall effort by the Otters. There was no quit in them and the crowd was really into the game.
I was really impressed by Hoffman and Sproule. Both of them have really, really improved over the last 4 months. Sproule has gained some weight and height along with some strength. Hoffman has really started to play big for a big kid. Drysdale is on another level. This kid is going to be a superstar. For a 16 year old he can really fly, shoot, and think the game. In my opinion he is at the same level skill-wise as McDavid was at 16.
As to the above argument, I tend to think that Waters will fix things. He wants to win. Coaching is a big concern as we move forward. Erie's scouts may or may not be suspect, but I do know that their head scout was hired by the Sabres last year, so that speaks volumes. Every time I watch On The Fly on the NHL network, I see former Otter's doing very well. I can tell you this. Compared to many, many other clubs, we have done pretty damned well overall. Just think Kingston, Peterborough, Sudbury, North Bay, Saginaw, and more than a few others over the last 6 years, and ask yourself who would you rather be. For me, an Otter's fan.

 

[EON]

I don't think this team is making the playoffs but they're putting up a pretty damn good fight at least. Next 5 games are brutal: @ KIT, @ LDN, vs. NIAG, vs. LDN, @GUE.

 

[Animal House]

No Singer last 2 games. Injured?

 

[buzzworthy]

I don't know and haven't heard. I am concerned that Beamish is finished. He has had 2 concussions in the past 2 seasons. He had been sitting with Fowler, but I haven't seen him up top for awhile. Does anyone know for sure?

 

[Leo Minem]

Bold prediction: Fowler, Dryesdale, and Hoffmann will all be drafted in the top3 rounds

 

[buzzworthy]

It wouldn't surprise me at all. Golod would also be a good pick-up. Sproule continues to impress, and seems to be getting bigger and better every game.

 

[NOA]

Bold prediction: Fowler, Dryesdale, and Hoffmann will all be drafted in the top3 rounds

Hoffman has been legit the last 30 games or so. I liked the pickup when we signed him and I like it more now. Wouldn’t be shocked to see him have a Yetman like breakout next year

 

[7D442]

It wouldn't surprise me at all. Golod would also be a good pick-up. Sproule continues to impress, and seems to be getting bigger and better every game.

Agree buzzworthy- appears that something “ clicked “ this second half of the season with both Sproule and Hoffman .. They look like they’ve been shot out of a cannon lately by their play -

I think Hoffman literally jumped a few lines into the top line lately and had been very good ..if he adds some strength and bulk - and continues to produce he may just get drafted ..

 

[EON]

Drysdale will go 1st round, Fowler has top 2 round talent I'd say, just remains to be seen how he will bounce back after missing a huge portion of this season. Hoffmann has been great in the 2nd half, with his package of size and skill he could be very good. Just needs to keep working on his skating. He kind of looks like Nick Betz, just better hands I'd say.

Cajka should get drafted in June, not sure Sproule or Golod have done enough but they have improved.

I do agree buzzworthy, concerned about Beamish. He might be done, that could also be why they picked up Golden. Fills in the puck moving dman role this season and next.

 

[EON]

Boy this team is crushing it in extra time this season, big reason they're close to a playoff spot. 7-2 in OT, now 5-1 in the SO. One point behind Windsor with 2 games in hand.