Erie Otters 2018-19 Season Thread

[Moroz]

A belated response to Buzzworthy's inquiry regarding the planned improvements to UPMC Park and the Erie Insurance Arena.

The plans call for a variety of improvements throughout the baseball stadium. However, the central feature of the plan is the construction of a four story building which is attached to the southwest corner of the Arena. Each level will be approximately 5000 sq. ft.

The first level will be at the concourse level of the baseball stadium. It will house the SeaWolves' offices, a box office, a team store accessible from within and outside the ballpark, and some ancillary food prep areas for the left field picnic area.

The second level will be at the concourse level of the Arena. It will house the Otters' offices and a team store. It will be accessible from inside the Arena and from outside the Arena (through a stairwell and elevator).

The third level will be unfinished storage space for each team. The height of this floor will be somewhat reduced in order to allow the other three floors to connect at the appropriate levels.

The fourth level will connect to the Arena at the Suite level. It will be accessible from the Suite level, and also from the baseball stadium by means of a stairwell and elevator. It will have a kitchen and bar, and will seat about 200 for banquet type events. It will overlook the ballpark with sliding glass doors, and will have about 60 seats cantilevered out from the building for watching baseball games. The idea is to create a facility that is usable both for Arena events and for the baseball stadium.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need more information.

 

[buzzworthy]

Thank you, Moroz. That is going to be a pretty neat addition to the arena and the ball park. That will be a huge upgrade for both teams, as having the "store" at the entrance to the EIA wasn't cutting it. It is a great idea. Good deal!

 

[Savard18]

Well that is certainly good to hear and I hope you are right. If we don't make any changes in net, other than "another year older", I simply cannot share your optimism. Happy to be proven wrong!

I am a fan of the "no excuses" school of hard knocks. Young, rebuild, previous great seasons don't mean anything to me. All that matters is next season.

I also believe in always blaming leadership, which in this case is scouting/management and coaching. The kids all seemed to be trying 100% last season. The question is which ones, especially which goalie(s) belong in this league. If our leadership goes into the season without a change in net, that's fine with me, as long as they make the playoffs. That to me is the bare minimum to define any sort of success. Last season was, IMHO, a complete failure.

Erie had four straight 50 win seasons and an OHL title. They had to spend all their draft picks to achieve that. Many other teams have done that and found zero postseason success. To call last year a complete failure and expect a one year rebuild are ridiculous and completely unrealistic expectations. Thats like saying the Steelers were complete failures in 1976 because they didn't win their 3rd straight Super Bowl and management/coaching sucked. Be patient, that's not how the OHL works and there are very few teams in the league positioned for future success the way the Otters are but it's not gonna happen overnight.

 

[MoWanchuk1]

Erie had four straight 50 win seasons and an OHL title. They had to spend all their draft picks to achieve that. Many other teams have done that and found zero postseason success. To call last year a complete failure and expect a one year rebuild are ridiculous and completely unrealistic expectations. Thats like saying the Steelers were complete failures in 1976 because they didn't win their 3rd straight Super Bowl and management/coaching sucked. Be patient, that's not how the OHL works and there are very few teams in the league positioned for future success the way the Otters are but it's not gonna happen overnight.

Mcdavid reported to Erie and made that team amazing obviously ..strome reported to Erie to be with mcdavid now we’re gonna see how they draft and build for real...usually a guy like brown would bolt to nhl or somewhere when the well runs dry give him credit to stay and try to build again.

 

[buzzworthy]

Erie has done an excellent job of drafting in the lower rounds the last few years. No doubt that McDavid saved the franchise, and some players reported to be able to play with him, but some lower round picks have done pretty well for themselves. Connor Brown, Travis Dermott, Adam Pelech, Alex DeBrincat, and others all could have been drafted by other teams. I am sure that there are other teams that draft well in the later rounds, and I am very sure that there are many, many teams who draft poorly, or don't develop their players as well as Erie seems to do.

 

[NOA]

Erie had four straight 50 win seasons and an OHL title. They had to spend all their draft picks to achieve that. Many other teams have done that and found zero postseason success. To call last year a complete failure and expect a one year rebuild are ridiculous and completely unrealistic expectations. Thats like saying the Steelers were complete failures in 1976 because they didn't win their 3rd straight Super Bowl and management/coaching sucked. Be patient, that's not how the OHL works and there are very few teams in the league positioned for future success the way the Otters are but it's not gonna happen overnight.

I really wanted to post something saying this exact thing. Well said

Let’s not forget they are the first team in CHL history to do such a thing. So it shows how tough and amazing those 4 years were. For 4 years we made moves to go for it.. never sold off to recoup picks/players. So yes it will take time to rebuild. Look at teams rebuilding after 1/2 good seasons in a row.. Erie had 4.

I hear this stuff about drafting and developing and I think - if Erie didn’t have the 4 years of constant trades, we likely still have guys Allan McShane and Brett Neumann. Or other guys they drafted with 2nd/3rd round picks. If those 2 were on this team, how good would you feel about Erie this year?
It takes time to rebuild. Erie especially has it tougher than maybe any team ever has considering picks/players lost in 4 years. Last year we didn’t win many games but to finish 17 out of 20 teams is not the worst. I was prepared for a 15 win season. But actually the team was competitive and worked hard (rarely getting blown out in games) all year. And they were nearly .500 post trades. Do I expect more this year? Yes. But nothing unrealistic. Around 30 wins and a 7/8 seed finish should be the goal for this season

 

[MoWanchuk1]

I really wanted to post something saying this exact thing. Well said

Let’s not forget they are the first team in CHL history to do such a thing. So it shows how tough and amazing those 4 years were. For 4 years we made moves to go for it.. never sold off to recoup picks/players. So yes it will take time to rebuild. Look at teams rebuilding after 1/2 good seasons in a row.. Erie had 4.

I hear this stuff about drafting and developing and I think - if Erie didn’t have the 4 years of constant trades, we likely still have guys Allan McShane and Brett Neumann. Or other guys they drafted with 2nd/3rd round picks. If those 2 were on this team, how good would you feel about Erie this year?
It takes time to rebuild. Erie especially has it tougher than maybe any team ever has considering picks/players lost in 4 years. Last year we didn’t win many games but to finish 17 out of 20 teams is not the worst. I was prepared for a 15 win season. But actually the team was competitive and worked hard (rarely getting blown out in games) all year. And they were nearly .500 post trades. Do I expect more this year? Yes. But nothing unrealistic. Around 30 wins and a 7/8 seed finish should be the goal for this season

And in the OHL you win by using those good draft picks when the time is right to get impact players at the deadline which is what Erie did as well

 

[Puckit97]

Any more word on Alexander attending camp?

 

[NOA]

Any more word on Alexander attending camp?

I would be shocked if he attends camp considering he hasn’t signed.
Doesn’t appear like Erie will be signing him this year but that isn’t the end of it. They should still continue to pursue him as he won’t be playing for ASU for 2 years

 

[Puckit97]

I would be shocked if he attends camp considering he hasn’t signed.
Doesn’t appear like Erie will be signing him this year but that isn’t the end of it. They should still continue to pursue him as he won’t be playing for ASU for 2 years

Yeah that seems likely. I was just wondering if anyone had heard for sure one way or another.
It is possible he could attend and sign after camp however unlikely that is.

 

[Animal House]

When might we see the training camp roster?

 

[Hockey609]

There have been plenty of players that have come to camp unsigned then signed during or after, Connor Brown to name one.

 

[Puckit97]

There have been plenty of players that have come to camp unsigned then signed during or after, Connor Brown to name one.

That is true but he isn’t attending camp. Door isn’t closed on him but it doesn’t seem likely he will ever play here.

 

[EON]

No Alexander, not a big surprise. I don't think they'll ever get him to sign but we'll see.

I'm more disappointed that both Bernard and Campbell are absent from main camp. I really thought Bernard could take Oberoi's spot and Campbell looks like a good option in a year.

 

[MAGA1776]

No Alexander, not a big surprise. I don't think they'll ever get him to sign but we'll see.

I'm more disappointed that both Bernard and Campbell are absent from main camp. I really thought Bernard could take Oberoi's spot and Campbell looks like a good option in a year.

 

[MAGA1776]

Looking at the goalie lineup it seems like management is 100% committed to keeping Murphy and Oberoi for another year. The other attendees are all younger and seem unlikely to be in position to replace Murphy's experience or Oberoi's height advantage. I suppose anything can happen at camp.

Hopefully strategy will work better this year than it did last year.

 

[nelli27]

I just spotted this article...
https://thehockeywriters.com/2018-19-erie-otters-season-preview/

 

[NOA]

Looking at the goalie lineup it seems like management is 100% committed to keeping Murphy and Oberoi for another year. The other attendees are all younger and seem unlikely to be in position to replace Murphy's experience or Oberoi's height advantage. I suppose anything can happen at camp.

Hopefully strategy will work better this year than it did last year.

Considering that we had timpano to start the year last year.. no that was not the team’s strategy. Let’s see before we critique. If there is no improvement by end of October from those guys, I don’t think that Brown will hesitate to make a trade or do something to fix things for at least this season. Be patient

 

[NOA]

I just spotted this article...
https://thehockeywriters.com/2018-19-erie-otters-season-preview/

I agree with most of what is talked about in this little article

Starting at forward spot -
Cajka looks like he has good size and speed. I have seen him listed in the top 30 of prospects for this years draft. Others don’t list him at all. So it appears like he’s an unknown and this is partly why he showed up here..but Hartsburg already hailing him as top 2 center. Would imagine Fowler gets the other. If Cajka can be a legit player and someone who looks like a 2-3 round nhl pick.. Erie’s forward group will be solid if Mak returns

I also agree with the goalie assessment. Erie is banking on both guys improving and hoping that one of these kids, more than likely Murphy, can seize the top spot and be steady in net. Yes I would love a stud goalie - any team would. But right now I just want solid and consistent. A guy that is around a .905-.908 save percentage is respectable.

I mostly agree with the points in this article about the defense. The D is possible flying under the radar. They return everyone but Headrick .. and add Drysdale. Martin missed key time last year and Duff is now 2 years removed from a torn ACL. I think the D has potential - assuming Duff/Henry really take the next step - to be a good squad. Martin, Duff, Wainman, Henry, Timmermans, Beamish, Drysdale, Kischnick. Someone will be traded but there is youth and potential. I like the group.. especially if Kischnick becomes another late round gem we find

 

[EON]

I'm interested to see who they sign up front, and maybe if they make a move on D. I mentioned before but I'd move out Wainman as the younger guys need time and if I'm choosing between the '99s, I take Martin over Wainman. Without Alexander or Schroeder showing up Erie has one, maybe two spots open up front. Three if they decide to let Girhiny go. I also hope they sign a few 2018 draft guys for call-ups and to add to the team next season.

Maksimovich*-Fowler-Singer (suspension for first 8 games)
Poddubnyi-Cajka-Golod
Girhiny*-Gritz-Yetman
Sproule-Mack-Hoffman

Martin-Drysdale
Duff-Timmermans
Beamish-Kischnick
Henry

Murphy
Oberoi

 

[aresknights]

Really hooping Hoffman can do enough in camp to make this squad. Good kid.

 

[NOA]

Really hooping Hoffman can do enough in camp to make this squad. Good kid.

Erie doesn’t sign players in the spring and announce that they will be attending an expensive private school (cathedral prep) while in Erie unless that player is making the team. So Hoffman is basically a lock.

 

[aresknights]

Erie doesn’t sign players in the spring and announce that they will be attending an expensive private school (cathedral prep) while in Erie unless that player is making the team. So Hoffman is basically a lock.

TY. Good to hear.

 

[buzzworthy]

My wife and I attended the player's banquet last night in Erie along with some 400 others. We had the opportunity to sit with Hayden Fowler and his parents. There were several moving tributes to the team by Patrick Fellows and Owen Headrick. I had the chance to talk with Hoffman for a minute. He is from NC, but his grandparents live in Warren, PA, and he has spent some time there. He is a really, really nice kid and I have a feeling he is going to be a real force on this team. If his handshake grip is any indication of his overall strength, look out. I have a real good feeling about this squad. I know many on the other thread pick them as last overall, and that is fine with me, but I think this squad will surprise a lot of people. I mean really, really surprise.

 

[Naz]

The Oshawa Generals have invited ex otter Carson Edwardson to camp.