Erie Otters 2018-19 Season Thread

[Generalsupdates]

That’s not entirely true. Every trade is different.
This is a August trade for a player who demanded he be traded and only to 2 teams. It’s different. It’s still a bad trade for Erie but Dave Brown has gone on record to say that he thinks high picks are overrated. I think this trade actually proves that Erie is trying to win more this year. Trying to make the playoffs and start building a winning culture again
Not a good trade but if Singer is on pace for 25g 25a come trade deadline time, yes he can easily get you 2 higher picks because he will certainly be an OA candidate. But that point is mute considering that Erie won’t be doing that. They added him to be a part of the team for the next 2 years

Yikes, that's the absolute worst when entering a rebuild. A GM/owner who doesn't realize they need one

 

[NOA]

Yikes, that's the absolute worst when entering a rebuild. A GM/owner who doesn't realize they need one

Win more**
What’s wrong with trying to actually make the playoffs this year and be a 7-8 seed? That’s important step in the rebuild process.. otherwise you’ll have your entire team used to winning 20 games a year and you can’t build a team like that. The next step is to win more games.. not take a step back

 

[Savard18]

That’s not entirely true. Every trade is different.
This is a August trade for a player who demanded he be traded and only to 2 teams. It’s different. It’s still a bad trade for Erie but Dave Brown has gone on record to say that he thinks high picks are overrated. I think this trade actually proves that Erie is trying to win more this year. Trying to make the playoffs and start building a winning culture again
Not a good trade but if Singer is on pace for 25g 25a come trade deadline time, yes he can easily get you 2 higher picks because he will certainly be an OA candidate. But that point is mute considering that Erie won’t be doing that. They added him to be a part of the team for the next 2 years

Dave Brown has gone on record to say he thinks high picks are overrated? In the OHL? Whaaat? Sounds like the kind of GM I'd wanna be making deals with.

 

[INTENTIONALLYOFFSIDE]

Win more**
What’s wrong with trying to actually make the playoffs this year and be a 7-8 seed? That’s important step in the rebuild process.. otherwise you’ll have your entire team used to winning 20 games a year and you can’t build a team like that. The next step is to win more games.. not take a step back

Apparently it works for Barrie, they were 20th 2 seasons ago and 5th last season. They went from 17 wins to 42. Not that I don't disagree with you but there are a lot of different ways to build a team.

 

[NOA]

Dave Brown has gone on record to say he thinks high picks are overrated? In the OHL? Whaaat? Sounds like the kind of GM I'd wanna be making deals with.

Man I love posters on this site that take everything so literal

Yes he has said that but I’m sure you didn’t read into the context of it. What he means by it is this:
2nd and 3rd rounders are great to have. You surely want higher picks. At the same time, if you have a program where you draft and develop picks in later rounds, you can compensate for a limited amount of higher picks. You don’t need 3/4 of those a year essentially.
Erie is a top 3/4 organization right now at drafting and developing later round talent. They can afford to be without a few more of those picks when they find guys like Golod, Murphy, etc every year. Currently their draft board doesn’t look that bad. They properly replaced all of their 2nds in the Raddysh trade. Just missing a few 3rds over the next 4/5 drafts.

 

[89bardown]

Sounds like Dave Brown was handcuffed. It was reported Lodnia only provided two teams. Still it's August he could have made Lodnia sit and wait. Singer isn't bad but not the return I'm sure they would have liked.

 

[Puckit97]

Lodnia forced Brown's hand. He told Erie he wanted to be traded but then only gave them a list of two teams he'd accept a trade to. It sucks for Erie, it's bad value, but there's nothing else they could really do.

I've seen some rumors that Lodnia wasn't a very good teammate so this could be a positive for the young group this season.

I know the trade is bad up front but we will see how it plays out. Like you said because of Lodnia's requests the return was going to take a big hit. Personally I have never been a big fan of his and I think he is overrated. There is a reason he got 4th line minutes some games two seasons ago. He has never been a team first player and keeping until the deadline is risky given his lack of commitment to the team.

With that being said the return for him doesn't seem adequate. I would have liked to see a conditional pick or two in the trade in the event he plays an OA season. Based on Lodnia's performance last year it wouldn't be shocking to see him back for an OA season.

Fingers crossed this is part one of a two part trade coming in the future.

 

[Puckit97]

Fingers crossed this is part one of a two part trade coming in the future.

Looking at Niagara's roster for the upcoming season they will have one or two OA spots open. Langdon and Lochead are not returning to the team I believe. Maybe Erie moves Kmak there at and gets a better return to offset this trade. Although Niagara's draft cupboards look pretty thin in terms of 2nds and 3rds the next two seasons. Wishful thinking I suppose.

 

[NOA]

I know the trade is bad up front but we will see how it plays out. Like you said because of Lodnia's requests the return was going to take a big hit. Personally I have never been a big fan of his and I think he is overrated. There is a reason he got 4th line minutes some games two seasons ago. He has never been a team first player and keeping until the deadline is risky given his lack of commitment to the team.

With that being said the return for him doesn't seem adequate. I would have liked to see a conditional pick or two in the trade in the event he plays an OA season. Based on Lodnia's performance last year it wouldn't be shocking to see him back for an OA season.

Fingers crossed this is part one of a two part trade coming in the future.

Considering lodnia is already signed by Minnesota, it would be shock that he is not in the AHL next year. Rare to see a signed player returned for an OA season..

I’m sorry but this narrative about him not being a team first guy seems a little blown up. In 2017, he was the definition of team first. Erie made moves to buy and in his draft year lodnia was demoted to bottom 6 mins the rest of the year with limited PP time. Yet he played a crucial role in the playoffs on the 3rd line with Pettit/Fellows. That line ate up mins and though they didn’t score many goals, there puck possession in the other teams zone was critical. Erie won in 2017 in spite of poor play from timpano. And why? Because they could roll 3 lines evenly and had a 4th line they trusted. Lodnia crucial to that

It’s not an ideal return. I don’t want to bash lodnia though. If he started getting frustrated last season, it’s hard to blame him. Some guys can’t handle being in a rebuild year. He’s trying to improve and be an NHL player one day. Being around 16/17 year old developing players is not ideal for him.

 

[Puckit97]

Considering lodnia is already signed by Minnesota, it would be shock that he is not in the AHL next year. Rare to see a signed player returned for an OA season..

I’m sorry but this narrative about him not being a team first guy seems a little blown up. In 2017, he was the definition of team first. Erie made moves to buy and in his draft year lodnia was demoted to bottom 6 mins the rest of the year with limited PP time. Yet he played a crucial role in the playoffs on the 3rd line with Pettit/Fellows. That line ate up mins and though they didn’t score many goals, there puck possession in the other teams zone was critical. Erie won in 2017 in spite of poor play from timpano. And why? Because they could roll 3 lines evenly and had a 4th line they trusted. Lodnia crucial to that

It’s not an ideal return. I don’t want to bash lodnia though. If he started getting frustrated last season, it’s hard to blame him. Some guys can’t handle being in a rebuild year. He’s trying to improve and be an NHL player one day. Being around 16/17 year old developing players is not ideal for him.

Lodnia has always had a little baggage with him. Not saying he is a prima dona but it’s always been there.
I would be quicker to get on him than I would Brown.

 

[EON]

Lodnia has always had a little baggage with him. Not saying he is a prima dona but it’s always been there.
I would be quicker to get on him than I would Brown.

Agreed. Brown probably should have got at least 2 3rds in this trade but it's not a total disaster given the circumstances he had to deal with. Singer seems like a useful player and maybe he'll improve even more with top 6 ice time.

As of now here is what I have for Erie's draft picks:

2019

1st

FLT 2nd

-

4th

5th, KGN 5th

6th

7th

8th

-

10th

11th

12th

13th

14th

15th

2020

1st

GUE 2nd

-

4th

HAM 5th

HAM 6th

7th

8th

9th

-

11th

12th

13th, KGN 13th

14th

15th

2021

1st

SSM 2nd

-

4th

5th

6th, SSM 6th

7th

8th

9th

-

11th

12th

13th

14th

15th

2022

1st

SSM 2nd

-

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th

10th

11th

12th

13th

14th

15th

2023

1st

LDN 2nd

SSM 3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th

10th

11th

12th

13th

14th

15th

2024

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th

10th

11th

12th

13th

14th

15th

2025

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th

10th

11th

12th

13th

14th

15th

2026

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th

10th

11th

12th

13th

14th

15th

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

If they can flip Maksimovich into a few future 2nd/3rds at the deadline they are in good shape. Now I just hope they get Alexander and/or Schroeder signed.

 

[buzzworthy]

I don't believe that the sky is falling. Lodnia was a bit of a prima donna. You could see it in his interaction with his teammates (or lack thereof). His parents moved to Erie to "billet" him. Really? Not a big loss for Erie in my opinion. Draft picks? It is what you do with those picks that counts. Being that DeBrincat was a first rounder, along with Dermott and Darren Raddysh and how they did speaks volumes about picking players. Wait...those guys weren't first round picks were they? Brown is right. It is what you do with your players that you draft and develop. I would much rather have a player of lesser talent who wants to be here than a hot dog who doesn't. Often it is difficult to see how a young guy will develop physically and emotionally. Just take a deep breath. Erie will be a lot better than many people think.

 

[ForestCityHky]

Sounds like Dave Brown was handcuffed. It was reported Lodnia only provided two teams. Still it's August he could have made Lodnia sit and wait. Singer isn't bad but not the return I'm sure they would have liked.

Any insight on the other team he would’ve went too?

 

[Animal House]

I don't believe that the sky is falling. Lodnia was a bit of a prima donna. You could see it in his interaction with his teammates (or lack thereof). His parents moved to Erie to "billet" him. Really? Not a big loss for Erie in my opinion. Draft picks? It is what you do with those picks that counts. Being that DeBrincat was a first rounder, along with Dermott and Darren Raddysh and how they did speaks volumes about picking players. Wait...those guys weren't first round picks were they? Brown is right. It is what you do with your players that you draft and develop. I would much rather have a player of lesser talent who wants to be here than a hot dog who doesn't. Often it is difficult to see how a young guy will develop physically and emotionally. Just take a deep breath. Erie will be a lot better than many people think.

So many arm chair GMs out there. Let's wait and see how things unfold before the sky starts falling.

 

[EON]

Operating under the assumption Cajka signs, the forwards line might look like this now:

Maksimovich-Fowler-Springer
Poddubnyi-Cajka-Golod
Sproule-Gritz-Yetman
Girhiny-Mack-Hoffman

Alexander/Schroeder would be welcome additions. Also keep an eye on the U18 draft guys, Matthew Giannini was at rookie camp and was a PPG player in the GOJHL (Jr. B) last season. Girhiny may not make the team as an OA, we'll see how much he's improved. I think he could be a good veteran to have around though.

 

[44 95 plus tax]

Even more lopsided....

 

[NOA]

Even more lopsided....

Likely involved smoking marijuana. Which I’m sure most players in the league indulge in or with underage drinking

Not great but Erie has had far worse with Dane Fox and that turned out great for us. So this news means nothing to me other than losing a top 6 forward for 8 games

 

[44 95 plus tax]

 

[EON]

I'm very reluctant to trust him as a source but if true this gets even worse. I understand that Brown only had two teams to work with but I find it hard to believe this is the best return he could get.

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

I had to come here just to check because I thought for sure the OHL Collective got the details of the trade wrong. The move makes almost no sense to me unless they flip Singer for picks later this year. Even then....

they could ask a decent amount of picks considering what they gave up for him

 

[hockeynorth]

Read all his recent tweets + what he’s said in the three under them... not looking good for Singers party. I’m interested to see where this goes

 

[OHLTG]

This all seems like one of those things where you better make sure you're 100% accurate before posting it. Otherwise, things could go horribly wrong.

 

[EON]

This all seems like one of those things where you better make sure you're 100% accurate before posting it. Otherwise, things could go horribly wrong.

Agreed but it's been confirmed now.

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

This all seems like one of those things where you better make sure you're 100% accurate before posting it. Otherwise, things could go horribly wrong.

singer will be serving an 8 game suspension. in the phone call with his agent, the agent supposedly never denies it. OHLinsiders is in no position to have to lie about anything and has proven to be reliable source

 

[OHLTG]

Like anything of this magnitude, the more sources, the better shape it's in.