Erie Otters 2019-20 Season Thread

[Mata]

I thought they played pretty well today but were definitely outgunned. Home Ice is probably the reason we stayed in it.

The penalty kill was dreadful and the power play was ok. The first one we didn't hold in their zone for more than 20 seconds.

Cole Perfetti is on another level.

The status quo for the season...you win one, you lose one.

5 games left...gonna be tough to hold onto 8 IMO as 3 out of the 4 teams in the top 5 in the entire league and I could see us going 1-4.

Curious to see if Murphy plays the year out at this point between the pipes.

 

[NOA]

I thought they played pretty well today but were definitely outgunned. Home Ice is probably the reason we stayed in it.

The penalty kill was dreadful and the power play was ok. The first one we didn't hold in their zone for more than 20 seconds.

Cole Perfetti is on another level.

The status quo for the season...you win one, you lose one.

5 games left...gonna be tough to hold onto 8 IMO as 3 out of the 4 teams in the top 5 in the entire league and I could see us going 1-4.

Curious to see if Murphy plays the year out at this point between the pipes.

Have you looked at SSM’a schedule? Looks to be a bit tougher.

Erie has a 3 point cushion so they will get it. At best SSM goes 3-2 with their remaining schedule and I think even that will be tough for them. Erie will need to win just 2/5 or probably just get 3 more points and they should be in

that said.. I want them to miss the playoffs. I for one think they deserve to and it would slap their face in embarrassment. Hopefully leading to Hartsburg being fired and necessary changes made. Plus another top 4 pick because they need it

 

[Mata]

Oh 2 side notes...

Fowler has stayed out of the box for the most part, which is great.

What is up with Kish? I know the team said injury but I find it curious that he was benched for the 3rd period in the last game with his last fight and hasn't played a game since that night. Just sat with me weird after talking to him yesterday.

 

[EON]

I honestly don't care what happens the rest of the season. If they make the playoffs, that will be valuable experience as most of this team returns next season. If they don't, it gets them a better draft pick. Win either way for me. As long as at least Hartsburg is gone this off-season, if not the entire coaching staff (or at least whoever runs the PP needs to go). They have a good pool of talent, plenty of depth, they just need a fresh start with the coaching staff and need to add at least one more high end piece this off-season.

 

[Mata]

The Hockey Writers top 300

5. Jamie Drysdale
138. Hayden Fowler
178. Aiden Campbell
262. Max Golod

https://thehockeywriters.com/2020-nhl-draft-rankings-march-fisher/?utm_sq=gco05hddgd

 

[nelli27]

Erie Otters hire OHL's first female scout, Kiana Scott.

 

[soo hound girl]

Erie Otters hire OHL's first female scout, Kiana Scott.

We are coming after your jobs boys !!! Lol

 

[Savard18]

Erie Otters hire OHL's first female scout, Kiana Scott.

At the age of 20 no less. Hopefully the beginning of a long and successful career for her.

 

[Buttsy]

We are coming after your jobs boys !!! Lol

Thank goodness can’t stand doing the dishes!

 

[Mata]

Supposedly season announcement with what to do with the fans for remaining games is coming out today...

I'm guessing we will follow the NHL lead and the season is likely over...if they were to do this, they should offer OHL live for free and give a partial refund to those who purchased it already.

 

[Nothing Else Maattas]

I mean they technically are in a playoff spot with the season being suspended.
Just a weird way to end a strange year for Otters hockey.
I regret not going to more games and feel even weirder that my last time in the EIA was a Bayhawks game

 

[Mata]

I mean they technically are in a playoff spot with the season being suspended.
Just a weird way to end a strange year for Otters hockey.
I regret not going to more games and feel even weirder that my last time in the EIA was a Bayhawks game

On the plus side, maybe we can get healthy for the playoffs!

 

[NOA]

Hope the season being cancelled doesn’t somehow help Hartsburg keep his job but for whatever reason my gut tells me he will still be the coach next year...

It is time to move on to the draft. If the OHL goes in reverse order of team win % (like the Q is doing) or if they do standings based off typical final playoff standings - Erie will pick 8th overall

 

[Nothing Else Maattas]

Season is now official and they made the playoffs! Hooray!?
Just feels weird not being in attendance for fan appreciation night.

 

[EON]

Well if the playoffs ever start, they'll probably get killed by London, 5 games tops. But hopefully the experience helps the returning guys.

But yeah, as I've said before, Hartsburg needs to go no matter what.

 

[NOA]

Well if the playoffs ever start, they'll probably get killed by London, 5 games tops. But hopefully the experience helps the returning guys.

But yeah, as I've said before, Hartsburg needs to go no matter what.

At this stage it seems unlikely the playoffs happen. I don’t rule it completely out but the experts are all saying until at least May that we need to maintain heightened social distancing. Some have even speculated it could be longer. At minimum it will be until mid/end of April.

If we play out an optimistic timeframe, let’s just say stuff like sports are allowed to return to “normal” by that April timeframe. That would still mean teams need 1/2 weeks preparation until they can actually start games up again. At that stage, it’s already May.
I just don’t see it. And I don’t see the OHL playing in empty arenas.

 

[NOA]

How do you Erie fans feel about about selling off next year?

We are in quarantine without sports so bare with me on a long post. Hopefully we can create some real discussion

Let me start by saying - a complete sell off likely won’t happen. Brown was out there buying this year on a bottom team.

But I view there being 3 ways or routes this team can take:

1) With the current roster (maybe an import or 2 added), trying to make a run with what we got
2) Selling off major pieces and finally restocking our cupboards
3) Taking an aggressive approach to go all in, which would involve swaying Alexander/Saganiuk and/or others

Pros/Cons of each:

Option 1 -
Pros- Finally can have a competitive team which the fans/organization desperately need. With a new coach, it’s certainly possible to see a 40 win team but they need the import players and a renewed focus.

Cons- It’s likely not going to be enough to win a championship. And that would mean wasting Golod/Yetman/Drysdale as major moveable assets. They also don’t really have the luxury of selling off more assets just to get small pieces to make a true run

Option 2-
Pros- Drysdale is super elite and would probably fetch Erie 5-7 high end picks and a 2004 born player. Golod/Yetman will both be top OAs, and just moving one would get Erie 2-4 additional high picks. Fowler another option that could get 3/4 high picks. Erie actually has top assets to move that could really set up their future

Cons - you would obviously be a bottom team again, which will upset the fans and hurt the money in the pockets of the owner

Option 3-
Pros - their only true chance to make noise and make a deep playoff run imo. This would be going 100% all in on their unsigned prospects. Pitching an organized and cohesive plan to get them all to buy in. Which means spending time and effort (not just one phone call).

Cons - it’s unlikely to happen and could just waste our time. And even if it does? Is it enough to make that deep run?

Dave Brown has to figure out the direction this offseason. Because Drysdale is a super elite talent and we can’t afford to waste his time here with nothing to show for it. So I prefer option 2.. a major sell off. I know it stinks but maybe this team can finally walk again instead of being crippled by their lack of high draft picks. You add a top 2004 born player and a core of the following below is a pretty good start.
2 first round 2004s
Connor Lockhart
Brett Bressette
Colby Saganiuk?
Imports?

 

[EON]

I think the off-season will give us this answer NOA. If they strike out on their high-end players/imports, then a sell-off and reset is unfortunately the best move. But if they could get Alexander and/or Khushnutdinov to show up, plus maybe Saganiuk and another good import, they would have a very dangerous team, especially with a better coach.

I'm going to consider Khushnutdinov more likely and Alexander/Sagniuk as long-shots.

Golod-Swankler-Yetman
Fowler-Khushnutdinov-Lockhart
D'Amato-Hoffmann-Cohen
Sedore-Bressette-2020 1st
Other 2019 picks

Trade: MacDougall, Sproule, Sellan

Duff-Drsydale
Morton-2020 1st Import
Murphy-Kyrou
Gillard?

Trade/Release: Kischnick

Murphy?
Campbell

Would be a pretty good team, possibly 40 wins. Also hitting on Alexander would push them towards elite status imo. Saganiuk would probably step in as a good bottom 6 player, with potential to be top 6 by 21-22.

Adding these higher end guys also pushes out some decent depth players that I think teams would be interested in, and they could flip them for a few picks, basically the London model. I think teams would be interested in Sproule and Sellan at least, as both are solid 3rd line players, maybe 2nd line on lower tier teams, especially since they won't be OAs. This would help pad their trade currency a bit if they decide on being contenders.

 

[NOA]

I think the off-season will give us this answer NOA. If they strike out on their high-end players/imports, then a sell-off and reset is unfortunately the best move. But if they could get Alexander and/or Khushnutdinov to show up, plus maybe Saganiuk and another good import, they would have a very dangerous team, especially with a better coach.

I'm going to consider Khushnutdinov more likely and Alexander/Sagniuk as long-shots.

Golod-Swankler-Yetman
Fowler-Khushnutdinov-Lockhart
D'Amato-Hoffmann-Cohen
Sedore-Bressette-2020 1st
Other 2019 picks

Trade: MacDougall, Sproule, Sellan

Duff-Drsydale
Morton-2020 1st Import
Murphy-Kyrou
Gillard?

Trade/Release: Kischnick

Murphy?
Campbell

Would be a pretty good team, possibly 40 wins. Also hitting on Alexander would push them towards elite status imo. Saganiuk would probably step in as a good bottom 6 player, with potential to be top 6 by 21-22.

Adding these higher end guys also pushes out some decent depth players that I think teams would be interested in, and they could flip them for a few picks, basically the London model. I think teams would be interested in Sproule and Sellan at least, as both are solid 3rd line players, maybe 2nd line on lower tier teams, especially since they won't be OAs. This would help pad their trade currency a bit if they decide on being contenders.

If they want any chance of being a 40 win team (and making any type of run) they NEED to actually have an import (preferably 2) on their roster next year. They also need a few guys to take bigger steps forward (like Fowler and Lockhart). But most importantly they need import players. Pathetic that this organization has, since entering the rebuild, only been able to have 1 year out of Patry (depth player at best) and 1 year out of Cajka (good player but never were able to see him grow). That’s it. And that is a solid 25% of the blame pie for why this team has been mediocre for 3 years.

 

[Mata]

Gosh NOA and EON making us think while we sit around all day in social isolation...

I guess the direction for me is based on if they keep Hartsburg or not.

Unfortunately I would have to agree he is likely back.

Given that Hartsburg can't get 2nd and 3rd year players to play together and "buy" into his system (whatever that is), the best thing we could do is sell everyone worth value, restock, fire Hartsburg and Brown midseason, and rebuild without them.

The biggest decision right now if we keep the same team, outside of Hartsburg, is how to work the OA's as I don't see them changing course with how this year ended.

Yeti and Golod should be locks to keep if we are saying give this team one more go. That leaves Henry, Duff. MacDougall, Murphy, and if for some odd reason Sopa wanted to stay. So who do we keep out of Golod, Yeti, Duff, and Murphy. I would almost guarantee Mac and Henry are gone and Sopa goes to Europe.

Can we add the pieces necessary for a run as this is kind of what I see right now at the conclusion of this season (coaching says no, but what the hell):

Yeti/Golod/Fowler
Swankler/Lockhart/Import?
Hoff/Sellan/D'Amato
Bressette/Sproule/Sedore/Cohen

Drysdale/Duff
Morton/Kish
Kyrou/Gillard?/Import?

Gillard being a major question mark coming off a season ending injury.

Goalie...
Murphy???
Campbell
Pick???

We have some coals in the fire, so to speak if we can convince a couple to play. Sadly I don't think it happens if administration stays.

I could also see a hybrid of scenario 1/3. We could land one of those big names in waiting AND keep what we have now (Khush being the only commit from previous draft classes).

Sadly, my gut tells me none of this will happen, they will hold players they should trade and trade players they should hold, miss on drafts, and we will he skating around just as confused next year as this year.

 

[Mata]

Oh, and if they swing and miss on an import for a 2nd year, assuming no admin changes, they should all be fired before camp.

 

[NOA]

That’s my fear, Mata..

The team ends up being a 35-38 wins with Hartsburg still the coach and without trading away top assets (like Drysdale) who could really start the rebuild

Ideally they fire Hartsburg soon, land Khusnutdinov, and get another import. That at least allows them to see what happen by mid season. But if the plan is to bring back Hartsburg then to me Waters needs to intervene and fire Dave Brown..

 

[Mata]

That’s my fear, Mata..

The team ends up being a 35-38 wins with Hartsburg still the coach and without trading away top assets (like Drysdale) who could really start the rebuild

Ideally they fire Hartsburg soon, land Khusnutdinov, and get another import. That at least allows them to see what happen by mid season. But if the plan is to bring back Hartsburg then to me Waters needs to intervene and fire Dave Brown..

The biggest unknown right know I guess is, when do they make the call to close the season entirely? I've heard rumblings the Draft will go on. At this point I could see Hartsburg finish the season, then get fired but what if the playoffs start after the draft...

Ughhhh

 

[J Simmons]

Golod-Yetman-Fowler
D’amato-Hoffmann-Sellan
Saganiuk-Lockhart-04 1st
Sedore-Cohen-Signing

Duff-Drysdale
Morton-Import
Kischnick-Gillard
Kyrou

Campbell
Murphy?

I have a feeling Swankler will not be here next year because of locker room interactions I heard of

 

[NOA]

Golod-Yetman-Fowler
D’amato-Hoffmann-Sellan
Saganiuk-Lockhart-04 1st
Sedore-Cohen-Signing

Duff-Drysdale
Morton-Import
Kischnick-Gillard
Kyrou

Campbell
Murphy?

I have a feeling Swankler will not be here next year because of locker room interactions I heard of

Every Erie losses Swankler and Cajka in back to back years.. not only does Hartsburg need to be fired but Dave Brown too for allowing it to happen. Hartsburg is the worst coach Erie has arguably had. He’s a joke