Guelph Storm 2022 Off-season Thread

[EON]

Final 2021-22 Season Thread: Guelph Storm 2021-22 Season Thread

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[StormWatcher]

The team performed better than everyone expected this season, so no complaints here. Despite getting shelled by SSM, Oster is looking like he will be a great goalie moving forward, and who could ask for better experience in your rookie year as a tender than facing the snipers on SSM and keeping your cool.

Next season looks to be a great one. I expect they will take a D in the import draft, I'm not sure who the best prospects are in that regard. Our O/A situation is set with three of Profaca, Papais, Walker, and McFarlane. I would expect that situation may sort itself out if one of them gets a look at a pro contract. I didn't include Bennett in this list as it is rare to use an OA spot on a tender.

We are set up nicely next season for a 1a, 1b situation similar to 2014.

Pastujov Zhilkin Poitras
Zhugin Karabela Bowman
(Two of Papais, Walker, McFarlane) + Luchanko
Coughlan McGuire Paquette
McKenzie

Buchinger Allen
Import/TD Upgrade Profaca
Sandhu Topp
MacRae

Oster
Grimes

 

[OHL Fan]

Looks good but need consistent goaltending next year.

Pastujov may not be back and Papais may be 02 out. Guelph has nice fwds but no serious High End presence and offensive threats that can amass 80 pts plus. Hope Zhilkin and 04s develop and mature over off season and they may become high end.

If Profaca is top pairing against shut down line, and PK then great. If Allen and Buchinger have to be shut down d, then that might be too much for them. Great players but excelled because they were insulated. Besides those 3 dmen, the rest are shaky at best.

Guelph needs 2 top end dmen for next year added to Buchinger, Allen and Profaca. A consistent #1 Goalie or Backup, and more of a Scoring Presence up front.

 

[HockeyPops]

Is Paquette really a fourth liner? On a team struggling to generate chances, he was one of the few forwards that stood out to me. I remember thinking he was going to be a solid piece for Guelph next year.

 

[StormWatcher]

Looks good but need consistent goaltending next year.

Pastujov may not be back and Papais may be 02 out. Guelph has nice fwds but no serious High End presence and offensive threats that can amass 80 pts plus. Hope Zhilkin and 04s develop and mature over off season and they may become high end.

If Profaca is top pairing against shut down line, and PK then great. If Allen and Buchinger have to be shut down d, then that might be too much for them. Great players but excelled because they were insulated. Besides those 3 dmen, the rest are shaky at best.

Guelph needs 2 top end dmen for next year added to Buchinger, Allen and Profaca. A consistent #1 Goalie or Backup, and more of a Scoring Presence up front.

You are correct about potential losses.
I'm curious how many Guelph games you've watched this season? Guelph will score by committee next season, the beauty is that they don't have to rely on just "one guy", add to that that George will not be afraid to make moves at the deadline as we've seen in the past.

Regarding Allen and Buchinger, I would hardly say that they were insulated. Prior to acquiring Reesor, they were in the top 4, following the deadline both Chayka and Reesor were out with injury for 1-2 months. The combined points of Buchinger/Allen are the best of any Guelph duo since Doughty was on the team.

The fact that as a rookie, Oster was given the net 50% of the time says a lot about his performance. He finished the season 6th in GAA with 2.93 and had a 0.892 save percentage, with a team full of rookies in front of him. He is likely to be drafted this summer. Assuming he continues to develop at the same pace, I think he'll do just fine as starter next season.

Post automatically merged: May 3, 2022

Is Paquette really a fourth liner? On a team struggling to generate chances, he was one of the few forwards that stood out to me. I remember thinking he was going to be a solid piece for Guelph next year.

Very good point. I could see him on the 3rd line, it's more of an indication of depth than his performance. I haven't seen Luchanko, so I'm making assumptions based on what others have said and the fact that he was a first rounder. Camp will definitely be fun to watch this fall!

 

[StormWatcher]

I was able to catch a bit of the orientation scrimmage today. I was with my 5 year old daughter so wasn't able to watch as closely as I might've otherwise, but here are my thoughts based on the 3pm game...

I was watching for Luchanko, he is a very good skater and had some great feeds/passes for scoring chances that weren't converted. He seems to see the ice well and create good opportunities.

Will Hughes, our 5th round pick jumped out at me. One of those players that notably stood out on Team White to the point where I pulled out my sheet and had to look up who #24 was. He has great hockey IQ and control of the puck, he was slippery and able to get through many defenders and to the net, when "in trouble" his skating allowed him to pivot well and his head was up looking for the open passing lane.

#17 on Team Red (Cranston, a forward... there was also a Cranston on D but I couldn't find them in past drafts.) Anyway, he scored for team Red and had a few other good shots on net that were denied. No idea who this kid is, he was a third line winger, but has a nose for the net.

Knowing that we are a bit thin on D next year I kept my eye on Topp. He didn't seem out of place, played well positionally, no glaring errors, so solid as a D.

Vanhaverbeke can hit like a mack truck. No idea which side of the line he is on, and it also could have converted as he was older than others on the team... but the "boom" caught my attention.

Ref was kind enough to give my unaware kid a puck, she then turned to me and said "who am I supposed to give this to." When she realized what had happened it made her day, or at least made up for the fact that the Candy Counter wasn't open.

Enjoy your summer, folks.

 

[HockeyPops]

 

[TheAud]

When is camp for the new Storm players?

 

[StormWatcher]

When is camp for the new Storm players?

Spring rookie camp is over, I posted about it above.

 

[SidtheKidCaswell]

The team has just signed Hunter McKnight from this spring camp . He looked solid, nice skater, good size. That’s 3 16 year olds now signed, the team can carry 4. Who’s still to get signed? Who doesn’t make the team from last year?

 

[stormtracker]

Scott Walker back as head coach. Interesting.

 

[sbpointer]

Scott Walker and George Burnett at the same time. It looks like your new owners are serious about success. More good days ahead for the Storm it looks like.

 

[TrueBlueStorm]

So now we know Cooper will be one OA; pick 2 of McFarlane, Papais or Profaca- assuming Chayka is moving on.

 

[StormWatcher]

So now we know Cooper will be one OA; pick 2 of McFarlane, Papais or Profaca- assuming Chayka is moving on.

I don't see them moving Profaca (short on experienced D) or McFadden (playoff built). I could see them flipping Papais for picks to be used in a deadline deal.

 

[SidtheKidCaswell]

I’m not sure about that teams overage situation either but I’m still thinking that Profaca and Walker are the teams preferred choices. Do the they trade either McFarlane or Papais for a 2nd overage defenseman to bolster the blue line? The team has plenty of good young forwards do I think that either of McFarlane or Papais could be moved or released. The team has signed their 3rd round pick, Rowan Topp. That is 4 players signed from this years draft and with 4 signed from last years draft we may get some player moves. Definitely competition for playing time should be strong and that bodes well for our club

 

[StormWatcher]

As expected, "Outsiders" stating Papais on the move to the Ice Dogs.

 

[Generalsupdates]

As expected, "Outsiders" stating Papais on the move to the Ice Dogs.

Boom, roasted

 

[StormWatcher]

Boom, roasted

Not even meant to be a burn, autocorrect. Lol.

Not unsurprising that Guelph would flip him for picks and go with Walker, McFarlane, and Profaca as their OA's. All the best to Matt!

 

[SidtheKidCaswell]

Outsiders??? No, not an outsider. Just commenting on the overage situation and it would appear that I wasn’t too far off in terms of Papais not being with the team. Getting a 3rd and 4th for Matt is a fair deal, I wish him well in Niagara. Don’t hold your breath on no more overage moves coming. We still have 4 and I’m betting only 2 will be when the season opener is played.

 

[OHL Fan]

Which 2 will remain at opener, in your opinion?

 

[SidtheKidCaswell]

We need people on the blue line so I would keep Profaca . We also have 15 signed forwards and that number has to drop so although I like what Walker and McFarlane bring to the team It is my opinion that Walker does just a bit more. Hence, I would move McFarlane and Bennett for perhaps someone else’s overage defence man. My picks, Profaca, Walker.

 

[StormWatcher]

We need people on the blue line so I would keep Profaca . We also have 15 signed forwards and that number has to drop so although I like what Walker and McFarlane bring to the team It is my opinion that Walker does just a bit more. Hence, I would move McFarlane and Bennett for perhaps someone else’s overage defence man. My picks, Profaca, Walker.

Bennett is the only one I think will be moved before the season start. My guess is they start with 3 OA's and then upgrade for another OA D closer to the deadline.

 

[SidtheKidCaswell]

Your guess is valid, it’s what normally happens. My only concerns are that the team is defense thin when it comes to experience and that can cost you games that put you into a whole different situation at the trade deadline and my second is that good trades can be harder to come by and are usually more expensive at the trade deadline. It will be interesting to see how things work themselves out

 

[StormWatcher]

Your guess is valid, it’s what normally happens. My only concerns are that the team is defense thin when it comes to experience and that can cost you games that put you into a whole different situation at the trade deadline and my second is that good trades can be harder to come by and are usually more expensive at the trade deadline. It will be interesting to see how things work themselves out

Buchinger/Allen, though only sophomores, are a bona fide top two next year. So they've got a solid top 3 put of the gate. They'll pick a D in the import draft tomorrow... hopefully a good one. Excited to see how Oster shows up in September also.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]