Hamilton Bulldogs 2022-23 Season Thread

[Canadian Game]

What a game by Noah Nelson.

Big W by the boys.

I really liked the 4th line tonight with him, Wray, and O’Keefe. There was a shift in the second I really liked from them and then the ref prematurely blew the whistle when the puck rebounded and was still in play. Nelson got rewarded and moved up into Vanacker’s spot after he left the game.

I also really like Cheynowski’s game today and that he didn’t hesitate putting pucks on net. If he continues to shoot, they’ll start going in with experience.

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

I really liked the 4th line tonight with him, Wray, and O’Keefe. There was a shift in the second I really liked from them and then the ref prematurely blew the whistle when the puck rebounded and was still in play. Nelson got rewarded and moved up into Vanacker’s spot after he left the game.

I also really like Cheynowski’s game today and that he didn’t hesitate putting pucks on net. If he continues to shoot, they’ll start going in with experience.

Agreed. I think that was the best 4th line performance for any combo all year long.

 

[Section5Petes]

Bulldogs are going to be ridiculously stacked it's not even funny. Lardis, Vanacker, Wray, Nelson, Testa, Brown, O'Keefe, Moore, Roberts, Lloyd, Cheynowski. Not to mention the incoming 2007 crop and other import selections. This team is going to be an absolute force

 

[Hammer9001]

See how long we can hold the number 5 spot in the conference with last night's win. Anyone know what the magic point number to get the playoff x is?

 

[Otto]

See how long we can hold the number 5 spot in the conference with last night's win. Anyone know what the magic point number to get the playoff x is?

Bulldogs magic number to clinch a playoff spot is 6 points.

 

[Canadian Game]

Bulldogs are going to be ridiculously stacked it's not even funny. Lardis, Vanacker, Wray, Nelson, Testa, Brown, O'Keefe, Moore, Roberts, Lloyd, Cheynowski. Not to mention the incoming 2007 crop and other import selections. This team is going to be an absolute force

And another player waiting in the shadows is David Egorov. We’ll see how he develops but he’s supposed to be a good goalie prospect. I suspect next year the Bulldogs will start with Drobac/Malbeouf. Let Egorov get starts with the Kilty B’s, then move a goalie to make room for Egorov to back up.

 

[Jawk]

And another player waiting in the shadows is David Egorov. We’ll see how he develops but he’s supposed to be a good goalie prospect. I suspect next year the Bulldogs will start with Drobac/Malbeouf. Let Egorov get starts with the Kilty B’s, then move a goalie to make room for Egorov to back up.

Only 03s on the roster for next year are Gill-Shane, Sherk, Drobac, and Grushnikov (who will be gone to the AHL).

I'd still move Drobac, but I will admit I very much don't like seeing an OA spot used on a goalie. I am just not sure there will be a market for him like there was for Constantini.

 

[Roadhog]

Brantford to explore building new OHL-sized arena for Bulldogs

The upcoming relocation of the Bulldogs from Hamilton is supposed to be temporary but city council talked Tuesday night about building a new OHL-sized arena.

kitchener.ctvnews.ca

 

[Hammer9001]

Brantford to explore building new OHL-sized arena for Bulldogs

The upcoming relocation of the Bulldogs from Hamilton is supposed to be temporary but city council talked Tuesday night about building a new OHL-sized arena.

kitchener.ctvnews.ca

Yeah, pretty hard to think they are coming back to Hamilton if this gets built. That said this article is a bit of a misnomer.

“The city is to consider throughout this term a future development of a new sports and entertainment facility capable of seating 5,000 spectators for hockey games and capable of being a home arena for an OHL franchise,” said Councillor Dan McCreary at the council meeting."

Basically they are looking into costs at this point.

 

[SSMHoundsFan]

Brantford to explore building new OHL-sized arena for Bulldogs

The upcoming relocation of the Bulldogs from Hamilton is supposed to be temporary but city council talked Tuesday night about building a new OHL-sized arena.

kitchener.ctvnews.ca

Is there a legitimate chance Hamilton may lose the team to Brantford?

 

[barriers]

Is there a legitimate chance Hamilton may lose the team to Brantford?

Very much so. We'll see what happens over the next few years. I wish the Bulldogs well in Brantford, I hope they return but Andlauer (who has been a great owner and postive force in the city) has gotta do what he's gotta do.

 

[HF92]

Is there a legitimate chance Hamilton may lose the team to Brantford?

Yes.
I think this is the end of the Hamilton Bulldogs.

 

[Roadhog]

Yeah, pretty hard to think they are coming back to Hamilton if this gets built. That said this article is a bit of a misnomer.

“The city is to consider throughout this term a future development of a new sports and entertainment facility capable of seating 5,000 spectators for hockey games and capable of being a home arena for an OHL franchise,” said Councillor Dan McCreary at the council meeting."

Basically they are looking into costs at this point.

Gave themselves until the end of the year to look at everything. Curious though, how big was the arena at Limeridge supposed to be?

EDIT: 6K at a cost of $72M, plus the parking garage at $52M.

 

[Hammer9001]

Is there a legitimate chance Hamilton may lose the team to Brantford?

I would say so, you generally don't change your team name if this is a temporary relocation, nor tolerate lease penalties for leaving after 3 years if you plan on moving back. There's no real way of knowing until the 3 year mark hits, but given the city government (or at least the last council) has treated the Bulldogs poorly IMO, that he came to the city with, in my eyes, a fair build project of his own and that even the current council is having issues even viewing the deal with the operator that the last council made (which to me, screams this deal is sketchy) he may not want anything more to do with First Ontario, even if it does become a new venue.

Gave themselves until the end of the year to look at everything. Curious though, how big was the arena at Limeridge supposed to be?

EDIT: 6K at a cost of $72M, plus the parking garage at $52M.

10K. That's pretty much the max Andlauer he could work well with, and of course also the size CF Limeridge was looking at for its potential uses. It also really is the size Hamilton SHOULD be targeting. 13/98 events at First Ontario a year opened the upper bowl at Copps, and the average attendance across all events was 9K. There just isn't a need for an NHL sized arena without an NHL team in hand, especially with Quebec being the "leverage team" now.

Hamilton Bulldogs owner’s Lime Ridge Mall arena proposal goes to city council - Hamilton | Globalnews.ca

Michael Andlauer's proposal to build an arena at Lime Ridge Mall will be reviewed by Hamilton city council's general issues committee Wednesday.

globalnews.ca

 

[barriers]

I would say so, you generally don't change your team name if this is a temporary relocation, nor tolerate lease penalties for leaving after 3 years if you plan on moving back. There's no real way of knowing until the 3 year mark hits, but given the city government (or at least the last council) has treated the Bulldogs poorly IMO, that he came to the city with, in my eyes, a fair build project of his own and that even the current council is having issues viewed the deal with the operator (which to me, screams this deal is sketchy) he may not want anything more to do with First Ontario, even if it does become a new venue.



10K. That's pretty much the max Andlauer he could work well with, and of course also the size CF Limeridge was looking at for its potential uses. It also really is the size Hamilton SHOULD be targeting. Except for maybe 2-3 concerts a year, there just isn't a need for an NHL sized arena without an NHL team in hand, especially with Quebec being the "leverage team" now.

Those 2-3 concerts are more profitable for the building owner than every Bulldog game combined is the thing. Those 5 Garth Brooks concerts in 5 nights several years ago made more money than the Bulldogs ever have. Sports teams as a tennant are key for keeping the building staffed and running but it's those giant concerts that actually make money.

If Andlauer or a private group want to spend their own money to build an arena that can't host those concerts then all the power to them but keeping Copps going is in taxpayers' best interest as the owners of an already built arena surrounded by local businesses.

I can't argue that the Mercanti deal doesn't appear sketchy as hell on the surface though. I think you hit the nail on the head not long ago when you suspected that HUPEG had plans for a team other than the Bulldogs already. And if their casino proposal was any indication, their plans for a new Hamilton hockey team aren't likely ground in reality.

 

[Jawk]

As much as I welcome an OHL appropriate building, even in Brantford, for the Bulldogs. I wish there was a separate thread to discuss next year in Brantford.

I would love the focus to be on this roster and what the players/staff/management have done to be competitive after an all-in championship year.

Having said that, an arena that feels like the Bulldogs home the second you arrive and not some thrown together displays on game day, does excite me. I've been in all but 2 OHL buildings and the ones that do it right are so much fun to be in.

 

[SSMHoundsFan]

Sorry for my ignorance but aren't the current renovations being undertaken at FirstOntario being done for the Bulldogs or was it more so because the arena simply needed them? Should Hamilton lose the Bulldogs, what is the next biggest tenant that would utilize the facility? The size of the arena seems to be alot bigger than it should, even for the Bulldogs, especially when an article from 3.5 years ago says that a mere 12-13% of all events even use the upper bowl, but doesn't even specify how much is used. I've been to FirstOntario for one hockey game back in the Hounds/Bulldogs OHL Finals and the arena felt empty despite the large attendance.

Long story short, it sounds like the monies being spent on renovations would have been better spent on a newer, smaller arena, especially now with the Bulldogs potentially leaving town and no other larger franchise team moving in

Having said that, an arena that feels like the Bulldogs home the second you arrive and not some thrown together displays on game day, does excite me. I've been in all but 2 OHL buildings and the ones that do it right are so much fun to be in.

It's easy to know how much a community loves it's team when it plasters its hockey arena with photos/images/murals of it's team and players

 

[barriers]

Jawk is right. The team is playing great and Logan Morrison is coming to Hamilton one atleast on more time on Sunday. Wooo!

 

[Jawk]

Sorry for my ignorance but aren't the current renovations being undertaken at FirstOntario being done for the Bulldogs or was it more so because the arena simply needed them? Should Hamilton lose the Bulldogs, what is the next biggest tenant that would utilize the facility? The size of the arena seems to be alot bigger than it should, even for the Bulldogs, especially when an article from 3.5 years ago says that a mere 12-13% of all events even use the upper bowl, but doesn't even specify how much is used. I've been to FirstOntario for one hockey game back in the Hounds/Bulldogs OHL Finals and the arena felt empty despite the large attendance.

Long story short, it sounds like the monies being spent on renovations would have been better spent on a newer, smaller arena, especially now with the Bulldogs potentially leaving town and no other larger franchise team moving in


It's easy to know how much a community loves it's team when it plasters its hockey arena with photos/images/murals of it's team and players

The long and short of it is that the past city council gave away the operating rights of several entertainment buildings to a group that promised renovations (among other obligations) to those buildings.

No one knows what the actual goal of that group is, including the new council. Also, it's easy for new council to blame old council, I suspect they would have done the same thing.

The Rock, even though they only have 9 home dates, are the preferred tenant. All their banners get proudly displayed, while the Bulldogs are off to the side and drapped over the 2nd level curtains.

 

[Jawk]

Time clock doing a better job defending than the actual Icedogs. What a terribly mismanaged team. No way they should have been this bad this year.

 

[Hammer9001]

Time clock doing a better job defending than the actual Icedogs. What a terribly mismanaged team. No way they should have been this bad this year.

Yeah, no kidding. Felt bad for Flores. He's doing what he can, but he got completely lit up. The Ice Dogs not even breaking 20 shots didn't help either.

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

Last home game today, big test vs the 67’s.

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

Great win. Long road trip ahead vs some good teams.

 

[Rounder8]

Great game today by the boys.

Injuries are starting to pile up. Hopefully they're healthy for the playoffs.

If they play like that they won't be much fun to play against.

 

[Canadian Finn]

After Florian scrapped the guy from the '67s after the big hit, they said he got a 2 minute for instigating, 5 for fighting, and a game misconduct.

Yet he he was back in the 3rd period.

what did I miss there?