Hamilton Bulldogs 2022 Off-season Thread

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BobHockey

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Jul 9, 2015
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Great season Bulldogs !

Kudos to SJ for being prepared for the tournament and executing their game plans.

I honestly think the tournament format for the Memorial Cup needs to be revised. SJ was an early exit from the Q playoffs and had a number of weeks to get healthy, scout the OHL, WHL and QMJHL teams, develop game plans etc. In the meantime the other three teams, while battle hardened, were tired and had numerous injuries going into the Cup. They also had little opportunity to be able to scout SJ in a playoff atmosphere. This has happened a few times in recent years - the Knights were beaten by Shawinigan which was the host and an early exit from the playoffs and more recently Windsor.

I am not sure of the solution. Perhaps a 2 of 3 final in the event the host team makes the final? It just seems like a bit of a farcical outcome to me
 

Hockeyguy999

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Feb 19, 2022
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Great season Bulldogs !

Kudos to SJ for being prepared for the tournament and executing their game plans.

I honestly think the tournament format for the Memorial Cup needs to be revised. SJ was an early exit from the Q playoffs and had a number of weeks to get healthy, scout the OHL, WHL and QMJHL teams, develop game plans etc. In the meantime the other three teams, while battle hardened, were tired and had numerous injuries going into the Cup. They also had little opportunity to be able to scout SJ in a playoff atmosphere. This has happened a few times in recent years - the Knights were beaten by Shawinigan which was the host and an early exit from the playoffs and more recently Windsor.

I am not sure of the solution. Perhaps a 2 of 3 final in the event the host team makes the final? It just seems like a bit of a farcical outcome to me
I agree with you, but there’s no easy fix. The tournament needs a host team to draw the fan support and local interest. But if the host team flames out early, there’s clear evidence in the past decade that it can be quite the advantage.
 

Hockeyguy999

Registered User
Feb 19, 2022
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It really hasn’t been an advantage just seven host have won.
Fair enough. But in the past decade you’ve got Saint John, Windsor, Regina and shawinigan all winning/making the finals after resting for the month before the tournament. I believe it to be an advantage of you can rest up for a month while the champions are taking beatings through their playoff grind. Just my opinion
 

OHL4Life

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Sep 6, 2017
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Should be an interesting off season.

I think the Bulldogs will be good again and surprise some people.

dont have a 2nd or 3rd for the next three years, have to decide if filling the cupboards is more important then winning a few rounds this year. i bet the sell when they can, but thats just my hunch.
 

Rounder8

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Sep 28, 2018
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dont have a 2nd or 3rd for the next three years, have to decide if filling the cupboards is more important then winning a few rounds this year. i bet the sell when they can, but thats just my hunch.

I think that this will be the case.

They are going to be way to thin on defense to make a legit run.

If they get guys like Morrison, Hayes and Winterton back I bet they are dealt at the deadline for a bunch of picks.
 

OHL4Life

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Sep 6, 2017
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I think that this will be the case.

They are going to be way to thin on defense to make a legit run.

If they get guys like Morrison, Hayes and Winterton back I bet they are dealt at the deadline for a bunch of picks.
i think they could make some noise, but at the cost of 4/5 years in the future.
 

Hammer9001

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Apr 1, 2015
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Hamilton
Still proud of the boys despite the outcome. There's no shame in losing to a good a well rested team that nearly ran the gauntlet in the memorial and only suffered an OTL. Appreciate all the support guys to all the fans across the league who were cheering for us as reps of the O. Will certainly return the favor.

Great season Bulldogs !

Kudos to SJ for being prepared for the tournament and executing their game plans.

I honestly think the tournament format for the Memorial Cup needs to be revised. SJ was an early exit from the Q playoffs and had a number of weeks to get healthy, scout the OHL, WHL and QMJHL teams, develop game plans etc. In the meantime the other three teams, while battle hardened, were tired and had numerous injuries going into the Cup. They also had little opportunity to be able to scout SJ in a playoff atmosphere. This has happened a few times in recent years - the Knights were beaten by Shawinigan which was the host and an early exit from the playoffs and more recently Windsor.

I am not sure of the solution. Perhaps a 2 of 3 final in the event the host team makes the final? It just seems like a bit of a farcical outcome to me

As far as the tournament the tournament format. It simply is what it is. There are very few markets I think that could host a financially successful memorial without host support and there just isn't enough cash nor time to humor a NHL style traveling format. At the end of the day, a good host team that suffers an early playoff exit, is going to come into the cup with far fresher legs.

Even if you put in place rules against the host (or any team for that matter) from "Loading up" and booked the host too far in advance to see if you'd have a good team that year, this will still happen, and I don't think anyone wants those kind of rules to be in place.

Anyways, if it was possible to host a financially successful cup without a host team, I would love to see a quick, 2nd place team round robin tourney. The 2nd place finalists of each league play a quick 3 game prelim round (4 game if a points tie and goal diff tie occurs) for the 4th spot in the cup. That gives the champs of all the leagues at least a few days of rest for earning their spot.

Again, so proud of the boys, earning 4 more banners for the First Ontario Centre. Onward and upward boys, the story of this season is over. On to the next one, no matter what it may be.
 

dirty12

Registered User
Mar 6, 2015
9,128
3,780
dont have a 2nd or 3rd for the next three years, have to decide if filling the cupboards is more important then winning a few rounds this year. i bet the sell when they can, but thats just my hunch.
The bulldogs posses a 3rd pick for every draft I believe, though I believe the bulldogs will look to recoup some picks as well.
 

Rounder8

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Sep 28, 2018
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Jay McKee nailed it. They are Champions of Champions. The Bulldogs won the OHL Championship and eliminated the WHL and QMJHL Champions at the Memorial Cup.

Steve Staios said they won a championship but lost a tournament.

The Bulldogs did the OHL and Hamilton proud.

I agree.

All of the league champions should be proud.

Hard for me to say this because I'm a Bulldogs fan, but I believe that if all of these teams played a 7 game series the Edmonton Oil Kings would have won. That's just my opinion and we'll never know.

I really don't think that much can be done about the format anyways. Saint John would have lost money in a big way if it was just league champions there and not their team. Why would any city want to host?
 
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Hammer9001

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Apr 1, 2015
848
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Hamilton
dont have a 2nd or 3rd for the next three years, have to decide if filling the cupboards is more important then winning a few rounds this year. i bet the sell when they can, but thats just my hunch.

So far Staios's mentality has been to make the playoffs every year, but not necessarily make a splash every year. He wants to build a lasting franchise where people want to send their kids. I think unless someone puts forward a kings ransom, he'll keep his overagers till the deadline and trade to restock the cupboard.
 
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OHL4Life

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Sep 6, 2017
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So far Staios's mentality has been to make the playoffs every year, but not necessarily make a splash every year. He wants to build a lasting franchise where people want to send their kids. I think unless someone puts forward a kings ransom, he'll keep his overagers till the deadline and trade to restock the cupboard.
yup, I agree, other then the goalie which I think they would need to do soonish.
 

Rounder8

Registered User
Sep 28, 2018
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So far Staios's mentality has been to make the playoffs every year, but not necessarily make a splash every year. He wants to build a lasting franchise where people want to send their kids. I think unless someone puts forward a kings ransom, he'll keep his overagers till the deadline and trade to restock the cupboard.

Yes, that's what he did the last time that they made the Memorial Cup.

He dealt Entwistle and Saigeon at the deadline. Also, wanted to trade Strome, but Strome asked to stay.

They were the only Memorial Cup team to make the playoffs the following year.
 
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