Kingston Frontenacs 2023-24 Off-Season Thread (Part 3)

[frontsfan67]

I think at this point McCoy may be a mid season trade if Sudbury starts out poorly and Kingston if looking like a contender.
They will need his leadership and championship experience if they want to make a playoff run.
I would prioritize a larger goalie over McCoy myself.

Yeah you’re probably right I think they’d get the largest possible amount of assets if they waited to the trade deadline.

any insight on if the fronts may be looking into Liam sztuska or a goalie in the import draft?

 

[ScoutLife4]

Yeah you’re probably right I think they’d get the largest possible amount of assets if they waited to the trade deadline.

any insight on if the fronts may be looking into Liam sztuska or a goalie in the import draft?

The impression I got was they are very high on Vaccari and plan to roll with him.
It’s a long off season though who knows..

 

[frontsfan67]

One other note that caught me very off guard.
Kingston believes in Vaccari and at this time have him penned in to be the starting tendy again this season. (cooper loves him)

Plan for Betts is to start the season in JR A that he’s not ready for OHL.
I forgot to ask about Hemmy and Chromiak but I will find out shortly.
I would guess Hemmy stays and Chromiak goes back to Europe.

Not surprised about vaccari. Great kid and had a very promising rookie season. May not ever be an nhl or even ahl goalie but could be a star ohler by his OA season.

I searched up coopers stats. He played 2 seasons where he had 60+ games played. Might see a little bit of himself in vaccari and is blinded by the weak points.

The impression I got was they are very high on Vaccari and plan to roll with him.
It’s a long off season though who knows..

Right. I didn’t see the one above that you sent- just did now hahaha

 

[Section5Petes]

One other note that caught me very off guard.
Kingston believes in Vaccari and at this time have him penned in to be the starting tendy again this season. (cooper loves him)

Plan for Betts is to start the season in JR A that he’s not ready for OHL.
I forgot to ask about Hemmy and Chromiak but I will find out shortly.
I would guess Hemmy stays and Chromiak goes back to Europe.

Hear anything on the Tyler Hopkins stuff?

 

[OHL4Life]

no,

Were the same people convinced about Fitzgerald?

Hoping the fronts can declare him defective then trade to get the best of both worlds with the comp first rounder and prob atleast 2 2nds and 2 3rds as conditionals for him showing up

fitzgerald was ohl all the way until something happened with sarnia. malholta was never an ohl guy, at least not outwardly saying so.

Hear anything on the Tyler Hopkins stuff?

and peterborough? how would that even look? for who?

 

[Section5Petes]

and peterborough? how would that even look? for who?

I wasn't just meaning Peterborough in particular, but rather if there was any legs to Hopkins requesting a trade etc.

 

[ScoutLife4]

Hear anything on the Tyler Hopkins stuff?

I don’t think there’s any truth to Hopkins going anywhere

 

[OHL4Life]

I wasn't just meaning Peterborough in particular, but rather if there was any legs to Hopkins requesting a trade etc.

they probably would move him eventually, but it would need to be for a barlow or rehkrop or something.

 

[ScoutLife4]

no,

fitzgerald was ohl all the way until something happened with sarnia. malholta was never an ohl guy, at least not outwardly saying so.


and peterborough? how would that even look? for who?

Don’t count Malholtra out yet from the OHL.
Basically at this point they are waiting to see what happens with his dad’s job as Berube will bring in his own staff to Toronto and it likely means Malholtra is unemployed.

It will be a big factor into decision making.
Kingston is working on a family trip to show him the facilities and city to try to win him over.
Would not be shocked to see Manny take a job in Ottawa and the youngster decide maybe Kingston is an okay fit.

 

[frontsfan67]

I don’t think there’s any truth to Hopkins going anywhere

Completely agree. Doesn’t make even the slightest bit of sense for the fronts.

 

[beastintheeast]

That should explain to Beast why teams like Kingston, Kitchener (Mesar), Sudbury (Dvorsky), Barrie (Sale), …take swings at drafted NHL players in the import draft.

It has not happened yet. Time will tell, but it is risky.

 

[frontsfan67]

It has not happened yet. Time will tell, but it is risky.

Would be crazy if we got Pieniniemi and Gavin Mccarthy here this season.


Pieniniemi seems probable, McCarthy probably not but his brother just graduated from Boston university I believe and signed an ahl contract. Celebrini will be leaving, and McCarthy just had a bad season statistically going into his 19 year old season- still not signed along with fellow sabres prospect Ethan miedema.


Would be one hell of a plan and save his job if cooper planned this out.


Also another one is ludwinski- I do NOT think he is back but I also did not think he would play 5 regular season games and not get a point, and not even play in the playoffs. I wonder if kingston will protect him in case of a Josh Bloom situation with north bay.


^i forget the month but does anyone have the time they have to protect him? Is it the end of November?

 

[OHL4Life]

Would be crazy if we got Pieniniemi and Gavin Mccarthy here this season.


Pieniniemi seems probable, McCarthy probably not but his brother just graduated from Boston university I believe and signed an ahl contract. Celebrini will be leaving, and McCarthy just had a bad season statistically going into his 19 year old season- still not signed along with fellow sabres prospect Ethan miedema.


Would be one hell of a plan and save his job if cooper planned this out.


Also another one is ludwinski- I do NOT think he is back but I also did not think he would play 5 regular season games and not get a point, and not even play in the playoffs. I wonder if kingston will protect him in case of a Josh Bloom situation with north bay.


^i forget the month but does anyone have the time they have to protect him? Is it the end of November?

you can have 4 until January trade deadline

 

[dirty12]

It has not happened yet. Time will tell, but it is risky.

Since teams have been able to protect imports that are OA or NHL signed there is more flexibility to take select players that may come over a year or two later when that team may in contention.

 

[leafs4life94]

If I have the dates right I think the next trade window opens up June 4th - if Mann is looking to move out/bring guys we'll probably see some answers in a a couple weeks.

I'm not looking at Ludwinski at all really - it's a massive step up and even if 19 year olds could go to the AHL he would've still been back with Kingston.

Re: McCarthy - BU is losing at least 3 D ahead of him (Hutson, C. McCarthy and Webber) on the depth chart so I'm sure he's going to be promised a more prominent role next year. From what I can tell they have 3 D coming in - a 5th year transfer (Brehdan Engum), Cole Hutson and an '07 (Haoxi Wang - Osh '23 5th) - so I'd expect McCarthy to be 3-4th on the depth chart (Behind Tom Willander, Aiden Celebrini and maybe Cole Hutson or the transfer). If he/Buffalo doesn't feel like he's playing enough maybe there's a chance he comes north?

Who knows, if McCarthy is upset with playing time maybe Cole Hutson is upset with playing time too and they come to Kingston together - this is definitely going to happen - right?

 

[frontsfan67]

If I have the dates right I think the next trade window opens up June 4th - if Mann is looking to move out/bring guys we'll probably see some answers in a a couple weeks.

Good to know

I'm not looking at Ludwinski at all really - it's a massive step up and even if 19 year olds could go to the AHL he would've still been back with Kingston.

I think they take a chance protecting him until they can’t anymore. Would help them majorly if he showed up and we know cooper likes taking risks.

Let’s see how he starts next season in Rockford.

Re: McCarthy - BU is losing at least 3 D ahead of him (Hutson, C. McCarthy and Webber) on the depth chart so I'm sure he's going to be promised a more prominent role next year. From what I can tell they have 3 D coming in - a 5th year transfer (Brehdan Engum), Cole Hutson and an '07 (Haoxi Wang - Osh '23 5th) - so I'd expect McCarthy to be 3-4th on the depth chart (Behind Tom Willander, Aiden Celebrini and maybe Cole Hutson or the transfer). If he/Buffalo doesn't feel like he's playing enough maybe there's a chance he comes north?

a 2nd liner, maybe 3rd liner in his 3rd year of college doesn’t look very good for him. Shows he hasn’t developed much since they drafted him.

Buffalo may want him getting top line minute elsewhere which he would get in kingston I’m sure. I think there is a slim possibility he could come here but who knows.

Who knows, if McCarthy is upset with playing time maybe Cole Hutson is upset with playing time too and they come to Kingston together - this is definitely going to happen - right?

I’d love Hutson here but I don’t think his case is the same with McCarthy. Hutson is WAY better. He will have no problem getting time anywhere and his brother lane stayed in college all of his years (remember we drafted him too)

 

[frontsfan67]

Production this past season is 5 pts in 38 games. He’s definitely gotta be thinking about other options. This is his 19 year old season coming up. Boom or bust.

Oddly enough doesn’t look like he has committed to BU yet for this year? Or I wonder if Elite Prospects just forgot to put him on there

 

[OHL4Life]

If I have the dates right I think the next trade window opens up June 4th - if Mann is looking to move out/bring guys we'll probably see some answers in a a couple weeks.

I'm not looking at Ludwinski at all really - it's a massive step up and even if 19 year olds could go to the AHL he would've still been back with Kingston.

Re: McCarthy - BU is losing at least 3 D ahead of him (Hutson, C. McCarthy and Webber) on the depth chart so I'm sure he's going to be promised a more prominent role next year. From what I can tell they have 3 D coming in - a 5th year transfer (Brehdan Engum), Cole Hutson and an '07 (Haoxi Wang - Osh '23 5th) - so I'd expect McCarthy to be 3-4th on the depth chart (Behind Tom Willander, Aiden Celebrini and maybe Cole Hutson or the transfer). If he/Buffalo doesn't feel like he's playing enough maybe there's a chance he comes north?

Who knows, if McCarthy is upset with playing time maybe Cole Hutson is upset with playing time too and they come to Kingston together - this is definitely going to happen - right?

different types of defenceam, they may play together, ncaa is very age heavy unless your a stud, so im sure he will get 15/20 minutes. buffalo gets extra time to sign him too. probably very hard to see him in kingston unless buffalo signs him, which why would they?

 

[leafs4life94]

Production this past season is 5 pts in 38 games. He’s definitely gotta be thinking about other options. This is his 19 year old season coming up. Boom or bust.


Oddly enough doesn’t look like he has committed to BU yet for this year? Or I wonder if Elite Prospects just forgot to put him on there

I think until the season starts future rosters on EP only have new commits.

I think they take a chance protecting him until they can’t anymore. Would help them majorly if he showed up and we know cooper likes taking risks.

Let’s see how he starts next season in Rockford.

I’d love Hutson here but I don’t think his case is the same with McCarthy. Hutson is WAY better. He will have no problem getting time anywhere and his brother lane stayed in college all of his years (remember we drafted him too)

I'm not necesarrily opposed to protecting him but IMO it will depend on what their OA situation is - if they don't make any moves in the first parts of the season by all means keep him (unless there's some kind of indication for Chicago).

The Hutson comment was 100% poorly conveyed sarcasm - I have no reason to expect him in Kingston at any point.

different types of defenceam, they may play together, ncaa is very age heavy unless your a stud, so im sure he will get 15/20 minutes. buffalo gets extra time to sign him too. probably very hard to see him in kingston unless buffalo signs him, which why would they?

Since he was drafted out of the USHL doesn't Buffalo already have the extra time to sign him? Or once he leaves the NCAA Buffalo loses time - I thought it was determined where they were drafted from and nothing further.

 

[frontsfan67]

I think until the season starts future rosters on EP only have new commits.

Okay great

The Hutson comment was 100% poorly conveyed sarcasm - I have no reason to expect him in Kingston at any point

Yes. Never expected him to come same with his brother

 

[OHL4Life]

I think until the season starts future rosters on EP only have new commits.

I'm not necesarrily opposed to protecting him but IMO it will depend on what their OA situation is - if they don't make any moves in the first parts of the season by all means keep him (unless there's some kind of indication for Chicago).

The Hutson comment was 100% poorly conveyed sarcasm - I have no reason to expect him in Kingston at any point.


Since he was drafted out of the USHL doesn't Buffalo already have the extra time to sign him? Or once he leaves the NCAA Buffalo loses time - I thought it was determined where they were drafted from and nothing further.

once he leaves, he converts.

 

[Truthking]

As much as I like hemstrom and would support him coming back as an OA. The last time the fronts did that was with grubauer I believe and it’s because that’s what (Washington?) wanted for him to stay in NA.

Hemstrom will probably jump on a SHL contract assuming he gets one. He’s good enough to play pro hockey- just not sure if he will be good enough for the NHL one day.

Chromiak just simply is not what they traded for. He was supposed to turn into something real good but he is arguably the worst defenceman (defensively) on the team- right up there with uens. I want them to get a bigger d man and right shot that won’t be a pylon in the d zone. If the fronts didn’t want him back I think some team would pick him up in the OHL for a year- but for the fronts there is better options.

100% agree. Have taken too many chances that haven’t worked out in recent years. McCarthy, pieniniemi, potentially malholtra.

Need someone that will come here, if they can’t find anyone they may run it back with Chromiak.

May be an unpopular opinion but I thought thibodeau was a lot better in the last 10-15 games of the season including playoffs. He’s a small player and right around a ppg. You have guys like Justin Poirier In the Q that lit the league up and playoffs that are rated like 3rd/4th round. Maybe Thibodeau gets a 7th round selection but I’m not convinced about that. He will get an invite to a camp though I guarantee that just like how Soto did last year with the pens.

McNamara would be a 1st liner on some of the bad teams in the league. 2nd liner on a lot of the other teams in the league. With us he may be our 3rd line centre. We’re going to have 3 good forward lines to role with- that won’t be a problem. The rest of the team is a “?” Though.

Hoping atleast one of them if not both have really good summers for developing.

think Williamson will be better to start the year but by the end of it- could be velliaris. They drafted him because he was a mobile big d man who can play the shutdown role- he can do that well, now the question is how much of an impact offensively will he have and will it get him top line minutes.

Hoping Betts can step in and be able to play about 20-25 games his rookie year here if not Betts then Salajko has to make massive improvements.

I think that there will be a decent gap between the divisional leaders and the second placed /third placed teams but after 3rd there will be a big gap

I think at the deadline they pick up atleast 1 good OA for sure

I think the same about Miedema, Chromiak and uens but I’m just saying they’re 05s currently on the roster so can’t count them out yet.

That is ALOT of questions for a team that built to contend next year.

 

[leafs4life94]

Unrelated - The Athletic's (Wheeler/Pronman) most recent 2 round mock has Battaglia going at 61 to Chicago. I think it's the first mock by a somewhat major source that's had him in the top 2 rounds.

 

[frontsfan67]

That is ALOT of questions for a team that built to contend next year.

I agree. I see them as the 4 seed in the east, maybe 3rd but I think that’s unlikely with all the moves Brantford is bound to make- and lardis is gonna be one of the top point guys in the ohl for sure

1 Brampton/Mississauga
2 Oshawa
3 Brantford
4 Kingston
5 Barrie
6 North Bay
7 Ottawa
8 Niagara
9 Peteborough
10 Sudbury

8 and 9 should be really close, gave slight edge to Niagara as I think roobroeck, He and Czata are primed for breakouts, Bryant is pretty solid and Wassilyn will be among the top rookies in the O’- lots of questions on D. Flores should be pretty good in goal

 

[frontsfan67]

Unrelated - The Athletic's (Wheeler/Pronman) most recent 2 round mock has Battaglia going at 61 to Chicago. I think it's the first mock by a somewhat major source that's had him in the top 2 rounds.

I’ve seen a few reports of him being a 2nd/3rd round guy. What I get out of that is he could go as high as the middle of the second or the middle of the third.

If he works on his skating he’s going to put up a lot of points next year. Very talented but that’s the biggest transition between the OHL and AHL, and from the AHL to the NHL.

I wonder where frasca will go- has had many moments of brilliance and many moments where you don’t notice him at all. Bit of a wild card.