Xu, and other hopefuls will realize that we’ll be hit hard by graduation, we’ll be paring down our remaining 04’s to get to three OA’s, and we’ll be conducting a sell off of returning vets.
Year before too. It's a broken record. I know they rebuild back around when Skinner was here I believe. See if MM has the gonads to pull it off. Lots of fans talking rebuild around the league and all want an 08. Hope there are enough to go around.
You'd think going for more than 4 home playoff games every year would be their goal, but here we are.
There will be buyers next year. The east looks to have 4 or 5. Maybe three serious “all in’s” out there.
Ya Oshawa, Brantford and Brampton will likely be the east front runners. I think Windsor, Flint and Sarnia are a year away. London always and maybe Erie? Like you posted west is not clear. Soo and Kitchener like selling teams along with Owen Sound but they seem to need to always finish middle pack so may just stand pat.
I think fans will like Xu if he commits. From video and scouts he keeps the game simple and uses his size to bang opponents. The rookie camp can look like a dog's breakfast at times. Lots of players all trying their best to catch someone's eye. It's hard to get a good read on players in a short camp. They higher end picks usually stand along with 2nd year players.
Erie is a contender imo, add Kingston to that list, and Sudbury if Musty returns. Barrie is going to be good too, but will need to thin out the middle forwards before adding anything. I can see the colts in another Elinas type jam X2 or 3. It will be interesting to see what age(s) Flint adds with all those picks.
I think Missy will be a factor as well in the east. Lots of quality there among the 05 and 06 groups. A very deep draft pick cupboard and only one 04 going into next year which will allow them to acquire quality pieces at the OA position a little cheaper than comparable players a year younger. Major trade chip will be one of their goalies. Surely they’ll move one of them this year for large return.
I expect the steelheads to be right at the top of the conference at the Christmas break. But I do not expect anything near 'all-in' for either of Brampton or Barrie. I'll change my tune if Valentini goes the defect route and returns a bunch of picks though.
Had me confused. I’d better start referring to Missy as Brampton too. Lol.
The '07 goalie is likely the one to stay, 40 regular season games plus playoffs is plenty? A 25-30 game goalie of a wannabe contender needs to be good.
I think it's standard for last year's rookies to attend the Rookie camp. We just don't usually have that many first year players.
Kind of like Racki in the movie Youngblood
Ya the Steelheads will now play out of Brampton. So they are one and the same.
I really liked him not sure how underrated he was but he was one Ranger who never backed down from the Knights shenanigans. However he was also one Ranger that although the Knights focused on him they also paid him some respect. Tells you a lot about his on ice prescence!
Absolutely! Kid is a gamer. The type of guy anybody wants on their team. But nobody wants to play against.
Leading the league in +/- on a middling team as a non-scoring (0.5 ppg) defenseman means you're very good at your job. Was only 4 mins behind PIM leader, too. Kid is a rock.
Thanks ES. I didn't make it this year. But in past years I particularly liked to compare the new guys to the returning players that just completed their first OHL season. It's a good measuring stick for the new guys.
There was an article in the record on Ando a couple months back. He talked about his struggles as a rookie - MM is quoted saying the Rangers were worried that they had wasted a pick on him. He also said in the article that he was getting coaching or counselling anger and impulse control, wanted to limit his responses in the moment. Take a number and find a time later in the game. I think we saw that later in the year - far fewer retaliation penalties.
Kitchener has usually had a no fight rule most years at camp which I support. Don’t need some kid trying to earn a job by wailing on another kid who isn’t there for that.
