North Bay Battalion 2016-17 Season Thread
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That's funny. Belair obviously part of organization in some
way. Most of what you stated is rediculous. No way kids to blame here. The prophet said it best. No coaching. No teaching. No motivating. Just complete waste of all the talent mentioned. So many decisions made that make no sense. Not one player has gotten BETTER and developed this year. Raw talent and some elite skill completely wasted. Many crushed dreams I'm sure.
way. Most of what you stated is rediculous. No way kids to blame here. The prophet said it best. No coaching. No teaching. No motivating. Just complete waste of all the talent mentioned. So many decisions made that make no sense. Not one player has gotten BETTER and developed this year. Raw talent and some elite skill completely wasted. Many crushed dreams I'm sure.
You can put that tinfoil hat away.Nobody improved? How about Brazeau scoring 20 this season? Or Harland turning into one of the league's better offensive producers? Ditto for McKenzie.
There's no question this was a rebuilding year. From day one this team didn't have the talent to compete with the big boys this year--especially up front and no coach in the history of junior hockey was going to change that.
Despite all of the injuries, suspensions, short benches, etc...they are still within striking distance of a playoff berth. And they had three games against the punching bag of the Ontario Hockey League and failed to put up a single victory. Zero. That is on the players 100%.
Nobody improved? How about Brazeau scoring 20 this season? Or Harland turning into one of the league's better offensive producers? Ditto for McKenzie.
There's no question this was a rebuilding year. From day one this team didn't have the talent to compete with the big boys this year--especially up front and no coach in the history of junior hockey was going to change that.
Despite all of the injuries, suspensions, short benches, etc...they are still within striking distance of a playoff berth. And they had three games against the punching bag of the Ontario Hockey League and failed to put up a single victory. Zero. That is on the players 100%.
I will give you Brazeau improved, not sure he makes any other good team thou.
Harland came into the league as a 19 year old, as the NOJHL MVP/Leading scorer, he didn't turn into anything that he already was, and maybe puts up better numbers with a coach who's system is NOT to throw the puck away and then chase it. Cant agree on McKenzie, was better as a 17 year old. I will also give you its 100% on the players ( BECOUSE THEY QUIT ON THE COACH MONTHS AGO) this is what happens when any coach throws his players under the bus every week in the media.
I can see this. That's pretty much the only cause I can think of after watching the OT vs Barrie. That was the worst four minutes of hockey I've seen a team play since they moved to North Bay.
The issue I have with that is professional teams to a certain point can do this but it just doesn't work in junior hockey. The players haven't earned their right at this point. We have a very small veteran core on this team--one of its faults. But if those guys wanna quit on the team...bye! You're not that good anyways!
Stan needs to ease up in his post-games, I wholeheartedly agree. But when these kids lose games they need to win and under any and all circumstances should win, it's completely ridiculous to lay blame on the coach.
Maybe if he didn't pubically humiliate them weekly and tell them how bad they are all the time they might believe they are good enough. And will win some. Can only beat a dog so long
Yet the last time we saw Mike as part of the team was being sent off the ice after a questionable late penalty.
This says on ice antics no?
They sent him home because he sucked. They traded him to Windsor because he sucked and then Windsor sent him home because he sucked.
http://gojhlcaledonia.stats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=2928959
Here's a game in January where his team beat a team 28-0.
He had 0 points and ended with 28 penalty minutes and yet another abuse of an official penalty. This guy was poison.
http://gojhlcaledonia.stats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=2928959
Here's a game in January where his team beat a team 28-0.
He had 0 points and ended with 28 penalty minutes and yet another abuse of an official penalty. This guy was poison.
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Nope. I just point out bad hockey players when I see them...and I see lots of 'em this year.
Greatger
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- May 11, 2007
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If Stanley retires after next season (big if, he's only saying that because his contract is done), it would be a good thing. I noticed him losing his way with the players last season. His style of dump & chase hockey won't work if you have nobody fast enough to get to the puck. It's time for him to change his defence first system (he never will and not entertaining), There are reports that the top 5 picks in the OHL might not even go the OHL route, so figure on the 6 - 10 picks, and then they might not even report here in the North. The team did well in the first couple of years here because the players were moved here and the players he got actually were drafted or traded to Brampton and not North Bay. Now you will start to see the talent that will come here and in past experiences it won't be pretty. You will be lucky to get the odd Gem here and there. Next year will pretty much be the same as this year but hopefully with better goaltending. Sime will have a year under his belt. Moran was a big dissappointment especially taking up an overage spot. Stanley should have seen this. The problem was he had no place to unload him. Also, no significant trades in 2 seasons didn't help. Moving Amedeo last year and Mckenzie this year might have helped retrieve players & draft picks that were lost (because of previous trades), for next seasons crop. But he didn't so lets hope a Gem or an answer can be found somewhere or it will be another long season for the STH's. IMO
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I don't see any glimmer of hope for next year either. Poor drafting the last few years and the failure to trade some assets are going to keep this club down for 2-3 years.
I was one of those STHs who took the 3-year commitment when the Battalion first arrived here. At the end of last season, the consensus in my section was that losing Amadio and Santos meant an obvious drop in offense and that the team would struggle this season. With that in mind, I took the 1-year renewal as a wait and see sort of thing. Well, its turned out to be an even worse year than many people thought so now I’m debating what to do for next year. What little scoring power they do have in McKenzie and Harland will likely be gone with Harland aging out and coach Butler said he’s expecting Vancouver to move McKenzie on. Goaltending is also up in the air with Moran aging out and though it looks like the team will keep Sime, I have trouble seeing him as the main starting goalie at the OHL level. Even if the team gets high picks in the draft and the import draft, getting them signed is never a sure thing. Overall, it looks like the team could be an “also-ran†for perhaps the next few seasons. Does all this uncertainty make them worth a season ticket? I know some people say you have to support them no matter what, and “remember what happened with the Centennials†but I don’t think its unreasonable to expect Battalion management to aim for a championship season. Small markets like Owen Sound have done it before, so if their strategy is just to be competitive rather than “going for itâ€, those hundreds of dollars might be directed somewhere else.
When the team arrived here, their recent draft picks got little to no playing time as the team was deep. Bruce was a third pairing, Mackenzie was a 4th liner, Baird was a healthy scratch most nights or never saw the ice, Green and Steege got hurt and stayed hurt, Shankar was with the Jr A Trappers. This did not help in their development.
The year after, they were deep again and the new drafts either didn't see ice or were used very sparingly. Only Poirier saw regular ice.
And last year Harland and Dineen joined and saw regular ice. Lyle was hurt so his development suffered.
This year, we have very recent draft picks who on a night by night basis are seeing regular shifts. Yes they make mistakes but ya have to believe they are ahead in development as oppose to how Mackenzie, Poirier, Shankar and other were brought along slowly.
The point i'm trying to make is that because the team isn't as deep the last two years, the recent drafted players are getting more playing time than usual. I believe that we will see the benefit in this when MacMaster, Potts, Lyle, Chenier and others suit up in the fall. Wait and see. It is the cycle of junior hockey.
The year after, they were deep again and the new drafts either didn't see ice or were used very sparingly. Only Poirier saw regular ice.
And last year Harland and Dineen joined and saw regular ice. Lyle was hurt so his development suffered.
This year, we have very recent draft picks who on a night by night basis are seeing regular shifts. Yes they make mistakes but ya have to believe they are ahead in development as oppose to how Mackenzie, Poirier, Shankar and other were brought along slowly.
The point i'm trying to make is that because the team isn't as deep the last two years, the recent drafted players are getting more playing time than usual. I believe that we will see the benefit in this when MacMaster, Potts, Lyle, Chenier and others suit up in the fall. Wait and see. It is the cycle of junior hockey.
Can't be a winning team every season in Jr, unless you have unlimited funds. That being said, you have got to at least prove that you're trying to compete. Butler seems to have thrown in the towel, weeks, maybe months ago on this group. Berating them constantly publicly and obviously behind closed doors. Now going into a do or die game tonight, he's "scouting" in Toronto? Time to relinquish your coaching role, in the least Stan. Today's game has passed your style by, a long time ago. Also heard they're going with their back up goalie tonight, yes Moran has had 2 tough games in a row, but Patrick Roy couldn't have saved them in those past two games. Moran was stellar their last game vs Sudbury. Sitting your 20 yr old with experience for an inexperienced Sime (no fault to him) tonight and your head coach not being there, I don't know, pretty disappointing to the team and fans of NB who still cheer for the team and just want them to at least look like their giving an effort. Hopefully they pull out a W without Butler on the bench, but really, they'd just be delaying the inevitable anyways. This team has quit on their coach and he's quit on him.
Sudbury fan here. We'll offer you one slightly used Dave Matsos, who has never said a negative thing about a player in his life for you're "terrible" Stan Butler.
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