North Bay Battalion 2019-20 Season Thread

[Troops fan]

Nobody wants to watch the garbage product put out

The main posters on this forum (and you know who you are) are a cancer!
I have read comments made on this forum quietly over the past couple years and remained silent, but I am silent no more.
You are all entitled to your opinions, and yes you may at times have reason for frustration towards what you see on the ice. But your outright negativity towards this young team and cruel criticism of KIDS is truly very, very sad! It is people like you that prove North Bay is not truly a hockey community, but rather a bunch of harsh critics when times are tough and a bunch of band wagon jumpers when things are good. So many of your comments are uninformed as you truly have NO idea what is going on behind the scenes with the team and the players. No, I am not employed by the team, but I have billeted for 7 years and you have ZERO idea what sacrifices these kids and their families make.
There are definitely challenges for an OHL team to operate in a small Northern Ontario market as many of you have noted, but our city has been given a second chance. There will not EVER be a third chance!!! And god help you when the Battalion are gone because some of you will need to find something else to bitch about. I guess it won’t be about OHL hockey.

 

[SpezzaNoLookDropPass]

The main posters on this forum (and you know who you are) are a cancer!
I have read comments made on this forum quietly over the past couple years and remained silent, but I am silent no more.
You are all entitled to your opinions, and yes you may at times have reason for frustration towards what you see on the ice. But your outright negativity towards this young team and cruel criticism of KIDS is truly very, very sad! It is people like you that prove North Bay is not truly a hockey community, but rather a bunch of harsh critics when times are tough and a bunch of band wagon jumpers when things are good. So many of your comments are uninformed as you truly have NO idea what is going on behind the scenes with the team and the players. No, I am not employed by the team, but I have billeted for 7 years and you have ZERO idea what sacrifices these kids and their families make.
There are definitely challenges for an OHL team to operate in a small Northern Ontario market as many of you have noted, but our city has been given a second chance. There will not EVER be a third chance!!! And god help you when the Battalion are gone because some of you will need to find something else to ***** about. I guess it won’t be about OHL hockey.

I think you’re completely missing the point here. Yes we complain about certain players, yes these are kids but this is also major junior hockey, major junior is pretty high caliber hockey and unfortunately some people are just not skilled enough for it and that’s fact. The same way some guys just aren’t meant for the NHL yet someone continue to have a roster spot due to “personality”. You’re also missing the business and development side of things. We have a team that’s content with consistently doing the bare minimum for the fans and the players. How many players from our team get drafted in the first round? Take a kid like Coe for example, the guy poses immense skill and talent but he’s been the same for 3 years. He doesn’t have a coach here to give him the tools to succeed. Scott Abbott has said that owning a team is a hobby. Look at the quality of your in arena entertainment or your season ticket benefits, this year is a small step forward but other teams have been doing it for years. Take a look at the arena deal if you really want to see how North Bay got this team. Stan Butler is a horrible coach, he uses an outdated system that has proved to not work. He doesn’t develop anyone to their full potential, if you make a mistake he is quick to yell at you but next to impossible to receive praise. That’s why many of players have requested to be moved or simply tell the team they won’t report, watch him during the games all he does is lean on the glass and bark at a player after a mistake, watch what the opposing coach does as well. He’ll get snarky with the media when the team does well but you’ll be lucky to have him answer a question when they lose.So no this isn’t about us being against the kids. This is us being against an owner that won’t invest a dime into the team and it’s players and a coach that ruins players careers. I’d rather not have an OHL team at all then watch Butler and Abbott continue to steal money from hard working people of this city and ruin potential careers. This is exactly what happened it Brampton and neither appeared to have learnt a thing from it.

 

[Samee987]

I think you’re completely missing the point here. Yes we complain about certain players, yes these are kids but this is also major junior hockey, major junior is pretty high caliber hockey and unfortunately some people are just not skilled enough for it and that’s fact. The same way some guys just aren’t meant for the NHL yet someone continue to have a roster spot due to “personality”. You’re also missing the business and development side of things. We have a team that’s content with consistently doing the bare minimum for the fans and the players. How many players from our team get drafted in the first round? Take a kid like Coe for example, the guy poses immense skill and talent but he’s been the same for 3 years. He doesn’t have a coach here to give him the tools to succeed. Scott Abbott has said that owning a team is a hobby. Look at the quality of your in arena entertainment or your season ticket benefits, this year is a small step forward but other teams have been doing it for years. Take a look at the arena deal if you really want to see how North Bay got this team. Stan Butler is a horrible coach, he uses an outdated system that has proved to not work. He doesn’t develop anyone to their full potential, if you make a mistake he is quick to yell at you but next to impossible to receive praise. That’s why many of players have requested to be moved or simply tell the team they won’t report, watch him during the games all he does is lean on the glass and bark at a player after a mistake, watch what the opposing coach does as well. He’ll get snarky with the media when the team does well but you’ll be lucky to have him answer a question when they lose.So no this isn’t about us being against the kids. This is us being against an owner that won’t invest a dime into the team and it’s players and a coach that ruins players careers. I’d rather not have an OHL team at all then watch Butler and Abbott continue to steal money from hard working people of this city and ruin potential careers. This is exactly what happened it Brampton and neither appeared to have learnt a thing from it.

Perhaps the best post EVER!!

 

[dirty12]

Rebuilds suck; but a lot of the people that complain about it on these boards, asked for it. And every time the board blasts the GM and coach. ‘Burnett is a dinosaur, Boyd is the worst GM in the league, Rychel got fat Branch would never have a job without that last name ...’.
Almost all teams would/have bottomed out for at least two years depending on the draft class, one season removed from a league final and then conference final with an even better team like the battalion effectively went all-in with.
Guelph won, then finished 20 & 19 before trading away their entire 2001 draft to go for it a year after that. I have no doubt next season’s standings will reflect that.
Erie missed the playoffs 3 out of 4 seasons before their run. Then again missed the playoffs in consecutive years.
The Soo missed the playoffs 3/4 years prior to a nice run. They probably won’t be much of a factor this year and next.
Sudbury and Flint missed the playoffs 3/4 seasons.
Peterborough struggled for a long time. So did Mississauga. Saginaw’s rebuild took about 8 seasons. Ottawa went through a double rebuild. Same with Windsor before hosting 2017 memorial cup. Kingston went about a decade between 1st round playoff wins. After getting to the conference final, they are at the bottom for a 2nd straight season.
Owen Sound may be the the only team that has not hit rock bottom since 2000.
May as well get it all out now because soon enough there will not be enough to complain about.

 

[Troops fan]

I think you’re completely missing the point here. Yes we complain about certain players, yes these are kids but this is also major junior hockey, major junior is pretty high caliber hockey and unfortunately some people are just not skilled enough for it and that’s fact. The same way some guys just aren’t meant for the NHL yet someone continue to have a roster spot due to “personality”. You’re also missing the business and development side of things. We have a team that’s content with consistently doing the bare minimum for the fans and the players. How many players from our team get drafted in the first round? Take a kid like Coe for example, the guy poses immense skill and talent but he’s been the same for 3 years. He doesn’t have a coach here to give him the tools to succeed. Scott Abbott has said that owning a team is a hobby. Look at the quality of your in arena entertainment or your season ticket benefits, this year is a small step forward but other teams have been doing it for years. Take a look at the arena deal if you really want to see how North Bay got this team. Stan Butler is a horrible coach, he uses an outdated system that has proved to not work. He doesn’t develop anyone to their full potential, if you make a mistake he is quick to yell at you but next to impossible to receive praise. That’s why many of players have requested to be moved or simply tell the team they won’t report, watch him during the games all he does is lean on the glass and bark at a player after a mistake, watch what the opposing coach does as well. He’ll get snarky with the media when the team does well but you’ll be lucky to have him answer a question when they lose.So no this isn’t about us being against the kids. This is us being against an owner that won’t invest a dime into the team and it’s players and a coach that ruins players careers. I’d rather not have an OHL team at all then watch Butler and Abbott continue to steal money from hard working people of this city and ruin potential careers. This is exactly what happened it Brampton and neither appeared to have learnt a thing from it.

I completely understand and honestly can’t argue too many of the points you have mentioned. Many are very valid. But my point is this, send these concerns directly to Abbot himself. Posting it on this forum, which I guarantee none of them pay attention to, does nothing but harm the team. Unfortunately, players and families do read these and there is very little being posted here that would make a player want to stay here, let alone come here if drafted.
I know some people want sweeping change, but I also do not want to lose this franchise because once we do it’s gone for good.

 

[SpezzaNoLookDropPass]

I completely understand and honestly can’t argue too many of the points you have mentioned. Many are very valid. But my point is this, send these concerns directly to Abbot himself. Posting it on this forum, which I guarantee none of them pay attention to, does nothing but harm the team. Unfortunately, players and families do read these and there is very little being posted here that would make a player want to stay here, let alone come here if drafted.
I know some people want sweeping change, but I also do not want to lose this franchise because once we do it’s gone for good.

Unfortunately comments sent to the team and Abbott fall on deaf ears. This is a forum to discuss the team and that’s exactly what’s we’re doing. It’s seems as tho nothing will change until Stan removes himself from the position or Abbott realizes that owning a major junior hockey team is more than a hobby

 

[dirty12]

Unfortunately comments sent to the team and Abbott fall on deaf ears. This is a forum to discuss the team and that’s exactly what’s we’re doing. It’s seems as tho nothing will change until Stan removes himself from the position or Abbott realizes that owning a major junior hockey team is more than a hobby

Change did happen; Butler reluctantly I think, embarked on a full rebuild. He brought in 2001 born Primeau & Russell and has/had extra picks for the 2002-04 born draft classes while shedding the 2000. One 19 yr old in Moncada and two rookie goalies is a big change from the norm for Butler’s battalion.

 

[SpezzaNoLookDropPass]

Change did happen; Butler reluctantly I think, embarked on a full rebuild. He brought in 2001 born Primeau & Russell and has/had extra picks for the 2002-04 born draft classes while shedding the 2000. One 19 yr old in Moncada and two rookie goalies is a big change from the norm for Butler’s battalion.

From our 2000 draft class only 2 players remain in the OHL, McMaster(OS) and Purboo (SBY), none have been drafted to the show, I agree that both this trades were excellent for us but it was still a incredibly weak class for us

 

[View from section 9]

Can't wait for tomorrow............the Santa Claus parade is on.

 

[SpezzaNoLookDropPass]

Can't wait for tomorrow............the Santa Claus parade is on.

Maybe they should give away some tickets during the parade, fill some seats and profit on concessions

 

[Sleemans2]

Looks like Belair was right, Samuellson while he can play in the league is a third pair guy so far.

 

[barclayplager]

Change did happen; Butler reluctantly I think, embarked on a full rebuild. He brought in 2001 born Primeau & Russell and has/had extra picks for the 2002-04 born draft classes while shedding the 2000. One 19 yr old in Moncada and two rookie goalies is a big change from the norm for Butler’s battalion.

judging from past rebuild attempts to just make the playoffs this year is indeed a big change for Stan and I would think Scott Abbots consent...other teams have 2 or 3 rebuilds to our one....we are going to bottom out this year ..dead last I hope then onward/upward...picture Armsby and the twins in 2 years plus a very high couple of draft choices...Scott has the $$$$$wherewithall and arena deal to stay this course...there also is a staff in place to allow a seamless transition should Stan just manage/scout..Dennis and Ryan O would be a good team to finish the job..yer welcome...

 

[Samee987]

judging from past rebuild attempts to just make the playoffs this year is indeed a big change for Stan and I would think Scott Abbots consent...other teams have 2 or 3 rebuilds to our one....we are going to bottom out this year ..dead last I hope then onward/upward...picture Armsby and the twins in 2 years plus a very high couple of draft choices...Scott has the $$$$$wherewithall and arena deal to stay this course...there also is a staff in place to allow a seamless transition should Stan just manage/scout..Dennis and Ryan O would be a good team to finish the job..yer welcome...

I don't think the professor has what it takes to be a head coach and Ryan O has been groomed by Butler.

 

[SpezzaNoLookDropPass]

judging from past rebuild attempts to just make the playoffs this year is indeed a big change for Stan and I would think Scott Abbots consent...other teams have 2 or 3 rebuilds to our one....we are going to bottom out this year ..dead last I hope then onward/upward...picture Armsby and the twins in 2 years plus a very high couple of draft choices...Scott has the $$$$$wherewithall and arena deal to stay this course...there also is a staff in place to allow a seamless transition should Stan just manage/scout..Dennis and Ryan O would be a good team to finish the job..yer welcome...

I’d prefer we brought in a fresh face for head coach, not one of butlers assistants

 

[Sleemans2]

I agree with Spezza. If you are going to make the change, rip off the bandaid and change.

 

[MartyHuggins]

Change did happen; Butler reluctantly I think, embarked on a full rebuild. He brought in 2001 born Primeau & Russell and has/had extra picks for the 2002-04 born draft classes while shedding the 2000. One 19 yr old in Moncada and two rookie goalies is a big change from the norm for Butler’s battalion.

He only traded McMaster and Purboo from the 2016 draft year as the rest were cut or didn't make the team cause the drafting was so terrible (Stan the GM)!!! If its a true rebuild, time to unload the veterans.

 

[dirty12]

He only traded McMaster and Purboo from the 2016 draft year as the rest were cut or didn't make the team cause the drafting was so terrible (Stan the GM)!!! If its a true rebuild time to unload the veterans.

The one vet that can surely be moved is the only real OA option for NB next season. I doubt Moncada is moved. The current OA market is somewhat saturated. Wanting to move Struthers and Chenier and getting a worthwhile return may be two very different things.
The roster is young and there are extra picks, let things play out. Capitalize on a move if available

 

[SpezzaNoLookDropPass]

The one vet that can surely be moved is the only real OA option for NB next season. I doubt Moncada is moved. The current OA market is somewhat saturated. Wanting to move Struthers and Chenier and getting a worthwhile return may be two very different things.
The roster is young and there are extra picks, let things play out. Capitalize on a move if available

Unfortunately as history shows Stan will not capitalize on any move. See Amadio or Brazeau for example. Those are both players that easily could have and should have been moved. I’m not gonna place the full blame on butler for that either I could almost guarantee Abbott would axe those trades for an extra 2-3 games of revenue

 

[dirty12]

Unfortunately as history shows Stan will not capitalize on any move. See Amadio or Brazeau for example. Those are both players that easily could have and should have been moved. I’m not gonna place the full blame on butler for that either I could almost guarantee Abbott would axe those trades for an extra 2-3 games of revenue

yeah, those were tough.
Three picks; or Brazeau in NB record books, along with a half season of local interest increasing ticket sales a bit, and playoff gates for Abott.
I thought Amadio was the league’s most outstanding player and NB in 3rd were overachieving that season. Butler held firm to an asking price similar to Konecny, and didn’t get it. Trading Amadio for best offer would have benefitted the battalion long term, but less than full value while standing 3rd would be a tough pill to swallow. The ‘67s made their run three years after that deal which made it sort of a double rebuild lasting 6 years for Ottawa.
Butler has made some seller moves in Liberti ? to Kit, MacKenzie to OS, & Dineen to Sar.

 

[HockeyPops]

The Soo ... probably won’t be much of a factor ... next (year).

!RemindMe in 16 months

 

[dirty12]

!RemindMe in 16 months

ok if I’m wrong that is. Not to be offensive, I don’t foresee many of Erie, London, Sarnia, Flint, Windsor regress more than the Soo progresses. Add a surprise team to that list

 

[HockeyPops]

ok if I’m wrong that is. Not to be offensive, I don’t foresee many of Erie, London, Sarnia, Flint, Windsor regress more than the Soo progresses. Add a surprise team to that list

I don't think the Soo has as far to progress as most of the league believes. They should still be a .500 team this year. Plus in junior hockey it's not uncommon for there to be big swings year to year.

I guess it will be interesting to see. I don't think London will be there next season as they will be young like the greyhounds are this year. Flint I think pushes in this year and players like Vierling, Pierce and Gretz may become victims in that move. Windsor, Sarnia, and the Soo should be good next year but time will tell. Not saying the Soo will be favourites next year, but I feel like they might be more than "probably not much of a factor".

 

[Uncle]

We’ve taken sole position of last place in the league

 

[belair]

Unfortunately as history shows Stan will not capitalize on any move. See Amadio or Brazeau for example. Those are both players that easily could have and should have been moved. I’m not gonna place the full blame on butler for that either I could almost guarantee Abbott would axe those trades for an extra 2-3 games of revenue

Brazeau wasn't even the guy they should've capitalized on last season. It was Matt Struthers.

If you had no intentions on naming him captain, I have no idea what the benefit of bringing him back was going to be in a year that was clearly set for rebuilding.

We'll get less now.

 

[SpezzaNoLookDropPass]

Brazeau wasn't even the guy they should've capitalized on last season. It was Matt Struthers.

If you had no intentions on naming him captain, I have no idea what the benefit of bringing him back was going to be in a year that was clearly set for rebuilding.

We'll get less now.

For a contender Brazeau was 100% worth more. With his size and skill he dominated the ice. Struthers value was as high as it could have ever been. Unfortunately no moves we’re made