Saginaw Spirit 2018-19 Season Thread (Part 2)

[Kingpin794]

Interesting and good scouting if true. Him and Punnett would be the additions we'll need on defense.

 

[Kingpin794]

Theme for this draft was taking home grown talent and trying to contintue recent recruiting success. 7 Americans selected today. Not going to get all of them but I like the commitment to trying to be that ideal American OHL destination that Plymouth use to be.

 

[bear6]

I just seen on the OHL website that Jake goldowski got a1 game suspension for the crosscheck

 

[OHLfan200]

Soo fan here.. Wow! First PP line out when it's 8-1 unbeliev- Im just kidding . Full credit to the Spirit, you guys got a really solid team over there from goaltending on out. Really exposed a lot of bad habits in the Greyhounds game, and really took advantage. Well deserving of a 2-0 series lead!

 

[Kingpin794]

Not a bad performance to put on in front of some of the recent draft crop tonight.

This isn't going to be the norm. I still think we see a couple OT games before this series is over.

 

[Savard18]

Well, clearly I'm not cheering for you guys to hoist a Memorial Cup but it doesn't break my heart to see what goes around comes AROUND! Jeez. Found it odd that Wilde and Perfetti combined for 0pts and +1. Depth maybe?

 

[Kingpin794]

Well, clearly I'm not cheering for you guys to hoist a Memorial Cup but it doesn't break my heart to see what goes around comes AROUND! Jeez. Found it odd that Wilde and Perfetti combined for 0pts and +1. Depth maybe?

Yeah that and Perfetti and Gilmour swapped spots in the depth chart. I'm assuming he put the more defensive Gilmour on the top line to help shut down Frost. 1 assist between Frost and Hayton so far through 2 games. The Soo need those two to take over games to win the series. If we continue to shut them down, it's going to be a short series.

 

[bcspragu]

The best part of the game for me last night was how the Spirit acted on the ice. After last years Soo Hot Dog debacle the Spirit could have really acted like the Soo did and been an embarrassment up that many. Instead on the last few goals Saginaw purposely skated right back to the faceoff and didnt do the whole goal train celly. I think the score (Saginaw could have dropped 15 last night if they wanted to run it up) and the intentional lack of celebration was probably an intended middle finger to the Soo bench for last year.

 

[louis]

The best part of the game for me last night was how the Spirit acted on the ice. After last years Soo Hot Dog debacle the Spirit could have really acted like the Soo did and been an embarrassment up that many. Instead on the last few goals Saginaw purposely skated right back to the faceoff and didnt do the whole goal train celly. I think the score (Saginaw could have dropped 15 last night if they wanted to run it up) and the intentional lack of celebration was probably an intended middle finger to the Soo bench for last year.

 

[nelli27]

CHL Notebook: Owen Tippett helping Spirit forge new identity
CHL Notebook: Owen Tippett helping Spirit forge new identity - Sportsnet.ca

 

[Lycanthrope]

Well, clearly I'm not cheering for you guys to hoist a Memorial Cup but it doesn't break my heart to see what goes around comes AROUND! Jeez. Found it odd that Wilde and Perfetti combined for 0pts and +1. Depth maybe?

Ya it had me thinking what a difference a season makes. That’s the beauty of this league.

 

[Finster8]

Ya it had me thinking what a difference a season makes. That’s the beauty of this league.

It isn't that much of a stretch that SSM play tough at home and win the next 2. Emotions, a key injury, hot goalie can change any series. One game at a time! Go Spirit!!

 

[HockeyPops]

It isn't that much of a stretch that SSM play tough at home and win the next 2. Emotions, a key injury, hot goalie can change any series. One game at a time! Go Spirit!!

Saginaw is firing on all cylinders right now. I think the Soo needs to get a couple of bounces go our way to get a win under our belts. If we can get that first win it changes the complexion of the series. We will find out tonight.

 

[Kingpin794]

Saginaw is firing on all cylinders right now. I think the Soo needs to get a couple of bounces go our way to get a win under our belts. If we can get that first win it changes the complexion of the series. We will find out tonight.

I wonder if guys like Frost, Hayton, etc are hitting the wall right now? Its basically been 5 guys doing most of the damage this year. A full season and now into round two against a team that's be running 3/4 lines most nights. Can't be a whole lot left in the tank but I'm sure they are going to find every bit of energy they have left for games 3 and 4. No way they even come close to repeating Sunday tonight.

 

[Hardcore Techno]

Complete the sweep.

 

[AttackSound]

Attack fan here, as natural view in the series between the Spirit and the Hounds. Both sides have the talent but i will have to give credit where credit is due.

The Spirit have huge lineup size wise and are easily a well built playoff team. If the Spirit do win the west I think there's a good chance that they could take the league. Earlier in the season they man handled the Attack down at the Dow.

Best of luck to the Spirit the rest of the playoffs!!

 

[Kingpin794]

Complete the sweep.

 

[Hardcore Techno]

Go Spirit. At least they have spirit. Ha.

 

[Kingpin794]

Knew the Soo would come out amped up. Had to survive that first period and wait for the adrenaline to fade. Awesome job to stick with it in this game. Protect Cole Perfetti at all costs. Finish this thing out now!

 

[IcemanTBI]

Good teams find a way to win. Our goalie gave up bad goals that was the difference maker. Having said that, barring a miracle, I will be rooting the Saginaw the rest of the way, you guys deserve some success after years of mediocrity

 

[Bob Orr]

Owen Tippett is The Bomb! He is noticeable out there. I wish the Hounds had him. Good luck to you with the rest of the playoffs. You have two Soo boys on your team and it's about time you have become a serious contender.
I'm for you to go all the way.

 

[SaginawFan]

What a game, congrats for staying focused and doing your job.

A few players who don't get the press like some (Tippet, McLeod, Perfetti) but deserve some recognition for what they have done this playoff season so far.

Davis - plus 13
Murray - tough, physical, and leader
Giroux - moved to 3rd line - still going strong and being a leader
Gilmour - moved to top line and producing points every game
Prosevetov - impresses me every game
Babar - kids a star.

 

[HockeyPops]

Babar - kids a star.

 

[Kingpin794]

Don't you somewhere to irrationally defend Raftis's extremely questionable deadline strategy right now?

 

[shot caller]

Don't you somewhere to irrationally defend Raftis's extremely questionable deadline strategy right now?

I sit back and read a lot but rarely post.
I find the same passion that drives people, ultimately clouds their sensibility.
Remove yourself (in this case everyone who defends the strategies of the Greyhound’s trade deadline front office) and assess things from a position of responsibility. I will refer you to a post that I made a few weeks prior to the trade deadline... personally, I am as much of a fan as they come. I believe a good fan cheers hard for his/her team but a great fan does the same for both teams.

My take on the trade deadline -

Unfortunately, I believe the answer is still “sell”.

Let me paint a picture for a moment...

Last year was the typical and ideal team to seek additions to augment a run to the memorial cup. We were blessed with a group of high end talent that would be labeled our “seasoned vets”. We also possessed a few “stud”, inexperienced players that would be under Greyhound control for this year. The team’s make up almost demanded the push to go for it.
This year, the landscape is a bit different. This year, we have a few high end caliber players. They are the very same inexperienced, younger players that made last year’s team so special. They have now taken over for the likes of last year’s Katchouk and family. The difference in this year’s team is we lack the higher end younger players that we possessed with last year’s roster. We do not have a Hayton or Frost in our line up, other than, well Hayton and Frost. MacKay looks great this season but not “NHL first round” great.
Now I know that a year separates them but without a serious two or three players that are draft eligible who are considered absolute impact players, like Frost and Hayton were last year, we simply have no choice but to utilize the assets we have.
Everyone always remarks on the “open window” a team has for a championship run. The other aspect to consider is an “open window” for a highly effective rebuild. I’m not talking about a tear down and start from scratch that is bound to last years. I’m talking about a rebuild that has you back in contention within a season or two. This is what teams like London are very diligent at making happen. We lose control of Frost, Villalta, Sambrook, Howdeshell, and Hollowell. This is not up for debate. None of these players are returning.
Add the fact that it will be highly unlikely that Hayton will return next year and we are officially caught napping on the job. The amount teams will pay for the first list of players will be franchise changing. We haven’t sold off this much high end talent in what I can remember. As for Hayton, trade with conditions. Make all or at least some of the more potent draft picks conditional. If he is to return next year and give whatever team another year of service, all picks move up a round.
There is an opportunity to rebuild in a quick and efficient manner but that opportunity only exists this year. Next year, we just do not have the higher caliber talent that would...
A) Lead next year’s Greyhound team to a championship.
B) Be highly saught after by a contender on the open trade market.
Both of these things exist this year, but we have to consider which one outweighs the other. We took our chance at it last year. No regrets. This year, we require some clarity on where we truthfully wish to go in the next few years. London was aware of their situation last year and made the same choices as I think we need to make this year.
If we are not responsible about things, there is a good chance we are sitting here for the next few years in a position like Sarnia is today or like Hamilton is as well. Hamilton made their push with a one year window to win and we see how that works out.
When you have a two year window, like we appear to have now, you must use both effectively.