Saginaw Spirit 2020 Offseason Thread

[Kingpin794]

Great news for Mason. Was just about to make a post mentioning all the players Saginaw could have go to WJC and that Millman might have a outside shot. Seems hockey Canada thinks so too.

 

[Saggy]

I'm going to rekindle an old conversation now that we are thru the Import Draft......how do you think the standing will look in our division once we actually get on the ice and start back (thinking Jan2021....based on nothing but a gut feeling).

I still think we are the Team to be.....liked our chances before and like them even more now that we have Albin and Pavel signed. So here is my best guess below.....love to hear some others as there is not much hockey until next week when the NHL starts up.

1. Saginaw
2. SSM
3. Windsor
4. Flint
5. Sarnia

Wishful thinking ......yes
Realistic.....maybe

 

[Finster8]

With the signing of Grewe, Mintyukov, Fleming, Beck and Schlueting certainly makes us a better team than when we didn't have them.
Grewe fits in on the 1st line. Fleming and Beck strengthen our bottom 9 and the D is better with Mintyukov and Schlueting. With Jovanivich hopefully signing soon will help as well.
I am with Saggy. The team is strong upfront and the D looks stronger. If Lennox can play well and it is his draft year their is no reason we shouldn't be able to get our 3rd Western Division Title.

 

[Kingpin794]

With the signing of Grewe, Mintyukov, Fleming, Beck and Schlueting certainly makes us a better team than when we didn't have them.
Grewe fits in on the 1st line. Fleming and Beck strengthen our bottom 9 and the D is better with Mintyukov and Schlueting. With Jovanivich hopefully signing soon will help as well.
I am with Saggy. The team is strong upfront and the D looks stronger. If Lennox can play well and it is his draft year their is no reason we shouldn't be able to get our 3rd Western Division Title.

The one thing that will be a hurdle for us getting a third straight division title is that Perfetti is going to get 9 games and WJC, Suzuki is going to get a few games and WJC, Grewe will be at WJC, possibly Lennox and Millman too. Our entire top line, best defenseman, and starting goalie could all be away from the team for a decent chunk of games. I think this is where the Soo’s depth separates themselves from us. Optimistically if we can go 0.500 through the games these guys miss, the Soo could open up a 6/8 point lead on us and that’s before the deadline likely. Then they can add and at that point it’ll be about keeping ahead of Windsor and Flint let alone catching the Soo.

But even with that being said, if we can stay in the top four, and stay healthy heading into the post season, we’re going to be as dangerous as any team in a 7 game series. Fans are going to have a bit more patience this year and know that the end goal is still the same and possibly attainable. It’s just might not be as pretty as the last two seasons. Certainly looking forward to the next group (Smith, Mancini, Codd, Bloom, Beck, Mintyukov etc) taking the extra time and using it to grow their game.

 

[HockeyPops]

I have some questions about the bottom 6 forwards and the bottom 4 defense, as well as the quality of your OA. Just as importantly, Saginaw's picks cupboard is getting empty so there will likely be no deadline reinforcements this year.

1. Soo
2. Flint
3. Saginaw
4. Windsor
5. Sarnia

 

[Square Corners]

I have some questions about the bottom 6 forwards and the bottom 4 defense, as well as the quality of your OA. Just as importantly, Saginaw's picks cupboard is getting empty so there will likely be no deadline reinforcements this year.

1. Soo
2. Flint
3. Saginaw
4. Windsor
5. Sarnia

The SAG line alone of Perfetti/Suzuki/Grewe is more offence than Soo has. Also Soo dont even have a goalie right now.

In terms of how teams look on paper right now, I think Windsor is the best team but if we're guessing who's goign to add and be the best by the time the playoffs come next year, I'd have to go
1- SAG
2- SOO
3- WSR
4- SAR
5- FLNT

 

[HockeyPops]

The SAG line alone of Perfetti/Suzuki/Grewe is more offence than Soo has. Also Soo dont even have a goalie right now.

No doubt Saginaws top line is good, but your claim of lack of offense for the Soo is laughable. By my quick tally the Soo is returning 208 goals for of production. I admittedly haven't compared but would be quite surprised if any team is returning more.

Also, by all accounts provided by those in the know, Nick Malik is returning if we have a season.
Hounds protect Malik, Pytlik

 

[bcspragu]

No doubt Saginaws top line is good, but your claim of lack of offense for the Soo is laughable. By my quick tally the Soo is returning 208 goals for of production. I admittedly haven't compared but would be quite surprised if any team is returning more.

Also, by all accounts provided by those in the know, Nick Malik is returning if we have a season.
Hounds protect Malik, Pytlik

He didn't say Soo had a lack of offense. Just that Saginaw's top line had more offense than the Soo. Which is probably true. Perfetti is a top 2 player in the league next year and Suzuki probably cracks the top 10. Grewe is a wild card, but 40 goals isnt out the the question with those line mates. No one on the Soo can touch that offensive output, returning or not.

 

[bcspragu]

 

[Saggy]

No doubt Saginaws top line is good, but your claim of lack of offense for the Soo is laughable. By my quick tally the Soo is returning 208 goals for of production. I admittedly haven't compared but would be quite surprised if any team is returning more.

Also, by all accounts provided by those in the know, Nick Malik is returning if we have a season.
Hounds protect Malik, Pytlik

Great group coming back in the Soo.....those 208 goals will be hard to beat.

Then again, the prime ice time given to Cosky, Giroux, Jenkins and Busdecker will be given to Suzuki (full year), Grewe, Beck, Bloom, Duhart this year. Not quite the same power as leaving but someone will be getting those points.....maybe even more because our PP was horrible last year.

 

[Saggy]

By the way, the Soo was #18 in the league on the PK......so basically you HAD to score goals to win.

Goalie concerns too.....Birkin (31 games) gone, Mailk (16 games with only 5 wins) maybe gone and Taylor (12 games) maybe starter.

 

[HockeyPops]

He didn't say Soo had a lack of offense. Just that Saginaw's top line had more offense than the Soo.

He clearly said SAG top line had more offense than the entire Soo team, which is easily refuted (see above).

By the way, the Soo was #18 in the league on the PK......so basically you HAD to score goals to win.

Actually we were tied for 17th. Still not good but give credit where it's due.

Mailk (16 games with only 5 wins) maybe gone

This is covid time, so there are no guarantees about anyone returning, but read the link I posted because there are no concerns about Malik reporting.

 

[Saggy]

So I was having beers with a person in the industry and they mentioned that their were talks about moving all 3 US based teams to Ontario. It was felt that this would be the only way we would see a season this year. When I asked where they would move (assuming it would be border towns) the locations of London, Kitchener and Guelph came up due to the fact that they are all university towns. Not sure if that means housing at the dorms or easier to find billets. Anyone else hearing things or is this just wishful thinking ??

 

[HockeyPops]

I am hopeful the league will provide some clarity soon. In an article 2 weeks ago interviewing the Hounds GM:

“But we’ve been waiting for more clarity. We can’t move forward until we get more information from the league.”

And now that we’ve entered the second half of July, it’s believed that information could come at any time.

Hounds in ‘bit of a holding pattern’

 

[Uncle]

So I was having beers with a person in the industry and they mentioned that their were talks about moving all 3 US based teams to Ontario. It was felt that this would be the only way we would see a season this year. When I asked where they would move (assuming it would be border towns) the locations of London, Kitchener and Guelph came up due to the fact that they are all university towns. Not sure if that means housing at the dorms or easier to find billets. Anyone else hearing things or is this just wishful thinking ??

It seems like the logical thing to do. Cut USA right out of it to have a season this year.

 

[Finster8]

It seems like the logical thing to do. Cut USA right out of it to have a season this year.

Totally disagree, that totally stunts the development of all 3 organizations. The only thing the GMs can do is trade all their players who are not returning next season and stunt the growth of the young players who need to develop in the OHL.J

 

[bcspragu]

It seems like the logical thing to do. Cut USA right out of it to have a season this year.

It brings up multiple new issues though.

If the teams really cant operate without fans in the stands, how are the 3 US teams going to operate when their fan bases are hundreds of miles away? Doubt many people in Guelph want to watch a Flint-North Bay barn burner on a week night or an Erie-Missy nightcap. Perfetti and Drysdale might be somewhat of a draw for neutral fans, but selling even 50% cap is going to be a stretch. Going to take some serious profit sharing to make work and if other teams are strapped for cash, might not be so keen on the idea.

None of these plans mention SSM either. Border is a huge issue for them as well. If they cant travel through Michigan, their other closest division rival is a 9 and a half hour bus ride, in good weather and traffic past multiple other OHL teams in the completely different conference. Windsor is over 10 hours by bus and if I'm not mistaken bus drivers can only drive 10 hours in a day. Hows that going to work for travel? More overnight trips for them = more dollars they need to make as well. Do we see a one season division realignment with SSM joining a northern cohort of Barrie and Sudbury? How would that work for playoffs? What happens if SSM gets the Memorial Cup?

Players can billet that works out fine if they can find them and I'm sure there are the college dorms they could use as well if parents sign off. But what about coaches? Do they live in the dorms with the players? Team put them up in a hotel? I'm sure most live in Canada and rent in the states during the season, but what if they don't and their families are here? Does the league say screw it and force them to move across the border for potentially 6+ months and they cant see their kids? What about team staff? Takes more than just coaches to run an organization do those people need to relocate as well? Example, Saginaw's goalie coach runs a goalie school around Detroit. Does he travel with the team or do their goalies just not get goalie coaching for the season? What happens to all his other clients?

Its easy to say just cut out the American teams for a season, but there are hundred more questions that need to be answered to make that work.

 

[Uncle]

It brings up multiple new issues though.

If the teams really cant operate without fans in the stands, how are the 3 US teams going to operate when their fan bases are hundreds of miles away? Doubt many people in Guelph want to watch a Flint-North Bay barn burner on a week night or an Erie-Missy nightcap. Perfetti and Drysdale might be somewhat of a draw for neutral fans, but selling even 50% cap is going to be a stretch. Going to take some serious profit sharing to make work and if other teams are strapped for cash, might not be so keen on the idea.

None of these plans mention SSM either. Border is a huge issue for them as well. If they cant travel through Michigan, their other closest division rival is a 9 and a half hour bus ride, in good weather and traffic past multiple other OHL teams in the completely different conference. Windsor is over 10 hours by bus and if I'm not mistaken bus drivers can only drive 10 hours in a day. Hows that going to work for travel? More overnight trips for them = more dollars they need to make as well. Do we see a one season division realignment with SSM joining a northern cohort of Barrie and Sudbury? How would that work for playoffs? What happens if SSM gets the Memorial Cup?

Players can billet that works out fine if they can find them and I'm sure there are the college dorms they could use as well if parents sign off. But what about coaches? Do they live in the dorms with the players? Team put them up in a hotel? I'm sure most live in Canada and rent in the states during the season, but what if they don't and their families are here? Does the league say screw it and force them to move across the border for potentially 6+ months and they cant see their kids? What about team staff? Takes more than just coaches to run an organization do those people need to relocate as well? Example, Saginaw's goalie coach runs a goalie school around Detroit. Does he travel with the team or do their goalies just not get goalie coaching for the season? What happens to all his other clients?

Its easy to say just cut out the American teams for a season, but there are hundred more questions that need to be answered to make that work.

You answered it with profit sharing, the league will have to get creative in all facets, if there is to be a season things could look much different in terms of schedules, conferences/divisions... Having American teams play at home is not an option if there is to be a season this year, I think that can be agreed on.
Bussing from Thunder Bay to Toronto through my playing years, teams get creative when it comes to bus drivers. Not a roadblock for teams
Whole team in dorms, including coaches

 

[HockeyPops]

I could see the 3 US teams playing in their own division of 3 until the new year. Very light schedule for all teams before January (one game a week). There could be 6 divisions with 3-4 teams in each based on proximity, and only playing intra divisional games until January.

If the border is open by January with reasonable rink capacity allowed and a quarantine isn't required, then you can ramp things up on the backside of the season. Otherwise serious decisions need to be made.

 

[Kingpin794]

Having American teams play at home is not an option if there is to be a season this year, I think that can be agreed on.

I mean if you want the league to start at a normal date, then yeah I guess we can agree on that. But planning on having the season starting on time isn't reasonable.

Just start the season in December, front load the division games as pops says in the post before, and we'll hopefully have a vaccine by the end of the year. Border opens back up and go back to a more normal schedule from there.

 

[bcspragu]

You answered it with profit sharing, the league will have to get creative in all facets, if there is to be a season things could look much different in terms of schedules, conferences/divisions... Having American teams play at home is not an option if there is to be a season this year, I think that can be agreed on.
Bussing from Thunder Bay to Toronto through my playing years, teams get creative when it comes to bus drivers. Not a roadblock for teams
Whole team in dorms, including coaches

Yet many questions left unanswered. I do think a season can be played with US teams playing home games. Also assuming, league play wont start till 1st of November at the earliest with american thanksgiving (Nov 25th), beginning of December more likely which is what I heard from a player parent. So going off of that the two biggest issues is the border and needing fans for revenue...

To get over the border issue.

You aren't going to run a full season doing this, but hey 3/4 of a season is better than none. No cross conference play, eliminates border travel for half the league off the jump, eastern conference can proceed as relativity normal as possible.

Get creative with remaining division alignment as you said, put all 3 American teams into one division, while playing more division games than normal. First part of the season they only play each other, no border travel needed for any team in the league.

That gets you into the beginning of 2021 with no teams needing to travel cross the border. With hopes there is some sort of vaccine by then, the border should be open and remaining part of the season can proceed as normal. If border is not open, have a built in quarantine period where the 3 teams can travel into Canada and test players daily (NHL has already offered to cover costs of testing for AHL players, I'm sure they would offer the same for the CHL to not completely stagnate development of its young prospects) and proceed to them doing a one game road trip to the remaining teams in the conference. End of the season would see the western conference Canadian teams do the reverse and play the

SSM travel is still a major issue here, but you dont seem to think its an issue. So I guess proceed as normal there.

As for needing fans in the stands

American teams are going to have an issue with this as I said before in Canada or here. Revenue sharing is an option for sure. The problem is there has to actually be revenue to share. So this is part of the solution if its available.

Although, I think Canada isn't allowing fans at this point either so this is more of a league wide issue that just for the American teams. But this will be a fluid situation across the entire league.

First games may be no fans, with fans being able to come in as the season goes on. Without being privy to the teams financials its hard to see how this could work.

 

[Saggy]

Sounds like a December 1st puck drop....keeping my fingers crossed

 

[I Loveallsports]

 

[Kingpin794]

Absolutely terrible. May he rest in peace

 

[I Loveallsports]

Absolutely terrible. May he rest in peace

Yes. Motorcycle accident.