Soo Greyhounds 2018 Offseason Thread

[houndtastic]

If Villalta isn't traded in the offseason, I don't think I'll be getting my seasons renewed next year. He's so god damn frustrating, just stay up and make a big save. He's single handedly cost us this series. One good game, but too many embarrassing weak goals at costly times. It's infuriating.

Single handedly costs them? Nice try he defiantely shares the blame but entire team and coaches share it hounds never even played a full 60 mins in this series some of the games didnt even play a whole period so.
....

 

[Radar9]

Love to know if Suzan Beave is on this hfboard

 

[soo hound girl]

Single handedly costs them? Nice try he defiantely shares the blame but entire team and coaches share it hounds never even played a full 60 mins in this series some of the games didnt even play a whole period so.
....

You can't throw Villalta under the bus he deserves better well it is officially summer mode for me now

 

[houndtastic]

It was a good year tough to end it 2 wins from a chamionship but sometimes those are the breaks i look forward to next year and hope they can continue to provide good hockey in the sault.

 

[Bob Orr]

Hamilton was better than us. They had the better team for the playoffs. Talk to everyone next season.

 

[thetank247]

Well it was a good game every player on both teams tried there best , bogus non call on sambrook for the empty better but that Hamilton team out played us every game all there defense a 20 years old and they had only 1 rookie . They also didn't play as many tough series as us but I proud of our players they have nothing to be ashamed of. As for villalta well I think 3 of those long shots were deflected .

 

[Radar9]

Just remember fans we had 6 rookies in the line up and look what we did

 

[mag1600]

I honestly think that the Hamilton GM made additions to his team that we didn't match. Look at Thomas, Caamano, Moore and Stillman. These were all IMPACT players that all showed up in the playoffs. It was truly a disappointing end to a great season.
Difficult to swallow when our players did NOT come prepared to play a full 60 minutes at this point in the season. Some players should honestly look at themselves in the mirror!!!

 

[dirty12]

Just remember fans we had 6 rookies in the line up and look what we did

played the snot out of six forwards, top line especially; and eventually lost to a deeper, older, bigger, stronger team
It was a great season though. The hounds played in a close OHL final after nearly setting new regular season records.

 

[HLLYWD99]

A tough loss for the Hounds after a great season, one has to believe that tough back to back 7 game series took their toll on the players combined with some big injuries.

 

[potvin29]

A tough loss for the Hounds after a great season, one has to believe that tough back to back 7 game series took their toll on the players combined with some big injuries.

I really think they looked completely different without Verbeek. That's an older, 30 goal scorer out of the lineup who really helped not only balance the offense but provide energy as well as an older presence down the lineup.

Oh well, it was a great season.

 

[Pope Francis 1]

Some of the comments posted about your tender on this and the Hamilton board are completely absurd. Easy to see your goalie competed and made critical saves in many games in all series. Impressed by how he took a beating, yet the kid was very mature / composed. The Bulldogs are a very well built team. Built for playoff hockey. Missing Verbeek and Timmins didn’t help. Sault Ste Marie should definitely be proud of their hockey club.

 

[BeliveauFan4ever]

I honestly think that the Hamilton GM made additions to his team that we didn't match. Look at Thomas, Caamano, Moore and Stillman. These were all IMPACT players that all showed up in the playoffs. It was truly a disappointing end to a great season.
Difficult to swallow when our players did NOT come prepared to play a full 60 minutes at this point in the season. Some players should honestly look at themselves in the mirror!!!

We're a puck possession team that too often treated the puck like a grenade or a rotten tomato.

We have the puck, then dump it out to centre so we can...go get it again.

Hound puck carriers never got proper support heading up ice. Hound diggers seldom got proper/necessary support along the boards or in the corners. Most always outnumbered...

Given that, we really weren't playing our game, but some mish-mash response to what Hamilton was doing. We had no answer.

The desire/compete level was terrible at times and that virus meant a handful of guys working, a couple of handfuls out for a skate and turning it over.

Villalta could have been better but putting myself in his shoes, seeing the so-so effort in front of me I'd have been pissed.

Goalies can pull grand theft sometimes, but, I think it's fair to say that a balls-to-the-wall effort inspires a goalie to play his best.

Dubas and Keefe brought puck possession to the team, Bannister has continued with it and it's been successful, but this group was not tough enough, mentally or physically.

A good regular season followed by playoff puzzles that stir a lot of questions.

 

[hockeylegend11]

The Hounds inability to win on the road consistently after round 1 against Saginaw where they went 2-0,after that,Hounds went 2-7 in the last 3 rounds away from their home rink proved to be the death knell in the end.
Extended series against Owen Sound and Kitchener certainly didn't help.
Toss in going 1-2 in the finals at home where they were dominant all season was another nail in the coffin.
Hounds remind of Erie from last year,real great at home not nearly as good on the road, Erie got away with it till the Mem Cup in Windsor,Hounds going 14-10 in the playoffs,and 10-10 in the last 20 not nearly enough to win.
This year seemed to be one where the Hounds could win a Mem Cup for the 1st time since 93, playoffs a different animal.

 

[BeliveauFan4ever]

Can only imagine what the total turnover count was over the six games.

Yikes.

 

[ohloutsider]

You can't throw Villalta under the bus he deserves better well it is officially summer mode for me now

Have to agree with this - Villalta was the only reason you were close in games 4 and 5. Hung out to dry to many times. He is not the only reason you lost this one. I like the way he plays, never gets phased. Like any goalie he needs the team in front of him to be in the other end, easiest way to win games.

 

[soo hound girl]

Really tough no call there, definitely should have been a penalty. Still a great season overall for the Soo, just a disappointing finish.

PSA: Hamilton fans, stay out of this thread if you're going to cause trouble. Ditto for Soo fans going into the Hamilton thread.

No reason to cause trouble they played a good clean series and their depth was a major reason they took this series I hope they win the Memorial Cup they are a class act that will represent the OHL well

 

[staubitz]

I, for one, miss the hard work and hustle featured by the Hounds when Hartsburg was coaching the Hounds. Even though it didn't bring fantastic regular season records or high scoring teams, you could always walk away satisfied that the team gave it their all, and could aways be proud of their effort.

Ever since Dubas and Keefe brought the new style of play, I've enjoyed seeing the Hounds develop high scoring skilled players and have certainly enjoyed the teams performance when things are going well. But when adversity has come along, it seems we're left with these feelings wanting more regarding work ethic, desire, and intensity.

I'd like more of a hybrid style, I guess. Would have been nice to see Raftis bring in some guys with grit and experience, instead of giving up a bunch of picks (and Fowler) looking for a home run. Someone mentioned the Pilon brothers - they would have been dynamite to watch in the tight games and a big problem for playoff opponents. A veteran center who excels at faceoffs and a solid D (though Sambrook was excellent, another veteran D may have been warranted) would have been great too.

All in all, it was a fun season to be a fan, and looking forward to next season!

 

[BeliveauFan4ever]

I, for one, miss the hard work and hustle featured by the Hounds when Hartsburg was coaching the Hounds. Even though it didn't bring fantastic regular season records or high scoring teams, you could always walk away satisfied that the team gave it their all, and could aways be proud of their effort.

Ever since Dubas and Keefe brought the new style of play, I've enjoyed seeing the Hounds develop high scoring skilled players and have certainly enjoyed the teams performance when things are going well. But when adversity has come along, it seems we're left with these feelings wanting more regarding work ethic, desire, and intensity.

I'd like more of a hybrid style, I guess. Would have been nice to see Raftis bring in some guys with grit and experience, instead of giving up a bunch of picks (and Fowler) looking for a home run. Someone mentioned the Pilon brothers - they would have been dynamite to watch in the tight games and a big problem for playoff opponents. A veteran center who excels at faceoffs and a solid D (though Sambrook was excellent, another veteran D may have been warranted) would have been great too.

All in all, it was a fun season to be a fan, and looking forward to next season!

Been mentioned, but not having that third OA player hurt.

Was told team tried hard to pry Jalen Smereck from Flint but were told no.

 

[Gouin Street]

Thank you Soo Greyhounds for a fun and fantastic season of hockey. Thanks to all posters on this board, Hound Fans and non Hound Fans. Totally entertaining all season with alot of intelligent hockey talk. My popcorn bag is empty, my seatbelt is off, and the ride is over. It was fun while it lasted. So close to the end but not enough to beat another excellent team. I will be cheering for the Bulldogs in the Memorial Cup. Much respect to that team and their fans.

 

[Fischhaber]

Been mentioned, but not having that third OA player hurt.

Was told team tried hard to pry Jalen Smereck from Flint but were told no.

It's easy to say in hindsight, but the player that we really needed at the deadline was Michael DiPietro. Trade the assets for him instead of Raddysh and we're virtually guaranteed a Memorial Cup appearance. Of course, that's a nearly impossible trade at the deadline. We don't know if he was even available and we had no way of knowing how horrific Villalta would be in the playoffs. He had been dynamite in the regular season. If he had played even average, we'd also be in the Cup.

All lessons learned hopefully.

 

[BeliveauFan4ever]

I, for one, miss the hard work and hustle featured by the Hounds when Hartsburg was coaching the Hounds. Even though it didn't bring fantastic regular season records or high scoring teams, you could always walk away satisfied that the team gave it their all, and could aways be proud of their effort.

Ever since Dubas and Keefe brought the new style of play, I've enjoyed seeing the Hounds develop high scoring skilled players and have certainly enjoyed the teams performance when things are going well. But when adversity has come along, it seems we're left with these feelings wanting more regarding work ethic, desire, and intensity.

I'd like more of a hybrid style, I guess. Would have been nice to see Raftis bring in some guys with grit and experience, instead of giving up a bunch of picks (and Fowler) looking for a home run. Someone mentioned the Pilon brothers - they would have been dynamite to watch in the tight games and a big problem for playoff opponents. A veteran center who excels at faceoffs and a solid D (though Sambrook was excellent, another veteran D may have been warranted) would have been great too.

All in all, it was a fun season to be a fan, and looking forward to next season!

Very good post. I think it reps what a lot of Sault fans feel and think; they want dogged, hard-working Hounds.

Seen all kinds of Hound teams since 1972, and none worked harder and hit more than the Ted Nolan squads.

The work ethic was completely bankable.

(I didn't see as many games under Hartsburg but the work ethic was there as well)

It's not a good thing when a former Hound like Mark Matier is stating on a broadcast that the Hounds didn't compete across the board.

This time of year, one or two guys in a lower gear than the rest can be poison. If there's a few, that's likely going to spell doom.

 

[BeliveauFan4ever]

It's easy to say in hindsight, but the player that we really needed at the deadline was Michael DiPietro. Trade the assets for him instead of Raddysh and we're virtually guaranteed a Memorial Cup appearance. Of course, that's a nearly impossible trade at the deadline. We don't know if he was even available and we had no way of knowing how horrific Villalta would be in the playoffs. He had been dynamite in the regular season. If he had played even average, we'd also be in the Cup.

All lessons learned hopefully.

Hard to argue against DiPietro, but as you say we all thought Villalta would be better.

One thing though, every team after Saginaw camped, fried fish and drank beer in our crease area.

The D had a devil of a time clearing them out, and we were burned on screens many times.

 

[kovacro]

It’s a great learning experience for your young guys and they’ll come back stronger and hungrier next year.

Same goes for Villalta. Don’t get too down on him. He certainly showed flashes during this series. Like most young players, being consistent is key.

He must be decent anyhow or he would not have been a 3rd round pick in the NHL draft by an organization (Los Angeles) that has a pretty good record in recent years with developing goalie talent.

 

[thetank247]

I didn't like the raddysh trade from the start . I wanted Cole Sherwood , and Nicholas Hague and Giviani Smith . I mean why not we traded 9 draft choices and a player. Would have had grit and scoring . Also I remember reading or seeing a piece on Raftis saying this style of play is an experiment in the playoffs . To see if this kind of play could actually make it all the way to the memo cup. Anyways till next season.