- Feb 6, 2010
- 29,906
- 28,632
2025 - 2026 Owen Sound Attack Season Thread, Part III
- Thread starter JerkNazi
- Start date
I can’t reply directly to @OSAttackFan88, but I’ve been to every game this year, I was in Flint as well.
I’ve chatted with the owners, Paul maybe 7 times this year. I’ve expressed my thoughts. It’s not that hard. They are nice people and receptive to feedback.
My point all year was that you can complain online but your just telling into the clouds, it has no true affect other then making yourself feel better, maybe?
The owners will be there tonight, they sit among all of us, you will accomplish more in one conversation with them then you would in a years worth of online postings, but you need to actually do it, and some don’t have the same stones in person as they do online, I’m not sure which you are.
If your truly as frustrated as you say, one action is a more direct route to change vs another, but it’s up to you, what you’ve been ping so far has not really accomplished much however
I’ve chatted with the owners, Paul maybe 7 times this year. I’ve expressed my thoughts. It’s not that hard. They are nice people and receptive to feedback.
My point all year was that you can complain online but your just telling into the clouds, it has no true affect other then making yourself feel better, maybe?
The owners will be there tonight, they sit among all of us, you will accomplish more in one conversation with them then you would in a years worth of online postings, but you need to actually do it, and some don’t have the same stones in person as they do online, I’m not sure which you are.
If your truly as frustrated as you say, one action is a more direct route to change vs another, but it’s up to you, what you’ve been ping so far has not really accomplished much however
Should it really come down to fans talking to the owners about changes? They are hockey people, they see the product. 7 Head coaches since the OHL championship. Greg Ireland with 4 seasons is the most by a coach hired by DD. That in of itself is an inherent failure as a GM.
On top of that you have a group of players that were here in September and under the belief they had what it took by the brass in the room, then a 1 for 1 trade sends Dec to Erie & brings Royston in.. great trade.
Then the two leaders of the team, force their hand and force OS to send them out of town.
If ownership needs the public to point this out to them, then I hope everyone enjoyed 2010/2011 and remembers it, that will be Owen Sound's only banner hanging in that arena.
Your not wrong, but this is a different conversation IMO
What is more effective at pushing for change
1. Whining and complaining online
2. Standing up and talking to owners who make themselves available to everyone at games.
Personally I don’t see a purpose in constant whining, it doesn’t actually do anything, hence my point. If you hate it so much that you need to be on here all the time, nothing is changing, it’s like Groundhog Day. So do you want to whine and complain, or do you want change? 1 option may actually do that, the second is pointless other then making the poster feel big and release some stress, maybe?
sbpointer
Registered User
- Sep 15, 2014
- 1,221
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Honest question coming from a place of a bit of ignorance.. Does Owen Sounds brass have the resources available being such a small market or is it just a better hidden tight budget situation??
"When it rains, it pours. And pours.
"
Attack have called up G Dylan Durno, as one of their goalies ( un named ) has fallen ill and can't dress tonight....
"
Attack have called up G Dylan Durno, as one of their goalies ( un named ) has fallen ill and can't dress tonight....
That is the question .....
We do know they replaced ice surface, boards , glass and other sundry improvements last summer, $$$$, this summer it's adding a player lounge facility as per new requirements league wide.
they run lean on hockey ops but i dont think players would know the difference between them or london or ottawa, they are not niagara.
they could not afford most elite coaches to my knowledge.
An excuse? Let's put this into perspective.
I have been at my job for two decades. I have shown very little success in that time, except say one time 15 years ago. My manager who works under me, has been at the realm for a very long time, a lot longer than industry standards dictate, despite little success.
Then I have people from outside of my business bring a list of issues they have observed over the last little while.
I as the owner and representation of my company should already be aware of the issues present. If I am not.
1) I am doing a terrible job of being responsible for my business and it is going to suffer.
2) I am aware & just don't care, as there is still enough work coming in I am able to operate.
3) I am aware & plan on making a change to management in order to effectively run my company and bring back a standard.
4) I made a mistake at some point and this manager is blackmailing me and I must keep him employed
5) 4 Is a joke I hope.
Unfortunately I do not think the general public make the change anyways.
Owen Sound will still have the season ticket holders renew every year , and local sponsors support. Until they begin to lose 1 of the 2 or a combination of both, it will remain status quo.
Well, in some instances they are not going to the owner of the business and bringing issues, they are just complaining online, not actually going directly to the owner. But you are correct, going to the owner would be a wiser route.
The owner will always weigh the pros and cons and have the power to move forward with whatever option they choose. Conversely, the public then has the power to act accordingly as well.
Everyone has their own power in some aspects, its just up to the individuals to use that power as they see fit.
Personally the team was good enough at the end of last year, on paper, to be a difference maker this year, so I don't see management being an issue with regards to building a team. Thats my personal take, Ive made that known in person to the owners. It will be up to them and the management to decide how to move forward, if they agree to that feedback, etc.
But whats more effective?
Complaining on a message board that no one outside of the fans and probably a select number of team members look at, or having a conversation with the owners, who make themselves available at games?
Even if you don't think that the feedback will evoke a change, whats the harm, outside of having to put a face to the name and 'man up' so to speak.
And secondly, if your a season ticket holder and unhappy with the product, you also have the ability to choose how to spend your money and how to react to the product that you are receiving, which is totally fair as well.
Management not being an issue? WTF are you talking man.. we just set a record for most consecutive losses in the playoffs. The team hasn’t finished higher than 6th since god knows when.. at some point you can’t always blame it on the coach??? So you enjoy not winning if that’s your take on management?? Because it’s been 6 plus years of complete ass in the scenic city..
Just as you are allowed to have your thoughts, I am allowed to have mine. Generally its never black and white.
Ive owned businesses, sometimes no matter how perfect everything looks on paper (which as an owner or business manager that's mostly all you can do to start) sometimes things just do not mesh.
Either way, the great part of sports is we all have the option to have opinions. You can also complain about other peoples opinions, but unless any of us has owned or managed a hockey team, they are all equal for the most part.
Correct on paper the team was good enough last year to look like they had a chance to be something this year. They even started the season that way. Then comes October 31. Michael Dec traded for Royston 1 for 1.. Dec was PPG pace through his early OHL career.. Royston on the other hand is a dime a dozen player, Plays physical provides some offensive depth. Dec's totals this year would have him 2nd in the team in points behind Mbuyi. Unless you have an abundance of PPG players making a move for a depth power forward is idiotic. After that move the tide seemed to have shifted on this team.
After a lack of scoring and high power offense Management had to give up additional assets to acquire Taylor to try and provide more firepower offensively.
Then comes the deadline, where Management failed to convince the key players this team was a contender based on moves made prior and a rather large narrative shift & Bedkowski was shipped out after being a big piece in the Barlow trade (Which again was done as management failed to fill a supporting cast with a corner stone elite forward and elite goaltender)
Then Carter George is traded to the Soo, where again the return was great in terms of picks, However management has shown in the past they are not willing to spend picks to add big pieces.
It seems every 2nd year, Owen Sound is on the coaching market. Is it really always a coaching issue?? They have had the pieces throughout the years but failed to compile a support staff (Depth pieces, shutdown defenseman, etc).
Look back to Suzuki, Durzi, Phillips year's. Specifically 2017-2018. That roster was good enough to compete for an OHL championship - The one piece they were lacking was goaltending. The solution.. Zach Bowman - He quit after 15 games. Replacement to that piece an unproven Olivier Lafreniere. Owen Sound finished near the top of Goals for & Near the bottom for goals against. At the time the OHL shutout leader from the Season before Jeremy Helvig was on the market from Kingston. Degray went to then Kingston GM (Meaford. ON Native) - & offered a laughable trade, Kingston then declined and countered to which he never received a response... Owen sound then went onto lose in 7 games to the Soo in the 2nd round. Game 7 final was 9-7..
At what point will Degray be held accountable for the moves or lack thereof that are made and the way this team has performed..?
Alot to take in here, let me add my personal thoughts, again, not saying that I'm smarter then anyone, but some context or secondary thoughts here.
I think the thought was that Taylor would replace the scoring that Dec would have given. I don't agree, but Taylor at his best has been better then what the cost was to be fair, he's just very inconsistent. Still not as good as Dec.
I don't pretend to know everything, but I understand that Bedkowski was an off ice issue and to be honest, playing brutal. Everyone on here including me had said that, he was the reason that the team was leading the league in penalty minutes this year. He was often the teams worst D.
With George, the team obviously fell off a cliff and he was an asset, why keep someone just to win, a game? Especially considering he had no interest in coming back.
I mean, that's a question for owners, and anyone can talk to them in the intermissions tonight. Personally I think that every other year we seem to have a team that could make noise, that seems to be good management, drafting, etc. For whatever reason, humans are not robots and cannot delete the emotional side of hockey, personalities struggling, etc. Hence the struggles with results.
Lets remember, at the end of last year the fans on here all loved the coaches and thought they were outstanding. So, what changed? I have no idea, but Im sure that the management does.
Agreed, moronic trade. They found a steal in the 8th round and moved him for a guy that was a heavy. I do think that he will be a much better player next year and probably could be a 25 goal scorer. But yes, agreed, no reason to move someone like Dec, he'd be a top player for us.
I think the thought was that Taylor would replace the scoring that Dec would have given. I don't agree, but Taylor at his best has been better then what the cost was to be fair, he's just very inconsistent. Still not as good as Dec.
I don't pretend to know everything, but I understand that Bedkowski was an off ice issue and to be honest, playing brutal. Everyone on here including me had said that, he was the reason that the team was leading the league in penalty minutes this year. He was often the teams worst D.
With George, the team obviously fell off a cliff and he was an asset, why keep someone just to win, a game? Especially considering he had no interest in coming back.
Well, Todd Gill was seemingly an average hire, he did well initially, but it seemed like everyone grew tired of him after a bit. Alan Letang left to go home, which the owners let him. He coached to a conference final and a WJCU20 Head Coach. Greg Walters, probably the best coach since McGill, we're seeing that now, but do we really need to get into why he was let go, we all head the stories.
You can talk to Fred about this one I think, the team had a deal done for a quality over age goalie in Kingston (NHL Drafted, cant remember the name) but they pulled out and decided to buy. They brought in Lafreniere as a replacement for Bowman but kept looking. I don't think any other goalies were traded that year. They went hard after Dylan Wells from Peterborough, but he didn't get traded. I don't know what goalie that was traded that year was any better unfortunelty. Its funny, I think any of the 3 we've had in the crease this year would have taken that team to a championship.
I mean, that's a question for owners, and anyone can talk to them in the intermissions tonight. Personally I think that every other year we seem to have a team that could make noise, that seems to be good management, drafting, etc. For whatever reason, humans are not robots and cannot delete the emotional side of hockey, personalities struggling, etc. Hence the struggles with results.
Lets remember, at the end of last year the fans on here all loved the coaches and thought they were outstanding. So, what changed? I have no idea, but Im sure that the management does.
PensFan101
Forever Champions.
Agreed with your points on management and that 17/18 season still stings. I don't recall Helvig ever being on the market given Kingston loaded up and went to the conference finals, but I do recall the team tried and failed to bring in Joseph Raaymakers (but if Helvig was available no doubt tires were kicked). Either way, they had the best team in the country positions 1-18 but had the weakest goaltending in the country. Any mid level OHL starter likely results in a Memorial Cup run. That should have been a sign that DeGray was past his expiration date, and the following winter when he waited until too late on moving Suzuki and Durzi while the market was hot should have been the final straw.
Normally in the NHL a GM gets one, maybe two coaches of their own choosing before the sword gets pointed at them. To say DeGray hasn't had enough chances to get it right would be an understatement. He arguably hasn't gotten a coaching hire right since McGill.
Mike Futa was also a great (and superior) recruiter and helped turn Owen Sound into a destination. Bringing in guys that punch above our market size has historically been a strength for 20+ years now. But Futa also had a few big blind spots (and struggled mightily to make good trades), and 06-07 was likely the end of his rope even if he didn't have an NHL job offer. The Dec trade is obviously not on the level of say Josh Bailey to Windsor, but even that mediocre, 8th place Attack team put up a good fight against London in Round 1. This year's team is dead on arrival.
Lets all remember where we were last year.
www.owensoundsuntimes.com
We started 8-2, so whats changed since then? Why are we now here? We can react emotionally, but I'm not sure that's truly an effective way to assess something?
Hope springs eternal as the Owen Sound Attack embark on important summer ahead
The Owen Sound Attack haven't won a playoff game since 2022, but the team's fans, players and coaching staff are optimistic.
www.owensoundsuntimes.com
We started 8-2, so whats changed since then? Why are we now here? We can react emotionally, but I'm not sure that's truly an effective way to assess something?
I remember Raaymakers as well. Again, I remembered it a bit but talked to Fred about it last year, Owen Sound offered alot more, but Soo wouldn't move him to Owen Sound due to the fact that the Soo figured that Owen Sound was thier top competition (who can blame them, they were right). Owen Sound even tried to get a team in the East to make the trade and then flip him the next day, but the Soo sniffed it out and killed it off.
Hes right, it was definitely Helvig. Again, according to Fred a deal was done but before the deal was signed off the Fronts decided to pivot and buy.
I’ll say it.. if anyone that’s a fan of this team doesn’t think that the GM needs to go then you are part of the problem too.. because you have had so many coaching changes yet one GM in that period.. the team needs to clear house once eliminated from the playoffs.
So you're opinion is more important then those who may think differently then you?
Again, are you actually going to do something or just complain endlessly?
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