Erie Otters 2023-24 Off-Season Thread (Part One)
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Appears Schaefer's mother passed within the last couple days, if not yesterday.
Thoughts and prayers to him and his entire family.
Can't imagine the roller coaster this kid has been on.
Thoughts and prayers to him and his entire family.
Can't imagine the roller coaster this kid has been on.
He did not attend the Sonic meet n greet. Coincidentally it was Emily Matson’s birthday. Had no idea his mom took a turn for the worse (not that we even needed to know), but that kid just keeps getting punched in the gut. He’s one of the nicest and respectful kids on this team. Thoughts and prayers are with him. He’s a tough kid and has a good head on his shoulders.
Erie has used multiple emergency tenders since Ben's injury. Not sure of how it works.
I checked hockey DB and it looks like Rye will be the 8th tender Erie has played this year.
I don't see Rye on the peterborough roster, recently Sauga lent a tender out to another team and he remained ( I believe) listed on the Steelheads roster. Tough circumstances nonetheless.
A positive is we battled back, but came up short.
It was nice to watch Easton Rye play. I think a big take away from him is his confidence to play the puck. Quite honestly, when has this team had a goalie play the puck in a faceoff dot on the PP or use the trapezoid to clear pucks away from the net confidently? Now he’s obviously a EBUG but these are little things this team could do to change their game.
I’d like to see more opportunities go Smith’s way next week. I feel like he’s been chipping away with no results.
Alfano had some good looks on the doorstep. He’s improved his game greatly this season.
Ty Henry played solid this weekend.
It was nice to watch Easton Rye play. I think a big take away from him is his confidence to play the puck. Quite honestly, when has this team had a goalie play the puck in a faceoff dot on the PP or use the trapezoid to clear pucks away from the net confidently? Now he’s obviously a EBUG but these are little things this team could do to change their game.
I’d like to see more opportunities go Smith’s way next week. I feel like he’s been chipping away with no results.
Alfano had some good looks on the doorstep. He’s improved his game greatly this season.
Ty Henry played solid this weekend.
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He is the Petes goaltender of the future. He has got caught in the numbers game in Peterborough playing behind Liam Szuska and Zach Bowen but will be a big part of the Petes next year.
Saw a 1st today OHL wise. Dad's trip for the game. They were in Niagara last night, then Erie today. Good for them, they saw their boys win 2.
Niagara is always a fun trip. We didn’t make it there this season, but in the past have always had a good time.
Otters have to go get a goalie in the Import Draft this summer, right? Trading for a legit no. 1 isn't going to happen and another OA would just be a band-aid.
Like most on this Board, I don't have much confidence in Dave Brown at all, but if he's still around, getting a goalie in the Import Draft has to be plainly obvious to him - at least I hope it is.
Last tender we had that put up true no. 1 numbers in the OHL was either Troy Timpano in 16-17 (44 GP, 2.37 GAA, .901 SV%) or Devin Williams in 15-16 (55 GP, 2.36 GAA, .915 SV%). Pathetic it's been so long since we've had a goalie with a save percentage above .900.
Like most on this Board, I don't have much confidence in Dave Brown at all, but if he's still around, getting a goalie in the Import Draft has to be plainly obvious to him - at least I hope it is.
Last tender we had that put up true no. 1 numbers in the OHL was either Troy Timpano in 16-17 (44 GP, 2.37 GAA, .901 SV%) or Devin Williams in 15-16 (55 GP, 2.36 GAA, .915 SV%). Pathetic it's been so long since we've had a goalie with a save percentage above .900.
HockeyPops
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- Aug 20, 2018
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Does Burns not get a shot at starter next season?
This year in 6 games for Erie he is .871
This year in 34 games for Erie Gaudreau is .890
This year in 6 games for Erie he is .871
This year in 34 games for Erie Gaudreau is .890
They at least will need a suitable back-up if they can't find a starter in Gibbons or Burns, so I would assume those two battle it out until they either:
A. Find a permanent solution (draft/trade)
B. One of the two becomes a consistent starter
DCruickshank
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- Jan 8, 2022
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I'll call for you tomorrow and post the results here for ya
Long distance charges? Wow. I remember those. You Grey/Bruce guys are gonna love it when you get cell phones and unlimited wireless coverage.
I was gonna do you a solid and call but Mata already offered and I’d want one of those killer OS Grey’s throwback jerseys as payment.Totally agree on targeting goalie in the 2024 import. Simply because we know they have no answer on the roster or in the system and as we have seen this year, without a true goalie or even a good backup - you can’t win consistently. Better hope an import goalie can bail them out again or they will be struggling at the bottom of the pack yet again next year.
In terms of the last time they had a true #1 - I would argue it was Sadikov. Or Janus. The last non-import was probably Josh Disher. Timpano/Williams simply had elite teams in front of them but we all know that once it was playoff time or when the best of the best were the opponents - their lack of elite goalie play eventually exposed the team, especially in 2015 and 2017. They probably have at least 1 mem cup if they had elite goalie play in those seasons and that’s being conservative.
Maybe if they put real resources into hiring a legit goalie coach then things could change but until that, they simply won’t develop them consistently and will then need to rely on outside resources via trade / import draft to do it for them. Pathetic
Cell phones? Wireless coverage? People are still clutching their land line telephones like pearls lol. People I talk to are still debating the merits of upgrading from dial up internet. One step at a time...Long distance charges? Wow. I remember those. You Grey/Bruce guys are gonna love it when you get cell phones and unlimited wireless coverage.
Don’t you think the sample size is relevant here? Erie can’t go into next season without adding another body to the room. Could be through the draft or trade but somebody needs to be added unless the guys they currently have end up having a jump in their development. Even with Gaudreau, it hasn't really been good enough because they don’t have a quality backup. Next year they need a quality starter AND quality backup.
HockeyPops
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Sample size is always relevant, and with goalies the sample is never big enough. True.
I guess maybe I don't have a feel for what this team will be next season. I figured Erie would take a step back in 24-25, but maybe not? Misiak is gone but do you think Fimis and Sova are back? Alfano?
If next year becomes a contending year, then yes you would likely need to add a goalie. But if not, I think you have two good 06 options that you need to give some runway to try and figure it out.
Some major Devin Williams erasure going on here, if he wasn't a legit #1 goalie, I don't know who is. His performance in the 2015-16 season was incredible. He played 55 of 68 games, 0.915 SV %, 2.36 GAA (both second in the league, behind only Tyler Parsons). That team had no business winning the Hamilton Spectator Trophy, he carried them there. His postseason stats that year only look bad because the team got absolutely roasted by the Knights top line in the West Finals. He wasn't great in the 2014-15 playoffs but he's hardly the reason they lost to Oshawa. He was very good in relief of Dansk in 2013-14. He deserves far more respect than Otters fans have given him, even if he wasn't an elite #1.
Anyways, as to what they do next season, I am not in favor of using the import spot on the goalie. I think they should roll the dice on Burns/Gibbons, maybe consider trading for a cheap '05 if they really feel they need the help. They are going to lose Misiak and Bressette from the forward group. Assuming they keep Sova as an OA, they are going to need to choose 2 of Fimis, Alfano, Smith, and McDonald (which likely means keeping Fimis/Alfano, then releasing/trading Smith/McDonald). This leaves a bit of a hole in their top 9 and I think they need that import pick to help address this. Right now, the prospective lineup looks like this to me:
Spence - Terrance - Alfano (OA)
Molnar - Fimis (OA) - ????
Edwards - ???? - ????
Messier/Toropstev - Hammond - Royston
Sova (OA) - Sauder
Schaefer - Henry
Holomego - Daviault
Maybe one of Hammond/Royston steps into the top 9 (hopefully Royston at least). Even if both do, you're still one top 9 forward short. I think they need the import pick to add a top 6 wing to make the forward group work. Burns showed flashes of being a solid goalie, and Gibbons has been better since getting to play more regularly. Invest more in your goalie development and let these two have a shot at it.
Anyways, as to what they do next season, I am not in favor of using the import spot on the goalie. I think they should roll the dice on Burns/Gibbons, maybe consider trading for a cheap '05 if they really feel they need the help. They are going to lose Misiak and Bressette from the forward group. Assuming they keep Sova as an OA, they are going to need to choose 2 of Fimis, Alfano, Smith, and McDonald (which likely means keeping Fimis/Alfano, then releasing/trading Smith/McDonald). This leaves a bit of a hole in their top 9 and I think they need that import pick to help address this. Right now, the prospective lineup looks like this to me:
Spence - Terrance - Alfano (OA)
Molnar - Fimis (OA) - ????
Edwards - ???? - ????
Messier/Toropstev - Hammond - Royston
Sova (OA) - Sauder
Schaefer - Henry
Holomego - Daviault
Maybe one of Hammond/Royston steps into the top 9 (hopefully Royston at least). Even if both do, you're still one top 9 forward short. I think they need the import pick to add a top 6 wing to make the forward group work. Burns showed flashes of being a solid goalie, and Gibbons has been better since getting to play more regularly. Invest more in your goalie development and let these two have a shot at it.
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