Erie Otters 2023-24 Off-Season Thread (Part One)

[Mata]

So through 2 and 2/3 games we've pulled both goalies now in a game for poor performance.

This is looking like a major dumpster fire and makes me really question more than just the Otters goalie coach. What exactly does Columbus see in Lalonde? I know that sounds harsh, but outside of year one, he has not really improved at all.

 

[NOA]

So through 2 and 2/3 games we've pulled both goalies now in a game for poor performance.

This is looking like a major dumpster fire and makes me really question more than just the Otters goalie coach. What exactly does Columbus see in Lalonde? I know that sounds harsh, but outside of year one, he has not really improved at all.

Yeah I mean who knows but SB not looking so hot right now either. 3 goals in 3 games for a team who’s strength is the forward group. SB supposed to be a defensive mind and yet they are easily scored on. I wasn’t a fan of SB hiring out the gate. Thought recently it could at least bring stability but to already be 0-3 with this type of effort is a horrible sign.

It made total sense to hire an outdated, defensive coach who was never the best in his prime in an era in which the game is about offense and their best young players are forwards… Who could have predicated

 

[OttersFan]

So through 2 and 2/3 games we've pulled both goalies now in a game for poor performance.

This is looking like a major dumpster fire and makes me really question more than just the Otters goalie coach. What exactly does Columbus see in Lalonde? I know that sounds harsh, but outside of year one, he has not really improved at all.

I can’t say that I know what CBJ sees in Lalonde, but I don’t see all the blame on him. The team played the first 10 minutes, got scored on, and deflated. Odd man rushes and lack of defense hasn’t really helped. Lalonde should’ve also bailed out his team on the odd man rushes for 1-2 of them. I’ll give Lalonde 2-3 more games. They released Downey.

We look like a hot dumpster mess. Good on paper, but terrible production.

Messier gets in the lineup and has had numerous scrums. Not a good look in a 5-0 game.

 

[Mata]

Yeah I mean who knows but SB not looking so hot right now either. 3 goals in 3 games for a team who’s strength is the forward group. SB supposed to be a defensive mind and yet they are easily scored on. I wasn’t a fan of SB hiring out the gate. Thought recently it could at least bring stability but to already be 0-3 with this type of effort is a horrible sign.

It made total sense to hire an outdated, defensive coach who was never the best in his prime in an era in which the game is about offense and their best young players are forwards… Who could have predicated

Time to get rid of Brown. Longest overdue person that has yet to depart. Let a new GM start planning for the trade deadline.

 

[OttersFan]

Time to get rid of Brown. Longest overdue person that has yet to depart. Let a new GM start planning for the trade deadline.

How long have I been saying Brown needs to go? I’m pretty sure I need a button at this point that says “Fire Brown”. It’s been 2-3 years. He needs to go.

 

[onetimeshot]

Outscored 18-3 after 3 games.

Hope they can turn it around in Owen Sound tonight.

 

[NOA]

How long have I been saying Brown needs to go? I’m pretty sure I need a button at this point that says “Fire Brown”. It’s been 2-3 years. He needs to go.

Everyone has been saying it.. most GMs don’t make it past 2/3 years of missing the playoffs and for Erie, it’s been 6 years going on 7 years if this keeps up. Then you add in bad drafting and horrible asset management. He’s also gone through 3 head coaches. Hartsburg made sense at the time but that guy was a tool, and imo not even close to a good culture fit. When they promoted BJ from interim, I told all of you that was cheap and a bad decision but some wanted to defend it because he had a “decent run” after Hartsburg. Ha, no he didn’t. The players just had a spark because I’m sure awful towards the players, not a players coach like BJ appeared to be. But BJ was never head coach material for this level. Now, DB brings in his buddy who has been out of the league for a reason and the end of career was underwhelming at best while the prime of career was overrated.

We can mock DB and ridicule him all we want but folks, it’s on the owner. I think JW is a great guy, but he clearly struggles with making a hard call and investing real money into this team. I say hard call on the DB thing because I’m sure that’s his buddy now, a close friend, someone who brought him a championship. But this is a business that needs results and 6 years of this crap is unbelievable. No, it’s literally unbelievable and hard to do. You almost have to try to be this crappy for this amount of time in a league with this much player turnover, trades, drafts, and where 80% of the teams make the playoffs. I looked it up this last summer and the stretch Erie is on is one of the worst in OHL history in terms of total wins and THE singular worst in terms of consecutive years without a playoff game. It’s embarrassing. And I don’t blame JW on the money part because zero chance the franchise is generating any during these 6 years of complete crap. But the reason DB is still here and the reason the coaching hires have been bad is money related because they are all cheap moves to hire cast offs. If you want to generate more money, you need to win and if you are going to win you should have let go of DB long ago. You actually have to invest money where it matters to build up your program.

 

[OttersFan]

Within the next two weeks, it’s likely that many will be fired from the organization. Few have already quit. It’ll be interesting to see how it pans out in the coming weeks.

 

[onetimeshot]

Jamie Cieszynski no longer with the team? When did that happen?

 

[OttersFan]

Jamie Cieszynski no longer with the team? When did that happen?

Before the season started. Dave Brown fired her to save himself.

 

[NOA]

Before the season started. Dave Brown fired her to save himself.

Relax… I’ve heard things about her that wouldn’t paint a good picture. Moving on from her does not protect DB in any way so it had zero to do with DB saving his own seat.

 

[StingUpdates]

Y'all simply can't get a save. Crazy to watch.

 

[ckg927]

Outscored 18-3 after 3 games.

Hope they can turn it around in Owen Sound tonight.

They did...SORT of. Down 3-1, battle back to tie....then later took the lead only to have the Attack tie it up then win it in OT...right now the Otters cannot catch a break.

And based on what I've noticed in this thread....you're right: This team needs a purge of the crap in this organization in the worst way. Coaching, management, etc. The fans have put up with lousy hockey for WAY too long. (I've seen a lot of Otters games over the years(at least a game or two per season when I come down from Buffalo-and I'll likely be at Saturday's game), and I can remember-albeit vaguely-other lean years this team's gone through.) As someone who himself has put up with lousy to at times mid hockey, Erie fans deserve better.

But take heart. You're not Niagara. Now THAT is incompetence on another level.

 

[NOA]

They did...SORT of. Down 3-1, battle back to tie....then later took the lead only to have the Attack tie it up then win it in OT...right now the Otters cannot catch a break.

And based on what I've noticed in this thread....you're right: This team needs a purge of the crap in this organization in the worst way. Coaching, management, etc. The fans have put up with lousy hockey for WAY too long. (I've seen a lot of Otters games over the years(at least a game or two per season when I come down from Buffalo-and I'll likely be at Saturday's game), and I can remember-albeit vaguely-other lean years this team's gone through.) As someone who himself has put up with lousy to at times mid hockey, Erie fans deserve better.

But take heart. You're not Niagara. Now THAT is incompetence on another level.

Well said. It’s on the owner now. He’s the one making all the decisions or in this case, making no decisions…

 

[OttersFan]

Relax… I’ve heard things about her that wouldn’t paint a good picture. Moving on from her does not protect DB in any way so it had zero to do with DB saving his own seat.

Oh for sure. I heard the same things about what she’s done in the office. In my opinion, they both should’ve been let go at the same time.

 

[ckg927]

Well said. It’s on the owner now. He’s the one making all the decisions or in this case, making no decisions…

Hmmm...maybe you guys can call up Sabres GM Kevyn Adams for advice on how to build smartly?

 

[OHL4Life]

Hmmm...maybe you guys can call up Sabres GM Kevyn Adams for advice on how to build smartly?

buffalo hasn’t made the playoffs yet, let’s not drown Adam’s just yet, still lots to prove

 

[ckg927]

buffalo hasn’t made the playoffs yet, let’s not drown Adam’s just yet, still lots to prove

NGL, you're right. But in securing the best players we have to long-term deals(Dahlin most recently)and in a way that won't have us looking at cap dead weight in seasons to come, he's appearing to be wicked smart.

 

[NOA]

Hmmm...maybe you guys can call up Sabres GM Kevyn Adams for advice on how to build smartly?

Or.. they just fire DB which they should have done long ago. Imo 2017-2019, I give him a pass. But since that time, he’s gone through multiple coaches, the drafting hasn’t improved, and they either aren’t drafting well and/or not developing their talents. It’s a combination of scouting and development. Regardless, that falls on the GM. Not to mention the HORRIBLE asset management, starting with Lodnia trade, and all the way through the Golden trade, Gritz/MacDougall trades, Sopa trade, and Gilmartin trade. I personally wasn’t a fan of the Fimis trade either so if you want, add that to the list. DB continues to make moves like he is running a team that is in a 5-6 seed spot, or just these minor moves to improve the roster, but yet they are way overspending for what they are getting in return and they just accumulate more of the same talent and certainly the moves aren’t making any difference because it’s not like you are adding difference makers. Yet what they are paying in some cases, you would think they are adding real players…

It’s all a mess but all roads lead back to DB, which then lead to the owner who hasn’t fired him despite all this cause. Like I said, you can understand keeping DB through 2019, and even going into 2019-2020. But imo, they should have moved on from him by the time they fired BJ. If you want to say sooner, I would agree but at minimum, I think the line of demarcation or when it became neglent by JW was to keep DB here past the BJ mess. DB never should have gotten a chance to hire again and let alone hire his buddy, who has been out of the league for a few years for obvious reasons. SB was always an overrated coach, imo. That doesn’t mean he was bad but people acted like he was on some higher plain, like a Dale Hunter type. He was average in his prime and coaches an outdated style or philosophy. The only way this was going to work was if he came in and created structure and defensive stability, which so far he hasn’t really done. So, if he’s can’t fix the issues that he supposedly has strengths with fixing then wtf are we doing here ?

 

[onetimeshot]

So.... is Devin Brown (co-director of scouting) related to Dave Brown?

Losing Scott Halpenny (head scout) a few years ago didn't help with regards to scouting.

 

[Guy In Burlington]

So.... is Devin Brown (co-director of scouting) related to Dave Brown?

Losing Scott Halpenny (head scout) a few years ago didn't help with regards to scouting.

Yes. There are three brothers. Dave the oldest, Devin the youngest. Went to high school with Devin and the middle brother.

 

[Mata]

 

[LDN]

All in for the playoffs move there? Definitely should help the young team solidify your back end

 

[Mata]

I must say...the trade is a bit confusing to me. We get a goalie for 1 season and he's gone with only Gibbons as the future. I'm not doubting Gibbons, but perhaps this allows him to not have to be used 50% of the time and build him up slower? I realize we must get stronger in net, but I'm gonna scratch my head with this one

All in for the playoffs move there? Definitely should help the young team solidify your back end

Sounds reminiscent of last season...desperation trade. I'm not doubting his ability as a net minder, but we aren't a championship caliber team this season so why!?!??!

 

[Generalsupdates]

Generals Updates, the Erie Otters expert????



I like the trade for Erie. Thought it would've cost a bit less but you have a lot of good young pieces and they can't keep getting caved in all season. This will help with that