Guelph Storm 2024 - 25 Season Thread, Part I

[LDN]

There you go! Noah Jenken already paying off for you guys! Good trade for both teams!

1st star. Great to see. He will hopefully flourish with increased playing time

 

[thenumbersguy]

I like Jenken’s game last night. Nothing flashy but he showed good poise out on the ice and I can see him being a good QB on the PP.

I think he will gets lots of opportunities to improve his draft stock.

 

[Living Vicariously]

Perhaps an unpopular opinion…..I’m tired of seeing the same experiment with a particular defenceman being used on the first power play unit every time we get one. A defensive liability IMO and is not particularly interested in hustling back if caught up ice. Wasn’t sure if I was the only one who felt this way and thinks politics are overruling common sense here.

 

[MidwestStorm]

I get more concerned seeing who I believe may be the same player on the penalty kill.

I will assume it is more to do with our continued D shortage due to injuries.

 

[MidwestStorm]

Speaking of injuries, below is a summary of our injuries the first half (32 games).

Defense
Budnick 19 games
Beauchense 12
Topp 13
Spada 6
Haley 19
Allen / Skvortzov 7
76 Games

Forwards
Luchanko 16 games
Karabella 12
McFadden 6
Johnston 24
58 games

As bad as our record the first half -
18th in the standings
20th in goals against

We are not at the bottom in -
PK 10th 80.2%
PP 14th 20.0%
Goals for 13th
Face offs won 5th 52.2%

5 on 5 seems to be our major problem with Defense and our injuries a significant contributor.

 

[stormfollower]

Perhaps an unpopular opinion…..I’m tired of seeing the same experiment with a particular defenceman being used on the first power play unit every time we get one. A defensive liability IMO and is not particularly interested in hustling back if caught up ice. Wasn’t sure if I was the only one who felt this way and thinks politics are overruling common sense here.

I can’t understand why he hasn’t experimented more with the PP? Another unpopular opinion perhaps but there are better and faster skaters he hasn’t left on the bench. And if we wants someone parked in front there are more physical players left on the bench too.

 

[MidwestStorm]

Two years ago we regularly had the big slappers from the point by Allen and Buchinger or the one timers from Max and Bowman. I think Lev can be the QB / playmaker we had with Poitras. Can Jenken and Skvortzov provide the big shot?

We also play 2 units evenly every powerplay unlike many teams. Would prefer to see unit 1 with 20 or 30 more seconds.

 

[I Loveallsports]

What's the opinion thus far regarding Stillman

 

[stormfollower]

Would be interesting if they could more than 1 game without shuffling the lines.

 

[stormfollower]

Would be interesting if they could more than 1 game without shuffling the lines.

More to that that…. For a coach constantly changing lines , you would think he would change the pp as well. Neither is working!

 

[bearfan]

Would be interesting if they could more than 1 game without shuffling the lines.

It would drive you crazy in London where the lines are never the same period to period shift to shift, but Dale has done that for a few years now. We have just gotten use to it

 

[MidwestStorm]

Seems a few teams may be interested in Paquette. Unless it is a Huge, to good to be true offer, I hope he is not moved. Need some veteran leadership and he has been very good with Katzin.

 

[thenumbersguy]

Guess the team decided to go with youth in goal for the rest of the year. Gillespie to Brampton. Surprised by the trading partner and the good return we got.

Storm complete a trade with the Steelheads - Guelph Storm

Guelph, ON – Guelph Storm General Manager George Burnett has announced today that the club has traded veteran goaltender Brayden Gillespie to the Brampton Steelheads in exchange for a second-round pick in 2025 (Brampton), a third-round pick in 2026 (London), and a conditional fifth-round pick in...

chl.ca

 

[Living Vicariously]

Guess the team decided to go with youth in goal for the rest of the year. Gillespie to Brampton. Surprised by the trading partner and the good return we got.

Storm complete a trade with the Steelheads - Guelph Storm

Guelph, ON – Guelph Storm General Manager George Burnett has announced today that the club has traded veteran goaltender Brayden Gillespie to the Brampton Steelheads in exchange for a second-round pick in 2025 (Brampton), a third-round pick in 2026 (London), and a conditional fifth-round pick in...

chl.ca

He will be a solid backup to Ivankovic going into a deep run in the east.

 

[StormWatcher]

George is on fire. I love the return and the fact that we will get to see Ellsworth and Jovanovski.
A note to fans, our D and G are now primarily '07's. PATIENCE is going to be required. Budnick is out with injury, meaning that our defense is very inexperienced. I love the fact that our young '07/'08 tandem will get a tonne of development minutes and I'm excited for the future of this group.

 

[MidwestStorm]

Love all three deals so far with 1 maybe 2 more to come. Future is bright with this young core and an overflowing draft board.

 

[GoFronts]

Has anyone on the Guelph side heard about Luchanko's landing spot yet? Really hoping Kingston is where he ends up after the dust settles. We're loaded with 19 year olds and behind Oshawa and Barrie, we have no choice but to go for it. We have a boatload of picks at the ready, and Hopkins as an '07 of course.

If Luchanko comes back next year we can recoup some of the picks and get younger and help jump start our rebuild/retool.

 

[MidwestStorm]

If there is no rumored deal in place with London, Fronts would definitely be in play with Hopkins and picks.
Sounds like Barrie is looking elsewhere and I don't see Oshawa in play with very little draft capital. Brampton and maybe Brantford are possible options with plenty to offer. Windsor has the pieces if they decide to go and it would be one less piece for London.