Kingston Frontenacs 2022 Off-season Thread

[EON]

Final 2021-22 Season Thread: Kingston Frontenacs 2021-22 Season Thread

Click to read more...

 

[beastintheeast]

Going to be an interesting summer for Fronts front office.
They have to build 2 teams 1 with wright and one without
Also need to find a goalie in Europe or make a trade.
With a good goalie next year this team can compete especially if wright gets sent back.

 

[HockeyPops]

Roger is a late birth with only 1 1/2 seasons played in the OHL, and players return for their draft +2 year more often than not. If Coe and Xhekaj can be returned for their OA season, so can Roger.

Late birthday drafted 2nd round players do not return for D+2 at any kind of high frequency. Coe was a fourth rounder and Xhekaj undrafted, plus they missed their D+1 OHL season, so I wouldn't base my opinion of what might happen with Roger off those examples.

 

[ktownfan]

They may have to rebuild the front office first

 

[LazyDuck]

They may have to rebuild the front office first

Why what’s wrong with Cooper?

 

[dirty12]

Late birthday drafted 2nd round players do not return for D+2 at any kind of high frequency. Coe was a fourth rounder and Xhekaj undrafted, plus they missed their D+1 OHL season, so I wouldn't base my opinion of what might happen with Roger off those examples.

It was two sentences; two thoughts.
Coe and Xhekaj were returned a little more AHL ready imo.
Having only 1 1/2 OHL seasons and a full year to be signed, Roger is a good OA candidate regardless of draft position, I think.
But he just might be more AHL ready and better player than Coe and Xhekaj; Idk for sure.

 

[ktownfan]

I guess I meant to say the hockey ops side. Coach first

 

[ottsabrefan]

Why what’s wrong with Cooper?

Is that a joke? He was a rookie so maybe he should get another year but IMO he was the main reason they lost (he is charge of coaches, D and G, all of which were questionable and reasons why they didn’t advance).

 

[LazyDuck]

Is that a joke? He was a rookie so maybe he should get another year but IMO he was the main reason they lost (he is charge of coaches, D and G, all of which were questionable and reasons why they didn’t advance).

Caputi’s a Jon Cooper in the making.

 

[ottsabrefan]

Caputi’s a Jon Cooper in the making.

I honestly don’t mind him as much as others, but the D definitely didn’t develop a ton this year under him. We’ll see what we have when he gets a bit more experience.

 

[leafs4life94]

Some final thoughts for the season:

- Overall I'm slightly disappointed with the results, but looking where they ended up and how the season played out, 3rd in the East behind a team that loaded up much more than Kingston did (Ham) and a team that was deeper with a better D- core (NB), is where they belonged. I'm still a little surprised how easily NB handled the fronts looking at the matchup on paper, but at this point there's not much you can do other than tip your cap.

- The Fronts had 5 PPG players, and may have had a 6th if Wisdom played a full season since he ended just short of it. They were the second highest scoring team in East, 15 goals behind Hamilton, even though they either didn't show up or showed up way too late in the 2nd round. The more damning stat is my next point...

- Goals against - Kingston was 6th in goals against. Merilainen was a massive disappointment - I may have had my hopes too high but I was hoping for a goalie closer to the top 5, rather than a goalie that ended 18th in GAA and SV%. It'd be ludicrous to to put all the blame on him, but him not reaching expectations is a major part of the reason this team did bow out. Game 5 is a perfect example - maybe NB took their foot off the gas but they showed what their offense could do.

- Another common topic I've seen here and other teams boards - Ben Roger. I don't know if he'll back as an OA - the way I see it, play-wise I don't think he's ready to take that next step into the AHL, but if Ottawa wants to monitor him closer and make sure their 2nd rounder develops with their coaches, he'll be gone.

- I posted my predictions for the lineup next year in the 22/23 thread, but I'm not as optimistic for next year - losing 5/6 top 6 forwards (I don't think there's any way Wright is back, but I'd love to be wrong). Their D core will be full of vets, looking like possibly 2 or 3 OAs and Hache, and may actually be a strong point, but I think there's gotta be a couple trades to get some young guys in the lineup.

- As for the hockey ops talk - they need someone experienced. This was Cooper's 2nd year in a front office, first as GM. John McFarland's first year behind the bench. Chris Longo's second. Caputi's 7th (admittedly more than I thought - didn't he retired as young as he did) but first as head coach. I think it's too early to make any judgment, but it just sucks that this talented of a team was left with a coaching staff as inexperienced as Kingston's.

I know absolutely nothing about their prospects so if anyone knows anything about our recent picks/anyone they may get a peek next year like McGowan can they provide some insight?

 

[beastintheeast]

Some final thoughts for the season:

- Overall I'm slightly disappointed with the results, but looking where they ended up and how the season played out, 3rd in the East behind a team that loaded up much more than Kingston did (Ham) and a team that was deeper with a better D- core (NB), is where they belonged. I'm still a little surprised how easily NB handled the fronts looking at the matchup on paper, but at this point there's not much you can do other than tip your cap.

- The Fronts had 5 PPG players, and may have had a 6th if Wisdom played a full season since he ended just short of it. They were the second highest scoring team in East, 15 goals behind Hamilton, even though they either didn't show up or showed up way too late in the 2nd round. The more damning stat is my next point...

- Goals against - Kingston was 6th in goals against. Merilainen was a massive disappointment - I may have had my hopes too high but I was hoping for a goalie closer to the top 5, rather than a goalie that ended 18th in GAA and SV%. It'd be ludicrous to to put all the blame on him, but him not reaching expectations is a major part of the reason this team did bow out. Game 5 is a perfect example - maybe NB took their foot off the gas but they showed what their offense could do.

- Another common topic I've seen here and other teams boards - Ben Roger. I don't know if he'll back as an OA - the way I see it, play-wise I don't think he's ready to take that next step into the AHL, but if Ottawa wants to monitor him closer and make sure their 2nd rounder develops with their coaches, he'll be gone.

Kingston is going to be interesting. I think one of the minuses this year was that they took so long to find line matches.

Yes, you have returning D but do you want the same crew that had difficulty this year.

As to coaching, Kingston has a habit of hiring new coaches this is not a good thing as you need some experience behind the bench.

Cooper made the trades that he could without hurting this team for next year.

Merlainen was a disappointment. Being a drafted p[layer I expected more than again the defence in front of him did not help.

Rogers may be more suited t laying in the ECHL or AHL next year if eligible with men that can coach and mentor him.
Kingston has not had a great record in developing Defencemen.

BUT THE BIG QUESTION WILL BE
Shane Wright.
First, is will he be the number 1 pick? Montreal may go the Euro route with a player that has been playing at a higher level competition-wise. Even if they do draft Shane there is a good possibility that they will keep him in Kingston to develop physically.
NJ will probably trade their pick so it will muddy the waters there.

 

[OHL4Life]

Late birthday drafted 2nd round players do not return for D+2 at any kind of high frequency. Coe was a fourth rounder and Xhekaj undrafted, plus they missed their D+1 OHL season, so I wouldn't base my opinion of what might happen with Roger off those examples.

roger is not that good thou, he is an average ohler at this point, id be shocked if hes signed

I honestly don’t mind him as much as others, but the D definitely didn’t develop a ton this year under him. We’ll see what we have when he gets a bit more experience.

you had john mcfarland coaching the defenceman, that was a bad decision.

 

[beastintheeast]

you had john mcfarland coaching the defenceman, that was a bad decision.

Why is an ex-forward your defence coach? No offence but it makes no sense to me.

Also, did he move to Kingston full time or did he commute as Gilmour did.

Kingston has 3 coaches that were mid-tier forwards with no defensive capabilities.

 

[OHL4Life]

Why is an ex-forward your defence coach? No offence but it makes no sense to me.

Also, did he move to Kingston full time or did he commute as Gilmour did.

Kingston has 3 coaches that were mid-tier forwards with no defensive capabilities.

no clue, ask caputti and cooper, i think thats where the lack of experience came in, when paul mcfarldand left, they didnt look outside of the organization or look at other options, they just hired guys around and not the best guys.

 

[Truthking]

roger is not that good thou, he is an average ohler at this point, id be shocked if hes signed

Exactly, I don't know what I'm missing, he doesn't scream pro dman to me.

 

[leafs4life94]

Exactly, I don't know what I'm missing, he doesn't scream pro dman to me.

I think people are basing a lot of it on his draft position - I can't imagine a ton of 2nd rounders return for an OA season, but from what I've seen he was WAY overdrafted - CSS had him as the 74th NA Skater and he was picked 49th overall.

Play wise he definitely should be back - but if Ottawa thinks he's still got the potential they saw when they picked him I could see them sticking him in Belleville. Maybe they give him a week or two in Belleville then if he can't hack it he comes back? Not sure if that's even an option though.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

This was his first full season in the OHL, really only his second full year out of the last four, and for all intents and purposes, he was playing in a "new body" for the first time as well, having grown so much and worked so hard to add mass. Regardless of whether it's an odd path for a 2nd rounder, the smart move would be to send him back to junior for more seasoning. He's someone they drafted for what he may be able to become in his mid 20s.

 

[leafs4life94]

Trying to learn about the Card system and I found a helpful thread from a couple years, but it raised a couple questions about rookies. I read that that each team could only have 4 '05s, but Kingston used 6 (Soto, Brooks, Burns, Thibodeau, Schneider and McGowan). Schneider was an emergency call up because of injuries, but I'm not clear in why McGowan was able to play.

I looked through a bunch of other teams and it seems like there are quite a few teams that used more than 4 - but I can't figure out why.

 

[dirty12]

Trying to learn about the Card system and I found a helpful thread from a couple years, but it raised a couple questions about rookies. I read that that each team could only have 4 '05s, but Kingston used 6 (Soto, Brooks, Burns, Thibodeau, Schneider and McGowan). Schneider was an emergency call up because of injuries, but I'm not clear in why McGowan was able to play.

I looked through a bunch of other teams and it seems like there are quite a few teams that used more than 4 - but I can't figure out why.

OHL teams can sign their first two picks plus any other two picks for a max 4 true rookies to A cards. A team could have more if acquiring a 1st round picked player in trade.
Any number of 16-19 yr olds (affiliates/B card) can play (5?) games, or more in emergency. After 10 games the player is considered on an A card for which the team must have three or less signed if 16.

 

[dirty12]

Exactly, I don't know what I'm missing, he doesn't scream pro dman to me.

The Sens ‘reached?’ for Roger after a whole 36 OHL games played. Obviously, the Sens saw something they really thought projected to pro player and consider him a project. Imo, odds are quite high he is returned for an OA season before a few more in the AHL.

 

[leafs4life94]

OHL teams can sign their first two picks plus any other two picks for a max 4 true rookies to A cards. A team could have more if acquiring a 1st round picked player in trade.
Any number of 16-19 yr olds (affiliates/B card) can play (5?) games, or more in emergency. After 10 games the player is considered on an A card for which the team must have three or less signed if 16.

Thanks for the info - that might answer a completely unrelated question I had too - do the non-A card rookies need to wear cages? I wondered why Schneider wore the cage the whole year but if he wasn't signed that would make sense.

 

[HockeyPops]

Not sure how the 16 year olds worked. Vaccari (0 games) and McGowan (2 games) were probably B cards. But that still leaves 5 with A cards. Schneider had the fewest games of those 5 (he had 16 games). Maybe not all of those counted towards an A card somehow?

 

[dirty12]

Thanks for the info - that might answer a completely unrelated question I had too - do the non-A card rookies need to wear cages? I wondered why Schneider wore the cage the whole year but if he wasn't signed that would make sense.

Players not yet turned 16 must wear a full face.
And (I believe) you are correct about the affiliates as it seems all I noticed this season wore a full face even at 17.

 

[dirty12]

Not sure how the 16 year olds worked. Vaccari (0 games) and McGowan (2 games) were probably B cards. But that still leaves 5 with A cards. Schneider had the fewest games of those 5 (he had 16 games). Maybe not all of those counted towards an A card somehow?

Wow. Kingston must have a built in excuse such as distance to use a 16 yr old affiliate that often as an injury replacement; or, ‘emergency call-up’ games do not count against the limit.