Kingston Frontenacs 2022 Off-season Thread

[ktownfan]

I think you are right about north bay. They will have a veteran lineup, one with 3 rounds of playoff experience coming back. Barrie, I'm not sure of. Caputi is a huge question mark, only time will tell. It will be a less skilled team than last year, but they do have some guys coming back that need a chance to prove themselves.

 

[beastintheeast]

The fronts are returning a pretty good team and gain a bit on some since not every team is getting an import this season, let alone two. But I don’t expect Kingston to finish 5-6 because I expect Arcuri and an OA D to be traded at some point to replace some missing picks. Despite ‘only’ 8th in both points and pts/g as a 17 yr old, Wright is still in that McDavid, Ekblad, Tavares, Spezza class. He is just the only one to miss his 16 yr old season. Let’s not dismiss his possibly better than McDavid and Tavares 15 yr old season. I will be a bit surprised if he is returned to the OHL.

Most teams are returning a lot. Hamilton and SSM are the only teams that could be looked at as buyers last season. Kingston, Missasauga, & NB added players that can return this season. I think NB can have ~20 in camp that played in the conference final.
I don’t see a team in the entire league that is better over all than the Colts right now, none as good if they get their import.

I agree with most of what you say however, I do not agree about Wright. First he decided to stay in Canada when he could have made a deal and gone to the U.S. Or Europe to play.

No one has him in the same class as anyone that you stated. No one has him listed as a first-line center with high NHL offence.

Seattle will send him back and tell him they want to see him flourish they are going to want to see how he does in both WJC.

On paper, I see most teams have a promising lineup and have a chance to be a top team. It is going to be how that translates onto the ice and who actually returns

 

[beastintheeast]

Can someone explain why Wright would skip toe WJC seems to me that that would be a good way to get in top physical shape for NHL camp

 

[ottsabrefan]

The fronts are returning a pretty good team and gain a bit on some since not every team is getting an import this season, let alone two. But I don’t expect Kingston to finish 5-6 because I expect Arcuri and an OA D to be traded at some point to replace some missing picks. Despite ‘only’ 8th in both points and pts/g as a 17 yr old, Wright is still in that McDavid, Ekblad, Tavares, Spezza class. He is just the only one to miss his 16 yr old season. Let’s not dismiss his possibly better than McDavid and Tavares 15 yr old season. I will be a bit surprised if he is returned to the OHL.

Most teams are returning a lot. Hamilton and SSM are the only teams that could be looked at as buyers last season. Kingston, Missasauga, & NB added players that can return this season. I think NB can have ~20 in camp that played in the conference final.
I don’t see a team in the entire league that is better over all than the Colts right now, none as good if they get their import.

I agree that Arcuri (and possibly Wright if he returns) will have to be traded this year to load up for next year or the year after as the cupboards are too thin. If not they won’t be able to add for the next few years.

After watching Wright last season, it is clear in my mind that he needs another year in the O. He didn’t dominate as much as expected, and his playoffs weren’t amazing either. He should have the classic 9 game, WJC, long playoff run similar to what Sam Reinhart and Dylan Cozens, amongst others after being high picks, to get his confidence up and get him to the point where he looks too good for the O. He rarely looked liked that last year, and IMO looked nowhere near as good as Bennett did his draft year. That being said, what I think means absolutely nothing. It will also be interesting to see how willing Seattle is to return him to a coach that continues to have a question mark over his head. As a Fronts fan, the return at the deadline would be massive for the future, so hopefully he comes back!

 

[HockeyPops]

Can someone explain why Wright would skip toe WJC seems to me that that would be a good way to get in top physical shape for NHL camp

It's a great way to go into NHL camp at less than 100% with bumps, bruises, and more serious injuries.

 

[dirty12]

I agree with most of what you say however, I do not agree about Wright. First he decided to stay in Canada when he could have made a deal and gone to the U.S. Or Europe to play.

No one has him in the same class as anyone that you stated. No one has him listed as a first-line center with high NHL offence.

Seattle will send him back and tell him they want to see him flourish they are going to want to see how he does in both WJC.

On paper, I see most teams have a promising lineup and have a chance to be a top team. It is going to be how that translates onto the ice and who actually returns

Wright is in that class as 15 yr olds to clearly belong in OHL. Day is the exception to the exceptional rule. Wright produced more than Tavares & McDavid in their first year. He is considered better defensively than McDavid, Tavares, Spezza when NHL drafted. He is up to ~200lbs. He is unhappy about not being picked #1; and, he wants to immediately prove teams made a mistake. There is nothing for Wright in the OHL imo. I think he is done with with OHL imo, unless he proves to not be ready for the NHL.

 

[OHL Fan]

He should be in the NHL because Kraken not a great team and can work and wait for him. Also, if you send him back to OHL, that will destroy his psychy. He will be like Set Jones when he fell from 1A to 4th.

 

[beastintheeast]

W

Wright is in that class as 15 yr olds to clearly belong in OHL. Day is the exception to the exceptional rule. Wright produced more than Tavares & McDavid in their first year. He is considered better defensively than McDavid, Tavares, Spezza when NHL drafted. He is up to ~200lbs. He is unhappy about not being picked #1; and, he wants to immediately prove teams made a mistake. There is nothing for Wright in the OHL imo. I think he is done with with OHL imo, unless he proves to not be ready for the NHL.

He should be in the NHL because Kraken not a great team and can work and wait for him. Also, if you send him back to OHL, that will destroy his psychy. He will be like Set Jones when he fell from 1A to 4th.

While you both have excellent points the only issue is, do you want o to bring him into the league at this stage?
Yes he has added to his size.
Yes he wants to play in the nHL what NHL 1st round pick does not
Yes the Kraken is a building team but they have 4 centers already under contract as well as Berniers who they drafted last year and is ready to come up and play NHL

If they could send him to the AHL that would be one thing. They can not. So they are left with the choice of going with 2 brand new to NHL centers or developing Berniers this year and sending Wright back to the OHL. Possibly with the tag that the Fronts have to either prove they can develop him or trade him to a team that can.

I am still surprised that Wright is bypassing the WJC. I thought that would have given him a great chance to show what he can do ahead of the rookie camp but that is his choice.

Just like it was his choice not to play 2 years ago when the covid lockout was happening.

He will get the 9 games to show himself I am sure and it will be interesting to see how he shines. But Bernier's was also a high 1st-round pick that they said was going to be a leader for the future.

 

[OHL Fan]

Tough to have both Beniers and Wright in Kraken lineup.

They may have to send Wright back to OHL after 9 games and they can drag the 9 games out til WJC and then play there and then trade at Deadline?

So he may have played his last game as a Frontenac.

 

[beastintheeast]

Wright depends on what the Fronts promise and show. If the Kraken think he can develop in Kingston then they will send him back.

To be honest this sounds a lot like Gilmour Gubrandson. That did not turnout well for anyone.

The NHL can say what they want but the Fronts do not have to do it.
If they are going to be more competitive with him in theline up then they may hold firm
remember there is money involved inthis as well.

 

[HockeyPops]

Lol. Any OHL team knows that it's in their best interest to develop good relations with NHL teams. If they blatantly refused a request from Seattle it would cause irreparable damage to that relationship, as well as others.

 

[beastintheeast]

Lol. Any OHL team knows that it's in their best interest to develop good relations with NHL teams. If they blatantly refused a request from Seattle it would cause irreparable damage to that relationship, as well as others.

Agreed but this is the same owner that refused to move Gubrandsen when Florida wanted him to. I agree that in all likelihood he would be traded but then again Kingston has to get a reasonable return on him in order for it to make sense

 

[HockeyPops]

You don't think a Wright trade would generate reasonable return?

 

[EvenSteven]

You don't think a Wright trade would generate reasonable return?

At worst they’d get the return that McTavish brought last trade deadline.

 

[beastintheeast]

If the Fronts are forced by Seattle to trade then the price goes down. Other GMs know you are restricted on where he can go.

 

[dirty12]

If the Fronts are forced by Seattle to trade then the price goes down. Other GMs know you are restricted on where he can go.

OHL teams would line up to shred their future for the opportunity to add Wright, imo. But I just don’t see the Kraken sending him back for his development to stall in the OHL.
You seem to believe Wright needs to return to learn to dominate. Wright would be the #2 pt producer (#1 pts/g) from last season behind Othman who has played along side Wright enough for all to know Wright is the better player even though a year younger than Othman.

 

[OHL Fan]

Alot of high end drafted NHL players in the OHL that put up big numbers and will play their last season before Overage year.

Wyatt Johnson, Othmann, should be back in the OHL this year. Is Wright that much better than both to warrant an NHL spot, considering that Kraken have Beniers in the waiting? JMO

 

[dirty12]

Alot of high end drafted NHL players in the OHL that put up big numbers and will play their last season before Overage year.

Wyatt Johnson, Othmann, should be back in the OHL this year. Is Wright that much better than both to warrant an NHL spot, considering that Kraken have Beniers in the waiting? JMO

If Johnson is not in the NHL this season, it’s because he is not yet man enough to play there, not because he needs to learn how to lead the league in scoring and team to an OHL final.
Wright is ~200 lbs and considered an advanced defensive prospect with elite hockey sense which would help his team now even if in a bottom six role; and he has considerably more point production than any OHL player his age. There is nothing for him to gain by playing another OHL season, JMHO. The way I see it, Ron Francis selected a reasonable facsimile of himself. There may not be a better place for Wright to be than with the Kraken.

 

[OHL Fan]

Be careful what you wish for.

 

[dirty12]

Be careful what you wish for.

What are you getting at?
Since the wolves GM has not selected a D prior to round 4 or 5 in any priority draft for four straight years, I wish the wolves would use their extra picks to acquire an ‘04 or ‘05 D, but fear that transaction would mirror the Stratis or Nizhnikov results.

 

[OHL Fan]

Just saying that playing 4th line for Kraken may not be best for development. Marner played a 3rd year in OHL and its done him well.

John Tavares played 4 yrs in the OHL and has done well at the NHL level.

There's a huge leap from OHL to NHL.

 

[dirty12]

Just saying that playing 4th line for Kraken may not be best for development. Marner played a 3rd year in OHL and its done him well.

John Tavares played 4 yrs in the OHL and has done well at the NHL level.

There's a huge leap from OHL to NHL.

It’s whole different level for sure; best of the best. But Marner was way too slight; and, Tavares was a late birth so he was ineligible until his draft year.
Tavares in his final OHL year and Wright last year both faced plenty of 2 on 1 zone defense that neither could simply blow by as McDavid did. I don’t know if you saw a lot of Tavares’ final year; but I thought he was either a bit slow, or teams figured him out, or maybe he reached his potential. The one exceptional part of his game was that opportunity resulted with the puck in the net.
There just isn’t an OHL comparable for Wright this season, and I believe his development would stall being returned to the league. One more year of playing as a decoy does him no favours imo.

 

[OHL Fan]

The only comparison I can think of is Cuylle on Windsor. He is bigger and not as good a skater but can play hard, 200' and can score.

Do you think McTavish should be in the OHL next year? Hes a good comparison to Wright in some ways.

 

[dirty12]

The only comparison I can think of is Cuylle on Windsor. He is bigger and not as good a skater but can play hard, 200' and can score.

Do you think McTavish should be in the OHL next year? Hes a good comparison to Wright in some ways.

No, I do not think McTavish should be in the OHL next season.
I haven’t really seen Cuylle other than games vs Flint and one trashing of SSM this year. He probably needs most of the next two seasons in the AHL?

 

[beastintheeast]

OHL teams would line up to shred their future for the opportunity to add Wright, imo. But I just don’t see the Kraken sending him back for his development to stall in the OHL.
You seem to believe Wright needs to return to learn to dominate. Wright would be the #2 pt producer (#1 pts/g) from last season behind Othman who has played along side Wright enough for all to know Wright is the better player even though a year younger than Othman.

Dirty you are missing my point COMPLETELY

I am not saying that Wright would develop more with another year of OHL. Although there is truth to that depending on the team.

What I am saying is that Francis does not have a choice.
You can not have an NHL team with 2 rookie centers Beniers is older and ready to play in the NHL. Wright may have the size but I question if he is more ready than Beniers.
Also Wright does not have the option of going anywhere but back to the OHL.

It is a numbers game and looking at the Kraken there is one spot for 1 center.

Wright can learn a lot more at the OHL level than sitting in an apartment or home in Seattle and just practicing with the team. Also, that would be a waste of a year on his contract that Francis s not going to want to do.