Kingston Frontenacs 2024-25 Season Thread, Part I

[Leviathan899]

Dalyn Wakely scratched today vs North Bay.
Van Steensel given the C- A’s to Romani, Procyszyn and Kennedy.

Would assume Wakely would get a letter if he was staying. Maybe they just trade wakely and keep the others? Come on Cooper make a move

Has Wakely been sent back by Edmonton? I figured he’d be attending their AHL camp, like Roobroeck with NY.

 

[frontsfan67]

Has Wakely been sent back by Edmonton? I figured he’d be attending their AHL camp, like Roobroeck with NY.

Yes he is back

RELEASE: Oilers return four players to junior teams | Edmonton Oilers

Nathaniel Day, Connor Clattenburg, William Nicholl and Dalyn Wakely are all headed back to the OHL

www.nhl.com

 

[dirty12]

Probably keep the others until the deadline and see what opens up.

Mathurin, Wakely, and maybe an ‘06 D might be all NB moves; unless, they are certain Romani graduates.

 

[OMG67]

Mathurin, Wakely, and maybe an ‘06 D might be all NB moves; unless, they are certain Romani graduates.

It will come down to value with Romani. No sense keeping him if there is value there. I know it would be a good OA option but rebuilding picks and maybe nailing down a good young player will be more impactful from an asset perspective than a bit of a boost next year.

 

[dirty12]

It will come down to value with Romani. No sense keeping him if there is value there. I know it would be a good OA option but rebuilding picks and maybe nailing down a good young player will be more impactful from an asset perspective than a bit of a boost next year.

The value would have to be immediate, I think. Romani would be a big boost for next season. I think the only other ‘05s are Ride & Kennedy to use with their choices of the 11 signed ‘06s

 

[leafs4life94]

Well sometimes you get goalied. Oster was unbelievable and probably the single reason the game ended up how it did.

Player thoughts -

- Uronen is a lot more physical than I thought, lots of finished checks and no scaring away from contact

- I know it's early but any talk of Weir or Velliaris being used as trade bait needs to end. Neither did anything of substance and were just "there". Hopefully it's just early games but I'm not gonna hold my breath for valuable contributions

- McGowan is an explosive athlete - he generates so much power out of nowhere when playing the body. I have no idea what they'll do next with the 05s but I really hope he sticks around

- On the Oshawa end IMO Griffin was far and away the best Gen, looks poised for a breakout year.

Overall disappointing home opener, especially because the gameplay was a little closer than I'd have liked with Oshawa missing the guys they were. If Oshawa adds Sennecke/Ritchie/Danford I get the feeling that game is a blowout.

I saw McCuaig walking around the concourse - a little odd he's not listed on the roster but if he's the 13th forward I wonder if it's just an oversight

 

[beastintheeast]

Guindon is your best center so first line definitley

Burns still has to learn to lay on the ice not in the Penalty box.

There is going to be an adjustment period as none of the lines have played together. I still think you need to put Vellaris and Uens with the top defence to gain the knowledge and spread them out.

If you have your top players on one pairing it is so easy to cover them.
At this stage, I think you have to say OK, we might get wakely, but play as if you are not going to get him. Remember if he has any huge upside there are other teams that will be interested.

 

[OMG67]

Guindon is your best center so first line definitley

Burns still has to learn to lay on the ice not in the Penalty box.

There is going to be an adjustment period as none of the lines have played together. I still think you need to put Vellaris and Uens with the top defence to gain the knowledge and spread them out.

If you have your top players on one pairing it is so easy to cover them.
At this stage, I think you have to say OK, we might get wakely, but play as if you are not going to get him. Remember if he has any huge upside there are other teams that will be interested.

Wakely scored 100+ points last year. I would like to see his “upside.”

 

[beastintheeast]

Wakely scored 100+ points last year. I would like to see his “upside.”

My point was not if he can score. It was the fact that he has any quality that is going to be watched and wanted by the top teams . He will also not be cheap.

 

[frontsfan67]

Good game tonight. Outplayed the gens just unfortunately oster stole them the game.

I noticed in the second period when the gens scored 2 goals there were FAR too many odd man rushes. You give any team let alone Oshawa that many odd man rushes and they’ll capitalize.

Battaglia is gonna put up a lot of points this year (as I’ve predicted all along)

LOVE Pieniniemi. He plays like a real pro. As he gets more used to North American style hockey I’m sure he will get even better and better.

Griffin on the gens is gonna be a big breakout player this year I predict. Not sure how many points he will get exactly but if he plays like he did tonight- it’s gonna surprise a lot of people.

Thought it was interesting both delisle and bedkowski were playing today(rumoured to be going to Owen sound for Barlow)

My point was not if he can score. It was the fact that he has any quality that is going to be watched and wanted by the top teams . He will also not be cheap.

He’s gonna be very expensive for (hopefully the fronts) any team obviously. However one of the most important aspects of a trade like that is pushing the depth further down the lineup.

Guindon for example would be on the second line I assume then Hopkins/mcnamara line 3 as the centre.

Helps even out the scoring more and when they play teams that aren’t as deep(like peteborough) there will be even more of a separation skill wise between the bottom 6 than there is now.

 

[OMG67]

My point was not if he can score. It was the fact that he has any quality that is going to be watched and wanted by the top teams . He will also not be cheap.

Some teams are in more need than others. The ones in more need are the more likely ones to overbid. Kingston is one of the teams in that boat. Barrie may need him but they don’t have the assets to make that type of move. Brampton could but they may be leaning more towards Defence. They may be able to get a 19 year old winger for slightly more so they may not be looking in that direction as hard since they don’t “need” the centre. Oshawa may be the biggest rival for Wakely.

I think if Kingston gets to the same offer as Logan Morrison, the deal likely gets done.

 

[beastintheeast]

Good game tonight. Outplayed the gens just unfortunately oster stole them the game.

I noticed in the second period when the gens scored 2 goals there were FAR too many odd man rushes. You give any team let alone Oshawa that many odd man rushes and they’ll capitalize.

Battaglia is gonna put up a lot of points this year (as I’ve predicted all along)

LOVE Pieniniemi. He plays like a real pro. As he gets more used to North American style hockey I’m sure he will get even better and better.

Griffin on the gens is gonna be a big breakout player this year I predict. Not sure how many points he will get exactly but if he plays like he did tonight- it’s gonna surprise a lot of people.

Thought it was interesting both delisle and bedkowski were playing today(rumoured to be going to Owen sound for Barlow)


He’s gonna be very expensive for (hopefully the fronts) any team obviously. However one of the most important aspects of a trade like that is pushing the depth further down the lineup.

Guindon for example would be on the second line I assume then Hopkins/mcnamara line 3 as the centre.

Helps even out the scoring more and when they play teams that aren’t as deep(like peteborough) there will be even more of a separation skill wise between the bottom 6 than there is now.

Battaglia also needs to learn the play the other end of the ice. PP looked good but he was still on the ice when 2 of the 3 goals were scored against them.

I am still at this stage of the season not sold on Burns and Pie as one pair. Just as you mentioned about having more than one offensive depth, it would seem to me, with the number of young, weak players, that, to start the season, it would not be a bad idea to pair Burns with Vellaris and Pie with Uens.

Any word on what they are going to do with Chromiak? Ubfortyunately there are probably a lot of D that are better that are avail.

 

[Generalsupdates]

At this stage, I think you have to say OK, we might get wakely, but play as if you are not going to get him. Remember if he has any huge upside there are other teams that will be interested.

Would be very, very strange to give Gage Heyes an A and then cut him 2 days later, which is what would happen if they were to go and get Wakely

 

[OMG67]

Would be very, very strange to give Gage Heyes an A and then cut him 2 days later, which is what would happen if they were to go and get Wakely

They can carry 4.

 

[Generalsupdates]

Battaglia also needs to learn the play the other end of the ice. PP looked good but he was still on the ice when 2 of the 3 goals were scored against them.

I am still at this stage of the season not sold on Burns and Pie as one pair. Just as you mentioned about having more than one offensive depth, it would seem to me, with the number of young, weak players, that, to start the season, it would not be a bad idea to pair Burns with Vellaris and Pie with Uens.

Any word on what they are going to do with Chromiak? Ubfortyunately there are probably a lot of D that are better that are avail.

Yeah didn't love Battaglia's game 5-on-5 tonight. Lot of coasting and not being engaged, until the end when he turrnstiled D'Amato for a breakaway with a minute left.

Thought Soto was by far Kingston's best player tonight, he got robbed by Oster like 4 times and still had 2 goals

They can carry 4.

Why would they? You're scratching Guindon or Wakely to play Heyes?

 

[leafs4life94]

Would be very, very strange to give Gage Heyes an A and then cut him 2 days later, which is what would happen if they were to go and get Wakely

This was my concern with the announcement - by all accounts an OA upgrade will happen this year so why bother with what could amount to a player having an A for a matter of days unless you intend on keeping Heyes for a while.

I am still at this stage of the season not sold on Burns and Pie as one pair. Just as you mentioned about having more than one offensive depth, it would seem to me, with the number of young, weak players, that, to start the season, it would not be a bad idea to pair Burns with Vellaris and Pie with Uens.

Any word on what they are going to do with Chromiak? Ubfortyunately there are probably a lot of D that are better that are avail.

For D pairs it comes down to whether it's better to have a pair with 2 As and a pair with a C+ and a D+ or if having pairings of A/C+ and A/D+ turns out better.

Chromiak will likely end up getting released, not enough open slots around the league and Molnar is probably a better target for most

 

[OMG67]

Yeah didn't love Battaglia's game 5-on-5 tonight. Lot of coasting and not being engaged, until the end when he turrnstiled D'Amato for a breakaway with a minute left.

Thought Soto was by far Kingston's best player tonight, he got robbed by Oster like 4 times and still had 2 goals


Why would they? You're scratching Guindon or Wakely to play Heyes?

They have three goalies. They can bring up Betts to backup Vaccari and sit Lalonde. Then when they want to play Lalonde to spell off Vaccari, they can sit Heyes. If Lalonde isn’t the starter, he plays once per week. Heyes sits once per week.

The eventual outcome is Vaccari is fine enough as a starter to find a reasonable 19 year old backup and release Lalonde. They likely release Heyes at the deadline.

At the end of the day, the Assistant Captain designation for Heyes is a tip of the cap for what he has done for the franchise up to now. If this is a true go for it season like many seem to believe, you cannot show loyalty to a depth winger, especially when you have too many holes to fill and loads of OA’s out there that can fill them at a better value than the more scarce 19 year olds.

This may not be my personal approach but if they truly are hell bent on contending, this is the most likely approach. They need a 1C and a 1D. Lalonde and Heyes are potentially blocking those two positions from getting filled with OA’s. Even if they feel they have a #1 D-Man with one of Burns or Pie, they can easily get a solid #2 “Seabrook type” OA D-Man and Burns slides down to the 2nd pairing to play with McGowan. Two key positions covered and it likely only costs a similar amount as Brampton paid for Rehkopf.

 

[beastintheeast]

It would not surprise me if Cooper promised to keep both Lalonde and Guindon from being released.

This being the case, if Kingston is going to get a 1 or 2C, the only option is to release Heyes.

The question is therefore

What is Cooper's plan for this team this year? Is it to truly go for it all, or is it to develop the team for next year?

The other question is whether the Fronts have the offence of having two power lines, one with Wakely and one with Guindon.

 

[PuckLucker]

Yeah didn't love Battaglia's game 5-on-5 tonight. Lot of coasting and not being engaged, until the end when he turrnstiled D'Amato for a breakaway with a minute left.

Thought Soto was by far Kingston's best player tonight, he got robbed by Oster like 4 times and still had 2 goals


Why would they? You're scratching Guindon or Wakely to play Heyes?

Only someone who understands the game would recognize that, casual fans see the 1 goal & 1 assist. Too much puck carrying eventually leading to getting stripped.

Oster played great and continued where he left off last season. He's going to win games for the Gens he shouldn't and should finish with another season of .900 SAV%

This is a good game for the Fronts Coach & GM to assess where this team stands if Oshawa wasn't at full strength.

 

[Donnie740]

Oshawa may be the biggest rival for Wakely.

No, they’re not. Oshawa is stacked with four very good OAs already.

Oster is the best goalie in the league so there’s ZERO possibility of Wakely taking his OA spot.

D’Amato is a top four defenseman who anchors the Generals power play, so there’s little to no chance of Wakely taking his spot.

If Roobroeck manages to make the AHL - - he hasn’t played a game yet in the pre season - - Torrance would be the third OA. Clearly Wakely is a far better player than Torrance, but it would be nonsensical for Oshawa to pay a huge price for Wakely when they could use those picks and prospects to acquire a 19yr old instead.

 

[frontsfan67]

This is a good game for the Fronts Coach & GM to assess where this team stands if Oshawa wasn't at full strength

Kingston already knew they needed to add some pieces since they lost frasca and Thibodeau. Oster stood on his head. 0.944 sv% says it all and a lot of those shots were high quality. Doubt he plays like that every game but if he does he may win goty again.

No, they’re not. Oshawa is stacked with four very good OAs already.

The one that sticks out for me would be torrence. You’d be able to sell him off for a couple picks and then the asking price for wakely would be 2 2nds, 2 3rds, 2 4ths likely the same price as Logan Morrison a few years back.

Imagine you upgrade from Torrence to wakely? That would do wonders for your team. No offence to Torrence either he’s probably an average-above average OA this year but Wakely is the crème of the crop. If roobroeck does come back though at some point you may not need to move anyone.

Oster is the best goalie in the league so there’s ZERO possibility of Wakely taking his OA spot.

definitely played like it last night but yeah obviously osters spot is safe and always has been.

 

[OMG67]

No, they’re not. Oshawa is stacked with four very good OAs already.

Oster is the best goalie in the league so there’s ZERO possibility of Wakely taking his OA spot.

D’Amato is a top four defenseman who anchors the Generals power play, so there’s little to no chance of Wakely taking his spot.

If Roobroeck manages to make the AHL - - he hasn’t played a game yet in the pre season - - Torrance would be the third OA. Clearly Wakely is a far better player than Torrance, but it would be nonsensical for Oshawa to pay a huge price for Wakely when they could use those picks and prospects to acquire a 19yr old instead.

Oshawa needs a 2C. The end. Rant away all you want but it is much more difficult to find an impactful 2C as a 19 year old than it is to find a 2nd pairing D-Man.

It doesn’t matter what you have. The reality is, Roobroeck is a bette wringer than centre. He is more impactful on the wing. The best combination of OA’s for the Generals would be Oster, Roobroeck, and Wakely. Then go out and get a 2nd pairing D-Man to replace D’Amato. Who gives a shit about Torrence. He’s a depth winger.

If Oshawa were able to snag a player like Gibson to replace D’Amato (instead of Barlow), they’d be set. They’d only need a couple small depth moves.

(Bedkowski goes in a deal for Gibson)

Roobroeck - Ritchie - Senneke
Sinivuori - Wakely - Buckley
Delisle - Griffin - Smith

Gibson -Marrelli
Sandhu - Danford

Maybe you make a depth move on defence. The only valued roster player that moves is Bedkowski. You empty your picks but you have two dynamic front lines with a solid younger supporting 3rd line. Your top 4 isn’t elite but you should still be able to move the puck and you have four bigger kids back there. The reality is, if you have a strong top 4, they will play 50 minutes per game.

 

[HUSH10]

Oshawa needs a 2C. The end. Rant away all you want but it is much more difficult to find an impactful 2C as a 19 year old than it is to find a 2nd pairing D-Man.

It doesn’t matter what you have. The reality is, Roobroeck is a bette wringer than centre. He is more impactful on the wing. The best combination of OA’s for the Generals would be Oster, Roobroeck, and Wakely. Then go out and get a 2nd pairing D-Man to replace D’Amato. Who gives a shit about Torrence. He’s a depth winger.

If Oshawa were able to snag a player like Gibson to replace D’Amato (instead of Barlow), they’d be set. They’d only need a couple small depth moves.

(Bedkowski goes in a deal for Gibson)

Roobroeck - Ritchie - Senneke
Sinivuori - Wakely - Buckley
Delisle - Griffin - Smith

Gibson -Marrelli
Sandhu - Danford

Maybe you make a depth move on defence. The only valued roster player that moves is Bedkowski. You empty your picks but you have two dynamic front lines with a solid younger supporting 3rd line. Your top 4 isn’t elite but you should still be able to move the puck and you have four bigger kids back there. The reality is, if you have a strong top 4, they will play 50 minutes per game.

I agree. I definitely D'Amato is more expendables than others think. I don't really call him the "Powerplay" quarterback of the team. He only had 11 PPPs last year (0 goals) compared to Torrence who had 14 PPPs (9 Goals) so really, who is more effective on the Powerplay?

But to your point, Wakely would be an upgrade to both players and if Roobroeck comes back, and Wakely became an option for Oshawa (which I don't think he is at this time) then yes, you move on from both D'Amato and Torrence.

Marelli can Quarterback the Powerplay (19 PPPs last year)

 

[OHL4Life]

I agree. I definitely D'Amato is more expendables than others think. I don't really call him the "Powerplay" quarterback of the team. He only had 11 PPPs last year (0 goals) compared to Torrence who had 14 PPPs (9 Goals) so really, who is more effective on the Powerplay?

But to your point, Wakely would be an upgrade to both players and if Roobroeck comes back, and Wakely became an option for Oshawa (which I don't think he is at this time) then yes, you move on from both D'Amato and Torrence.

Marelli can Quarterback the Powerplay (19 PPPs last year)

osh is 100 percent talking to North bay

 

[Handcuffhockey]

Really don’t think Wakely will be going to either Kingston or Oshawa, I think you will find him in a London jersey by the time he gets moved and he will be moved now that NB announced their captain. I just don’t think he gets moved early, also it’s going to be about 15 games or so before some teams can do a real good evaluation, not by the 2nd game of the season. As for Heyes getting the “A” obviously Mann feels he’s a leadership guy and is important to the room, over looking him would be nonsensical. With so many players leaving, pretty much their whole leadership group except Burns was left, it’s pretty important to have quality guys at the helm to start the season off right.