Niagara IceDogs 2023-24 Off-Season Thread

[OHL4Life]

It's not old news...I spoke to a scout at a game in early December/late November and he said that there still are no refreshments or food at the scouts room...brutal was the way he described it...way different than other OHL franchises. I hope things are better with respect to the team and his spending habits.

of course its not changed. they still dont spend any money on scouting or management, im sure they dont offer great meals to kids on the road, just the bare minimium. agents are not sending their kids to niagara for many reasons.

 

[three dog night]

no its not old news, its a factor when your trying to recruit players whose agents have seen the song and dance of last year (and this year with a coaching firing already). there's a reason why 70 percent of your roster is represented by one agent, the other agents want nothing to do do with you.

I ment food and staying in hotels

 

[OHL4Life]

I ment food and staying in hotels

so then say that

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

so then say that

I mean... I thought the poster was pretty clear based on what they were replying to?

 

[OHL4Life]

I mean... I thought the poster was pretty clear based on what they were replying to?

the poster has come on here and called me a liar a few times when i know that i was posting was correct. he said i was wrong when i posted that dd bought the team. i may be trigger happy, but its for good reason.

 

[bigsportsfan]

the dificulty to keep players has more to do with the lack of foresight with management and penny pinching on player expenses. no team makes players pay for their own lunch on the bus. no team goes on a 4 hour road trip the day of and drives right back to save on hotels. no team goes through 3/4 coaches in 12 months.

management needs to get out of their own way. but there is no history to suggest that he knows how to.

I agree 100%. No one wants to play for an owner who treats their players like this. I am sure we will see some trades before the deadline. The coach was quoted in the paper saying that it appears some players don't want to be with the team and he then mentioned the Jan 10 trade deadline. It's going to be an annual thing with the IceDogs and it doesn't have to be like this. The owner just needs to spend the money required to run the team properly.

 

[bigsportsfan]

I ment food and staying in hotels

Someone who works for the IceDogs told me that the players wanted to stay overnight after a game up north this season but they were not allowed to. Instead the players got home at 3am in the morning and then had to play again that day. So I would say he's still trying to avoid hotel stays. I am not sure if he is still requiring the players to bring their dinner from home when they are travelling to away games or not.

 

[bigsportsfan]

there's a reason why 70 percent of your roster is represented by one agent, the other agents want nothing to do do with you.

I didn't know that. Is it the same agent that represented the IceDogs #6, #7 and #8 round draft picks in 2022. That was one weird draft.

 

[OHL4Life]

I didn't know that. Is it the same agent that represented the IceDogs #6, #7 and #8 round draft picks in 2022. That was one weird draft.

yes.

 

[three dog night]

Someone who works for the IceDogs told me that the players wanted to stay overnight after a game up north this season but they were not allowed to. Instead the players got home at 3am in the morning and then had to play again that day. So I would say he's still trying to avoid hotel stays. I am not sure if he is still requiring the players to bring their dinner from home when they are travelling to away games or not.

They haven’t played in North Bay yet this season

 

[bigsportsfan]

They haven’t played in North Bay yet this season

I said a game up north, not North Bay. It was after a game in Sudbury I believe.

 

[beastintheeast]

no its not old news, its a factor when your trying to recruit players whose agents have seen the song and dance of last year (and this year with a coaching firing already). there's a reason why 70 percent of your roster is represented by one agent, the other agents want nothing to do do with you.

Parents wil look at teams actions but they will also in the case of Niagara look at the coach and advisor more closely. The idiot you had coaching before needed to go. Boudreau is a coach and if he is half as good as dad he will be awesome.

Havng Bruce advising again is awesome as Bruce s ot going to joi n or probably advise his son to joi n a mickey mouse club team.

Parents are going to want to see what happens. Drafting at the bottom of the league standings does not require any real scouting staff. The top 5 asre usually so obvious a blind man could draft them.

Kington in the Mav era went through a lot of what you are thinking. Parents and players refusing to be drafted to kingston becuase of their record of not developig first round picks and then trading them.

The Niagara owner will I am sure listen to Bruce and other GM'snthe league. They will sort things out and a push to make the playoffs this year will go a long way. Then you will see if there is any scouting.

As to long bus rides I knew a teamthat traveled longer than 4 hours and after they got back went on the ice for a full practice.

Owners int eh firt year usually have to be careful with money as they probbly spent the huge amount to buy the team. A four hour bus ride is not that huge. Kingston and Ottawa do it every time they have a game in Mississauga. or west that is why they usually try to put them in a group.

You probably don't remember or know of the the Howard adn Earl show in Ottawa but I can tellyou that your owner could not be anymore cheaper than they were.

 

[sbpointer]

Someone who works for the IceDogs told me that the players wanted to stay overnight after a game up north this season but they were not allowed to. Instead the players got home at 3am in the morning and then had to play again that day. So I would say he's still trying to avoid hotel stays. I am not sure if he is still requiring the players to bring their dinner from home when they are travelling to away games or not.

If this stuff is still going on it's an embarrassment to the league.
I feel particularly bad for all the guys traded from London while they get more ice opportunity now the culture shift has to be a bummer...

 

[LDN]

I feel like the ice dogs stand Pat at the deadline

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

I feel like the ice dogs stand Pat at the deadline

I hope they at least try to acquire some assets. There is no realistic way that they are making the playoffs. If the 7th & 8th seed teams were to continue at a .500 pace, Niagara would need a record of 22-11-1 for the remainder of the season to have a shot.

I'm sure some teams would love Sobolev for a playoff run.

Then you have to try and figure out what's going on with your 19 year olds. Specifically the ones with value in Bryant, Lavoie and Flores. If they all want to come back as overages, fantastic... but if you don't feel condifent in that, get some assets.

 

[bobber]

I feel like the ice dogs stand Pat at the deadline

Apparently they blocked Mark Hunter's phone number.

 

[blkhawk]

I am surprised more teams do not block Hunters number lol

 

[Dog Fan]

Lavoie and Bryant will be gone for draft picks. Flores should be traded for a young goalie and picks.

 

[WorkHardEveryShift]

If this stuff is still going on it's an embarrassment to the league.
I feel particularly bad for all the guys traded from London while they get more ice opportunity now the culture shift has to be a bummer...

Other teams do the same travel. Not all, but some of the less financially secure ones do.

The culture of London is one of ruthlessness. If you are a star and the Hunters like you, great. If not it can be hell. I know several kids that were very happy to be traded. Expectations are extremely high there, and the Hunters' patience is thin.

 

[beastintheeast]

Someone who works for the IceDogs told me that the players wanted to stay overnight after a game up north this season but they were not allowed to. Instead the players got home at 3am in the morning and then had to play again that day. So I would say he's still trying to avoid hotel stays. I am not sure if he is still requiring the players to bring their dinner from home when they are travelling to away games or not.

What you have said makes absolutely no sense. The 2 games you are talking about are in Sudbury on 3/11 and then at home on 4/11.

That is not the team's fault but the idiots that set up the schedule.

Now let's look at things. The Game ends, and the bus leaves at 10 and gets in a 3-5 hour drive. players get to get 8 hours of sleep in their bed at their billet as well as 4-5 hours on the bus.

Stay at the hotel team gets post game meal or goes to hotel. sleep in a hotel bed until 7, get on the bus, get breakfast at the hotel, and then on the road at 8, get into Niagara at 1-2, then get back to the billet. There is no real-time to sleep or relax back at the arena.


The team has to make a decision, and the fact that they had to be back and have everything ready to go the next night tells me that going home after the game makes more sense for the players, the team, and the training staff that has to get everything offloaded cleaned and ready for the night game.

It is not all about the players try being a trainer and looking after everything. I have been there, and really, I think that the majority of players probably would not mind sleeping in their beds, and Trainers want the ability to get things ready. Also, financially, there is a definite saving without any damage to the players.

 

[dirty12]

What you have said makes absolutely no sense. The 2 games you are talking about are in Sudbury on 3/11 and then at home on 4/11.

That is not the team's fault but the idiots that set up the schedule.

Now let's look at things. The Game ends, and the bus leaves at 10 and gets in a 3-5 hour drive. players get to get 8 hours of sleep in their bed at their billet as well as 4-5 hours on the bus.

Stay at the hotel team gets post game meal or goes to hotel. sleep in a hotel bed until 7, get on the bus, get breakfast at the hotel, and then on the road at 8, get into Niagara at 1-2, then get back to the billet. There is no real-time to sleep or relax back at the arena.


The team has to make a decision, and the fact that they had to be back and have everything ready to go the next night tells me that going home after the game makes more sense for the players, the team, and the training staff that has to get everything offloaded cleaned and ready for the night game.

It is not all about the players try being a trainer and looking after everything. I have been there, and really, I think that the majority of players probably would not mind sleeping in their beds, and Trainers want the ability to get things ready. Also, financially, there is a definite saving without any damage to the players.

Solid post Beast; that one will be difficult to dispute.

 

[beastintheeast]

Solid post Beast; that one will be difficult to dispute.

thanks

 

[bigsportsfan]

What you have said makes absolutely no sense. The 2 games you are talking about are in Sudbury on 3/11 and then at home on 4/11.

That is not the team's fault but the idiots that set up the schedule.

Now let's look at things. The Game ends, and the bus leaves at 10 and gets in a 3-5 hour drive. players get to get 8 hours of sleep in their bed at their billet as well as 4-5 hours on the bus.

Stay at the hotel team gets post game meal or goes to hotel. sleep in a hotel bed until 7, get on the bus, get breakfast at the hotel, and then on the road at 8, get into Niagara at 1-2, then get back to the billet. There is no real-time to sleep or relax back at the arena.


The team has to make a decision, and the fact that they had to be back and have everything ready to go the next night tells me that going home after the game makes more sense for the players, the team, and the training staff that has to get everything offloaded cleaned and ready for the night game.

It is not all about the players try being a trainer and looking after everything. I have been there, and really, I think that the majority of players probably would not mind sleeping in their beds, and Trainers want the ability to get things ready. Also, financially, there is a definite saving without any damage to the players.

Well I guess the players would disagree with you on that as I was told they wanted to spend the night in a hotel in Sudbury, where they could get a good night's sleep and then travel back in the morning. Driving home after the game meant they didn't get back to St. Catharines until 3am. By the time they got back to their billets house and got to bed, it was likely 4am. Not everyone can sleep on a bus. It's difficult to get to bed at 4am and then have to play the next day.

Even the coach mentioned in the paper how difficult it was for the players. After the game on Nov 4, he said "We got in at three in the morning. It’s tough for young guys. It’s our first real long road trip too." (https://www.bpsportsniagara.com/icedogs-come-up-short-versus-battalion/). So obviously the coach thought driving home after the Sudbury game had a negative effect on the team and contributed to the loss.

I admit its not as bad as last year, where the players had to be at the arena to board the bus for 6am, then they drove up to Sudbury for a 2pm game, lost 13-2, and then drove back home after the game. That was ridiculous and probably contributed to some players asking out.

 

[beastintheeast]

Well I guess the players would disagree with you on that as I was told they wanted to spend the night in a hotel in Sudbury, where they could get a good night's sleep and then travel back in the morning. Driving home after the game meant they didn't get back to St. Catharines until 3am. By the time they got back to their billets house and got to bed, it was likely 4am. Not everyone can sleep on a bus. It's difficult to get to bed at 4am and then have to play the next day.

Even the coach mentioned in the paper how difficult it was for the players. After the game on Nov 4, he said "We got in at three in the morning. It’s tough for young guys. It’s our first real long road trip too." (https://www.bpsportsniagara.com/icedogs-come-up-short-versus-battalion/). So obviously the coach thought driving home after the Sudbury game had a negative effect on the team and contributed to the loss.

I admit its not as bad as last year, where the players had to be at the arena to board the bus for 6am, then they drove up to Sudbury for a 2pm game, lost 13-2, and then drove back home after the game. That was ridiculous and probably contributed to some players asking out.

As I said the team had 2 choices. Both were brought on by the idiot schedulers. There is a reason that if you look at Kingston and Ottawa they do a northern weekend swing ending on Sunday.

As the coach complained, I will add that no matter what choice was made, it would have been the reason that they lost. Remember, a few days later, he was no longer a coach.

Was either scenario great NO, but again, people have to remember that this is a business, and that means that money is always a concern @OMG67 will tell you that when Earl Montagano had the 67s and ran the purse strings, Ottawa would have also been on the bus and driving back that night.

Welcome to the CHL. If you think these guys get it bad, check out the WHL and the bus time and mileage that those kids put in.

Also, remember the players are the players. They are employees, and everyone knows at the OHL level, you spend a great deal of time on buses.


Sorry but in this case, I can direct you to Sympathy. It is in between those two well-known S words.

 

[Wolf on a Wire]

Well I guess the players would disagree with you on that as I was told they wanted to spend the night in a hotel in Sudbury, where they could get a good night's sleep and then travel back in the morning. Driving home after the game meant they didn't get back to St. Catharines until 3am. By the time they got back to their billets house and got to bed, it was likely 4am. Not everyone can sleep on a bus. It's difficult to get to bed at 4am and then have to play the next day.

Even the coach mentioned in the paper how difficult it was for the players. After the game on Nov 4, he said "We got in at three in the morning. It’s tough for young guys. It’s our first real long road trip too." (https://www.bpsportsniagara.com/icedogs-come-up-short-versus-battalion/). So obviously the coach thought driving home after the Sudbury game had a negative effect on the team and contributed to the loss.

I admit its not as bad as last year, where the players had to be at the arena to board the bus for 6am, then they drove up to Sudbury for a 2pm game, lost 13-2, and then drove back home after the game. That was ridiculous and probably contributed to some players asking out.

Who wouldn’t want to stay a little longer in the Big Nickel?