Niagara Icedogs 2024-25 Season, Part II

[knowescape]

Slumps, do comes with the game, the Dogs need to shake out their frustrations, and concentrate on what has worked well for them this season

Be interesting to see what happens now. I predicted an absence or two to lead to a melt down. Now it seems the melt down has caused two absences. Will the team rally under their coach, or will the spiral continue?

Any predictions?

 

[Fastpace]

Be interesting to see what happens now. I predicted an absence or two to lead to a melt down. Now it seems the melt down has caused two absences. Will the team rally under their coach, or will the spiral continue?

Any predictions?

Growing pains do hurts sometime, this is the time we see what these remaining players are made of, when the chips are down, or missing players in action. Time for teammates to step-up and show what they have got, it is a learning curve or a bump toward their achievement, is all it is

 

[Generalsupdates]

Be interesting to see what happens now. I predicted an absence or two to lead to a melt down. Now it seems the melt down has caused two absences. Will the team rally under their coach, or will the spiral continue?

Any predictions?

I wouldn't call it a spiral. They aren't one of the best teams in the conference, because they're so young. The great start wasn't really indicative of the team. I think they're a 5/6 seed when all is said and done

 

[Sam14]

Be interesting to see what happens now. I predicted an absence or two to lead to a melt down. Now it seems the melt down has caused two absences. Will the team rally under their coach, or will the spiral continue?

Any predictions?

IceDogs used the offseason to dispose of their surplus draft picks (and youth) to qualify for the playoffs this season. Although, teams below them are creeping dangerously close to them, IMO they are not really in danger of missing the playoffs. However, regardless of what happens over the next 6 weeks, Darren will take no chances and use additional draft capital to secure a playoff spot.
That is prediction

 

[IceDogs452]

Czata coming into his own will be huge if it continues. He looked strong this weekend offensively and went 8/13 on face offs yesterday which is a great improvement. Czata could be that X factor if his development continues and he contribute offensively.

 

[Generalsupdates]

IceDogs used the offseason to dispose of their surplus draft picks (and youth) to qualify for the playoffs this season. Although, teams below them are creeping dangerously close to them, IMO they are not really in danger of missing the playoffs. However, regardless of what happens over the next 6 weeks, Darren will take no chances and use additional draft capital to secure a playoff spot.
That is prediction

No they definitely should not be missing the playoffs. That would take a catastrophic 2nd half. Niagara NEEDS to realize this isn't their season and not do anything dumb to try to win this year.

 

[Sam14]

I wouldn't call it a spiral. They aren't one of the best teams in the conference, because they're so young. The great start wasn't really indicative of the team. I think they're a 5/6 seed when all is said and done

Just curious who do you feel they can finish ahead of for 5th? I assume you are thinking Sudbury for 6th.

 

[frontsfan67]

13 wins already on the season for the ice dogs. Great start.

2022-23 they had 12 total across 68 games. Last year 17.

 

[dirty12]

I wouldn't call it a spiral. They aren't one of the best teams in the conference, because they're so young. The great start wasn't really indicative of the team. I think they're a 5/6 seed when all is said and done

Which would still be exceeding expectations. They are young minus a couple of 19 yr olds for 10 and 15 games. A bit small too.

 

[dirty12]

IceDogs used the offseason to dispose of their surplus draft picks (and youth) to qualify for the playoffs this season. Although, teams below them are creeping dangerously close to them, IMO they are not really in danger of missing the playoffs. However, regardless of what happens over the next 6 weeks, Darren will take no chances and use additional draft capital to secure a playoff spot.
That is prediction

Another bigger ‘06 would be a good addition

 

[Dogs Enthusiast]

Just curious who do you feel they can finish ahead of for 5th?

They already have 26 points for one. They have 2 of the top 10 scorers. They decent depth.

 

[Fastpace]

I wouldn't call it a spiral. They aren't one of the best teams in the conference, because they're so young. The great start wasn't really indicative of the team. I think they're a 5/6 seed when all is said and done

I have a gut feeling the Ice Dogs will be a little better than a 5/6 team, maybe be not a first or second team, 3 and fourth could be a possibility. They have been in progression since the start, they can only get stronger as the season move along. The trial and error stage we see in a young team under development is nearing its end. If, and only if, they hang close to the top of their conference, they are prime to cause some serious surprises, in my opinion

 

[Sam14]

Currently, here are the Eastern team’s average ages:
18.26 Kingston
18.15 Sudbury
18.08 Barrie and Brantford
18.04 Oshawa
17.92 Niagara
17.89 Brampton
17.84 Petes
17.78 NB
17.64 Ottawa
———
18.07 London (oldest Western Conference)
17.65 Sarnia and Owen Sound (youngest Western Conference)

 

[dirty12]

They already have 26 points for one. They have 2 of the top 10 scorers. They decent depth.

Actually good depth with Assadourian and Paris in the line up, without the middle six is quite young and the 4th line is a bit of a liability.

 

[dirty12]

Currently, here are the Eastern team’s average ages:
18.26 Kingston
18.15 Sudbury
18.08 Barrie and Brantford
18.04 Oshawa
17.92 Niagara
17.89 Brampton
17.84 Petes
17.78 NB
17.64 Ottawa
———
18.07 London (oldest Western Conference)
17.65 Sarnia and Owen Sound (youngest Western Conference)

Average age among 23-27 roster players doesn’t mean a whole lot. Average age of top 9 F & 5 D would be a better indicator of teams; then you might see differences of 6 months between top, middle, and bottom.
If looking at elite prospects OHL team comparison, you probably see a dozen teams average 6’1”; seeing the teams in play, you know Barrie and Erie are big and Niagara small.

 

[Sam14]

Average age among 23-27 roster players doesn’t mean a whole lot. Average age of top 9 F & 5 D would be a better indicator of teams; then you might see differences of 6 months between top, middle, and bottom.
If looking at elite prospects OHL team comparison, you probably see a dozen teams average 6’1”; seeing the teams in play, you know Barrie and Erie are big and Niagara small.

Not really going to debate those league avg age numbers, but if you were to do as you suggest and eliminate “those” players (Dewatcher, Frasca, Hotles, Dionov, Humphries, Jefferys, Moffat), who have not made any contribution to the season, the IcDogs average age would be higher than 17.92.

 

[dirty12]

Not really going to debate those league avg age numbers, but if you were to do as you suggest and eliminate “those” players (Dewatcher, Frasca, Hotles, Dionov, Humphries, Jefferys, Moffat), who have not made any contribution to the season, the IcDogs average age would be higher than 17.92.

And Barrie 19 rather than 18. The top contenders do not have 2-‘07s and 2-‘08s in the middle six for 80% of games

 

[Sam14]

And Barrie 19 rather than 18. The top contenders do not have 2-‘07s and 2-‘08s in the middle six for 80% of games

Exactly. The variance in those numbers apply to every team. There is absolutely no way to accurately figure out a team’s actual age over the first 20 game. So, there is no need for anyone to questions those stats unless someone (you?) are willing to go game by game and publish each teams average age numbers by game. Otherwise, accept them as a general league statistic.

 

[Generalsupdates]

Just curious who do you feel they can finish ahead of for 5th? I assume you are thinking Sudbury for 6th.

I’d have BAR, OSH, BFD, KGN ahead of them. Then 5-7 some combo of SBY, NIA, BRAM

 

[Sam14]

I’d have BAR, OSH, BFD, KGN ahead of them. Then 5-6 some combo of SBY, NIA

You have Brampton out of the top 5?

 

[Generalsupdates]

You have Brampton out of the top 5?

They’d be in the 5-7 with SBY/NIA right now for me mainly because I’m not sure they add with how bad they’ve been