Niagara Icedogs 2024-25 Season, Part II
- Thread starter SoupNazi
- Start date
knowescape
Made you look
Not sure how you compare LW to D and determine who is "better". Totally different matrix.
Do you want to take a wild guess at who 08 Wassilyn, 08 Humphries, 08 Frasca and 08 Hotles agent is?
Is that a complaint? Wassilyn should have gone before either one of Di loria or Fitzgerald. Hotles in the 6th round is bonus.
Fans in Niagara are all fully aware of how fortunate we are to have Wassilyn in Niagara, but the same STH fans also know that when you are in bed with one agent, there is a price to pay for that. A fan would have to be an absolute fool if they think that this draft is proof that Niagara does not have recruitment issues with Ontario players. It re-confirmed the existing problem.
If the IceDogs were truly an OHL organization like many of the others (full staffed scouting department; void of major recruitment issue; solid relationships with multiple agents), their 2024 draft could (should) have looked differently and be setup for greater success.
I created this as I was following along with the 2024 OHL Priority Draft. Please note this is completely unaltered from draft day. Here were my IceDogs' selections (Best Player Available) in each round based off my own personal draft board of the u16 players.
MY 2024 ICEDOGS DRAFT
1. #4 F Braidy Wassilyn – Markham Majors
2. #30 F Max Crete – Upper Canada Cyclones
3. #44 F Weston Cameron – Toronto Marlboros
3. #56 G Colin Ellsworth - York-Simcoe Express
4. #68 D Michael D'Alessio - Vaughan Kings
6. #113 F Jalen Lobo – North York Rangers
7. #123 D Jacob Xu – Toronto Jr. Canadiens
8. #159 F Ethan Garden (US) – Detroit Little Ceasars
8. #160 F Nick Gilby – Niagara North Stars
9. #163 D Jude Bray – Toronto Marlboros
10. #183 D Dominic Pajkic (US) - Shattuck St. Mary
11. #219 G Sebastian Gatto – Lemington Flyers
12. USNDT player (deep flyer)
13. USNDT player (deep flyer)
14. USNDT player (deep flyer)
15. USNDT player (deep flyer)
Just a footnote to the my draft board. I would have been fine with G. M.Humphries being drafted in the appropriate round.
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Garden was a probable top 10 pick that fell to the 9th round! Cameron was ranked 15-25, at least one place higher. D’Alessio was another extreme long shot that would very likely not have signed anywhere had the NCAA rules not change.
Take a break from the nonsense. The London Knights passed on those players.
Take a break from the nonsense. The London Knights passed on those players.
I’m fully aware of who those players were. The IceDogs draft day issues, are and have been a major concern in Niagara. This comments does nothing to dispel that. What a ridiculous (and useless) response to the content of the original post!
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Dogs Enthusiast
Registered User
Well I am glad we finally got around to debating the last draft again.
Anything is better than discussing the current winning streak and the fact that if we win the game tomorrow night we will be in first place in the Conference .... .again.
Anything is better than discussing the current winning streak and the fact that if we win the game tomorrow night we will be in first place in the Conference .... .again.
Yes, I agree. Please Wes, go back to selling houses! You are a much better Realtor than a GM.
We know when those issues started; when the Burkes chose to dismiss an excellent executive to hand the franchise reins to their kids. Eliasson & Hemming just might be IceDogs today if not for that fateful misstep.
I agree with this statement. However, the pile of manure has only become deeper since the change in ownership. The only thing worse than an insurance salesman owner and gm is a Realtor pretending to be a GM.
But those two and one agent have recovered to have a terrific 2024 so far in terms of player personnel decisions.
When I followed along and selected who I selected, I was extremely familiar with all players and fully aware of those players situation prior to the draft, and those were my selections in the moment. It's exactly what I would have done if I were in the draft room.
So be straight up honest answering this. No word play or what ifs, buts, although, etc… A simple question and answer post. Which draft would you have preferred for the IceDogs A or B?
A.
Ontario Hockey League
or
B.
1. #4 F Braidy Wassilyn – Markham Majors
2. #30 F Max Crete – Upper Canada Cyclones
3. #44 F Weston Cameron – Toronto Marlboros
3. #56 G Colin Ellsworth - York-Simcoe Express
4. #68 D Michael D'Alessio - Vaughan Kings
6. #113 F Jalen Lobo – North York Rangers
7. #123 D Jacob Xu – Toronto Jr. Canadiens
8. #159 F Ethan Garden (US) – Detroit Little Ceasars
8. #160 F Nick Gilby – Niagara North Stars
9. #163 D Jude Bray – Toronto Marlboros
10. #183 D Dominic Pajkic (US) - Shattuck St. Mary
11. #219 G Sebastian Gatto – Lemington Flyers
12. USNDT player (deep flyer)
13. USNDT player (deep flyer)
14. USNDT player (deep flyer)
15. USNDT player (deep flyer)
You're hilarious! You brought it up and asked the question.
"Does this mean you don't think our recruitment here in Ontario is no longer a problem?"
When I followed along and selected who I selected, I was extremely familiar with all players and fully aware of those players situation prior to the draft, and those were my selections in the moment. It's exactly what I would have done if I were in the draft room.
So you agree its the better draft!
Dogs Enthusiast
Registered User
Did you even answer that question?
The sheer number of negative posts about the IDs is amazing. It would be cool if you actually talked about the games and what happens on the ice. You have knowledge/opinions to share about that stuff too.
It’s a joke, if you were familiar with those players, you would not have picked those players in that order.
I certainly don't have to prove to you anything. As I stated, that list, which I honestly had forgotten about (but also shared with many people immediately following the draft) can verify it's my legit draft list and completely unaltered from draft day. If I really had to I could prove it to you too
My complete 2024 draft board (name cards included) and final draft ranking lists are still on my computer and dated by last updated. I really have zero reason to fabricate the long hours I put into this of my own volition.
Every one of these players were selected by OHL teams and were available to the IceDogs when they selected in those spots… So that is why I selected them. They were available!
3. #44 F Weston Cameron – Toronto Marlboros
3. #56 G Colin Ellsworth - York-Simcoe Express
4. #68 D Michael D'Alessio - Vaughan Kings
6. #113 F Jalen Lobo – North York Rangers
7. #123 D Jacob Xu – Toronto Jr. Canadiens
8. #159 F Ethan Garden (US) – Detroit Little Ceasars
8. #160 F Nick Gilby – Niagara North Stars
9. #163 D Jude Bray – Toronto Marlboros
10. #183 D Dominic Pajkic (US) - Shattuck St. Mary
So the question still is. Which draft would you have preferred for the IceDogs A or B?
Sorry, but I was very familiar with those players. So, make that assumption that I wasn't you'd be 100 percent wrong! So thank you I’ll take my draft as a compliment from you.
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Yes I did. Recruitment of Ontario players is still an issue. Go back and read the posts following your question.
Dogs Enthusiast
Registered User
I disagree because we had our top picks all show up and they were legit top picks.
One of these picks is currently 6th in scoring in the league.
Dogs Enthusiast
Registered User
See what winning does ... .nothing but happiness and celebration.
OK, so I have seen Eliasson come up here many times but, I don't recall seeing the actual plan (or trade) that was in place. It might help give some context to the deal.
Before the Import Draft the IceDogs agreed to draft Eliasson for the Colts and in return the Colts would draft Patrik Kerkola, a goalie from Finland. Eliasson and Kerkola both agreed to the deal (Eliasson for Kerkola and a 3rd) and would report, BUT, Kerkola was offered a pro contract in Finland after the draft. That put the IceDogs behind the 8 ball in two ways.
One, they have to move Eliasson to Barrie. They had no choice.
Two, they now had an OA goalie in Flores that they couldn't trade (they had been trying since last deadline, with no takers) and no real number one goalie if they released him (Robertson wasn't going to be the number one).
It also contributed to the four OA issue to start the season as well. If Flores was gone to start the season as expected, Bryant would still be here.
Could they have held onto Eliasson and tried to get more for him, yes but why would the Colts do that? The player wasn't reporting to anyone else. Hold onto him and he doesn't report you wasted a draft pick. At least there is a chance now that Marty knows he owes the Dogs something down the line.
Kerkola would have probably been here two years and would have been a very good starter in the OHL and a nice bridge to see if Humphries would have worked out.
Just some context to the thought process the team had. Does it give ownership a pass on what's happened over the last couple years....no. As bad as you hear things are. They are much worse. The staff that were let go had nothing to do with cost savings or performance.
I will say it isn't anything like what happened with Billy and Joey.
Finally I will say there are people looking to buy or buy into the team but ownership isn't going to take a loss on this. So people staying away are actually hurting the process.
I was talking with someone on the business side of the league and they were saying that if the building was full, the offers would increase because they are buying a viable business, but because crowds are down it's a reason to low ball the offer. They can claim there is no proof the crowds will come back.
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