Congrats to the 'Shwa...lots of London connections on that roster.
That said..I won't be cheering for ya in the Memorial Cup
Congrats...well deserved. Great run
I will and let me offer Congratulations to Oshawa.
For me this playoffs is yet again one of the reasons the OHL is a great league to follow.
Watching again some of the stars this year - Conner McDavid, Nurse, Max Domi, and many more - makes watching the NHL more interesting when you have watched these players live, developing. I sincerely pitty the people that spend much of their time criticizing and cutting down players instead of enjoying. Dakota Mermis was fantastic for Oshawa in the games I saw, yet he was constantly criticized by posters from his previous team. Reminds me of Dan Girardi - not playing much in Barrie - getting traded to Guelph and eventually blossoming into a top D.
Too many years ago I watched DJ Smith play for the Windsor Spitfires - I remember vividly him getting beat out in Sarnia - bleached hair, breaking his stick over the net when Sarnia scored a late goal. I remember how much ice he logged and what an intense player he was. You could see he was a leader on the ice.
I thought he would be a decent pro and probably would have except for injury. It was gratifying to see him return to the bench in an assistant's role for those very good Windsor teams. Warren Rychel and Bob Boughner receiving all the attention and credit, yet they have never seemed to be the same organization since DJ left - and he did so with dignity.
I don't get to see Oshawa much with watching games in the West mostly, but when ever I do, I tend to watch DJ behind the bench and less on the ice. He is different and without knowing him, I would hazard to guess he is himself - animated, into the game, not putting on a controlled show of calmness like most coaches do. I chuckled last night when he did his obligatory interview on the bench during the game - you could tell he knew he had to do it, did it well, but as soon as it was done he yelled out the next line. Never seen it before - hope I see more of it again. Then there is Sheldon Keefe, ex Barrie Colt, now coach of the Soo Greyhounds and to the list of ex OHLers that I watched play showing up coaching.
And it isn't just congrats to Oshawa... Erie also. Add to that the Soo and North Bay - both tough series that forced Erie and Oshawa to be better...add to that London, who has forced the league to be better and by the same token Plymouth. What a franchise. Sad to see them go.
Next year in Sarnia we see an new era with new owners. Hatcher - played in North Bay that left and is back again. Legwand, Plymouth standout, still playing - not too different from Dale Hunter, played with Sudbury, or Cole Cassels maybe, his dad played for Ottawa....The list is long and when you look at it, you might start to say it sounds like a type of family.
And that's why I will be routing for Oshawa and the OHL.
