Oshawa Generals 2020 Offseason Thread

[Generalsupdates]

Maybe it’s just his play for slovakia internationally. But he always tried to do to much on the ice. Maybe, it is cause he has a different role. I haven’t seen him in Finland.

Gotcha. Hard to find video on him so really not sure what we’re getting other than a guy who loves to shoot it and likes to be physical apparently

 

[Generalsupdates]

Talking to some of the Gens brass and they describe Mudrak as a strong defensive defender who can use his shot when it’s there but his value is playing physical and shutting down the other teams top guys. Sounds a lot like a Nico Gross type but doesn’t use an OA tag

 

[HockeyPops]

https://thehockeywriters.com/oshawa-generals-david-mudrak-2020-chl-import-draft/

 

[Generalsupdates]

Samuel Tirpak (Slovakian scout/writer) says Mudrak is an offensive D-man with great vision, and a good shot/good skater but only shows flashes of a good defensive game


But Jokke Nevalainen (head European scout for Dobber) says he's a defensive D-man with a very strong physical game but isn't as much of an offensive threat outside of his shot



So 2 very conflicting reports from 2 guys who have seen him a lot

 

[GeneralConversation]

Samuel Tirpak (Slovakian scout/writer) says Mudrak is an offensive D-man with great vision, and a good shot/good skater but only shows flashes of a good defensive game


But Jokke Nevalainen (head European scout for Dobber) says he's a defensive D-man with a very strong physical game but isn't as much of an offensive threat outside of his shot



So 2 very conflicting reports from 2 guys who have seen him a lot

Looks like you’ll need to wait and make your own determination.

 

[Generalsupdates]

The data released today has Oshawa down to 1 active case of covid. Good job everyone, keep wearing a mask

 

[Generalsupdates]

In a lengthy interview, import pick David Mudrak said 99% that he's in the OHL next season. That didn't take long. Its a pretty good interview if you use Slovakian to English translation

Talentovaný Dávid Mudrák pôjde v stopách najlepšieho obrancu histórie NHL, Fínsko vymení za zámorie

 

[Naz]

Here is the English translation
Talented David Mudrak will follow in the footsteps of the best defender in NHL history, he will replace Finland for overseas


yesterday 17:35 TURKU - He played his second season in Finland. He was one of the biggest pillars in the TPS Turku under 20 jersey and with 26 points he was the third most productive back to the team. Dávid Mudrák also attracted attention with his qualities at this year's CHL draft.
Oshawa Generals from OHL took you from the 37th position on it. What were your first impressions?
Great. I was very pleasantly surprised, I look forward to working with them. It is a very good organization. I also called with the general manager there, a nice guy. I found out something about the club, so I'm really excited.
You said you were researching something about Oshaw. In that case, you will definitely be able to say the name of the most famous offspring of the club.
I think it's Bobby Orr (for many the best back in history), he left a deep mark there.
Were you in contact with Oshawa even before the draft itself?Not even in contact. However, I know that they called with my agent that if the teams had not chosen me sooner, they would be interested in me. It finally worked out.
Did you have another selected team or competition?
Just after the end of this shortened season, the agent and I agreed to stay in Finland and fight for a place in a team in Mestis (Finland's second highest league - editor's note). But then Oshawa spoke up and we agreed that it would be a great gap and I could be better prepared for senior hockey.

So you're going to play overseas next year?
At 99 percent, it looks like yes, I will.

How did you react to your departure for the big shot at TPS Turku, where you currently work?
Although I only had a contract for a year, we are still in touch. However, we have not yet agreed on further cooperation. However, I think that my teammates and coaches would take my eventual departure without any problems.

If they show serious interest in you in Finland, are you already determined for North America?
Yes. I know I still need to improve on some things. It is not so easy to get from men to men, which I felt first-hand in Finland. It also tempts me to try playing on a small field, gain new experiences in a new country. Maybe it will only help me in my next career.
I have no knowledge of the interest in these competitions, nor have we dealt with such an option with the agent, but this is not even possible for me at the moment. I'm looking forward to junior hockey, which I think is faster and, in particular, more can be improved in it.

And what if the offer came from the Czech or Slovak league?
You had a chance to improve on the last last weekend of June in Námestovo, where a national team under the age of 20 was preparing as part of the Hockey Summer. What did you like most about her?
Great action, great training on skills. For me as a defender, I met skating, shooting speed or working on the blue line the most. The coaches were great. I would really like something like this to continue.

 

[Jaycro]

Well done, Naz!

 

[Generalsupdates]

Ivy League announces that their hockey season wouldn't be starting until January at the earliest. The Gens best prospect who doesn't play for them is John Farinacci who plays for Harvard (Arizona 3rd rounder). Wonder if ARI would want him in the OHL if the season is starting in Sept or Oct

 

[NOA]

Ivy League announces that their hockey season wouldn't be starting until January at the earliest. The Gens best prospect who doesn't play for them is John Farinacci who plays for Harvard (Arizona 3rd rounder). Wonder if ARI would want him in the OHL if the season is starting in Sept or Oct

Do you not see how this correlates to the OHL?

The OHL isn’t starting in September. I have doubts they even play next year but if they do, it will be closer to January. The US is nowhere near close to opening open for events like sports.

Farinacci is a 3rd round pick. His situation is way better at Harvard than Oshawa. His life is set if he graduates from that school. So why would he throw it away so quickly? If I’m him, Harvard is more important than the long shot of a career NHL player

 

[Generalsupdates]

Do you not see how this correlates to the OHL?

The OHL isn’t starting in September. I have doubts they even play next year but if they do, it will be closer to January. The US is nowhere near close to opening open for events like sports.

Farinacci is a 3rd round pick. His situation is way better at Harvard than Oshawa. His life is set if he graduates from that school. So why would he throw it away so quickly? If I’m him, Harvard is more important than the long shot of a career NHL player

You're speculating equally as much as I am. Neither one of us knows when the OHL season will start or if there will be one.

I'm just saying "what if" because it seems many higher up people seem to think the OHL starting in October has legs.

I don't know Farinacci personally but as a 3rd round pick to the NHL I'd assume his #1 goal is to make the NHL. If Arizona says hey we don't want you sitting around not playing hockey and recommend playing in the OHL for a full season rather than half a season in the NCAA (which is already a considerably shorter season than the OHL), I think he would do that. Not to mention you're right that a Harvard degree means a lot, but its not like he couldn't finish that degree the next summer or whenever. Plenty of NHL players who went NCAA route leave school before finishing and then go back and finish their degree in the summers or whenever

 

[Awagner3018]

that would be huge. Probably unlikely but a man can dream,

 

[NOA]

You're speculating equally as much as I am. Neither one of us knows when the OHL season will start or if there will be one.

I'm just saying "what if" because it seems many higher up people seem to think the OHL starting in October has legs.

I don't know Farinacci personally but as a 3rd round pick to the NHL I'd assume his #1 goal is to make the NHL. If Arizona says hey we don't want you sitting around not playing hockey and recommend playing in the OHL for a full season rather than half a season in the NCAA (which is already a considerably shorter season than the OHL), I think he would do that. Not to mention you're right that a Harvard degree means a lot, but its not like he couldn't finish that degree the next summer or whenever. Plenty of NHL players who went NCAA route leave school before finishing and then go back and finish their degree in the summers or whenever

You do realize that Harvard costs about 50k per year and has a 5% acceptance rate. If he signs an OHL contract; he is giving away his scholarship and roster spot at Harvard

He can’t simply “go back” there without paying his way in and getting accepted again in a future year. If he was no longer eligible to play hockey there, it won’t be as easy as his choice to just go back to school in a future year

I think it would be wayyy more likely that in the event Ivy leagues don’t play but other colleges do, those players are granted waivers to play for other programs. Arizona is not going to force a kid out of a Harvard scholarship if he has other options to play at other D1 hockey programs for a year

Yes I’m speculating like you are but if the Ivy League is the only league to not play, the NCAA will surely give waivers to players to transfer or play at other programs for year. More likely though is other programs follow and there isn’t a college hockey season. The OHL is not immune to these same issues. I don’t see a scenario where one league plays but the other doesn’t ...

 

[Awagner3018]

You do realize that Harvard costs about 50k per year and has a 5% acceptance rate. If he signs an OHL contract; he is giving away his scholarship and roster spot at Harvard

He can’t simply “go back” there without paying his way in and getting accepted again in a future year. If he was no longer eligible to play hockey there, it won’t be as easy as his choice to just go back to school in a future year

I think it would be wayyy more likely that in the event Ivy leagues don’t play but other colleges do, those players are granted waivers to play for other programs. Arizona is not going to force a kid out of a Harvard scholarship if he has other options to play at other D1 hockey programs for a year

Yes I’m speculating like you are but if the Ivy League is the only league to not play, the NCAA will surely give waivers to players to transfer or play at other programs for year. More likely though is other programs follow and there isn’t a college hockey season. The OHL is not immune to these same issues. I don’t see a scenario where one league plays but the other doesn’t ...

I could definitely see a scenario where the NCAA does not play but the OHL does, Just Look at the number of cases in the USA compared to here.

 

[NOA]

I could definitely see a scenario where the NCAA does not play but the OHL does, Just Look at the number of cases in the USA compared to here.

Just look at there being 3 US teams in the OHL..

 

[Generalsupdates]

You do realize that Harvard costs about 50k per year and has a 5% acceptance rate. If he signs an OHL contract; he is giving away his scholarship and roster spot at Harvard

He can’t simply “go back” there without paying his way in and getting accepted again in a future year. If he was no longer eligible to play hockey there, it won’t be as easy as his choice to just go back to school in a future year

I think it would be wayyy more likely that in the event Ivy leagues don’t play but other colleges do, those players are granted waivers to play for other programs. Arizona is not going to force a kid out of a Harvard scholarship if he has other options to play at other D1 hockey programs for a year

Yes I’m speculating like you are but if the Ivy League is the only league to not play, the NCAA will surely give waivers to players to transfer or play at other programs for year. More likely though is other programs follow and there isn’t a college hockey season. The OHL is not immune to these same issues. I don’t see a scenario where one league plays but the other doesn’t ...

All of Harvard's classes are online next year anyways. There's a decent chance that even if he doesn't leave, he'll never actually be in a Harvard classroom again as Arizona will be pressuring him to sign before he's a senior which would make him ineligible for the NCAA anyways (or if he doesn't sign then Arizona loses his rights like Vesey/Schultz decided to do). He could be playing in the OHL and still doing his Harvard classes online.

Also if the Ivy Leagues aren't playing, I would be shocked if any NCAA leagues are playing before Jan 1 at earliest. The US is an absolute disaster right now for covid and when the smartest league says yeah it's way too risky, I don't think the surrounding leagues will be starting earlier (Ivy League was the first to cancel it's NCAA basketball tournament and then everyone else followed a couple weeks later)

 

[Whatanathol]

Spoke with Branch last week by happenstance while waiting outside a store. Asked him about the season. He said it is in the hands of the government. Didnt provide much more. The tone of the message however was less than positive. Just my read on our convo. Hope i'm wrong.

 

[Generalsupdates]

Spoke with Branch last week by happenstance while waiting outside a store. Asked him about the season. He said it is in the hands of the government. Didnt provide much more. The tone of the message however was less than positive. Just my read on our convo. Hope i'm wrong.

It'll all rely on how the numbers react to stage 3 opening up, whenever that is

 

[Generalsupdates]

I'm doing an interview with Oliver Suni tomorrow. Anyone on here have any specific questions for him?

 

[Whatanathol]

Would be cool to see if he can name 3 famous Oliver's.

Twist.
Stone.
North.

Best I could do before google search.

Also, how did his parents come up with Oliver.

Best thing about Oshawa?

Best OHL city to visit while on the road and why.

 

[nelli27]

I'm doing an interview with Oliver Suni tomorrow. Anyone on here have any specific questions for him?

Favourite road arena(s)

 

[HockeyPops]

The Hockey Writers: Oshawa Generals' Top 5 NHL Alumni.
https://thehockeywriters.com/oshawa-generals-best-nhl-alumni/

 

[Generalsupdates]

The Hockey Writers: Oshawa Generals' Top 5 NHL Alumni.
https://thehockeywriters.com/oshawa-generals-best-nhl-alumni/

Not a bad group...

 

[Generalsupdates]

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