Ottawa 67's 2022-23 Off-Season Thread (Part 4)
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Well the QMJHL had 4 teams with over 100 points during the season and Quebec had the most at 109. Gatineau was tied for third at 105. Unfortunately in this situation some very good teams are going to get eliminated.
Funny thing is that most of the sports media reporters covering the QMJHL including Le Droit's JF Plante and Sylvain St-Laurent picked Gatineau to win in 6 or 7 games over the Remparts despite the fact that Quebec finished first overall in the Q, while the Piques were the hottest team in the league between January and March losing only 3 games in regulation with a loaded up lineup since the Q's trade deadline.
The Remparts though were well coached by Patrick Roy and had players with experience playing in last year's Q semifinal and they used that as motivational tool against the Piques in their 4 game sweep. Sylvain St-Laurent who was on TSN 1200 this morning mentioned that the Piques were banged up defensively missing their best shut down defenseman Noah Warren due to a season ending injury while another dman Tristan Luneau, who played physical against the 67s during their interleague matchup may have been playing injured during the series against the Remparts.
At least it was a very good playoff series between two of the top four teams in the QMJHL.
Larionov
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Looks like Gatineau just straight up ran out of gas, while the Remparts still had some in the tank. The season is such a long grind for these kids mentally and physically - stop and think for a moment that they have been going flat out since being in camp last August, eight and a half months ago. By the time the Q winner gets to the Memorial Cup, they will have been going for well over nine months - crazy.
Saw some talk on Tyler Boucher earlier - I just can't see him back with the 67's under any circumstances. His style of play just doesn't lend itself to junior hockey, especially as a 20 year old with an early birthday. What are they going to learn about him as he runs over 17 year olds? Nothing. Obviously it would be glorious for the 67's, but I'm trying to remember the last time a team returned a first round pick for his OA year to a CHL team. The most likely destination for him is Belleville to learn how to be a pro. (And to try to stay healthy playing a physical game against men.)
Saw some talk on Tyler Boucher earlier - I just can't see him back with the 67's under any circumstances. His style of play just doesn't lend itself to junior hockey, especially as a 20 year old with an early birthday. What are they going to learn about him as he runs over 17 year olds? Nothing. Obviously it would be glorious for the 67's, but I'm trying to remember the last time a team returned a first round pick for his OA year to a CHL team. The most likely destination for him is Belleville to learn how to be a pro. (And to try to stay healthy playing a physical game against men.)
OMG67
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Your last line is the main reason why he’d benefit from an OA season. 71 games played in the last three seasons. He’s had virtually no development time since the year of his draft. Looking at him this season I can confidently say he isn’t ready to be competitive in pro hockey.
We have no idea how bad his shoulder is either. He’ll have had his 6 months recovery time but he needs time and getting smashed by mature men is not ideal.
This isn’t about him developing his physical game. It’s about developing some offence. 33 points in 49 OHL games suggests he still has work to do and his lack of games played is why.
If this were a kid that played 160+ games over the last 3 seasons, it would be a different story. Frankie Marrelli has more games played this season as a 16 year old than Boucher over three seasons.
I’m not saying it is going to happen but if it ever we’re going to happen, this is the situation. No sense rushing him. He’s at least two years away anyway.
Larionov
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All fair points. That lack of offense you cite is a huge red flag for Boucher, and I'm sure it absolutely killed the Sens to see him lose an opportunity for three or four months of playing lots of hockey and developing his offensive game.
I guess it all comes down to the depth in Belleville. The main reason why I think he'll be there is that the Sens development pipeline is pretty thin right now, and Belleville will need the help...
OMG67
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For sure at the beginning of the year I would have said ZERO PERCENT chance he returns as an OA. Now? 25% or so? Who knows but what I do know is there is a possibility where there wasn’t one to start the season. As remote as that may be, it is still greater than 0%, that is for sure.
beastintheeast
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Also only game in town in a city that is going nuts to try to show that it can handle an NHL franchise.
beastintheeast
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Right now I agree he is pencilled in as a BAB SEN. There they can monitor him and give hime the ice time and skill development that he needs. I think that he would learn more t the AHL level than playing at the OHL level. Especially with David Bell as his coach. Bell can look at him and assist him just as well if not better than Cameron . Coming back here there would be a lot pressure for him to star on the team and do everything. In Belleville, he will be a 3r4d line player that can develop.
OMG67
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Depending on the depth that comes back and the Sens are able to sign, Boucher may not be a 4th liner in Belleville.
Larionov
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On Boucher, it may also depend on who the GM is. If it is still Dorion, Boucher goes to Belleville because Dorion will be loathe to admit that the club blew it taking Boucher at 10th overall. If a new GM and Hockey Ops crew comes to the Sens, they owe the previous regime's draft picks nothing, in which case Boucher could play his OA year in the OHL.
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I would expect him to be gone. The only "yeah, but" is what is best for his development as a player and a man. He has good size and aggression, but he has proven fragile in Major Junior. He has played fewer than 100 games in 3 years. The NHL sees him as a slab of meat, an asset. The AHL is replete with players who are much stronger, much more physical.
OMG67
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And that is my concern. 70ish games over 3 years is tough. Like I pointed out, Marrelli played more games this year than Boucher over 3 years!
If they do what is right for the player, they return him to Major Junior. In hindsight, he should not have signed and left school. He’d probably still play NCAA next year if he were unsigned.
beastintheeast
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He did what was right for him. He was not going to play a lot in NCAA signing was what he wanted and guaranteed him money.
As to Dorion, I think it is safe to say that the coaching and GM staff will still be there next season. The sale is taking too long and will not be in place for the start of the season.
Boucher is going to want to play AHL or some form of Pro. Don't forget that they can send him down to the ECHL for a couple of games but they need to see if he can play at the Pro level. Except for skating I really do not see anything gained by bringing him back.
He is either ready to lay or not in a sense it is like Villardi in LA. He got laid up with a bad back and they brought him up slowly.
I think that the Sens are going to want to see their money on the ice in one of their uniforms.
OMG67
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beastintheeast
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OK how many people saw Peterborough winning the conference?
I must admit i was not one of them.
I must admit i was not one of them.
OMG67
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Did Peterborough see Peterborough winning the Conference going into the playoffs?
In my opinion Petes coach Rob Wilson has always believed in his team and felt all along they would make some noise in the playoffs. The players also believed they could win. They are a team that was built for the playoffs. They are most successful when they are playing a defence first game and are getting timely offence. In games 6 and 7 of the conference final they got back to doing that and were successful. They have really come together as a team and believe in each other.
OMG67
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Agreed but again, who actually thought they would land in the Finals? For real. They were so flat this season. Couldn’t seem to put it together. Inconsistent. Barrie went into the playoffs on a high. North Bay was very solid all year. Same with Ottawa. It is easy to say the actual team did but did they? Would they to a man have pulled a full on Pete Rose and bet on themselves with an uncomfortable amount of $$$?
I had London v North Bay in the Final pre-playoffs. I had Kitchener v Peterborough in the Final pre-season.
The Petes, as you said, came to play in the playoffs. In my personal opinion, the draw against Sudbury was great for them. A strong enough team to push them but not strong enough to break them. That four game series win instilled the confidence they needed and then it just grew from there. Maybe if they play a tougher team in round one, they don’t fuel the confidence and a completely different team emerges….
Larionov
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So how does Peterborough match up with London? I have no great love for the Hunters, so I hate seeing London back in the Finals again. They got off to a slow start, but obviously overcame that and knew how to get it done in the playoffs.
The Memorial Cup is a weird tournament where anything can happen, but on paper neither of these teams looks like a favourite when you compare them to the team that will come out of the Q. The WHL has had a bad run at the Memorial Cup in recent years, but both Winnipeg and Seattle look tough, and the host team Kamloops just lost a tough, close series to Seattle...
The Memorial Cup is a weird tournament where anything can happen, but on paper neither of these teams looks like a favourite when you compare them to the team that will come out of the Q. The WHL has had a bad run at the Memorial Cup in recent years, but both Winnipeg and Seattle look tough, and the host team Kamloops just lost a tough, close series to Seattle...
OMG67
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I think the OHL representative is going to get waxed. I do feel there is a gap in overall talent BUT I think if Peterborough goes to the Cup, I think their top end talent will play. In a short tourney, that top end talent can lead a team. The problem is their competition will also have top end talent plus the bottom end talent the Petes don’t have. If London goes, they don’t have the top end talent but they are strong up and down the lineup. Probably not as good for a short tourney like this.
It will be tough to say but I think the best case scenario for the OHL rep is a semi-Final loss finishing 3rd.
beastintheeast
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With the style they are playing and the fact that it really is a 3 game tournament, they have a shot at 2nd and could upset. It is going to depend on whether London can beat the defensive style that they are playing and if in a one game the other leagues can do that as well.
Look at the NHL how many people saw Florida and Seattle doing as well as they are?
OMG67
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I don’t think the NHL is a strong comparable. All playoff teams in the NHL are really strong. They play 7 game series as well.
In the Memorial Cup, we can say any team can win because it is a short sprint but it is rare that the underdog actually wins that tourney. There is usually an odds on favourite that at least goes to the final. This year the two abou rites will be the WHL and QMJHL Champions. I fully expect to see those two teams battle it out in the final. That means the OHL Champ will need to beat the Host team out to get to the Semi’s.
That is how I see it playing out. But, you are correct, ina. Single game, anything can happen. It is jsut it always seems to favour the strongest teams in that tourney even though it is a sprint. I don’t know why but it is what it is.
I think the OHL is behind but the Petes are top heavy and stand a better chance in that style of tourney than London does.
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