Ottawa 67's 2023-24 Season Thread (Part One)

[Section5Petes]

And if Kitchener is serious about hosting in '27, that's an important year for the East.

That is the year the Petes have to be banking on. Carson Cameron, Aiden Young (Beck to SAG), top 5-10 pick this year and potentially top 5 next year and the core should start to form.

 

[sirius67fan]

You are aware that Kingston has 7-2005 born selected by round four and an ‘05 import? They might have as many as 11 legitimate OHL players born that year.

Cameron as coach might be the only thing that separates Oshawa and Hamilton and Ottawa next season.
There is little the east division can do to prevent the ‘67s from being on top if they choose to be this season.

To be honest Dirty I don't spend too much time looking at other teams 1 or two years out. I only really focus on the current year and how my team (67's) projects in the future. And I do think the 67's project as stronger next year. That doesn't mean they can't bulk up for this year if the brass feels it's appropriate though. I find that trying to project all teams in the future in junior hockey is a bit of a crap shoot. For example who saw Kitchener being this good this year or Ottawa being that good last year? What about Missy who was projected a top team last year but ended up as a seller as they didn't gel? To take your example will Kingston be a powerhouse next year...maybe but you just don't know. Missy ...probably but not a sure thing. Heck they're are always teams that project well on paper every year but you have got to have some confidence in what you have with your team at day's end. Just my opinion.

 

[dirty12]

To be honest Dirty I don't spend too much time looking at other teams 1 or two years out. I only really focus on the current year and how my team (67's) projects in the future. And I do think the 67's project as stronger next year. That doesn't mean they can't bulk up for this year if the brass feels it's appropriate though. I find that trying to project all teams in the future in junior hockey is a bit of a crap shoot. For example who saw Kitchener being this good this year or Ottawa being that good last year? What about Missy who was projected a top team last year but ended up as a seller as they didn't gel? To take your example will Kingston be a powerhouse next year...maybe but you just don't know. Missy ...probably but not a sure thing. Heck they're are always teams that project well on paper every year but you have got to have some confidence in what you have with your team at day's end. Just my opinion.

Good points, and I do respect your opinion.
I didn’t mean to portray Kingston as a powerhouse, just a probable contender.

Missassaga needed everything to right last to be a top team though. They were definitely a possible seller as they had zero assets to add, and very short on picks to draft with.
The trading of Beck was just having an incredibly rare opportunity of having former jrCanadian line mates selected 5th & 6th overall available to them.

 

[OMG67]

If the 67s were to make a push this year (which I think they should), I really hope Boyd learned some lessons from last season's playoffs and prioritizes size and physicality when filling he open OA spots and any other needs.

A centre is a must-have to right-size the lineup and get everyone into their proper positions and roles. We're constantly needing to move wingers into the centre position and its just not optimal from any perspective (first Pinelli, then Barlas, now Foster). A better centre, with all due respect to Lawrence, would get more of out of Stonehouse too. Acquiring a good top-6 centre would be a big win.

In addition to a centre of some sort (call him an OA), Ottawa (almost desperately) needs a power forward type winger than can add some size and nastiness to the top-6. Pinelli has a good amount of push back, Stonehouse too, but neither player is what you would call intimidating and I find Ottawa is on the losing side of physical play almost every game. Doesn't necessarily need to be a Boucher-level presence, just someone that can clear some space for Gardiner/Pinelli/Stonehouse to operate, bump guys like Dever down to the bottom-6, finish offensively, and stick up for his teammates.

I'm interested to see what Cameron does with Sirman when he returns. I think Smyth is being showcased, which makes sense if the plan is for Sirman to play defense upon his return. Smyth is a good player/teammate but won't garner a whole lot in a trade - maybe a later round draft pick. Even with a healthy Sirman (and no Smyth), the defense still requires an upgrade in the top-4. Ewles gets absolutely rocked at least once a period and having a more experienced d-man back there would take some pressure off him to play top-4 minutes, as imo he's just not there yet.

I would have to imagine that Donoso has increased his relative trade value over the past few weeks. Big credit to him. If he's traded, as we all expect him to be, that'll open up another OA spot for us. MacKenzie will keep this team in every game and it feels like the right season to make a push. The competitive environment next season is shaping up to be unfavourable for Ottawa.

A rebuild/retool would be very quick with some subset of Pinelli, Gardiner, Foster, Mayich, Gerrior, and maybe even MacKenzie potentially being put on the market at some point next year.

As usual, excellent assessment.

The only thing I would add is I don’t think we need a top 4. I think we need a top pairing D-Man. I think Mayer is the guy.

Second, I agree about centre but I also feel that Lawrence may be a target for upgrade too. He’s a good filler type guy but if they are truly trying to make a run, that is a position I would look at as well.

We could easily empty our picks cabinet this year and replace them next year very easily. Pinelli and Gardiner alone would likey replace at least 4 2nds and 4 3rds between them. If Pinelli continues at his current pace and scores 50, then he starts entering the category of also getting an ‘08 1st rounder in a trade package. We’d then have three players in the first round of the 2024 draft.

That doesn’t include the three OA’s and Foster That could all be made available.

The issue I see is if Boyd has said they want to be competitive every year, he isn’t likely going to do more than nibble on the fringes this season. Regardless of the strength of opposition next year, Ottawa can and would return a very strong team. I have a feeling this is going to shape up as maybe one or two OA acquisitions and that is it. Neither of those acquisitions would be considered top of the OA pile either. I don‘t see us getting Mayer. Maybe they can snag someone like Dubois? I actually think he’d be a very good fit. Although, I think he should replace Lawrence to be honest. Then still add another higher profile OA Centre but I digress…

The reality is this team is not well balanced. A lot of the same types of players. Smallish with some speed. We shouldn’t look at the roster from the perspective of how we can fit our current players into it. We need to look at where the gaps are that prevent us from being a true contender. Then we need to sacrifice the bodies that currently are occupying those gaps and acquire the ones we need to fill the gaps. If Stonehouse, Pinelli, Foster and Gerrior are nailing down 4 of the 6 winger spots in the top three lines, what do you do if you want to add some size on the wings? Assuming you acquire a winger, that means only one of Barlas, Dever, Korbler or Kelly can play in a top 9 role. You can’t look at the roster and say, “Well, what would we do with Dever? He can’t play the 4th line.” Or, “How do we develop Kelly as a 4th line winger?” Or, “Why would Korbler stay in a 4th line role?” All of those questions are inconsequential. The push and purge would need to happen.

The same goes for the defence. If we acquire a top pairing D-Man, we are reasnably certain wha the top 4 would look like. Who plays 12 minutes per game on the 3rd pairing is inconsequential to development or advancement. On top of that, I think adding a hulking 19 year old stay at home type for the 3rd pairing may be required as well. I point to a player like Leskovar as a good example Of the type of player that would be very welcomed in that role. That would push another guy off the roster.

These are all sacrifices I don’t see Boyd prepared to make. This is why I think it is fun to talk about certain combinations and strategies but at the end of the day, I don’t feel we have the type of fGM willing to make the types of moves required to truly compete as a Championship playoff contender. No disrespect meant to Boyd. Kilrea was the exact same way and he is in the Hockey Hall of Fame. I just think our expectations don’t mesh with the current strategies employed by our management group.

 

[OMG67]

To be honest Dirty I don't spend too much time looking at other teams 1 or two years out. I only really focus on the current year and how my team (67's) projects in the future. And I do think the 67's project as stronger next year. That doesn't mean they can't bulk up for this year if the brass feels it's appropriate though. I find that trying to project all teams in the future in junior hockey is a bit of a crap shoot. For example who saw Kitchener being this good this year or Ottawa being that good last year? What about Missy who was projected a top team last year but ended up as a seller as they didn't gel? To take your example will Kingston be a powerhouse next year...maybe but you just don't know. Missy ...probably but not a sure thing. Heck they're are always teams that project well on paper every year but you have got to have some confidence in what you have with your team at day's end. Just my opinion.

to clarify as well, it isn’t like we sit there looking at every roster in the future. The Mississauga roster is just much more obvious. When they made those huge seller moves last year and added three key young players and a bunch of draft picks through other deals, you could see how concentrated their roster was for a big competitive window for next year. Again, that is a projection BUT when you look at their level of performance this year and how well they have done a year in advance of their projected year coupled with the sheer number of returning players, you have to assume the players will get better with age, not worse. If they are a 90 point team this year, plus they return all but one player and they have at least one open OA spot next year, you have to think they will push over 100 points next year. I cannot see them going backwards.

That doesn’t mean another team doesn’t come out of the woodwork and proves to be just as good or better. All it means is if we apply forecasting tools like leading indicators to the 67’s roster, we wouldn’t get a result that would place us ahead of Missy. But, as you have said, a forecast is a prediction and the reality is teams have to go out there and do it. We could see a couple Ottawa players advance to be all world. We could see Missy have three major injuries. Who knows? That’s why we play the games.

However, all that said, management gets paid to build strategies that are longer than one season. They use those strategies to manage assets through multiple seasons. With that in mind, the forecasts/projections are what they have to work with. They do it with their own players all the time. They expect certain players to advance and fill roles left behind by graduating players every season. It is a process they are all very familiar with. All they would be doing is applying that to other teams and making comparisons to see where they are likely deficient.

 

[NordiquesForeva]

As usual, excellent assessment.

The only thing I would add is I don’t think we need a top 4. I think we need a top pairing D-Man. I think Mayer is the guy.

Second, I agree about centre but I also feel that Lawrence may be a target for upgrade too. He’s a good filler type guy but if they are truly trying to make a run, that is a position I would look at as well.

We could easily empty our picks cabinet this year and replace them next year very easily. Pinelli and Gardiner alone would likey replace at least 4 2nds and 4 3rds between them. If Pinelli continues at his current pace and scores 50, then he starts entering the category of also getting an ‘08 1st rounder in a trade package. We’d then have three players in the first round of the 2024 draft.

That doesn’t include the three OA’s and Foster That could all be made available.

The issue I see is if Boyd has said they want to be competitive every year, he isn’t likely going to do more than nibble on the fringes this season. Regardless of the strength of opposition next year, Ottawa can and would return a very strong team. I have a feeling this is going to shape up as maybe one or two OA acquisitions and that is it. Neither of those acquisitions would be considered top of the OA pile either. I don‘t see us getting Mayer. Maybe they can snag someone like Dubois? I actually think he’d be a very good fit. Although, I think he should replace Lawrence to be honest. Then still add another higher profile OA Centre but I digress…

The reality is this team is not well balanced. A lot of the same types of players. Smallish with some speed. We shouldn’t look at the roster from the perspective of how we can fit our current players into it. We need to look at where the gaps are that prevent us from being a true contender. Then we need to sacrifice the bodies that currently are occupying those gaps and acquire the ones we need to fill the gaps. If Stonehouse, Pinelli, Foster and Gerrior are nailing down 4 of the 6 winger spots in the top three lines, what do you do if you want to add some size on the wings? Assuming you acquire a winger, that means only one of Barlas, Dever, Korbler or Kelly can play in a top 9 role. You can’t look at the roster and say, “Well, what would we do with Dever? He can’t play the 4th line.” Or, “How do we develop Kelly as a 4th line winger?” Or, “Why would Korbler stay in a 4th line role?” All of those questions are inconsequential. The push and purge would need to happen.

The same goes for the defence. If we acquire a top pairing D-Man, we are reasnably certain wha the top 4 would look like. Who plays 12 minutes per game on the 3rd pairing is inconsequential to development or advancement. On top of that, I think adding a hulking 19 year old stay at home type for the 3rd pairing may be required as well. I point to a player like Leskovar as a good example Of the type of player that would be very welcomed in that role. That would push another guy off the roster.

These are all sacrifices I don’t see Boyd prepared to make. This is why I think it is fun to talk about certain combinations and strategies but at the end of the day, I don’t feel we have the type of fGM willing to make the types of moves required to truly compete as a Championship playoff contender. No disrespect meant to Boyd. Kilrea was the exact same way and he is in the Hockey Hall of Fame. I just think our expectations don’t mesh with the current strategies employed by our management group.

We more or less saw this play out last year with Boyd's big moves - Morrison and Mintyukov - being very good moves but only additive in the sense that the existing lineup wasn't changed at all (I won't count Quick being offloaded). We talked last year about how Boucher's spot in the lineup needed to be backfilled in addition to Morrison and Minty if Ottawa were to go on any sort of extended run. We ended up half pregnant and the writing was on the wall, imo, once a physical Oshawa team pushed us harder than they had every right to as a #8 seed.

Morrison and Minty played well for Ottawa and more or less provided full value for the picks we gave up, but imo Boyd did a disservice to the 67s by not going a step or two further and really bolstering last year's lineup by replacing Boucher and adding size/experience for an extended playoff run. He took us 2/3 of the way there. In hindsight perhaps he shouldn't have done anything besides fill the vacant OA spot and let the chips fall where they may.

I think we'll see this season play out similarly. I have confidence Boyd will move Donoso, and backfill the two vacant OA spots with a centre and a veteran defenseman. I think Smyth will get moved as well. I think he'll stop there, at doing the bare minimum to ice a competitive team that can push through to the 2nd round but ultimately lose to a better constructed team.

EDIT: I'll just add that we've been unfortunate with player departures/injuries this season. Uronen would have been a very feasible middle-6 winger for us with more upside than Dever. Rohrer, with a year of playing centre under his belt, could have adequately filled that top-6 centre role that is now a gaping hole in our lineup. Beck could have anchored another scoring unit. The team looks a lot better with those three in the lineup (acknowledging that Korbler wouldn't be here and we likely wouldn't have acquired Lawrence). With Beck but no Lawrence, we'd still have the vacant OA spot + plus the OA spot from the Donoso trade that we could be a lot more selective with in terms of really nailing down that physical power forward and top-4 defenseman (call him Mayer).

 

[OMG67]

We more or less saw this play out last year with Boyd's big moves - Morrison and Mintyukov - being very good moves but only additive in the sense that the existing lineup wasn't changed at all (I won't count Quick being offloaded). We talked last year about how Boucher's spot in the lineup needed to be backfilled in addition to Morrison and Minty if Ottawa were to go on any sort of extended run. We ended up half pregnant and the writing was on the wall, imo, once a physical Oshawa team pushed us harder than they had every right to as a #8 seed.

Morrison and Minty played well for Ottawa and more or less provided full value for the picks we gave up, but imo Boyd did a disservice to the 67s by not going a step or two further and really bolstering last year's lineup by replacing Boucher and adding size/experience for an extended playoff run. He took us 2/3 of the way there. In hindsight perhaps he shouldn't have done anything besides fill the vacant OA spot and let the chips fall where they may.

I think we'll see this season play out similarly. I have confidence Boyd will move Donoso, and backfill the two vacant OA spots with a centre and a veteran defenseman. I think Smyth will get moved as well. I think he'll stop there, at doing the bare minimum to ice a competitive team that can push through to the 2nd round but ultimately lose to a better constructed team.

EDIT: I'll just add that we've been unfortunate with player departures/injuries this season. Uronen would have been a very feasible middle-6 winger for us with more upside than Dever. Rohrer, with a year of playing centre under his belt, could have adequately filled that top-6 centre role that is now a gaping hole in our lineup. Beck could have anchored another scoring unit. The team looks a lot better with those three in the lineup (acknowledging that Korbler wouldn't be here and we likely wouldn't have acquired Lawrence). With Beck but no Lawrence, we'd still have the vacant OA spot + plus the OA spot from the Donoso trade that we could be a lot more selective with in terms of really nailing down that physical power forward and top-4 defenseman (call him Mayer).

The funny part is they won’t have any OA spots open and if both Uronen and Korbler each return, I am not sure how he fills the open centre spot. I think it would need to be Whitehead in the #2 spot and whomever they draft in round one for the 3rd spot. That is unless they roll back Barlas again!

If they do this on a budget this year, I don‘t see them getting outside round 2 again next year because there really isn’t a lot of room for nibble moves. At least this year and last had opportunities to nibble on OA’s and Imports at a cheaper price that full on star 19 year olds.

 

[sirius67fan]

As usual, excellent assessment.

The only thing I would add is I don’t think we need a top 4. I think we need a top pairing D-Man. I think Mayer is the guy.

Second, I agree about centre but I also feel that Lawrence may be a target for upgrade too. He’s a good filler type guy but if they are truly trying to make a run, that is a position I would look at as well.

We could easily empty our picks cabinet this year and replace them next year very easily. Pinelli and Gardiner alone would likey replace at least 4 2nds and 4 3rds between them. If Pinelli continues at his current pace and scores 50, then he starts entering the category of also getting an ‘08 1st rounder in a trade package. We’d then have three players in the first round of the 2024 draft.

That doesn’t include the three OA’s and Foster That could all be made available.

The issue I see is if Boyd has said they want to be competitive every year, he isn’t likely going to do more than nibble on the fringes this season. Regardless of the strength of opposition next year, Ottawa can and would return a very strong team. I have a feeling this is going to shape up as maybe one or two OA acquisitions and that is it. Neither of those acquisitions would be considered top of the OA pile either. I don‘t see us getting Mayer. Maybe they can snag someone like Dubois? I actually think he’d be a very good fit. Although, I think he should replace Lawrence to be honest. Then still add another higher profile OA Centre but I digress…

The reality is this team is not well balanced. A lot of the same types of players. Smallish with some speed. We shouldn’t look at the roster from the perspective of how we can fit our current players into it. We need to look at where the gaps are that prevent us from being a true contender. Then we need to sacrifice the bodies that currently are occupying those gaps and acquire the ones we need to fill the gaps. If Stonehouse, Pinelli, Foster and Gerrior are nailing down 4 of the 6 winger spots in the top three lines, what do you do if you want to add some size on the wings? Assuming you acquire a winger, that means only one of Barlas, Dever, Korbler or Kelly can play in a top 9 role. You can’t look at the roster and say, “Well, what would we do with Dever? He can’t play the 4th line.” Or, “How do we develop Kelly as a 4th line winger?” Or, “Why would Korbler stay in a 4th line role?” All of those questions are inconsequential. The push and purge would need to happen.

The same goes for the defence. If we acquire a top pairing D-Man, we are reasnably certain wha the top 4 would look like. Who plays 12 minutes per game on the 3rd pairing is inconsequential to development or advancement. On top of that, I think adding a hulking 19 year old stay at home type for the 3rd pairing may be required as well. I point to a player like Leskovar as a good example Of the type of player that would be very welcomed in that role. That would push another guy off the roster.

These are all sacrifices I don’t see Boyd prepared to make. This is why I think it is fun to talk about certain combinations and strategies but at the end of the day, I don’t feel we have the type of fGM willing to make the types of moves required to truly compete as a Championship playoff contender. No disrespect meant to Boyd. Kilrea was the exact same way and he is in the Hockey Hall of Fame. I just think our expectations don’t mesh with the current strategies employed by our management group.

Good analysis but in respect to Lawrence I think he's a perfect fit as a third line center ( as long as we get a top 6 center). I see him and Dubois as interchangeable really. They both give us size and a solid third line guy. If we acquire Dubois as a second line guy well Boyd striked out getting an offensive difference maker. I'd just keep Lawrence and as you and I have mentioned go get a true top 6 center, at least a top 4 D and a winger with size ...that is if they truly want to make a go of it.

 

[OMG67]

Good analysis but in respect to Lawrence I think he's a perfect fit as a third line center ( as long as we get a top 6 center). I see him and Dubois as interchangeable really. They both give us size and a solid third line guy. If we acquire Dubois as a second line guy well Boyd striked out getting an offensive difference maker. I'd just keep Lawrence and as you and I have mentioned go get a true top 6 center, at least a top 4 D and a winger with size ...that is if they truly want to make a go of it.

I see your point but I am not sure Lawrence is a good fit regardless. I like the size but I think a decent sized player that skate better (like Dubois) may be a better 3rd line fit.

Lawrence is a good option if we are status quo or selling. No issues there at all. But, if we are truly making a push and trying to find ways to upgrade, his spot needs to be reconsidered.

 

[beastintheeast]

As usual, excellent assessment.

The only thing I would add is I don’t think we need a top 4. I think we need a top pairing D-Man. I think Mayer is the guy.

Second, I agree about centre but I also feel that Lawrence may be a target for upgrade too. He’s a good filler type guy but if they are truly trying to make a run, that is a position I would look at as well.

We could easily empty our picks cabinet this year and replace them next year very easily. Pinelli and Gardiner alone would likey replace at least 4 2nds and 4 3rds between them. If Pinelli continues at his current pace and scores 50, then he starts entering the category of also getting an ‘08 1st rounder in a trade package. We’d then have three players in the first round of the 2024 draft.

That doesn’t include the three OA’s and Foster That could all be made available.

The issue I see is if Boyd has said they want to be competitive every year, he isn’t likely going to do more than nibble on the fringes this season. Regardless of the strength of opposition next year, Ottawa can and would return a very strong team. I have a feeling this is going to shape up as maybe one or two OA acquisitions and that is it. Neither of those acquisitions would be considered top of the OA pile either. I don‘t see us getting Mayer. Maybe they can snag someone like Dubois? I actually think he’d be a very good fit. Although, I think he should replace Lawrence to be honest. Then still add another higher profile OA Centre but I digress…

The reality is this team is not well balanced. A lot of the same types of players. Smallish with some speed. We shouldn’t look at the roster from the perspective of how we can fit our current players into it. We need to look at where the gaps are that prevent us from being a true contender. Then we need to sacrifice the bodies that currently are occupying those gaps and acquire the ones we need to fill the gaps. If Stonehouse, Pinelli, Foster and Gerrior are nailing down 4 of the 6 winger spots in the top three lines, what do you do if you want to add some size on the wings? Assuming you acquire a winger, that means only one of Barlas, Dever, Korbler or Kelly can play in a top 9 role. You can’t look at the roster and say, “Well, what would we do with Dever? He can’t play the 4th line.” Or, “How do we develop Kelly as a 4th line winger?” Or, “Why would Korbler stay in a 4th line role?” All of those questions are inconsequential. The push and purge would need to happen.

The same goes for the defence. If we acquire a top pairing D-Man, we are reasnably certain wha the top 4 would look like. Who plays 12 minutes per game on the 3rd pairing is inconsequential to development or advancement. On top of that, I think adding a hulking 19 year old stay at home type for the 3rd pairing may be required as well. I point to a player like Leskovar as a good example Of the type of player that would be very welcomed in that role. That would push another guy off the roster.

These are all sacrifices I don’t see Boyd prepared to make. This is why I think it is fun to talk about certain combinations and strategies but at the end of the day, I don’t feel we have the type of fGM willing to make the types of moves required to truly compete as a Championship playoff contender. No disrespect meant to Boyd. Kilrea was the exact same way and he is in the Hockey Hall of Fame. I just think our expectations don’t mesh with the current strategies employed by our management group.

Let me again sing my song.


There are too many holes that have to be filled in order for this team to be a top-tier team.

Someone mentioned size in order to 9increase the size of the team you would have to get about 4 players.

Second everyone talks about let's get Mayer let get such and such. People should remember there are other teams in the league that are closer to making the push than we are and have as much of more assets than we do. There is going to be a feeding frenzy in the West this year as they have a few teams that are capable of going all the way.
Saginaw may have the bid but you can guarantee that they are going to want to look qualified to be there.
Kitchener may not have a lot of picks but they are definitely in it for this year and at worst would stand pat. at best trade a couple of young guns.
The Soo Guelph and London will also be pushing.

In the east the only team I see pushing is Sudbury and they are going to be looking at the Petes for help.

We have a team that can be top of the conference with a healthy lineup and maybe a cheap OA center if one is avail.

I said 2 years because I think this year we lack the goalscoring and if we lose Donoso and Stonehouse we will not have the power to go all the way.

You can not rely on one goalie to get you through the OHL schedule and then into the playoffs.

nelson needs to stay in Navan where he is going to get the on-ice minutes

Next year we will have a better team BUT Mississauga possibly Barrie, and Kingston on paper look better.

As to 26, the new arena will not be ready so Ottwa will not bid on the M Cup.

The challenge with a draft is that if you are a good team for a few years you get screwed in that the major talent is all gone by the time your choice comes up.

This year we are going to have a lot of picks which means that we are going to have more players than we have holes in the lineup.

BOTTOM LINE

If we are going to go for it and by buyers we need to be nibblers not looking for a big box trade that empties our cupboard.

 

[OMG67]

Let me again sing my song.


There are too many holes that have to be filled in order for this team to be a top-tier team.

Someone mentioned size in order to 9increase the size of the team you would have to get about 4 players.

Second everyone talks about let's get Mayer let get such and such. People should remember there are other teams in the league that are closer to making the push than we are and have as much of more assets than we do. There is going to be a feeding frenzy in the West this year as they have a few teams that are capable of going all the way.
Saginaw may have the bid but you can guarantee that they are going to want to look qualified to be there.
Kitchener may not have a lot of picks but they are definitely in it for this year and at worst would stand pat. at best trade a couple of young guns.
The Soo Guelph and London will also be pushing.

In the east the only team I see pushing is Sudbury and they are going to be looking at the Petes for help.

We have a team that can be top of the conference with a healthy lineup and maybe a cheap OA center if one is avail.

I said 2 years because I think this year we lack the goalscoring and if we lose Donoso and Stonehouse we will not have the power to go all the way.

You can not rely on one goalie to get you through the OHL schedule and then into the playoffs.

nelson needs to stay in Navan where he is going to get the on-ice minutes

Next year we will have a better team BUT Mississauga possibly Barrie, and Kingston on paper look better.

As to 26, the new arena will not be ready so Ottwa will not bid on the M Cup.

The challenge with a draft is that if you are a good team for a few years you get screwed in that the major talent is all gone by the time your choice comes up.

This year we are going to have a lot of picks which means that we are going to have more players than we have holes in the lineup.

BOTTOM LINE

If we are going to go for it and by buyers we need to be nibblers not looking for a big box trade that empties our cupboard.

If MacK goes down, the percentage chance of us making it to the Finals goes down with him regardless who our backup is. I don’t care if we don’t have a capable backup because that only matters int he regular season for positions in the standings. If Donoso is the backup and returns to his normal below average performance when he isn’t playing much, it will take him at least a week of games to get into a groove. A week of games int he playoffs means you are out.

The 67’s have more picks than the average. They have some veterans players and younger players they can use in deals. They have expendable assets that would interest other clubs that help lessen the emphasis on picks.

The Petes are going to sell. I see no other way out for them. They don’t have assets to buy and they have had two straight weeks of disappointing performances. They’ve given up 4 or more goals in 9 of their last 11 games. They are 1-5 over their last six games. This is the slide everyone has sort of been waiting for. They can only live so long on players tripling their best previous offensive output. They may rebound a bit but Beck will be gone now until after the WJHC. Purdeller is also likely out so they are going to be in tough scoring goals. Even with all their players, they are a -6% on special teams And have given up 10 more goals than they have scored on the season. Those two stats along suggest they are in tough and are likely fortunate to be where they are right now int he standings.

Brantford is in a similar situation. -10 in goal differential. -7% in special teams. They can’t keep their positive run going. Kingston is -19 in goal differential. Oshawa is flat out too young.

The division is Ottawa’s for the taking. All they need to do is make an honest push and hopefully stay away from long term injuries to key players.

If Boyd can do this stealthily, it can be a very good positive. IT wouldn’t cost a huge amount to nail down the division. I would wait it out as long as possible before I would make the strong push but I would hop on the best possible OA Centre I can find regardless of the end goal. I’d wait out the market and not be too impatient. IF Dubois and Mayer want to come home to Ottawa and they put pressure on the Petes to make it happen, then I’d embrace both. If it meant we ship LAwrence back to them in that deal then so be it. Preferably we’d find a spot for Donoso but if he is the backup plan then it is what it is. I’d rather have Dubois than Lawrence. I think he is a better fit.

 

[OMG67]

BTW, I am also ok with them selling a couple players and running out the schedule. I am not ok with them adding an OA centre to fill their available OA spots and then run out the schedule and let the chips fal where they may. That serves absolutely no purpose at all.

 

[AGranderson]

Two 1sts
One 2nd
Two 3rds

In the up coming draft

I think we would be fine moving the 2nd & one of the 3rds considering the amount of players we have returning next season it’s not like we have a load of room to add players to the roster next season, I am understanding that the 2nd & 3rd could play the following season but two years down the road I think you can worry about that closer to.

So
Drafting two 1sts & a 3rd this coming draft sets us up like this next season to start the season if we used the 2nd a 3rd & Donoso to improve some this season. Not saying we will get alot but I do think we can attract some help with those two picks

Pinelli- Gardiner-Dever
Barlas- Foster- Gerrior (OA)
Hilton-Whitehead- Kelly
Yani-08 1st-Korbler
08 3rd

Mayich(OA)- Mews
Marelli- Ewles
08 1st- Brady
Dietch-Horner

Mackenzie
Nelson

 

[OMG67]

We have the 3rd and 5th rounders from Flint in the 2024 draft as the conditions from the Cranley deal.

 

[beastintheeast]

If MacK goes down, the percentage chance of us making it to the Finals goes down with him regardless who our backup is. I don’t care if we don’t have a capable backup because that only matters int he regular season for positions in the standings. If Donoso is the backup and returns to his normal below average performance when he isn’t playing much, it will take him at least a week of games to get into a groove. A week of games int he playoffs means you are out.

The 67’s have more picks than the average. They have some veterans players and younger players they can use in deals. They have expendable assets that would interest other clubs that help lessen the emphasis on picks.

The Petes are going to sell. I see no other way out for them. They don’t have assets to buy and they have had two straight weeks of disappointing performances. They’ve given up 4 or more goals in 9 of their last 11 games. They are 1-5 over their last six games. This is the slide everyone has sort of been waiting for. They can only live so long on players tripling their best previous offensive output. They may rebound a bit but Beck will be gone now until after the WJHC. Purdeller is also likely out so they are going to be in tough scoring goals. Even with all their players, they are a -6% on special teams And have given up 10 more goals than they have scored on the season. Those two stats along suggest they are in tough and are likely fortunate to be where they are right now int he standings.

Brantford is in a similar situation. -10 in goal differential. -7% in special teams. They can’t keep their positive run going. Kingston is -19 in goal differential. Oshawa is flat out too young.

The division is Ottawa’s for the taking. All they need to do is make an honest push and hopefully stay away from long term injuries to key players.

If Boyd can do this stealthily, it can be a very good positive. IT wouldn’t cost a huge amount to nail down the division. I would wait it out as long as possible before I would make the strong push but I would hop on the best possible OA Centre I can find regardless of the end goal. I’d wait out the market and not be too impatient. IF Dubois and Mayer want to come home to Ottawa and they put pressure on the Petes to make it happen, then I’d embrace both. If it meant we ship LAwrence back to them in that deal then so be it. Preferably we’d find a spot for Donoso but if he is the backup plan then it is what it is. I’d rather have Dubois than Lawrence. I think he is a better fit.

If we are so flush with picks why were you saying that this year they had to trade players to recoup what they had lost.


As to the Petes they also go into these funks. remember last year they were not a power teamuntil the playoffs. The Petes style is more suited to playoffs than it is to regular season.

I think in their case they will play out the WJC see how they are doing and what offers they receive. Just as us trading stonehouse will be determined by the offers.

SI still says that Stonehouse is the key if he is traded then we are not going for it.

As to an OA center yeah if one comes up cheap then I can see it but to me, there is no major need. If we are looking to next year then letting Foster and Barlas develop is not a bad thing.

You still need a reasonable back up to play. You can not go the rest of the season and playoffs with 1 goalie.

Who ever we trade Donoso to is going to have an odd man out. If we can parlay that into getting a back up so much better.

 

[dirty12]

If we are so flush with picks why were you saying that this year they had to trade players to recoup what they had lost.


As to the Petes they also go into these funks. remember last year they were not a power teamuntil the playoffs. The Petes style is more suited to playoffs than it is to regular season.

I think in their case they will play out the WJC see how they are doing and what offers they receive. Just as us trading stonehouse will be determined by the offers.

SI still says that Stonehouse is the key if he is traded then we are not going for it.

As to an OA center yeah if one comes up cheap then I can see it but to me, there is no major need. If we are looking to next year then letting Foster and Barlas develop is not a bad thing.

You still need a reasonable back up to play. You can not go the rest of the season and playoffs with 1 goalie.

Who ever we trade Donoso to is going to have an odd man out. If we can parlay that into getting a back up so much better.

The ‘67s did add picks;
Henry B - comp 1st, 2, 2, 3 and J.Beck - 2, 3
Picks are easy to come by, aren’t they? Essentially for Beck and waiting a year to use the last pick of round one, the ‘67s could get Mayer & Dubois or maybe less likely Federkow, Sobelev, & Bryant

 

[OMG67]

If we are so flush with picks why were you saying that this year they had to trade players to recoup what they had lost.


As to the Petes they also go into these funks. remember last year they were not a power teamuntil the playoffs. The Petes style is more suited to playoffs than it is to regular season.

I think in their case they will play out the WJC see how they are doing and what offers they receive. Just as us trading stonehouse will be determined by the offers.

SI still says that Stonehouse is the key if he is traded then we are not going for it.

As to an OA center yeah if one comes up cheap then I can see it but to me, there is no major need. If we are looking to next year then letting Foster and Barlas develop is not a bad thing.

You still need a reasonable back up to play. You can not go the rest of the season and playoffs with 1 goalie.

Who ever we trade Donoso to is going to have an odd man out. If we can parlay that into getting a back up so much better.

I will try to be clear. The Petes lost just under 200 goals to graduation and trade (7 of their top 9 scorers) plus their starting goalie. No one predicted they’d be where they are. Most had them either out of the playoffs or just slightly inside the playoffs. The start they had was not predicted by virtually anyone. A lot of it had to do with the relative weakness of the league in general. What is happening now is as was predicted. So, is it more likely a team that lost just under 200 goals off their roster that has virtually zero ‘05 and ‘06 skaters of any consequence would return and be a Conference leader or is it more likely they return and struggle? I don’t think I can paint the Petes picture any more clearly than that.

This will be the last comment I will make regarding the Petes being an obvious seller. We will just let it play out As it already has to date with their trade record leading up to their last trade of Lockhart.

The 67’s have made trades to recoup picks and they have pretty much recouped them other than some gaps in certain years. The HB and Beck deals netted three 2nds and two 3rds. We currently have one extra 2nd, two extra 3rds, and two extra 5ths. We are short three 4ths. We also have the compensatory 1st in 2024. So, we have more picks than the average. That is not to say we wouldn’t benefit in future years from adding additional picks. That is a different discussion that has been highlighted many times. But, if we are simply looking at total picks, the 67’s are fine. If they did nothing, they could easily push a 3rd forward to 2024 and likely add another 5th. This would help balance the pick years.

I am 100% ok with either buy or sell but it needs to be one of them. Status quo doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense to me. It is likely thi steam heads into the christmas break with the division lead. It would be hard to justify a sell but I can get behind the logic in it. I think the status of the Conference coming out of the Christmas break needs to be evaluated and if it makes sense to make a push then so be it. Make a push. I think for that to make sense, the team needs to be in first for the division, the prices of adding players is more reasonable than most other years and the rest of the Conference remains somewhat conservative for trading. If the rest of the conference leaves the door open, you may as well walk through it. This is my stance. I know it is somewhat on the fence but I think we can justify either option.

With respect to goaltending, I don’t care about the backup. Post deadline we will need the backup for about 7 games. Anywhere we trade donoso, they would easily include a goalie they’ve been using the entire season leading up to that trade. Just take that guy back and call it a day. At some point the team needs to operate with the best interest of the player in mind. The best interest of Donoso is to give him a place to play as a starter in an OA season. You don’t hoard OA’s and not play them. It is disrespectful. It’s a problem. End of discussion in that respect. Any other argument that suggests keeping Donoso is better for the team and they disregard the league code regarding treatment of OA’s, especially goalies, doesn’t understand how the league has operated for decades.

No matter what we decide to do, we have an open OA spot. Find a centre. Rotating wingers into playing centre is not a solution. Like the Petes discussion, this is the last I will say about it. I am beating a dead horse.

 

[NoQuit67s]

Two 1sts
One 2nd
Two 3rds

In the up coming draft

I think we would be fine moving the 2nd & one of the 3rds considering the amount of players we have returning next season it’s not like we have a load of room to add players to the roster next season, I am understanding that the 2nd & 3rd could play the following season but two years down the road I think you can worry about that closer to.

So
Drafting two 1sts & a 3rd this coming draft sets us up like this next season to start the season if we used the 2nd a 3rd & Donoso to improve some this season. Not saying we will get alot but I do think we can attract some help with those two picks

Pinelli- Gardiner-Dever
Barlas- Foster- Gerrior (OA)
Hilton-Whitehead- Kelly
Yani-08 1st-Korbler
08 3rd

Mayich(OA)- Mews
Marelli- Ewles
08 1st- Brady
Dietch-Horner

Mackenzie
Nelson

Also Uronen or a replacement import...

 

[sirius67fan]

Anybody know what's going on with Marelli? Out again tonight.

 

[mianjo]

67's lead 1-0

GOAL
#9 Chris Barlas (4) scores. Assists: #17 Brady Stonehouse, #2 Derek Smyth POWER PLAY

1-0 after 1

SHOTS ON GOAL

Teams	1st	Total
OSH	11	11
OTT	11	11

 

[mianjo]

2-0

GOAL
#23 Will Gerrior (10) scores. Assists: #28 Caden Kelly, #27 Kaleb LawrenceI 2nd 2:40

67's going with 17 skaters

 

[mianjo]

2-1

 

[mianjo]

2-2 in the 3rd

 

[mianjo]

2-2 after 3

Overtime

67's WIN

GOAL
#29 Cooper Foster (11) scores. Assists: #17 Brady Stonehouse 4th 0:41

 

[mianjo]

STARS OF THE GAME​

FIRST
#29 Cooper Foster C
G 1A 0+/- 0Ottawa

THIRD
#28 Caden Kelly RW
G 0A 1+/- 0Ottawa