Ottawa 67s 2024 - 25 Offseason Thread, Part I

[OMG67]

There is a big, big, big difference in goalies at 22-8-2, 2.79, 0.912 and 32-1, 2.10, 0.924 on the same team. There were some still calling for a change at goalie prior to the deadline when Elliot had a perfect record; that’s just absurd.

The Leafs have had outstanding regular season teams and haven’t made it out of the 2nd round since forever. Yet, even though they’ve had some excellent teams, and Mitch Marner is an elite player, you still have many that suggest the Leafs resigning him is the wrong move for the franchise.

I think it is very relevant when you have a goalie that has demonstrated an inability to translate their regular season success into the playoffs on top flight teams expected to win.

This type of thing happens in sports all the time. Players that can’t push the ball over the line when it counts. Then there are lessor players that are clutch performers. This is nothing new.

No one cares what you do in the regular season. It’s about what you do in the playoffs and leading up to the deadline, Elliott had not done anything positive in the previous two playoffs. I think that is very relevant. It is as relevant as propping an average regular season player up after having two elite playoff performances and justifying their existence on a tip line because of the playoff performances.

How often do you hear, “yeah, but he is a playoff guy!” Or, “that guy is built for the playoffs!” Same thing the other way. “Marner is not a playoff guy. Any team he is on will never win a Cup.” Meanwhile he is an elite 100 point regular season player…..

 

[dirty12]

The Leafs have had outstanding regular season teams and haven’t made it out of the 2nd round since forever. Yet, even though they’ve had some excellent teams, and Mitch Marner is an elite player, you still have many that suggest the Leafs resigning him is the wrong move for the franchise.

I think it is very relevant when you have a goalie that has demonstrated an inability to translate their regular season success into the playoffs on top flight teams expected to win.

This type of thing happens in sports all the time. Players that can’t push the ball over the line when it counts. Then there are lessor players that are clutch performers. This is nothing new.

No one cares what you do in the regular season. It’s about what you do in the playoffs and leading up to the deadline, Elliott had not done anything positive in the previous two playoffs. I think that is very relevant. It is as relevant as propping an average regular season player up after having two elite playoff performances and justifying their existence on a tip line because of the playoff performances.

How often do you hear, “yeah, but he is a playoff guy!” Or, “that guy is built for the playoffs!” Same thing the other way. “Marner is not a playoff guy. Any team he is on will never win a Cup.” Meanwhile he is an elite 100 point regular season player…..

The leafs are not exactly loaded with playoff types at any position, so …
There was no equivalent to Adam Dennis who had won an OHL championship and had 1.5 years of eligibility remaining available at any price let alone a price the Hunters would pay. There is no real reason to even suggest there was a better option than the perfect at that time Elliot.

 

[OMG67]

The leafs are not exactly loaded with playoff types at any position, so …
There was no equivalent to Adam Dennis who had won an OHL championship and had 1.5 years of eligibility remaining available at any price. There is no real reason to even suggest there was a better option than the perfect at that time Elliot.

That may be the case and it proved to be right but the question is whether they needed a good goalie had they replaced him with an elite OA skater. Could Medvedev had won the Championship? I say the Knights were so strong compared to the competition that the Knights would have won with Medvedev and another elite OA skater. But, that is a strategy issue.


WRT to the Leafs, Elliott was not a proven playoff performer either which is why I made the parallel. In fact, not only was h not a proven playoff performer, he was a proven playoff under-performer. That was the point at the time and is still the point now.

This whole conversation related to a strategy issue. Do you spend an OA slot on a potential playoff backup goalie? Or, do you go with a player that is more likely to be impactful as a skater? It is about strategy. That is how that conversation started. I said maybe it would be a better situation for London (especially with Medvedev being so successful) that they shuffle the OA slots to allow for an additional skater as an “option” to consider.” Then the more heavy conversation started about Elliot specifically.

The big concern was that an entire league that saw him play let him pass through waivers. That isn’t normal unless the league felt there were questions about his capabilities. It is like letting Parsons pass through waivers in the OHL and he ends up in the QMJHL. That would be crazy talk. Yet, somehow there were no issues with Elliot passing through waivers in the WHL?

Again, a strategy issue. One way or the other way. London went with the basically free OA goalie and it worked out. I don’t think that happens very often and it ends up a success.

 

[Larionov]

I see that Vinzenz Rohrer is having a good World Championships for Austria so far - two goals in his last two games, including one against Canada yesterday. His skating definitely looks pro calibre. I find myself wondering if the Habs will try to sign him to an ELC, which in turn would involve selling him on the joys of playing in the AHL for a season or so...

 

[dirty12]

That may be the case and it proved to be right but the question is whether they needed a good goalie had they replaced him with an elite OA skater. Could Medvedev had won the Championship? I say the Knights were so strong compared to the competition that the Knights would have won with Medvedev and another elite OA skater. But, that is a strategy issue.

WRT to the Leafs, Elliott was not a proven playoff performer either which is why I made the parallel. In fact, not only was h not a proven playoff performer, he was a proven playoff under-performer. That was the point at the time and is still the point now.

This whole conversation related to a strategy issue. Do you spend an OA slot on a potential playoff backup goalie? Or, do you go with a player that is more likely to be impactful as a skater? It is about strategy. That is how that conversation started. I said maybe it would be a better situation for London (especially with Medvedev being so successful) that they shuffle the OA slots to allow for an additional skater as an “option” to consider.” Then the more heavy conversation started about Elliot specifically.

The big concern was that an entire league that saw him play let him pass through waivers. That isn’t normal unless the league felt there were questions about his capabilities. It is like letting Parsons pass through waivers in the OHL and he ends up in the QMJHL. That would be crazy talk. Yet, somehow there were no issues with Elliot passing through waivers in the WHL?

Again, a strategy issue. One way or the other way. London went with the basically free OA goalie and it worked out. I don’t think that happens very often and it ends up a success.

Not every team is as actively managed as Barrie is with Williamson, that’s for sure. But I recall only Lalonde as the other OA moved prior to the deadline. Not many teams can justify adding an OA goalie.
Besides the Hunters seeing every minute of the perfect 19-0 Elliot realizing Elliot is clearly better than Medvedev, and the team is better with Elliot in net, the knights really could not and would not pay the price for K.Smith and a capable OHL level goalie like Gillespie.

 

[OMG67]

Not every team is as actively managed as Barrie is with Williamson, that’s for sure. But I recall only Lalonde as the other OA moved prior to the deadline. Not many teams can justify adding an OA goalie.
Besides the Hunters seeing every minute of the perfect 19-0 Elliot realizing Elliot is clearly better than Medvedev, and the team is better with Elliot in net, the knights really could not and would not pay the price for K.Smith and a capable OHL level goalie like Gillespie.

I think my overall point was that Medvedev had been more than fine. Elliot had a poor previous two playoffs. Under the circumstances, there was some risk with Elliot repeating his last two playoff performances. He’d had great regular seasons in both 2022-23 and 2023-24 so pointing to his solid regular seasons in 2024-25 was not significant since his trend was great regular seasons followed by poor playoffs.

The question wasn’t whether the Knights should acquire a different OA goalie. The question was whether they should employ an OA goalie with Medvedev being solid. Maybe acquiring a solid backup or tandem goalie (like Bowen) that can play behind a solid team would be adequate and open an OA slot for a skater. This was the same sort of question in Kingston with Lalonde. Was he good enough to use an OA slot on? Was there a better fit with a non-OA to allow them to acquire another skater? Would the skater have a bigger impact? That was the deadline discussion but so many got crazy defensive about Elliot as if he were some sort of messiah. All I did was point to his trashy playoff numbers compared to his regular season numbers as a justification to open the discussion on who their 3rd OA should be. It wasn’t meant to be a pile on Elliot discussion. More so a strategic discussion regarding what the Knights may choose to do, not even what they SHOULD do. I just pointed to previous stats and what happens to the Knights if he has a repeat performance. They end up with Medvedev in net anyway under that scenario. There were some pretty solid OA’s out there available. The possibility that Medvedev plus a high performing OA was a better fit than Elliot on his own.

 

[dirty12]

I think my overall point was that Medvedev had been more than fine. Elliot had a poor previous two playoffs. Under the circumstances, there was some risk with Elliot repeating his last two playoff performances. He’d had great regular seasons in both 2022-23 and 2023-24 so pointing to his solid regular seasons in 2024-25 was not significant since his trend was great regular seasons followed by poor playoffs.

The question wasn’t whether the Knights should acquire a different OA goalie. The question was whether they should employ an OA goalie with Medvedev being solid. Maybe acquiring a solid backup or tandem goalie (like Bowen) that can play behind a solid team would be adequate and open an OA slot for a skater. This was the same sort of question in Kingston with Lalonde. Was he good enough to use an OA slot on? Was there a better fit with a non-OA to allow them to acquire another skater? Would the skater have a bigger impact? That was the deadline discussion but so many got crazy defensive about Elliot as if he were some sort of messiah. All I did was point to his trashy playoff numbers compared to his regular season numbers as a justification to open the discussion on who their 3rd OA should be. It wasn’t meant to be a pile on Elliot discussion. More so a strategic discussion regarding what the Knights may choose to do, not even what they SHOULD do. I just pointed to previous stats and what happens to the Knights if he has a repeat performance. They end up with Medvedev in net anyway under that scenario. There were some pretty solid OA’s out there available. The possibility that Medvedev plus a high performing OA was a better fit than Elliot on his own.

I’m not sure Medvedev was more than fine. Elliot was clearly better in every individual measurable, and the team had a 0.970 W% with Elliot vs 0.7.19 with Medvedev. And I do not recall any references to the messiah, just that London would not be any better with Oster, Schenkel, Parsons, MacKenzie, … and I don’t see any sense in trying to improve upon perfect. Maybe the answer to your strategy reference is Elliot, Allen vs K.Smith, Gillespie; I would absolutely choose the first option. Also, London went with OA goalies in their two previous runs to the league final; it works for them.

 

[OMG67]

I’m not sure Medvedev was more than fine. Elliot was clearly better in every individual measurable, and the team had a 0.970 W% with Elliot vs 0.7.19 with Medvedev. And I do not recall any references to the messiah, just that London would not be any better with Oster, Schenkel, Parsons, MacKenzie, … and I don’t see any sense in trying to improve upon perfect. Maybe the answer to your strategy reference is Elliot, Allen vs K.Smith, Gillespie; I would absolutely choose the first option. Also, London went with OA goalies in their two previous runs to the league final; it works for them.

You can keep referring to the win% with Elliot in the “regular season.” But, the question wasn’t whether Elliot had a solid regular season track record. The question was the playoffs. This was never about his capability in the regular season backstopping a solid team. This would be a completely different conversation had he been an average statistical goalie that didn’t perform all that well in the playoffs. This is a goalie that by all accounts was a top goaltender statistically in each of those two seasons for a 100+ point team. The stats tell the tail.

2022-23 - 25-6-3 2.20 & .911
2023-24 - 29-8-3 2.39 & .904

Again, this had ZERO to do with the ability of a player in the regular seaosn, this had to do with these numbers:

2022-23 3-6 3.34 & .882
2023-24 1-1 2.95 & .887

He was 3-0 when Saskatoon decided to waive him this year. You would think that some team in the WHL would put in a claim on him. Like I said, he has Parsons type numbers. When no one claimed him, it was clearly because no one had faith in him as an OA goalie enough to claim him for free. It was a bit of a stronger Goalie year in the WHL so there is that factor of course. But, even so, do you not find it odd that a goalie with his pedigree of stellar regular season performance is not claimed for free on waivers? I still say it is because of his playoff performances and his inability to maintain the net.

And I will repeat that I wasn’t suggesting the Knights would or should go get an alternate OA goalie to replace him. Outside of Parsons, there wasn’t a OA goalie at the deadline that would be considered elite. And, even Parsons didn’t have the greatest playoff numbers so it wasn’t like he was a slam dunk. In fact, the goaltending in the OHL was average at best across the board. That wasn’t the point of the discussion. The original discussion was whether rolling with Medvedev and an elite OA was better than Elliott CONSIDERING his poor previous two playoffs. That was how the discussion started. Then it snowballed into some really big deal discussion about “how dare I suggest for a second that Elliott wasn’t capable.” Meanwhile, the only thing we have as a leading indicator are his previous stats and how he trends worse as the season progresses and he loses his net in the playoffs. Considering that’s all we really had to go on, I think it was reasonable to at least have the discussions o see if there may be a better strategic move for the Knights to make.

 

[dirty12]

You can keep referring to the win% with Elliot in the “regular season.” But, the question wasn’t whether Elliot had a solid regular season track record. The question was the playoffs. This was never about his capability in the regular season backstopping a solid team. This would be a completely different conversation had he been an average statistical goalie that didn’t perform all that well in the playoffs. This is a goalie that by all accounts was a top goaltender statistically in each of those two seasons for a 100+ point team. The stats tell the tail.

2022-23 - 25-6-3 2.20 & .911
2023-24 - 29-8-3 2.39 & .904

Again, this had ZERO to do with the ability of a player in the regular seaosn, this had to do with these numbers:

2022-23 3-6 3.34 & .882
2023-24 1-1 2.95 & .887

He was 3-0 when Saskatoon decided to waive him this year. You would think that some team in the WHL would put in a claim on him. Like I said, he has Parsons type numbers. When no one claimed him, it was clearly because no one had faith in him as an OA goalie enough to claim him for free. It was a bit of a stronger Goalie year in the WHL so there is that factor of course. But, even so, do you not find it odd that a goalie with his pedigree of stellar regular season performance is not claimed for free on waivers? I still say it is because of his playoff performances and his inability to maintain the net.

And I will repeat that I wasn’t suggesting the Knights would or should go get an alternate OA goalie to replace him. Outside of Parsons, there wasn’t a OA goalie at the deadline that would be considered elite. And, even Parsons didn’t have the greatest playoff numbers so it wasn’t like he was a slam dunk. In fact, the goaltending in the OHL was average at best across the board. That wasn’t the point of the discussion. The original discussion was whether rolling with Medvedev and an elite OA was better than Elliott CONSIDERING his poor previous two playoffs. That was how the discussion started. Then it snowballed into some really big deal discussion about “how dare I suggest for a second that Elliott wasn’t capable.” Meanwhile, the only thing we have as a leading indicator are his previous stats and how he trends worse as the season progresses and he loses his net in the playoffs. Considering that’s all we really had to go on, I think it was reasonable to at least have the discussions o see if there may be a better strategic move for the Knights to make.

I don’t think there was ever a real option to discuss the possibility of a better strategic move. K.Smith & Gillespie instead of Elliot & Allen is not it imo.
A perfect 19-0 trial run probably provided the greatest jr coach plenty of evidence that Elliot had become good enough, and a better option than the rookie goalie with zero OHL playoff experience. There was probably zero chance the knights who ran with OA goalies in their two previous runs to the final would drop Elliot to add an OA skater and run with the rookie goalie.

I do not know the teams in the WHL so I cannot comment on that league passing on Elliot, but I will guess the demand for OA goalies would not be a lot different than the OHL. For various reasons, most teams cannot justify using an OA spot on a goalie.
Other than the summer trade of Kingston acquiring the local kid Lalonde there was no OA goalie movement. Only Barrie bothered to make a claim on Elliot blocking London.
Brampton probably should have made a claim on Stustka and/or Elliot having had open OA spot(s) for much of the first half.

 

[beastintheeast]

I see that Vinzenz Rohrer is having a good World Championships for Austria so far - two goals in his last two games, including one against Canada yesterday. His skating definitely looks pro calibre. I find myself wondering if the Habs will try to sign him to an ELC, which in turn would involve selling him on the joys of playing in the AHL for a season or so...

think Rohrer will stay in Austria at least until after the Olympics. He is playing on a top team in not only the NL but the Champions league/ I am sure that with his play in the tournament, he will be looked at for the Olympic team, and playing in Europe may give him some added oomph to make the national team. Imagine him lining up with Rossi as his center

 

[beastintheeast]

When is the import draft his year before or after the NHL draft

 

[itchy]

think Rohrer will stay in Austria at least until after the Olympics. He is playing on a top team in not only the NL but the Champions league/ I am sure that with his play in the tournament, he will be looked at for the Olympic team, and playing in Europe may give him some added oomph to make the national team. Imagine him lining up with Rossi as his center

Rohrer played in Switzerland this year. And unfortunately Austria did not qualify for the Olympics. I think he should play in the AHL next year. Many players need some time to adapt to NA and he also needs to bulk up.

Btw, Rohrer now has 4G 2A and played a big part in Austria reaching the quarter finals for the first time since 1994.

 

[Kingpin794]

When is the import draft his year before or after the NHL draft

July 2nd. Always the week after the NHL draft.

 

[beastintheeast]

Rohrer played in Switzerland this year. And unfortunately Austria did not qualify for the Olympics. I think he should play in the AHL next year. Many players need some time to adapt to NA and he also needs to bulk up.

Btw, Rohrer now has 4G 2A and played a big part in Austria reaching the quarter finals for the first time since 1994.

the question may not be how good he is but whether there is room.

 

[OMG67]

the question may not be how good he is but whether there is room.

Usually the “how good” part dictates the amount of room….

 

[sirius67fan]

the question may not be how good he is but whether there is room.

You're right about that. My habs are loaded with prospects and more to come...7 picks in first three rounds this year. I'd be surprised Rohrer ever makes the Habs. They will be looking for size to fill out their bottom 6 to eventually contend and Rohrer doesn't give them that. As for the top 6 even if Rohrer had the talent ( i think his ceiling is third line energy/ offensive contributor) the habs are ok there. That being said I suspect he needs to come to the AHL and if he does well he'll likely be traded in a package when the Habs need to fill holes at contending time. But he'll need to also earn it in Laval...they're also loaded.

 

[NoQuit67s]

You're right about that. My habs are loaded with prospects and more to come...7 picks in first three rounds this year. I'd be surprised Rohrer ever makes the Habs. They will be looking for size to fill out their bottom 6 to eventually contend and Rohrer doesn't give them that. As for the top 6 even if Rohrer had the talent ( i think his ceiling is third line energy/ offensive contributor) the habs are ok there. That being said I suspect he needs to come to the AHL and if he does well he'll likely be traded in a package when the Habs need to fill holes at contending time. But he'll need to also earn it in Laval...they're also loaded.

Rohrer left north america (not the 67s) to play pro in Europe.
He is not likely returning. He has chosen his path knowing that realizing the NHL dream was unlikely.

 

[OMG67]

You're right about that. My habs are loaded with prospects and more to come...7 picks in first three rounds this year. I'd be surprised Rohrer ever makes the Habs. They will be looking for size to fill out their bottom 6 to eventually contend and Rohrer doesn't give them that. As for the top 6 even if Rohrer had the talent ( i think his ceiling is third line energy/ offensive contributor) the habs are ok there. That being said I suspect he needs to come to the AHL and if he does well he'll likely be traded in a package when the Habs need to fill holes at contending time. But he'll need to also earn it in Laval...they're also loaded.

I’m sort of in the camp where Rohrer is a long shot for the NHL. I am more with Beast on this one. If he is happy in Europe and making decent bank, he’s probably better staying there for another couple years. His AHL salary won’t be great ($80k?). There doesn’t seem to be an obvious path for him right now.

 

[sirius67fan]

Rohrer left north america (not the 67s) to play pro in Europe.
He is not likely returning. He has chosen his path knowing that realizing the NHL dream was unlikely.

Nevertheless there is talk in Montreal of signing him and bring him over. I guess they see potential either as a future player or trade asset. Will he decide to sign or stay in a good european situation? I also think like OMG that it's iffy for the NHL, I mentioned his ceiling but I see his floor as a career AHL er. Time will tell. On a more exciting note there has been talk of Montreal going after Rossi to fill their hole as #2 center. He's a rfa and apparently the Wild aren't sold on his fit long term. I'd love to see him with my Habs playing with Demidov.

 

[OMG67]

Nevertheless there is talk in Montreal of signing him and bring him over. I guess they see potential either as a future player or trade asset. Will he decide to sign or stay in a good european situation? I also think like OMG that it's iffy for the NHL, I mentioned his ceiling but I see his floor as a career AHL er. Time will tell. On a more exciting note there has been talk of Montreal going after Rossi to fill their hole as #2 center. He's a rfa and apparently the Wild aren't sold on his fit long term. I'd love to see him with my Habs playing with Demidov.

With limited Contracts (50), I am not sure he would get an ELC. Since they maintain his rights long term, I am not sure it would be strategically advantageous to sign him nw. The one advantage they have with holding his rights is allow him to continue his development path without the burden of paying for it.

So, unless they think that his development would be significantly advantaged by bringing him to North America, most teams don’t do it. They want to ensure that not only are they capable at the AHL level but they want them to be on the cusp of making the NHL club. The ELC includes the signing bonus component so it does end up being a bit of a financial decision. I know it only ends up being around $160k per year but if the player isn’t viewed as being on the cusp of making the NHL, I don’t think teams would bring them over. The one caveat to that would be if the prospect is thought very highly of and there is a small window to sign them to avoid a transfer fee.

I’m not sure Rohrer fits that criteria. Keep in mind, I haven’t really seen him since he left so he could very well have had a significant increase in overall impact that I am not aware of. But, a short tournament shouldn’t significantly sway development plans. I think he would at least need to follow up his tournament with a standout year. If he were to do that, I think it would change the development plans.

 

[OMG67]

Rohrer left north america (not the 67s) to play pro in Europe.
He is not likely returning. He has chosen his path knowing that realizing the NHL dream was unlikely.

This is also a big factor but if his status were to change, maybe he would reconsider.

 

[frontsfan67]

Rohrer left north america (not the 67s) to play pro in Europe.
He is not likely returning. He has chosen his path knowing that realizing the NHL dream was unlikely.

After this tournament perhaps some team takes a chance on him and he gets 1 more shot.

 

[44 95 plus tax]

Mayich is going to Clarkson U.

 

[OMG67]

After this tournament perhaps some team takes a chance on him and he gets 1 more shot.

His rights are held by Montreal so it really ends up being up to them.

But, as many have stated in the past, he went home early. He didn’t stay for his 19 year old season. Word is he was mostly home sick and wasn’t super comfortable here. As he matures, that feeling may change but I think he’d likely need a significant motivator and that would be at minimum an ELC offer. So, it looks like the ball is in Montreal’s court right now. But, even if they make an offer, he may not be ready mentally to make the jump again.

 

[beastintheeast]

As we all know, Rohrer is back in the spotlight. One of the things I did not know is that a part of his contract with Zurich gives them the option to bring back if he does not make the NHL