Ottawa 67s 2024-25 Season Thread, Part I

[OMG67]

I wonder if DC is going to juggle the lines a bit in the 3rd? He seems to have balanced the lines and they cannot get anything going. I think they need to put together a true top 6 if they want to get more quality scoring opportunities.

 

[mianjo]

67's lose 3-2 but had 50 shots on net

 

[OMG67]

Gonna be a long season. They managed to get a lot of opportunities but they made Flores look really good. Far too many poor quality shots. Virtually nothing finding the corners. Too many to the middle of the net. That shows the lack of quality scorers on this team.

DC sat Hilton and Yanni in the 3rd period and rolled Whitehead through the lineup. Hilton took a really costly stupid penalty. Dever, Barlas, and Hilton all taking needless penalties either away from the play or after the whistle. As Cherry would say, “Dumb-Dumb penalties.”

Mack was fine. He did have full view of the 2nd goal but it was a nice shot by Levin to the far top corner, something Ottawa didn’t do at all tonight.

Eshkawkogan looked pretty solid. Barlas was fine from the wing. I like that kid from the wing. Horner needs to get back up front where he is far more effective.

Foster wasn’t’ bad as a centre tonight but he is personally more effective off the wing. But, it looks like there is not much of a choice.

 

[gadder]

Well a spirited 3-2 loss to Niagara. Notes:
- Boy, can Pinelli snipe that puck! I think he's gotten better.
- Mews skated well but he's way too soft in the defensive zone. And the head-punching penalty he took was selfish and dumb
- Ekberg did look a bit lost. Today he was the 4th line centre behind Foster, Dever, Whitehead.
- Middle of the 2nd we were 20-42 faceoffs win/loss. It's going to be a long year if we don't get that competent cheap centre.

 

[beastintheeast]

Well a spirited 3-2 loss to Niagara. Notes:
- Boy, can Pinelli snipe that puck! I think he's gotten better.
- Mews skated well but he's way too soft in the defensive zone. And the head-punching penalty he took was selfish and dumb
- Ekberg did look a bit lost. Today he was the 4th line centre behind Foster, Dever, Whitehead.
- Middle of the 2nd we were 20-42 faceoffs win/loss. It's going to be a long year if we don't get that competent cheap centre.

OK so my prediction that Niagara was not going to be the team to walk over is at least correct so far YEAH ME!!!!!!

OMG67 mentioned we have lots of draft picks next year. If that is the case we need to find a coach that likes young players.

We have many moving pieces. The big thing is to give the players a chance to play and get to know each other as linemates.

I am happy that Whitehead got minutes and seems to be one of the better faceoff men on the team.

To my simple mind, the centers on this team should be

Ekberg (if he is a center)
Dever
Whitehead
Barlas ( I want to keep Foster as a winger)

Hilton and Houben should do skating drills before and/or after practice, either with a skating coach or doing side-to-side and goal-to-goal skating.

Horner I agree it is hard to take a player that you molded into a winger then move him to the defence

ESH The season is early and it will be interesting to see how he handles himself when the big guys start punding him in the corner

 

[NoQuit67s]

Was very impressed with Eshkawkogan. He is smooth, poised and smart.

 

[ecraigs]

Gonna be a long season.

That was my comment to my wife. To be anywhere near a playoff spot, this team needs to find another 230 goals this year. That is going to be a tall order.

Eshkawkogan looked very confident for a 15 yo and very comfortable gathering in passes that ended up in his skates. He will need that skill.

Niagara went 3 for 4 on the PP, Ottawa was 0 for 5 and that was the game. Just too predictable and lots of missed shots. It looked the same as last year, with different names on the jerseys.

Was Amidovski hurt or a healthy scratch? Sitting out your first draft pick in the home opener would be a terrible idea.

 

[Vector Calculus]

- Ekberg did look a bit lost. Today he was the 4th line centre behind Foster, Dever, Whitehead.

This was a surprise for me tonight. I thought Ekberg looked far better in the preseason than he did tonight.

Agree with others that the dumb penalties killed us. We didn’t have any finish tonight on our opportunities (despite a pretty solid effort otherwise) and giving the opposition free powerplays on nothing plays was deadly.

 

[OMG67]

That was my comment to my wife. To be anywhere near a playoff spot, this team needs to find another 230 goals this year. That is going to be a tall order.

It starts downt he middle where we seem most weak.

Eshkawkogan looked very confident for a 15 yo and very comfortable gathering in passes that ended up in his skates. He will need that skill.

LOL. Very clever!

Niagara went 3 for 4 on the PP, Ottawa was 0 for 5 and that was the game. Just too predictable and lots of missed shots. It looked the same as last year, with different names on the jerseys.

Again, we made Flores look good. Too many shots dead centre of the net.

Was Amidovski hurt or a healthy scratch? Sitting out your first draft pick in the home opener would be a terrible idea.

I have a feeling that the early going will see Houben Hilton, and Amidovski all rotate into two LW positions. We play Oshawa on Sunday and that is Hilton’s home town. I assume he will play that game so I predict Houben will be the odd man out and Amidovski will play.


The ‘06 forwards are pretty weak. All of Kelly, Hilton, and Korbler will struggle to combine for 30 goals. The ‘07s will likely outscore the ‘06’s but likely not by much. That doesn’t bode well for next year when your 19 year old forwards are so non-descript.

I know it is only one game in but a lot of what was highlighted in the offseason came to fruition tonight in a home game against a team that you are literally battling against for a playoff spot this season.