Ottawa 67s 2024-25 Season Thread, Part II

[OMG67]

Yeah, it was a good game against the 2-16 Petes, I guess. Trying to find some positives here...
- we outshot them 2-1.
- Nelson, after facing 18 shots, gets the 2nd star
- Dietsch will be another Mayich or van Hoof, once he puts on 30 lbs
- the Petes are toothless. Once we trade Pinelli and Mews (soon) we will be too except we won't have the brute size

The difference between Ottawa and the Petes is Ottawa won’t trade everything not nailed down. Over two seasons, they pretty much traded everything player from three draft classes. Ottawa will have traded Pinelli and Mews (and Gardiner). There is a big difference between the two teams in that regard. If Ottawa were to do something similar, we’d need to also trade Stonehouse, Gerrior, Mayich, MacKenzie, Foster, Marrelli, Dever, and Brady over this year and next. Then, we’d be similar.

 

[beastintheeast]

Don't forget they got a ton of draft picks. I think they are going to try the Niagara approach

 

[OMG67]

Don't forget they got a ton of draft picks. I think they are going to try the Niagara approach

Peterborough and Ottawa are both in about the same draft pick situation right now.

Ottawa:

2025	NIA 2nd	OS 3rd	PBO 4th NIA 4th KIT 4th	KGN 5th	6th
2026	SAG 2nd	---	---	5th	6th
2027	LDN 2nd	KIT 3rd	4th	SSM 5th	6th
2028	2nd BAR 2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th

Peterborough:

2025	FLNT 2nd OTT 2nd	KGN 3rd WSR 3rd	---	---	6th
2026	---	OS 3rd BRA 3rd	---	5th	---
2027	2nd SAG 2nd	3rd SSM 3rd	SBY 4th*	OSH 5th OTT 5th	---
2028	2nd	---	4th	5th	6th

The Petes have three extra 3rds.
Ottawa has four extra 4ths.

But Ottawa also has the extra two 6ths. So, pretty similar already.

Peterborough isn’t taking the “Niagara” approach. They took their own approach. When they bulked up for a run, they traded almost two full draft classes to do it. Then the following year, they traded the third draft class as part of the rebuild. They were fortunate that they had Beck. That was a great acquisition. I really liked it for them at the time. He was the player I thought Ottawa should have acquired. Adding that two year player makes a difference when trying to rebuild. That Beck traded pretty much came down to:

Petes Received:
One year of Owen Beck
Aiden Young

Petes lost:
JVV
Dezote
4th

 

[dirty12]

That Beck trade looks great. The white, Hayes trade was inexplicable.

 

[OMG67]

That Beck trade looks great. The white, Hayes trade was inexplicable.

They ran outta juice! Had to go grab the vodka!

 

[dirty12]

They ran outta juice! Had to go grab the vodka!

Kinda accurate actually..
The Petes D was pretty bad with an open OA spot and 18 yr old McCoy as the only RD, I believe.
Once Keane wrecked his knee, I guess the Petes became fixated on White who even the rebuilding bulldogs would not use in last minutes or PK.

 

[OMG67]

Kinda accurate actually..
The Petes D was pretty bad with an open OA spot and 18 yr old McCoy as the only RD, I believe.
Once Keane wrecked his knee, I guess the Petes became fixated on White who even the rebuilding bulldogs would not use in last minutes or PK.

They likely could have done better but I think the upgrade of Panwar to Hayes was something they felt was a bonus or at least enough to move Lardis. Personally, I was fine with Panwar and Lardis but as you say, they really did need the D-Man. They also weren’t 100% sure about Spearing and when he would return and for how long.

The question is whether they could have or should have done better on the trade when using Lardis and that answer is a resounding YES. But, Lardis was the last possible tradable piece with value so they were pretty much screwed at that point.

The worst part of that deal is they also ended up giving Hamilton two 3rds as well! LOL. So bad.

Kingston likely would have given Haché over getting picks from Barrie.

The other funny part about all that is they moved Leakovar out for a 5th and 10th.

I wonder if they were in on Holmes and Sudbury took the picks package instead?

 

[dirty12]

I just remember that it seemed the Petes were going to fill their open OA spot with a RD; and when the season ended for Keane, advantage Hamilton.

 

[Section5Petes]

They likely could have done better but I think the upgrade of Panwar to Hayes was something they felt was a bonus or at least enough to move Lardis. Personally, I was fine with Panwar and Lardis but as you say, they really did need the D-Man. They also weren’t 100% sure about Spearing and when he would return and for how long.

The question is whether they could have or should have done better on the trade when using Lardis and that answer is a resounding YES. But, Lardis was the last possible tradable piece with value so they were pretty much screwed at that point.

The worst part of that deal is they also ended up giving Hamilton two 3rds as well! LOL. So bad.

Kingston likely would have given Haché over getting picks from Barrie.

The other funny part about all that is they moved Leakovar out for a 5th and 10th.

I wonder if they were in on Holmes and Sudbury took the picks package instead?

That’s actually a very good way of looking at the Lardis situation and I agree. Trading Nick Lardis in a big deal was fine but as you said, in the end they could have and should have got even more value back. White did not fit with the Petes. His offensive game dropped (mainly due to the system) but a lot of games he was barely used in the third period because he wasn’t trusted in the d zone. Hayes was a good addition but Lardis in that equation was awful but who knows what Hamilton was willing to take. If white wasn’t in the deal is Lardis in it?

 

[OMG67]

That’s actually a very good way of looking at the Lardis situation and I agree. Trading Nick Lardis in a big deal was fine but as you said, in the end they could have and should have got even more value back. White did not fit with the Petes. His offensive game dropped (mainly due to the system) but a lot of games he was barely used in the third period because he wasn’t trusted in the d zone. Hayes was a good addition but Lardis in that equation was awful but who knows what Hamilton was willing to take. If white wasn’t in the deal is Lardis in it?

Again, the Petes had run out of expendable assets. Anything they acquired at that point was going to need to include Lardis. 3rds and 4ths weren’t going to get a deal done.

The Petes had the open OA spot and were lining Panwar up on the 4th line. So, essentially they had two OA slots open and needed a D-Man, preferably someone from the right side.

Their hands were tied. They likely tried to do other deals but couldn’t get them done. Both Haché and Holmes could have been acquired (theoretically) using Lardis.

 

[OMG67]

DJ Smith is an assistant with the Kings. Obviously people in Ottawa know hm as the Head Coach of the Senators for five years, but he was the Head Coach for the Generals for 3 seasons culminating in his Memorial Cup win. A three season stretch where he won seven playoff rounds.

If there was a way the 67’s could snag him and get him to come back to the OHL, that is a hire I would support without question.

 

[dirty12]

DJ Smith is an assistant with the Kings. Obviously people in Ottawa know hm as the Head Coach of the Senators for five years, but he was the Head Coach for the Generals for 3 seasons culminating in his Memorial Cup win. A three season stretch where he won seven playoff rounds.

If there was a way the 67’s could snag him and get him to come back to the OHL, that is a hire I would support without question.

The constructed roster would not work for him, at all. It might take giving him the GM or assistant GM and coaching positions, and possibly an entire cycle to build his team.

 

[beastintheeast]

DJ Smith is an assistant with the Kings. Obviously people in Ottawa know hm as the Head Coach of the Senators for five years, but he was the Head Coach for the Generals for 3 seasons culminating in his Memorial Cup win. A three season stretch where he won seven playoff rounds.

If there was a way the 67’s could snag him and get him to come back to the OHL, that is a hire I would support without question.

DJ is making good money in LALA and is also waiting to see who getsd umped and who0 has an opening.

 

[OMG67]

The constructed roster would not work for him, at all. It might take giving him the GM or assistant GM and coaching positions, and possibly an entire cycle to build his team.

I’m down! He could start next eyar with the beginning of the cycle.

DJ is making good money in LALA and is also waiting to see who getsd umped and who0 has an opening.

NHL Assistants typically don’t’ make huge $$$. A team like Ottawa would likely pay him in the $250k range. That is typically more than the Assistants in the NHL. Some of the bigger teams may pay the #1 Assistant (associate) that much or maybe a bit more.

 

[beastintheeast]

I’m down! He could start next eyar with the beginning of the cycle.



NHL Assistants typically don’t’ make huge $$$. A team like Ottawa would likely pay him in the $250k range. That is typically more than the Assistants in the NHL. Some of the bigger teams may pay the #1 Assistant (associate) that much or maybe a bit more.

but he would not be available to step in if someone is looking for a new NHL AHL coach. I think he will stay there the money is good enough and it is the NHL.

I would be more interested to see what direction the Utah Hockey club is going in. There are rumblings tht tey expectedmore this year

 

[OMG67]

but he would not be available to step in if someone is looking for a new NHL AHL coach. I think he will stay there the money is good enough and it is the NHL.

I would be more interested to see what direction the Utah Hockey club is going in. There are rumblings tht tey expectedmore this year

Tourigny is highly respected. I highly doubt he ends up anywhere else…at least not in the near future. He is the type of guy that would find another head coaching gig again soon.

DJ Smith is unlikely to end up in a head coaching gig again anytime in the near future. Most NHL Assistants and AHL Head Coaches make less than the top flight OHL Caches. However, that gap has lessened quite a bit in recent years. It used to be that Assistants made $75-$200k annually. More recent numbers show that they usually make around $200k to $1mil. I’d imagine DJ as a five year NHL head coach, is probably making at least $250k. So, maybe it wouldn’t be more money to come back to junior but the grind is less, they spend more time at home with family, and they have a lot more control. So, there are tradeoffs.

It may be a bit of a pipe dream hoping a coach like DJ Smith were to return to Junior hockey but it isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

The reality is, Norm Milley is the likely successor for DC if/when DC leaves.