Ottawa 67s 2024-25 Season Thread, Part III
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ecraigs
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- Dec 6, 2013
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Kingwell has been a pleasant surprise, but he's been coached by another guy all season.
In earlier posts, I have decried the lack of discipline both in general and specifically within the team's leadership group. Stupid penalties late in games that cost them points and position. Again today, a pointless hit and a richly deserved Match Penalty, with, I assume, a 5 game suspension to follow. Just plain dumbass. There seem to be no other consequences.
In the game, we got pummelled in the faceoff circle. That highlights our paucity of centres.
In earlier posts, I have decried the lack of discipline both in general and specifically within the team's leadership group. Stupid penalties late in games that cost them points and position. Again today, a pointless hit and a richly deserved Match Penalty, with, I assume, a 5 game suspension to follow. Just plain dumbass. There seem to be no other consequences.
In the game, we got pummelled in the faceoff circle. That highlights our paucity of centres.
I'm going to have to write them off more often I think. On that basis then I'm predicting they won't win another game. 
Kingwell has put up some good numbers with Navan the last 2 seasons and is doing well so far as a 67.
Kingwell has put up some good numbers with Navan the last 2 seasons and is doing well so far as a 67.Kingwell has strung together a few good outings. Let's hope that builds his confidence and keeps it going.
Regarding the discipline, I will be a bit of the devil's advocate here and state that Ottawa has the 3rd fewest penalty minutes in the league and have been first overall for most of the season. In most games I have seen live, they usually are for the most part the team that "keeps their cool" more than the opposition. I do agree with you that in some cases the timing however may not be the best. But I think the bigger picture problem has been that the penalty kill has been a disaster, so that will highlight any case where some lack of discipline will be emphasized.
I am in no way excusing the kind of hit Pinelli will get suspended for, make no mistake.
What I do want to point out is, seconds before it happened, he (Pinelli) was being roughed up in the corner while on the ground and without the puck. The camera angle does not show very well what kind of shots he took, but he was obviously very frustrated by the lack of penalty call for the abuse he took, and came out very frustrated.
Also not Impressed on Saturday with the Attack's Gabriel Smith (6.03 198) starting a fight for no reason with 16 yo Kohyn Eshkawkogan (5.10 164) during an after the whistle melee.
ecraigs
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- Dec 6, 2013
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This is exactly when a team leader has to show leadership and control his own actions. Anyone seeking to be a professional player must do so. It only gets worse at the next level, much worse. If you have a reputation as a hothead, that will be part of every opponent's game plan.
In this, I have some empathy for the coaching staff. The hotheads are your only really consistent offence. The failure there is development of the other players.
OMG67
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- Sep 1, 2013
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The issue regarding penalties isn’t to do with the volume of penalties, it relates a lot more to the type of penalties. A lot are undisciplined type penalties as opposed to aggressive penalties.
I am fine with aggressive penalties. They can be strategic in nature. In fact, I am fine with the Pinelli penalty because it was an aggressive penalty. He flew in on a hit and it unfortunately connected to the head so it was a major. So be it. What I don’t like are post play slashes, punches etc that are fluffy. I don’t like lazy penalties where the player stops moving their feet and have to reach in on a hook or hold.
I don’t like unnecessary penalties. I can live with aggressive penalties. I have zero issue with hits that go over the line by accident. I have no issues with a smaller player hacking a bigger player (for example McDavid last week). Stick up for yourself. No problems with any of that. But, if you are going to take a penalty sticking up for yourself, then make it worth it! Too many pansy sort of fluffy penalties with little rabbit punches. If you feel you need to punch a guy, then punch him. Make him feel it. Earn the 2 minutes. If you are going to hack a guy, do it in a spot that hurts! Catch him on the inside of the leg or the bottom of the calf or maybe inside the side ribs. If you are going to retaliate then retaliate with purpose. At least when you do that, they normally get pissed off and come at you and take the roughing penalty and skate to the box with you.
I am fine with aggressive penalties. They can be strategic in nature. In fact, I am fine with the Pinelli penalty because it was an aggressive penalty. He flew in on a hit and it unfortunately connected to the head so it was a major. So be it. What I don’t like are post play slashes, punches etc that are fluffy. I don’t like lazy penalties where the player stops moving their feet and have to reach in on a hook or hold.
I don’t like unnecessary penalties. I can live with aggressive penalties. I have zero issue with hits that go over the line by accident. I have no issues with a smaller player hacking a bigger player (for example McDavid last week). Stick up for yourself. No problems with any of that. But, if you are going to take a penalty sticking up for yourself, then make it worth it! Too many pansy sort of fluffy penalties with little rabbit punches. If you feel you need to punch a guy, then punch him. Make him feel it. Earn the 2 minutes. If you are going to hack a guy, do it in a spot that hurts! Catch him on the inside of the leg or the bottom of the calf or maybe inside the side ribs. If you are going to retaliate then retaliate with purpose. At least when you do that, they normally get pissed off and come at you and take the roughing penalty and skate to the box with you.
gadder
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- Oct 15, 2023
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Yes, Pinelli is an undisciplined hothead who takes dumb penalties. He's also tiny and our only legitimate scoring threat. He's going to be a target for opposition abuse and he should ideally just turn the other cheek and let some other of our boys take care of the issue.
But who of our boys is capable, willing and expendable? In the old days our stars were able to play freely because we had one or two boys who would step up to defend them. Now, it's open season. I'm not advocating for goonery, I am advocating for team balance with a mixture of smaller skilled guys and bigger tougher guys. I was hoping Houben would have the required orneriness but he seems another in a line of sweethearts (to borrow a Don Cherry phrase).
Larionov
Registered User
Pinelli also took a stupid penalty in the third period of the Canada-U.S. game at the WJC. He is going to need to cut that out at the pro level - no one is offering a contract to a slightly built 5'9" player to go out and rough it up. His job is to skate and generate offense...
OMG67
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He already has the contract. He’s likely bound for the AHL for a few years. We’ll see how well he progresses at that level.
beastintheeast
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- Mar 27, 2013
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OMG67
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He is an NHL signed player. HE is easily capable of playing AHL hockey. He won’t be back in the OHL. That shouldn’t even be a discussion point to be honest.
The discussion point right now with respect to the current roster is how they shake down the immense depth on the wings littered with energy guys. Which ones stay and which ones go?
beastintheeast
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- Mar 27, 2013
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I agree about Pinelli but you can never say never LOL there is that 1-2% chance
Easy
Foster, Dever Horner
Bye bye Barlas
Foster will be the only scoring player nt he team Dever gives Whitehead and Amidovski a chance to develop
Horner is the wild card We are weak on the Right side and he give us the extra D option.
If the D is solid and we find enough RW then we could go into the yer with only 2 OA and that wuld be OK with me. Possibly in that case we could look at an OA goalie if we do not have a viable back up in camp.
OMG67
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Honestly, for me it is JUST Foster and Dever. The 3rd would be Barlas but with the caveat that he will be moved to open up space on the left side for a younger player. I wouldn’t bother with Horner. I’d rather move one of the younger LW to the right side. Additionally, if we can nail down a centre or two, Dever is a right shot and can play RW. Also, in the short term, Barlas is a more productive player on RW than Horner. So, worst case scenario, he plays RW and can fill in at centre when necessary. We are more in need of depth wingers that can shift to centre than depth wingers that can shift to defence.
I am not concerned at all about defence. We have five returning capable players plus new recruits. Avila and White have also played a bit this year and may be able to join Bonomo as a trio of players to look at in addition to any other prospects and new draft picks to fill in the remaining slots and add call up depth.
The reality is, this team needs to identify centres and goal scorers. Those are the two main elements. After that, it is size. Foster, Dever, and Whitehead can be the three centres for next year but two of them will be graduating OA’s. That doesn’t’ help us the following year when our big group of ‘07s are 19 years old and poised to compete. Ideally, we identify alternate centres that will return after next year and shift at minimum one of Foster or dever to the wing, preferably both.
We need Whitehead to take a step forward. We need a player like Bowes to nail down a 3rd line centre role. Then we need to hope a player like Ekberg can nail down a 1C or 2C role. If we were to have Ekberg, Whitehead, and Bowes as capable centres next year while drafting a centre top 5 in the next draft that can play a top 6 role as a 17 year old in 2026-27, that would be ideal. I am looking at that sort of scenario to play out. I think the rest will mostly fall into place.
Larionov
Registered User
You're right - my line was more rhetorical, as in there is no path to the NHL for him as Marchand-style pest. He will get his AHL look as soon as the end of this season, and when he does he needs to focus on generating offense - it's what he does best.
OMG67
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He’s a marginal NHL prospect because of his size. I cannot see him filling a MArchand type role. I think much of the same issues Robertson has with the Leafs, Pinelli will have with the Blue Jackets.
Pinelli doesn’t skate well enough to play a bottom 6 role at the NHL level. For him to be successful, he needs to play a top 6 winger role and contribute on the PP. At his size, I am not sure that is a viable goal. Maybe on less deep teams that are starved for goal scoring? Possible. Right place, right time situation but I think that is where he is as a pro. He needs the right situation where he doesn’t need to worry about having to produce right from day one. He needs a situations here he is given the year to settle in and not many NHL teams provide that luxury.
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