DCruickshank
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- Jan 8, 2022
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Owen Sound Attack 2024-25 Season Thread, Part II
- Thread starter SoupNazi
- Start date
Off season boredom is setting in so I came up with a *potential* squad for next season. Surely it will look different after the import draft / pending any trades or roster moves (guys getting released, CHL free agent signings, etc.) but I like the prospects of this group. My particular line combinations are up in the air / are bound to change based on the coaches decisions but some Individual development over the summer + plugging holes that the hockey ops staff see as necessary = I believe we’re in for a fun one. The west is wide open besides those top two spots in my opinion (Kitchener, Windsor). Let’s see what these guys have to offer.
What do you guys think? Did I miss anyone?
*NOTE*: The ‘?’ beside Varosyan and Bleicher’s names are because I’m unsure if they are willing to come back next season. Of course it will be both those players and the teams decision to make so that’s why I decided to include them with that group.
What do you guys think? Did I miss anyone?
*NOTE*: The ‘?’ beside Varosyan and Bleicher’s names are because I’m unsure if they are willing to come back next season. Of course it will be both those players and the teams decision to make so that’s why I decided to include them with that group.
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Pretty solid list. I think there are going to be a number of moves to come over the offseason. They have too many bodies I think to come into camp with and trim down from there personally so I would expect some guys get moved or released over the summer. I wouldn't expect anything before the BBQ in June.
Of the forward group, Cormier and Tersigni are both going to be 19 and neither figures to be a factor in the top 6. I have them on the outside looking in at this point. Waddick isn't an OA caliber player in my opinion but the team seams to like him.
I suspect Sykora signs after the NHL draft, though it is not a guarantee. I suspect the NHL club will want him to play in the best spot for his development which in my opinion would be in the CHL where Owen Sound holds his rights. I think with the import rules changing to allow three on CHL club rosters, Varosyan should get another look in camp. I think he's far from a guaranteed spot but his late birthday would give me pause on releasing him. I think the first round import pick will be used on a forward personally. Of the recent draft picks, I think Delisle is guaranteed a spot and I would suspect Jackman has a good shot as well given his size which should help him adapt to the league. I believe with Jackman being an American resident, he has to be on an A card this year. All that said, obviously a lot of moving parts and decisions to be made.
Defense I think is an interesting situation. I think they move on from Bleicher and I believe it has been said that Greenberg is off to school. Roy will be here full time and the expectation is Kwajah will sign and be here as well. I believe McCrate is off to school as his NCAA commitment starts this season so slim chance in my opinion we would see him this year. Munnings being a 2nd rounder should sign but it's obviously tough to find minutes for all these players. I think Rogers is the likely bubble guy in this mix. Roy and Kwajah both should provide similar tool kits that could make him expendable. Biggest question mark for me is do they take a D in the import draft as well and does that further shake up this mix? At that point, a new addition is almost assuredly pushing another player off the roster.
Goaltending is another bit of question mark with what could very likely be three NHL drafted goalies on the Attack depth chart. Personally, I think DCruickshank has it right when he speculated that they deal Bennett and run with George and Koprowski. Depending on how the season progresses, George potentially gets dealt at the trade deadline.
Pretty safe to say this will be a really fascinating off season.
I agree on your sentiment about the aforementioned players who may not be back . Curious to see who they try to end up getting as the other two OA spots (+interested to know what they’re gonna have to give up) need to be filled outside of Petrovski as I figure he will be a lock to make the team. Maybe they double card an import and bring in a 2005 born European who helps them be more competitive this season? Like you said, there are so many potential candidates to make the roster, lots of ‘overflow’ for competition which should make camp very daunting to navigate for the coaches / hockey ops staff.
I think the idea of having Kwajah join this team is not being talked about enough yet because he is absolutely the profile of player we’ve needed on the backend since Sedley aged out of the league and could end up being even better than Sam was. Kwajah was one of the best offensive d men in his draft class and baring the injury woes suffered last season don’t continue to persist, should be an immediate powerplay quarterback and a QAULITY one at that. Super competive guy, a GREAT teammate by all accounts and overall very talented for a 17/18 year old this coming year.
I think Delsile is stress free in terms of having him commit and transition into the league right away. The more I go back and watch him play, the more excited I get to see him join this team. Jackman however, is another story. I love the player and would love to have him commit although he was just taken in the 1st round of the USHL draft by Lincoln who are a 5 hour drive away from his home in St.Louis compared to the 12+ hour drive to Owen Sound (+ the factor of having to move to a different country) so I’m unsure what his priorities are outside of wanting to develop into the best possible player. Seems like a family oriented kid who may want to stay close to home if he isn’t promised a decent amount of ice time in Owen Sound (although I find it hard to believe that he wouldn’t get some PP time / fill in as a top 6 forward during certain parts of the season based on how open minded and development focused this coaching staff is). Would be another HUGE get if he’s willing to head north, already someone who many scouts have on their 2027 NHL draft eligible players to watch lists.
I also think they go for another forward in the Import draft and then maybe add a defencemen in the 2nd round and hold out of the 3rd in order to keep Varosyan’s rights. Munnings should make the team and is exciting as well in terms of potential, for his size and sturdiness the guy can flat out skate which is obviously super translatable to the OHL style of play + has enough skill in order to be an offensive presence in a couple seasons. I agree that Roy should be making this roster as well although that’s something that also remains to be seen in my opinion, I liked the small sample size of games we got to see him play in last year, definitely a player there. I like Kopwroski and I know the Bennett sample size of OHL games played is small but I would maybe opt to keep him instead to be 100% honest. I would be very happy with having any combination of the 3 goalies return but I think there’s possible OHL starter quality talent in Bennett that I would hate to see get moved unless it was for a decent amount of assets coming back our way. I think George is most likely traded although maybe it’s best to wait until the deadline because if the team is competitive enough in the first half then why not ride him into the playoffs again unless a trade request by the player himself is made.
So many decisions to make, I would NOT want to be the coaching staff / hockey ops department this summer with the work load and stress they’re about to endure. It’s both sad and exciting to think that some quality kids/young men will end up not being back in an Attack uniform next season but that only means that even better players are coming and for that I am extremely intrigued about the next few months.
DCruickshank
Registered User
- Jan 8, 2022
- 306
- 355
Change of mind...sort of....with new OA goalie rules likely coming into play....it would be great to be able to keep/satisfy all 3 goalies until deadline and assess....is that possible?
Welcome to the board, hopefully you stick around your first two posts are awesome! Great and needed discussion in the Bordem of May/June
Only way I think that might work is if one of Bennett or Koprowski doesn't get drafted. I think there's zero chance the NHL club who picks them will want them being part of a three goalie rotation. I don't think the OA pool of goalies is super strong either so if you're worried about how the trade market might be impacted by potential rules changes I'm not sure it would be all that significant, at least not this year. There's a number of teams with a need in net going into the season, some contenders or upper tier teams too. If you run three goalies to open the season I think it gets resolved in fairly short order. Maybe end of October at the latest? Would give teams who want to "see what they have in house" the opportunity.
The only wild card I'll throw out there is if they do adjust OA rules to allow goalies not to count towards the 3 OA limit is how that pairs with the 3 import players teams are allowed. Import goalies have typically been a crapshoot so I'm not sure how many teams will want to try their hand in that unless it's a player they've had the previous year and bring back as a known commodity.
I think, based on reading scuttlebutt from those in the know, the OA landscape is changing. Some of the top end or upper tier OA eligible players have moved on to the NCAA already. I don't think we'll see too many upper tier OAs in the league. If that ends up being the case, I think the Attack skew younger as those players could very likely be just as productive and be around for future seasons. Personally for me, if all else is equal, tie goes to the younger players. I suspect the Attack don't end up having three OAs this season. I think Petrovski on D will be 1, and then I think they either keep Waddick(who I think projects as a third line player at best next year which I think he's ill suited for) or find an upgrade in the forward mix. Depending on what happens in net, I could see them returning an OA goalie in trade to potentially pair with Koprowski at some point(towards the trade deadline).
I try not to get too excited about Kwajah as I got accused of being his father the last time lol. I think he's exactly the type of player our blueline needs, a legit PP1 QB for our contending window. He was rated around the back end of the 1st round of the 08 draft class. Adding his talents with Mbuyi and Zurawski would be awesome. Arnett is another great piece in that 08 group too.
I think the concerns around Jackman are, at least in my opinion, unwarranted. DeGray said he'd be in camp and he's been pretty honest over the years on guys who are undecided. He also played on the Little Ceasar's team which is based out of Detroit. His hometown may be St Louis but that doesn't mean he necessarily lives there so I'm not sure the distance is that big of an issue. I think in general, American kids will be more willing to play in the CHL as it's a better league and will give them a better platform to make an NCAA team or get drafted to the NHL. I suspect the USHL team is plan B if he can't earn a spot with the Attack. The team is deep with bodies at forward so even though he's a 2nd round pick he's not guaranteed anything.
Management always says having too many players is always a good thing but sorting out who makes it will be a hard task this year. The kids are going to have to really work to earn or keep spots this year which raises the bar.
