Peterborough Petes 2024 - 25 Season Thread, Part I

[NorthernVoice]

lol I knew the Caden Taylor hot takes would be flying in here. From shift to shift he can be my favourite or least favourite player on the team and the best or worst player on the ice.

I don't know that the lack of effort or desire takes are correct though. I think he's just a very high end POTENTIAL talent who is still very unpolished. I think his skating style makes it look like he's not going all out but he doesn't look that different when he's deking past two guys and going to the net.

In the end, I find him pretty likeable and entertaining and think if/when he gets that bit more consistency/polish, he's a star.

 

[NorthernVoice]

That was the first time this season I thought the Petes were legitimately better than their opponent/fully deserved to win. Even when down 1-0, it felt like it was just a matter of time. Should have taken it in regulation IMO but take it either way.

 

[peskypetes101]

Cameron could have easily tried to move that puck to another player or sent it around the boards on the goal where the Sting ended up tying the game and he chose to do the absolute crap, try to kill time with a rugby scrum along the boards and it cost the Petes a regulation win.

And I don't even blame him, that is trademark Wilson hockey and exactly what he wants them to do in that situation because he is an absolute coward of a coach who plays not to lose.

I agree sometimes that board pin is annoying, but it’s Wilson hockey and it does work, it’s def the safe defensive play.

A lot more positives things to take away from that game than this.

Cameron was a shot blocking machine and probably saved a goal or 2. I would like to see some stats on his shot blocking.

Great to see Gowan get his first OHL, and what a memorable one. Also nice to see Taylor put one in again, although the bench taunt was a little too much.

Young has been very consistent too, thought he had a great game and Rye gave them a chance to win again.

I think the Gavin Bryant addition did a lot more for this team than people give credit for, especially the dressing room presence.

 

[NorthernVoice]

I agree sometimes that board pin is annoying, but it’s Wilson hockey and it does work, it’s def the safe defensive play.

A lot more positives things to take away from that game than this.

I do agree, I posted that when it happened but overall the team played very well tonight, I think that's why losing the regulation win on that play frustrated me so much. Plus, I just don't like Wilson.

Rye looks solid. Cameron played well. Goals from Young, Taylor, Gowan is encouraging. I think Gowan is going to be so good. He made a stretch pass late in the game no one else on this team can make.

Probably a weird guy to call out in a positive way after tonight's game because he took a (bad) phantom high sticking penalty and got crushed a few times and really doesn't provide a ton of offense but I feel like Faulkner is always on the right side of the puck, always going hard and always making the right play, even if the results aren't there on the stat sheet (and probably aren't going to suddenly show up). Plus-minus is mostly a dumb stat but it has some merit with players on the same team and he's +3 this year in 25 games and no one else who seems similar ice and has played similar games is really even close to him.

 

[peskypetes101]

lol I knew the Caden Taylor hot takes would be flying in here. From shift to shift he can be my favourite or least favourite player on the team and the best or worst player on the ice.

I don't know that the lack of effort or desire takes are correct though. I think he's just a very high end POTENTIAL talent who is still very unpolished. I think his skating style makes it look like he's not going all out but he doesn't look that different when he's deking past two guys and going to the net.

In the end, I find him pretty likeable and entertaining and think if/when he gets that bit more consistency/polish, he's a star.

I think the lack of effort was more towards the beginning of the season, and it was more of a lack of defensive effort. But I see that changing now (it kind of had to with Wilson) and has cost him a bit of offensive production, but once he figures it out it will only be better for this team in the future.

I agree he just needs a bit more time

 

[OMEGARAZER]

Cameron could have easily tried to move that puck to another player or sent it around the boards on the goal where the Sting ended up tying the game and he chose to do the absolute crap, try to kill time with a rugby scrum along the boards and it cost the Petes a regulation win.

The officials were hustling them a bit more than normal there too, not that that should change anything about it but it could have contributed. It was a rough one either way though.

I think the lack of effort was more towards the beginning of the season, and it was more of a lack of defensive effort. But I see that changing now (it kind of had to with Wilson) and has cost him a bit of offensive production, but once he figures it out it will only be better for this team in the future.

I agree he just needs a bit more time

He did specifically call out that he's been focusing on his defensive game in the post-game interview they did with him. He has been looking a lot more engaged in the play when not strictly heading up ice, hope it can continue that way.

 

[WillardJFredricks]

I don't know how many shots Cameron blocked last night, but it was impressive. And painful looking.

 

[ptbopete]

Unfortunate that Bowen is out with an injury but the play of Rye and Johnston is a silver lining. To see them consistently be able to stop pucks at this level is very good news. The 17 year olds on this team are playing well (Cameron, Taylor, Young, Ladds, Parish). Addy was out last night and no one here knows why, the Examiner as usual didn't have the post game write up the morning after a game but usually Mike Davies tells us it's a healthy scratch or whatever. Martentette also 17 might be a player too.

How about the 16 year olds - Fitzgerald, Gowan, Levac and Ula. Future looks decent.

 

[Oggie Ogoltorp]

We will be reading the same posts about Taylor in 2 years and by then he will likely be on his 3rd or 4th team. Talent is obvious when he's on. Move him while you can.

 

[WillardJFredricks]

Unfortunate that Bowen is out with an injury but the play of Rye and Johnston is a silver lining. To see them consistently be able to stop pucks at this level is very good news. The 17 year olds on this team are playing well (Cameron, Taylor, Young, Ladds, Parish). Addy was out last night and no one here knows why, the Examiner as usual didn't have the post game write up the morning after a game but usually Mike Davies tells us it's a healthy scratch or whatever. Martentette also 17 might be a player too.

How about the 16 year olds - Fitzgerald, Gowan, Levac and Ula. Future looks decent.

Just saw the article. Said Addy has an upper body injury.

 

[Petesfan8]

Unfortunate that Bowen is out with an injury but the play of Rye and Johnston is a silver lining. To see them consistently be able to stop pucks at this level is very good news. The 17 year olds on this team are playing well (Cameron, Taylor, Young, Ladds, Parish). Addy was out last night and no one here knows why, the Examiner as usual didn't have the post game write up the morning after a game but usually Mike Davies tells us it's a healthy scratch or whatever. Martentette also 17 might be a player too.

How about the 16 year olds - Fitzgerald, Gowan, Levac and Ula. Future looks decent.

You make several good points.

 

[OMEGARAZER]

Did anyone else get a notification from the OHL app about Strohack scoring 20 minutes ago and think they misread the time the game started?

 

[Section5Petes]

Did anyone else get a notification from the OHL app about Strohack scoring 20 minutes ago and think they misread the time the game started?

Strohack is just that good. He’s scoring goals before the games even start

 

[OMEGARAZER]

Strohack is just that good. He’s scoring goals before the games even start

It was "assisted" by Gowan too, had to be true


On actual game notes, Johnston is looking solid once again. Great to see how he's progressed since looking pretty shaky during preseason.
Also great to see Melee get the opener against his draft team in his 200th.

 

[Section5Petes]

McCallum needs to figure it out. Between suspensions, and 17 minutes a game in the box, this can’t keep happening

 

[OMEGARAZER]

McCallum suspended for hitting a player that turned just before a hit. Tonight's not even blown down, explained away by the player turning before the hit and it ends up with a goal. Make this shit make sense.

 

[Section7fan]

McCallum needs to figure it out. Between suspensions, and 17 minutes a game in the box, this can’t keep happening

He was so good down the stretch last year. I had high hopes that he would really break out this year and reach his potential but it’s been the opposite.

 

[Petesfan8]

He was so good down the stretch last year. I had high hopes that he would really break out this year and reach his potential but it’s been the opposite.

Good effort against a good Brantford team and the Petes do have three quality goaltenders

 

[Zebra]

Off topic -
I just love seeing former Petes Steve Lorentz and Nick Robertson on the same line for the Leafs.
I think they may have both worn #16 for the maroon and white too

 

[NorthernVoice]

Off topic -
I just love seeing former Petes Steve Lorentz and Nick Robertson on the same line for the Leafs.
I think they may have both worn #16 for the maroon and white too

I'm a huge Leafs fan and I wonder what happens with Robertson. Early on he didn't look like himself. The last few games he looks really good to me, generating chances, hard on the puck, way more conscientious defensively than he's been. But the numbers still aren't there and soon Domi, Pacioretty, Kampf etc .... will be back and I'm not sure of his place even though, as I say, I think he's playing great hockey, just not getting results. I'm sure Berube sees it - he's held his place in the lineup as Knies, Matthews have come back and it's been Grebenkin, ANylander etc moved down.

(Lorentz is awesome but expectations are a lot different for him, he can be a 4th line physical checker with great PK skills and not much offense and that's all you want or need from him).

 

[Petesfan8]

McCallum needs to figure it out. Between suspensions, and 17 minutes a game in the box, this can’t keep happening

I agree. The kid has a lot of talent but he is not helping his team. It would be interesting to know how many minutes he has spent on the ice this season. I do give him credit for stepping up for a team mate as he did last night. If the Petes were to make available McCallum and one of the three goalies for a trade what could they get in return? McCallum has two goals this year.

 

[Section5Petes]

I agree. The kid has a lot of talent but he is not helping his team. It would be interesting to know how many minutes he has spent on the ice this season. I do give him credit for stepping up for a team mate as he did last night. If the Petes were to make available McCallum and one of the three goalies for a trade what could they get in return? McCallum has two goals this year.

That is an idea that I have been wrestling with in my head the past few weeks. If McCallum had continued with the trajectory he was on towards the end of last season in terms of point production, and taken another step forward, then I think with him being an '06, he could have netted the Petes a decent return. But now, after a slow start, due to injuries and some suspensions, and a resulting lower ppg pace, I don't think it would make sense to trade him at one of his lowest values. If he can step up offensively as he did last year, then he will be provide much needed production from the weak '06 core on this team. If you asked me before the season started, I would have said McCallum could have garnered us a solid return but I can't see it now.

In terms of the three goalies, if Rye and Johnston can continue to play the way they have been, I think the Petes have to seriously explore a Zach Bowen trade. Both Rye and MJ need playing time at this level and this stretch is a great runway to see what attributes you may have with both of them. Value wise, I can't imagine it would be an admirable situation for the Petes dealing Bowen as he comes back from injury, but right now we are looking at the future and both of these young goalies play a part of it.

 

[Section5Petes]

Sigh… another suspension for Braydon McCallum. One game for exceeding instigating penalty threshold

 

[Petesfan8]

Sigh… another suspension for Braydon McCallum. One game for exceeding instigating penalty threshold

Basically he is a part time player.

 

[ptbopete]

Sigh… another suspension for Braydon McCallum. One game for exceeding instigating penalty threshold

That sequence with Gowan getting hit on the numbers, McCallum going to his defense, Bulldogs scoring tying goal while McCallum instigates a fight with Crombie the guy who hit Gowan .......results in McCallum being suspended. First off all Crombie should have been penalized but I think Gowan may have embellished a bit so the refs even after a review didn't call it. That was a worst case scenario for the Petes all in one play in a game that otherwise was one of their best games of the season.

I disagree about the comments here about McCallum and don't like it when fans refer to goal production as one of the key indicators of success. McCallum is exactly the kind of player Rob Wilson and Petes fans like - fearless, feisty muckrakers and we get what we ask for. If we are to be critical at anyone on the team, we ought to point fingers at the people who created this sort of team (Oake, WIlson) as a result the Petes are one of the most physical teams in the league. I for one love the tight-checking physical style of play of the Petes. Only problem is, is that they are a very young team and most of the skilled players are 2-3 years away from their prime at this level.

The good news is that the Petes are getting better every game and sticking to the system Wilson wants. While McCallum has been suspended two or three times now, he is playing the old-school way and given the league's low tolerance for this stuff, it might not be fair to expect him to stick up for his teammates and go in the corners fearlessly. But that is the kind of player he is. Strohack is an example of a player who has changed his game and is taking fewer penalties. McCallum can do the hockey fundamentals well (skates fast, sets up goals, kills penalties). Perhaps a different coaching approach might have him avoid the penalty box more often and be more productive.