Peterborough Petes 2024-25 Season Thread, Part II

[Petesfan8]

Most comments on here about how Oke handled the OA situation this year have been negative - wasted picks on Bryant and Stonehouse.
Oke could have kept the picks and played out the year with Lefebvre and McIntyre. No offense to those guys but Bryant and Stonehouse offer more intangibles; they are heart and soul players with a little more offensive upside who are leaders. The problem is that you can't measure the impact they are having on the younger players who will be here for the next two years. IMO the 3 OAs have done a great job of leading this young group by example - battle hard and never take a shift off. Many talked about trading Melee at the start of the season (as the highest value OA) and get the best possible return. I can't imagine how this season would have looked if they had kept Lefebvre and McIntyre and picked up a 3rd OA off waivers.

The fight I see in these pesky Petes, who never really had a chance at the playoffs after their start, tells me that Oke's handling of the OA situation was solid.
Did it result in a playoff berth? No, but the way they have played "playoff-like" games down the stretch while dealing with many injuries and suspensions tells me that this young group will be ready for real playoff games over the next couple seasons. Despite the many losses they have had this season, they are a tight-knit group who plays hard for each other. That is a great base to build on for the next two seasons.

Nice to see the positive comments.

 

[OHLFAN16]

Good two games this week, two big wins in a sweep. Any chance Wilson stays in the stands and lets these guys play hockey the way it should be played. Forwards stepping up, Hartnell moves the puck tape to tape which we haven’t seen all year, would be nice if he could stay to finish the season. Need to win out for a chance to make playoffs

 

[NorthernVoice]

The problem is that you can't measure the impact they are having on the younger players who will be here for the next two years.

Did it result in a playoff berth? No, but the way they have played "playoff-like" games down the stretch while dealing with many injuries and suspensions tells me that this young group will be ready for real playoff games over the next couple seasons. Despite the many losses they have had this season, they are a tight-knit group who plays hard for each other. That is a great base to build on for the next two seasons.

It's true, you can't measure that impact vs draft picks. I guess my push back would be to what extent we saw the veterans or the coaching staff actually develop that future core.

I think I'm the last Caden Taylor believer (he'll still be great) but I'll concede he didn't take the steps I hoped this year. Nico Addy certainly didn't. I had/have very high hopes for Carson Cameron, a lot of us thought he'd be a borderline first round NHL pick out of this year. That's not going to happen. Aiden Young is probably on the clearest path as a guy who should be impactful down the line.

Strohack, Ladds, McCallum.. guys returning from last season... Major steps there?

I did a poll at the start of the year asking for points leaders, draft positions etc... everyone is going to be way below our expectations.

The young/new guys bring a lot of hope. Fitzgerald, Ula, Gowan, Levac.. I see a lot of upside there but is it just because it's year one and a year from now I'll be asking the same questions of them if the 07s?

I don't know, did we see super major development this season? I hope so.

 

[ptbopete]

It's true, you can't measure that impact vs draft picks. I guess my push back would be to what extent we saw the veterans or the coaching staff actually develop that future core.

I think I'm the last Caden Taylor believer (he'll still be great) but I'll concede he didn't take the steps I hoped this year. Nico Addy certainly didn't. I had/have very high hopes for Carson Cameron, a lot of us thought he'd be a borderline first round NHL pick out of this year. That's not going to happen. Aiden Young is probably on the clearest path as a guy who should be impactful down the line.

Strohack, Ladds, McCallum.. guys returning from last season... Major steps there?

I did a poll at the start of the year asking for points leaders, draft positions etc... everyone is going to be way below our expectations.

The young/new guys bring a lot of hope. Fitzgerald, Ula, Gowan, Levac.. I see a lot of upside there but is it just because it's year one and a year from now I'll be asking the same questions of them if the 07s?

I don't know, did we see super major development this season? I hope so.

I saw development this season with players listed below. I did not list players who I think could have developed more like Addy, Taylor and Young - who all had flashes of brilliance but if they did have observable development it was on the defensive side of the game as per the coaches' priority)

2008s: Fitzgerald (skilled and big, gets points)
Ula (fast, creative, physical, not bad for a 5th round pick)
Gowan (over the season played with more confidence, good skater)
2007s: Cameron (reliable, wins puck battles and has had to carry a huge load at a young age) Honestly I don't care where he is on the NHL draft rankings)
Parish (what he lacks in size he makes up for in peskiness and creativity, goes to dirty areas)
2006s: Rye (for me the biggest surprise in terms of his development, should be #1 next year)
Strohack (kinda has evolved into a leader on the ice, standing up for players) A defenseman you don't want to play against.
McCallum (good on faceoffs, tough to play against. He's been better with not taking senseless penalties)
2005s: Matejicek (won't be back next year but has progressed into a very good defenseman)
Faulkner (one of the most underrated players on the team - makes a difference on every shift.
Page ( has gotten better every year but not exponentially)

As for the OHL Priority Draft, we'll pick in top four so are there certain 2009 players we should prioritize?

 

[Section7fan]

It's true, you can't measure that impact vs draft picks. I guess my push back would be to what extent we saw the veterans or the coaching staff actually develop that future core.

I think I'm the last Caden Taylor believer (he'll still be great) but I'll concede he didn't take the steps I hoped this year. Nico Addy certainly didn't. I had/have very high hopes for Carson Cameron, a lot of us thought he'd be a borderline first round NHL pick out of this year. That's not going to happen. Aiden Young is probably on the clearest path as a guy who should be impactful down the line.

Strohack, Ladds, McCallum.. guys returning from last season... Major steps there?

I did a poll at the start of the year asking for points leaders, draft positions etc... everyone is going to be way below our expectations.

The young/new guys bring a lot of hope. Fitzgerald, Ula, Gowan, Levac.. I see a lot of upside there but is it just because it's year one and a year from now I'll be asking the same questions of them if the 07s?

I don't know, did we see super major development this season? I hope so.

You’re not the last Taylor believer, though I think it may just be the two of us. He needs to put on some weight and learn to engage a lot more. Tools to be a stud but it’s up to him if he wants to put it together.

 

[Section5Petes]

I saw development this season with players listed below. I did not list players who I think could have developed more like Addy, Taylor and Young - who all had flashes of brilliance but if they did have observable development it was on the defensive side of the game as per the coaches' priority)

2008s: Fitzgerald (skilled and big, gets points)
Ula (fast, creative, physical, not bad for a 5th round pick)
Gowan (over the season played with more confidence, good skater)
2007s: Cameron (reliable, wins puck battles and has had to carry a huge load at a young age) Honestly I don't care where he is on the NHL draft rankings)
Parish (what he lacks in size he makes up for in peskiness and creativity, goes to dirty areas)
2006s: Rye (for me the biggest surprise in terms of his development, should be #1 next year)
Strohack (kinda has evolved into a leader on the ice, standing up for players) A defenseman you don't want to play against.
McCallum (good on faceoffs, tough to play against. He's been better with not taking senseless penalties)
2005s: Matejicek (won't be back next year but has progressed into a very good defenseman)
Faulkner (one of the most underrated players on the team - makes a difference on every shift.
Page ( has gotten better every year but not exponentially)

As for the OHL Priority Draft, we'll pick in top four so are there certain 2009 players we should prioritize?

One thing for certain is we need to be aiming for ceiling over floor and avoid the safe old school/defensive first players. We need a big infusion of high end skill and with currently 5 picks in the first three rounds there are lots of opportunities to do just that.

Charlie Murata or Camryn Warren with our first would be a terrific start. Our two 2nds are currently slated for 26 and 31 overall and there should be some high potential forwards available in this range. We have a real opportunity here to add some legit talent

 

[OMEGARAZER]

You’re not the last Taylor believer, though I think it may just be the two of us. He needs to put on some weight and learn to engage a lot more. Tools to be a stud but it’s up to him if he wants to put it together.

At least 3. 1000% agree he needs to put on some muscle and get a bit more grit though. I would love to see him play a similar style to Othmann (He does have a bit of height and weight over him already). The biggest thing he's missing from that in my opinion is that grit. Over the season he's gotten better for it but there are still many times that he'll avoid a check and put himself in a worse position than if he had just committed to it.

Ula (fast, creative, physical, not bad for a 5th round pick)
Rye (for me the biggest surprise in terms of his development, should be #1 next year)
Faulkner (one of the most underrated players on the team - makes a difference on every shift.

Ula was a steal in the 5th round if he keeps progressing the way he has over the season.
Rye isn't a surprise to me. The kid needed playing time. Having steady playing time this season has kept him in playing form, rather than last year when he was only really coming in relief and not really getting any playing time until the end of the season for the Chiefs.
Johnston was the big surprise for me, in training camp and preseason he looked shaky at best. Once the regular season started he seemed to lock in, and if you exclude the OS game where he was only in for 8 minutes, his numbers are almost identical to Rye albeit in much fewer games, but while the team was much worse.
Faulkner isn't flashy but he plays super responsible. Unsung bright spot for sure. Of the players that are currently on the roster I think he's the closest to a lock for an OA spot for me.

 

[GoPetesGo1956]

Luis Sturgeon SZN!

 

[Section5Petes]

Luis Sturgeon SZN!

Looking forward to seeing what he can big. Another ‘08 and is a big kid!

Rio Kaiser will also be back tonight