Yep. Comical. But whatever. I genuinely preferred Di Iorio just slightly because his all around play is better than Fitzgerald's. But both have incredibly high ceilings.
Saginaw 2024 is basically Sarnia 2023 ... built from the outside in. The formula for success is so very simple.... draft, develop and sprinkle in some moves yet no one really seems to do it but London. Londons core is entirely draft picks and let's be honest Barkey, Cowan, Bonk were all not elite high draft picks coming out of AAA. I get it they swindled Dickinson but still... London has never ever had a team like Saginaw 2024 or Sarnia 2023. LDN is the only franchise that doesn't get desperate. LDN is playing chess and the rest of the league is playing checkers.... Misa took a step back in year 2.... 4 goals and 11 pts in 17 playoff games is abysmal.
Yep. You called it early the similarities. Became very obvious down the stretch. I'll say they did better than I anticipated vs LDN but still the same issue we had at the end of the day. Lalonde honestly probably played better than Gaudreau though.
Cowan and Bonk reportedly played games to fall to 2nd round. Barkey was 16th overall. These WERE elite players out of AAA.
I didn't watch a single game of LDN/SAG because I already knew who would win so I can't really comment on the hockey....Fingers crossed NB puts up a fight... I like NB but I think LDN handles them too.
Thanks for that info Pops I didn't know that. Interesting but not surprising lol
At this point I don't even know if it's London who plays the game. It's there name now. Their first 5-10 years I bet they struggled to get high end talent to come outside picking them high.
Always remember that American kids don’t dream of playing in the OHL/CHL like most Canadian kids do.
I here you and you are certainly not wrong. BUT the fact that the Hunters own the team I believe is the key for all the success. Really both Mark and Dale are NHL talent but Dale prefers the kids and Mark will only leave if the situation he goes to as a GM is perfect. We also have a son and son in law who are probably paid better then assistant coaches in the NHL would be. Not to mention they know one day Mark and Dale will eventually retire.
Definitely but the dominance has helped the aura of London & helped the Hunters too. If they were they like every team where they go for it every 3-4 years getting guys to come wouldn't be as easy as it is now.
Just wanting to clarify are you saying that someone reported that these two kids played poorly in games in there draft season so that there draft position would fall so that London would be able to pick them? I know you are not saying it but I'm just a bit confused on what is being said / alleged and pretty sure I missed the intent of the statement? Cheers ....
www.theobserver.ca
Bogas going so high probably means he's going that route, but him coming for camp probably means he is at least curios about us. Like I said Saturday it's just so hard to convince him there's a legit opportunity here with how many D we have.
It would be nice, but he still has a full year to make that decision. He struggled playing for the USNTDP -17 team. Maybe a change of scenery would be god for him. I expect him to play for the USNTDP- 18 program this year.
I wouldn’t rule Bogas out. Voit was drafted in the first round of the USHL draft and he came to sarnia. That would be a solid get, all they have to do is tell him he will play in the starting 6 as a rookie and probably the top 4 as a 17 or 18 year old.
Gonna be his draft year. Not a bad selling point from the Sting that he could be the clear cut #1 on a decent team that's growing & will be good/really good (hopefully) when he's 18/19. But not holding my breath.
Yah for sure. Make the camp battle on D even crazier. It's gonna be one of the bigger more competitive battles for one position I can remember recently for this team. Even F is gonna be intense to fill out those final 3-4 spots. G no sure thing either..still have a feeling we maybe see them take an import G.
Because they are nice people!
Honestly I think it went nearly as good as we could've hoped. I know missing the playoffs is never what a team wants, but every single person I saw do a prediction had us last. If not for a barrage of injuries I think they would've went right down to the final weekend for 8th vs Flint & they spent multiple good picks to add good OAs to finish ahead of us.
Martone was gonna excel anywhere. I liked MacDonnel’s game when he was with the Sting. Dann was as good or better in yellow and black than he was two years later as an OA. Extremely one-dimensional player even as an OA and non-existent in this years playoffs. The rest of them? I think you have a point.
its a two year commitment, they only get let out if they are cut.
