Sarnia Sting 2024 - 25 Season Thread, Part I

[davewheeler]

Not game or team related, but hope @davewheeler is doing good! Been a staple on the Sting page since before I even got on here. Been awhile since he posted or did anything. Probably just got tired of all my takes, haha, but hope all is good

Appreciate it updates... everything is good ... I never get tired of your takes if anything it's you who should be tired of mine lol .... for whatever reason I had issues logging on but It seems the issue is resolved.. That was me who reached out to you on twitter to see if you were having the same problem ....Anyways im just gonna spitball my thoughts on the first 20 or so games... Edwards is a stud sheesh. he's going to start rocketing up the 2026 NHL mock drafts... I have always said the OHL is far superior to the NCAA if you wanna go to the show... He'd by playing 1 or 2 years in like Cedar Rapids if he went the NCAA route.... theres no doubt NHL scouts are allover him.... Same with Di Lorio, he has been solid too... TBH Brown has been a ghost.. very disappointed in his play.. seems soft and uninvolved most the time. Same with Kostuch. The power play is simply embarrassing .. 10 percent is a joke.. we need some better coaching if you ask me because the power play has been bad for a long time.....I feel like this year is going to be a repeat of last year... great start and then a slide. I wouldn't be shocked if we missed the playoffs.... Overall thoughts on the O... Unreal Kitchener is where they are after trading Rehkopf and just as unreal that Brampton is in the basement with their team ... Of course LDN gets Haultenen back lol... They most likely will win the O rather easily... Still some big pieces that can be moved like Musty but I think LDN has this locked up.... LDN, on paper, may have one of the best CHL teams ever... Sam Dickinson is simply an unreal player...I wonder when the last time a D man won mvp. Him being like the 5th defence man taken in the NHL Draft was baffling to me. LDN has like 3-4 maybe 5 guys who shouldn't be playing in the O but it is what it is.

 

[StingUpdates]

Something needs to change fast. IMO they need to make a coaching change or some sorta trade just something. Because IMO this team tends to wait to long to make changes when they need to.

I'm not fully on the fire Letang bus, but I am getting close. I've said this since Hatcher was coach I do not understand their approach with assistant coaches. Hiring guys with 0 coaching experience is asking for it. Maybe you get a hidden gem, but maybe you also hire someone who has no idea what they are doing & while we have 0 clue the inner workings or the behind the scenes stuff I do not see what either assistant brings to this club.

Jeffrey especially was an awful hire. Sullivan stepped down which sucked, but why would u go hire someone who JUST retired when your other assistant has 1 year of coaching experience? He runs the PP I believe & well... That speaks for itself. Haley meanwhile I cant imagine has a great mind for how & what to teach Dmen when he was a 4th line grinder.

Could be them being cheap, but that hasn't been an issue for Legwand so far & even if it is you could find guys with some experience who wouldn't cost much more if any.

Whoever makes that call has done a disservice to this team & it also makes Letang's job harder if his assistants are clueless.

 

[StingUpdates]

Appreciate it updates... everything is good ... I never get tired of your takes if anything it's you who should be tired of mine lol .... for whatever reason I had issues logging on but It seems the issue is resolved.. That was me who reached out to you on twitter to see if you were having the same problem ....Anyways im just gonna spitball my thoughts on the first 20 or so games... Edwards is a stud sheesh. he's going to start rocketing up the 2026 NHL mock drafts... I have always said the OHL is far superior to the NCAA if you wanna go to the show... He'd by playing 1 or 2 years in like Cedar Rapids if he went the NCAA route.... theres no doubt NHL scouts are allover him.... Same with Di Lorio, he has been solid too... TBH Brown has been a ghost.. very disappointed in his play.. seems soft and uninvolved most the time. Same with Kostuch. The power play is simply embarrassing .. 10 percent is a joke.. we need some better coaching if you ask me because the power play has been bad for a long time.....I feel like this year is going to be a repeat of last year... great start and then a slide. I wouldn't be shocked if we missed the playoffs.... Overall thoughts on the O... Unreal Kitchener is where they are after trading Rehkopf and just as unreal that Brampton is in the basement with their team ... Of course LDN gets Haultenen back lol... They most likely will win the O rather easily... Still some big pieces that can be moved like Musty but I think LDN has this locked up.... LDN, on paper, may have one of the best CHL teams ever... Sam Dickinson is simply an unreal player...I wonder when the last time a D man won mvp. Him being like the 5th defence man taken in the NHL Draft was baffling to me. LDN has like 3-4 maybe 5 guys who shouldn't be playing in the O but it is what it is.

Great to hear from ya again. Ahh I remember that. Can't say I've ever had that issue so couldnt help you out unfortunately. Well you've been iffy on Letang maybe before anyone else & it looks like you may have been spot on! Haha. Agree with your thoughts.

For me Brown looks to have focused on the wrong things in training/on ice training. Obviously the goal is always to get stronger, but for me he should've went home wanting to improve his quickness, speed & shot. He seems to have really went all out for playing down low, being strong on the puck etc & that wasn't his game at all last year. What made him a good rookie was a lot of way we've seen with Edwards. Being in the right spots, finishing his looks, being out front, supporting his line mates well. Now he tries to play like a power forward & he isn't that.

Kitchener is a prime example of great coaching. Ahokas isn't long for this league. Tomorrow is gonna be an absolute slaughter. Brampton is really puzzling. I also had a good chuckle at LDN getting him back. They are a tier, if not 2 ahed of anyone else in the west.

 

[davewheeler]

Great to hear from ya again. Ahh I remember that. Can't say I've ever had that issue so couldnt help you out unfortunately. Well you've been iffy on Letang maybe before anyone else & it looks like you may have been spot on! Haha. Agree with your thoughts.

For me Brown looks to have focused on the wrong things in training/on ice training. Obviously the goal is always to get stronger, but for me he should've went home wanting to improve his quickness, speed & shot. He seems to have really went all out for playing down low, being strong on the puck etc & that wasn't his game at all last year. What made him a good rookie was a lot of way we've seen with Edwards. Being in the right spots, finishing his looks, being out front, supporting his line mates well. Now he tries to play like a power forward & he isn't that.

Kitchener is a prime example of great coaching. Ahokas isn't long for this league. Brampton is really puzzling. I also had a good chuckle at LDN getting him back. They are a tier, if not 2 ahed of anyone else in the west.

I've been reading past posts catching up and I do sense a souring on Letang and the staff in general ...In his defence, Letang isn't getting anything out of his assistants. But then again Letang doesn't seem to use common sense a lot of the time. I just feel like his style of coaching doesn't align with todays game and he refuses to change.... I remember way back when Sarnia hired Letang... the name Cam Abbott was floating around too ... a Sarnia kid who was having success in Europe. Anyways, he's now the coach of Chicago in the AHL. No doubt he will be in the NHL soon. I would love to see Legwand get back behind the bench but I won't hold my breathe.

 

[stingwagoner]

Special teams coach is a joke
Whoever coaches that should be fired.
How long before there are changes.
Letang needs to go team has same identity as their head coach Letang is a soft player and now we have become a soft not finish checks type of team. We are in tough now to make the playoffs.
Going to be sime trades now.
Johnston -what in league.
Hood for wainwright only Plus player on this team should tell you something. The true captain of this team.
Brown wainwright need to get back together and Johnston needs to go. Hate his compete just not good.

 

[JAMER]

I'm not fully on the fire Letang bus, but I am getting close. I've said this since Hatcher was coach I do not understand their approach with assistant coaches. Hiring guys with 0 coaching experience is asking for it. Maybe you get a hidden gem, but maybe you also hire someone who has no idea what they are doing & while we have 0 clue the inner workings or the behind the scenes stuff I do not see what either assistant brings to this club.

Jeffrey especially was an awful hire. Sullivan stepped down which sucked, but why would u go hire someone who JUST retired when your other assistant has 1 year of coaching experience? He runs the PP I believe & well... That speaks for itself. Haley meanwhile I cant imagine has a great mind for how & what to teach Dmen when he was a 4th line grinder.

Could be them being cheap, but that hasn't been an issue for Legwand so far & even if it is you could find guys with some experience who wouldn't cost much more if any.

Whoever makes that call has done a disservice to this team & it also makes Letang's job harder if his assistants are clueless.

I'm not nessasarily saying they need to fire Letang. But i do think there needs to be a change in the coaching staff. IMO if this staff is still together next year we will not be a contender.

 

[frontsfan67]

Appreciate it updates... everything is good ... I never get tired of your takes if anything it's you who should be tired of mine lol .... for whatever reason I had issues logging on but It seems the issue is resolved.. That was me who reached out to you on twitter to see if you were having the same problem ....Anyways im just gonna spitball my thoughts on the first 20 or so games... Edwards is a stud sheesh. he's going to start rocketing up the 2026 NHL mock drafts... I have always said the OHL is far superior to the NCAA if you wanna go to the show... He'd by playing 1 or 2 years in like Cedar Rapids if he went the NCAA route.... theres no doubt NHL scouts are allover him.... Same with Di Lorio, he has been solid too... TBH Brown has been a ghost.. very disappointed in his play.. seems soft and uninvolved most the time. Same with Kostuch. The power play is simply embarrassing .. 10 percent is a joke.. we need some better coaching if you ask me because the power play has been bad for a long time.....I feel like this year is going to be a repeat of last year... great start and then a slide. I wouldn't be shocked if we missed the playoffs.... Overall thoughts on the O... Unreal Kitchener is where they are after trading Rehkopf and just as unreal that Brampton is in the basement with their team ... Of course LDN gets Haultenen back lol... They most likely will win the O rather easily... Still some big pieces that can be moved like Musty but I think LDN has this locked up.... LDN, on paper, may have one of the best CHL teams ever... Sam Dickinson is simply an unreal player...I wonder when the last time a D man won mvp. Him being like the 5th defence man taken in the NHL Draft was baffling to me. LDN has like 3-4 maybe 5 guys who shouldn't be playing in the O but it is what it is.

Spot on. All of it.
Yeah I had London winning OHL before haltunnen and Montgomery were added and maybe they make another move at some point. They are absolutely LOADED. And the west is weak this year- they should steamroll their way to the finals and the teams in the east will be all beat up from dogging it out against eachother we could see a repeat of last years finals (sweep)

I predicted in pre season barrie and London with London winning and I am sticking to that prediction.

Can’t wait to see all your young guys play in kingston. Going to have a hell of a team in a year or two.

 

[StingUpdates]

No way around it they are getting smoked today by Kitchener. Two teams going in the opposite directions right now & heavily. But I need to see some pride, some snarl. Make them earn their goals. Make them earn a win. Can not let what happened in Saginaw become something we see again & again.

With the 3 fight rule you don't see it often, but man Franceschetti, Moses or Andersen dropping the gloves early on could be a nice way to set the tone & get the crowd going.

Hopefully first home game in awhile gives them a boost & maybe they can start on time although I doubt it. Let's also hope the reffing is better than yesterday where there was 22 fricken penalties. Don't need a 3 hour game lol.

 

[SarniaStingFan]

The road trip from hell has ended. Here the final stats from it.

Record: 1-7
Outscored 41-19

Shots For/Game: 27.4
Shots Against/Game: 37.4

PP: 2/35 (5.7%)
PK: 32/44 (72.7%)

I knew it would be bad but this was unacceptable even with all the absences. Felt really bad for Maillet tonight. He rushed off the ice at the end of the first two periods. Can't say I blame him either. The defence in front of him was nowhere to be found.

I'm struggling to find any glimmer of hope with this team. They've given up a league-worst 91 goals and have the second worst goal differential (only ahead of PBO). It could be so much worse if not for our goalies. Really wonder what the fan turnout will be in his upcoming stretch. They built up some goodwill with the deep playoff run two years ago but all of that will be gone if they don't make the playoffs again this season. Not expecting a win tomorrow but they need to play a semi-competitive game

 

[Fastpace]

Great to hear from ya again. Ahh I remember that. Can't say I've ever had that issue so couldnt help you out unfortunately. Well you've been iffy on Letang maybe before anyone else & it looks like you may have been spot on! Haha. Agree with your thoughts.

For me Brown looks to have focused on the wrong things in training/on ice training. Obviously the goal is always to get stronger, but for me he should've went home wanting to improve his quickness, speed & shot. He seems to have really went all out for playing down low, being strong on the puck etc & that wasn't his game at all last year. What made him a good rookie was a lot of way we've seen with Edwards. Being in the right spots, finishing his looks, being out front, supporting his line mates well. Now he tries to play like a power forward & he isn't that.

Kitchener is a prime example of great coaching. Ahokas isn't long for this league. Tomorrow is gonna be an absolute slaughter. Brampton is really puzzling. I also had a good chuckle at LDN getting him back. They are a tier, if not 2 ahed of anyone else in the west.

I think it is a little unfair, at this moment, to compare Sarnia to Kitchener, Sarnia did not have two monstrous drafting seasons as Kitchener had in 22 and 23. Their scouting team have done their jobs, picked up not only talents, with strong character as well, high-end players that just won't quit, very hard qualities to find in one player alone, they have found 4 or possibly 5 of them. All Jussi Ahokas will need to do for the next 3 years (including this year) is open doors for his players, they will do the rest. Sarnia must develop their young players, Kitchener received theirs already packaged up. In my Opinion

 

[HkyBeegs3]

Letang is on the hot seat now. Not getting through to the players anymore. Same problems keep happening over and over

I've been saying this all season, it's getting very close to a change in head coaching for the sting. He's either giving the wrong message or no message to this super young squad. Gotta get a teacher in there not a do this do that kinda coach. lost the room

 

[stingwagoner]

I have said it 100 times I think Letangs line combos and PP and now pk just isn't at the OHL Level. Be it his inexperienced special teams guy Jefferies who is just learning the role, alot of players don't make good coaches automatically. In this case I think DS hired a local guy with his fingers crossed.... just isn't working to benefit of this group.
Think johnston was bad move as well by DS just doesn't play a style we want younger guys to emulate.
Lack of finishing checks by majority of D and forwards puts us in position to get pushed around exactly the style of play Letang played, soft/pretender style of hockey. hate to say it but we are becoming that type of team.
Di iorio -5 last night no support
BODIN -4 Looks just out there to be there isn't really playing style we need him too. Too much watching, is that the D coach allowing it or not demanding more, I don't know.
Think that wainwright +9 is standing out as effort leadership and is playing wicked on this team where guys that plays the most is icetime game in game out, are negative. Giving up way more which is key stat for performance of team as a whole.
Di iorio -13
Hurt -9
Doucette -9
Johnston -7
FILAK -6
Brown -5
No coincidence the PP is worst in league no urgency and will to play.
Mixed up Pk combos is hurting that stat now.

I'm going to say what needs to be said Letang with his momentum blender of lines is killing any offensive consistency.

Get wainwright karimov and Brown together. And leave them together.
Get Diorio filak and Johnston.
Edward's Kostuch doucette
Stop the experimenting of Di iorio and Brown creates nothing hurts both IMO. Both players struggling as season continues to go on, some games it Looks worse.
Fire Jefferies go and Hire a Pp specialist and this team becomes a mid pack team this year keeping its fan base and forcing development. Hate to see that stat keep dwindling. These stretches don't help keep fans coming.

Sorry for the Novel everyone, pretty frustrated seeing the same stuff over and over and yet DS must not see it, or want to see it?
We still need a 19 year old D that is lock down D to help this D core a Andonovski player and 2 new Associate coaches. If this keeps going way things going we will be known for the team with huge upside and bright future to the "the team that could have been"

 

[JAMER]

The road trip from hell has ended. Here the final stats from it.

Record: 1-7
Outscored 41-19

Shots For/Game: 27.4
Shots Against/Game: 37.4

PP: 2/35 (5.7%)
PK: 32/44 (72.7%)

I knew it would be bad but this was unacceptable even with all the absences. Felt really bad for Maillet tonight. He rushed off the ice at the end of the first two periods. Can't say I blame him either. The defence in front of him was nowhere to be found.

I'm struggling to find any glimmer of hope with this team. They've given up a league-worst 91 goals and have the second worst goal differential (only ahead of PBO). It could be so much worse if not for our goalies. Really wonder what the fan turnout will be in his upcoming stretch. They built up some goodwill with the deep playoff run two years ago but all of that will be gone if they don't make the playoffs again this season. Not expecting a win tomorrow but they need to play a semi-competitive game

If you count are 2 home games before the road trip. Were 1-9 PP IS 4/48 and PK is 34/50. Also idk if anyone has brought this up yet. But another thing that's been pissing me off. Is when we get O-zone draws and Letang decides to put the 4th line out. Like wtf with a team that has a hard time scoring and doesn't get a ton of O-zone draws and you decide to throw the 4th line out when we do get one. Makes 0 sense to me.

 

[davewheeler]

I think it is a little unfair, at this moment, to compare Sarnia to Kitchener, Sarnia did not have two monstrous drafting seasons as Kitchener had in 22 and 23. Their scouting team have done their jobs, picked up not only talents, with strong character as well, high-end players that just won't quit, very hard qualities to find in one player alone, they have found 4 or possibly 5 of them. All Jussi Ahokas will need to do for the next 3 years (including this year) is open doors for his players, they will do the rest. Sarnia must develop their young players, Kitchener received theirs already packaged up. In my Opinion

I don't think there was a comparison to Kitchener. Just said they're a well coached team. I agree Kitchener has absolutely nailed this 'rebuild'

 

[davewheeler]

I've been saying this all season, it's getting very close to a change in head coaching for the sting. He's either giving the wrong message or no message to this super young squad. Gotta get a teacher in there not a do this do that kinda coach. lost the room

There is no way Legwand doesn't see what we're all seeing with the coaching staff. I see Legwand at most every game. I ultimately think he's the one in charge giving the go aheads on stuff. I also believe that Legwand is close with the players, especially Edwards as I think he talked him into coming. Obviously, none of us really know the inner workings of the team but a large sign of a coach losing the room is a lack of effort... which honestly I do see creeping in... Like imagine being Karimov... you come over all the way from Russia or wherever only to be buried on the 3rd or 4th line for the majority of the start. Letang is the ultimate confidence killing coach. This is such a young but skilled team but I see zero offensive creativity unless a player takes it into his own hands. We need Legwand behind the bench... When Hatcher and him were behind the bench the actual on ice system wasn't that bad from what I remember. Just a lack of effort from Hatcher on scouting ect. Haley and Jeffries ... you could place two pylons back there and you'd be better off... It's laughable that's the best Sarnia could muster up for assistants.

 

[stingfan1990]

I thought legwand has a son coming thru the rankings and he was going to coach him that was the talk a couple years ago

 

[JAMER]

I've been trying to figure out what this coaching staff reminds me of. And I think i figured it out. This coaching staff reminds me of government. They've been allowed to do as bad a job as they want and no one gets fired. At least not yet.

 

[HkyBeegs3]

what exactly is letangs coaching style? honest question

 

[davewheeler]

what exactly is letangs coaching style? honest question

Great question. Very hard to answer. The best I can come up with is his teams play like they have a 3 goal lead. It's almost like they play to try and lose 2-1 rather than 6-5.... against skilled teams that usually means you're going to lose 7-2

 

[Stingfan91]

So who would you people replace the coaching staff with???? Because from what I see there isn’t much options out there, and if you think someone new will come and turn this team around into a great hockey team right away your truly mistaken. The coaching staff can’t strap on the skates and play for these players so not everything falls on the coaches. Yes there are things that fall on the coaches but alot of it is on the players to put in the effort on the ice. I didn’t hear many people complain about the coaches when they were doing good at the beginning of the year or when we went on the playoff run a few years ago. We have to be reasonable and look at the players and not just the coaches. Remember we are the 2nd youngest team in the league and really didn’t have much expectations from this year other than continuing to build to the future, Which I’m excited

 

[Kingpin794]

So who would you people replace the coaching staff with???? Because from what I see there isn’t much options out there, and if you think someone new will come and turn this team around into a great hockey team right away your truly mistaken. The coaching staff can’t strap on the skates and play for these players so not everything falls on the coaches. Yes there are things that fall on the coaches but alot of it is on the players to put in the effort on the ice. I didn’t hear many people complain about the coaches when they were doing good at the beginning of the year or when we went on the playoff run a few years ago. We have to be reasonable and look at the players and not just the coaches. Remember we are the 2nd youngest team in the league and really didn’t have much expectations from this year other than continuing to build to the future, Which I’m excited

Poach an assistant from another squad. Someone young that wants a chance to lead a team themselves. If Lazary decides he wants to stick around in the OHL, I could see someone wanting Garrett Rutledge off their staff. Has some experience coaching in the FPHL. I know Laz and co are grooming him to be a coach down the line. There’s got to be a couple others on some staffs out there that are worth a shot.

 

[JAMER]

Lines go through the blender again. But Brown and Wainwright are back together at least.

 

[StingUpdates]

Another day, another change in lines! I mean how the hell can they gain ANY chemistry when every game there's changes. Probably spent all week with the lines they had Friday to change them Saturday and then to change them today.

Reunite 23&12 like we want but then throw Moses on the RW who's had a terrible couple weeks & doesn't have great skill.

Keep Edwards on wing, but move a winger in Kostuch back to C on L4? Like good lord man.

 

[JAMER]

So who would you people replace the coaching staff with???? Because from what I see there isn’t much options out there, and if you think someone new will come and turn this team around into a great hockey team right away your truly mistaken. The coaching staff can’t strap on the skates and play for these players so not everything falls on the coaches. Yes there are things that fall on the coaches but alot of it is on the players to put in the effort on the ice. I didn’t hear many people complain about the coaches when they were doing good at the beginning of the year or when we went on the playoff run a few years ago. We have to be reasonable and look at the players and not just the coaches. Remember we are the 2nd youngest team in the league and really didn’t have much expectations from this year other than continuing to build to the future, Which I’m excited now one

So who would you people replace the coaching staff with???? Because from what I see there isn’t much options out there, and if you think someone new will come and turn this team around into a great hockey team right away your truly mistaken. The coaching staff can’t strap on the skates and play for these players so not everything falls on the coaches. Yes there are things that fall on the coaches but alot of it is on the players to put in the effort on the ice. I didn’t hear many people complain about the coaches when they were doing good at the beginning of the year or when we went on the playoff run a few years ago. We have to be reasonable and look at the players and not just the coaches. Remember we are the 2nd youngest team in the league and really didn’t have much expectations from this year other than continuing to build to the future, Which I’m excited

No one is expecting a complete turn around with a new coach. But what we have now has clearly not worked.

 

[davewheeler]

Poach an assistant from another squad. Someone young that wants a chance to lead a team themselves. If Lazary decides he wants to stick around in the OHL, I could see someone wanting Garrett Rutledge off their staff. Has some experience coaching in the FPHL. I know Laz and co are grooming him to be a coach down the line. There’s got to be a couple others on some staffs out there that are worth a shot.

Ruts would be a great hire.... From the Sarnia area too.