SSM Greyhounds 2023-2024 Off-Season Thread (Part 1)

[DWI Dale]

it's obviously difficult to draw any conclusions in the pre-season with our top guys still absent. clearly we have some holes in our lineup but i don't think anybody would be too surprised by that. but is one of our big holes in net?

we've been assuming that schenkel could be moved but in a limited sample size Reid Thomas has not exactly performed like a player who's ready for the CHL. i'm basing this on his 15 goals against in 2 games but admittedly wasn't able to catch either game. for those that watched the games, are we playing that bad defensively or is Thomas struggling to adapt to the OHL game?

p.s. stings a little to see hometown kid H.Chitaroni light us up but i'm happy for him.

 

[Kristina Hazzard]

it's obviously difficult to draw any conclusions in the pre-season with our top guys still absent. clearly we have some holes in our lineup but i don't think anybody would be too surprised by that. but is one of our big holes in net?

we've been assuming that schenkel could be moved but in a limited sample size Reid Thomas has not exactly performed like a player who's ready for the CHL. i'm basing this on his 15 goals against in 2 games but admittedly wasn't able to catch either game. for those that watched the games, are we playing that bad defensively or is Thomas struggling to adapt to the OHL game?

p.s. stings a little to see hometown kid H.Chitaroni light us up but i'm happy for him.

I thought he did okay to be honest made 32 saves

 

[JoeSchmo]

 

[DWI Dale]

A couple hounds and a Soo local. It's a good feeling to know Dubas will never forget where he came from.

 

[JoeSchmo]

Just in case CHLTV acts up again and the game goes missing, here’s the direct link to the game at 5:30

CHL TV

CHL TV

watch.chl.ca

 

[Fischhaber]

That makes alot more sense. Did not know that about the WHL ... I mean any kid who passes through waivers and changes leagues is likely a long shot regardless.

I recall a former Greyhound named Adam Chapman that passed through waivers and became a very effective player in the Q, being traded for high picks on multiple occasions.

 

[DWI Dale]

i feel like I just saw a ghost

 

[DWI Dale]

On Mike Farwell's podcast this week he alludes to there being some "strategy" behind our disappointing 2024 draft, and has specifically to picking no-shows in order to intentionally receive a compensatory pick. He doesn't elaborate but seems to think it was done intentionally. I was curious if anybody wanted to speculate on how he might think having 2 first rounders next season helps our 2007's competitive window, or if this is a long game strategy to build a team around 2009's?

 

[PuckLife]

Heedful Hounds high on newbies - Soo Greyhounds

by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photo by Bob Davies To say the Soo Greyhounds are impressed by Carson Andrew would be an understatement. And the emergence of the 16-year-old (2008 birth year) winger, if he justifies the club’s faith in him, couldn’t come at a better time. Taken in the...

chl.ca

 

[MJ5]

On Mike Farwell's podcast this week he alludes to there being some "strategy" behind our disappointing 2024 draft, and has specifically to picking no-shows in order to intentionally receive a compensatory pick. He doesn't elaborate but seems to think it was done intentionally. I was curious if anybody wanted to speculate on how he might think having 2 first rounders next season helps our 2007's competitive window, or if this is a long game strategy to build a team around 2009's?

Heard that as well. Just seems weird to pick guys in the 2nd and 3rd that were reporting risk as well if you intentionally pick someone who won't show up in the 1st.

Going 0 for is a terrible look right now.

 

[DWI Dale]

ya, i don't fully understand how it benefits us unless the plan is to have 2x1st rounders next year, with one of them destined to be traded as part of our building around 07s. to me it just seems like a lateral move at best but farwell seemed convinced it's part of a larger strategy.

 

[DWI Dale]

or has he returned to the delusion of being a perennial contender and plans to somehow go all in around both the 07s and 09s? i wish the organization would lay out their plan, because at the moment it doesn't feel like they have one.

 

[JoeSchmo]

ya, i don't fully understand how it benefits us unless the plan is to have 2x1st rounders next year, with one of them destined to be traded as part of our building around 07s. to me it just seems like a lateral move at best but farwell seemed convinced it's part of a larger strategy.

Cali reported to our dev camp. It was not by design. It’s called an L.

 

[JoeSchmo]

Two former Greyhounds back on OHL ice — as linesmen

Ex-players Hayden Verbeek and Michael Quesnele are entering their first seasons as linesmen in the Ontario Hockey League

www.sootoday.com

 

[dirty12]

On Mike Farwell's podcast this week he alludes to there being some "strategy" behind our disappointing 2024 draft, and has specifically to picking no-shows in order to intentionally receive a compensatory pick. He doesn't elaborate but seems to think it was done intentionally. I was curious if anybody wanted to speculate on how he might think having 2 first rounders next season helps our 2007's competitive window, or if this is a long game strategy to build a team around 2009's?

What Farwell said makes no sense to me. But it seems pretty clear he is not a fan of the defect rule. That makes some sense knowing he is a homer for Kitchener. The defect rule was not meant to benefit London, Kitchener, …

The only good reason to purposely select a player that will not play in the OHL is imo that the following draft class is believed to be better.

 

[JoeSchmo]

What happened to Ashcroft and Long and why isn’t anyone talking about it? Not one person has even asked Kyle. Both these kids made the team out of camp but walked after to maintain eligibility. What happened? These questions can’t go unanswered. How did Noah Tegelaar not make the team, then not even end up in Blind River ( he’s in collingwood now ).

 

[DWI Dale]

The only good reason to purposely select a player that will not play in the OHL is imo that the following draft class is believed to be better.

I can def. see the logic in that, it just doesn't necessarily mesh with what the fans think should be our next competitive window - built around our 2007s. two first rounders would normally be something to be excited about for a given year class but i think most of us assumed we were planning on a strong 2008 draft, not some strategic fail lol. and while we get a comp pick for cali, none of this explains taking a whiff on mccroskery

i feel like whatever farwell's point is was right on the tip of his tongue but he fell short of actually expressing it. but i agree he doesn't like the comp pick rule, he brought it up on an earlier podcast this season as well.

 

[dirty12]

I can def. see the logic in that, it just doesn't necessarily mesh with what the fans think should be our next competitive window - built around our 2007s. two first rounders would normally be something to be excited about for a given year class but i think most of us assumed we were planning on a strong 2008 draft, not some strategic fail lol. and while we get a comp pick for cali, none of this explains taking a whiff on mccroskery

i feel like whatever farwell's point is was right on the tip of his tongue but he fell short of actually expressing it. but i agree he doesn't like the comp pick rule, he brought it up on an earlier podcast this season as well.

I actually listened that portion of the podcast twice because Farwell did not seem to have a clear argument against the defect rule, other than it being too convenient. But he repeated the unfair advantage angle of two first picks in one year without in any way really explaining how it is advantageous to go a year without a first pick and receive no picks in a trade.

I do however see how Brampton and Kingston may have believed rostering a 16 yr old for a half season was of no benefit, and protected themselves from sellers extorting an ‘08-1st in trade for a good not great player. Teams feeling the need to trade a first pick for Smith and McCoy …?!

Maybe, Farwell is feeling slighted because Kitchener may not get a 1st for either of Rehkopf or Andonovski; and, second round picks now start three picks later.

 

[JoeSchmo]

Andrew Gibson has been sent back to the Soo

 

[DWI Dale]

I actually listened that portion of the podcast twice because Farwell did not seem to have a clear argument against the defect rule, other than it being too convenient. But he repeated the unfair advantage angle of two first picks in one year without in any way really explaining how it is advantageous to go a year without a first pick and receive no picks in a trade.

I do however see how Brampton and Kingston may have believed rostering a 16 yr old for a half season was of no benefit, and protected themselves from sellers extorting an ‘08-1st in trade for a good not great player. Teams feeling the need to trade a first pick for Smith and McCoy …?!

Maybe, Farwell is feeling slighted because Kitchener may not get a 1st for either of Rehkopf or Andonovski; and, second round picks now start three picks later.

i agree. i don't see an advantage, especially when factoring in trying to build around our '07s. it could be perceived as an advantage for our '09s assuming both are willing to report, but that's a long way down the road to wait for a contending window. i wish communication from the organization about "the plan" was a little more forthcoming.