Sudbury Wolves 2023-24 Off-Season Thread (Part 1)

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WolvesFanInNorthBay

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Feb 9, 2019
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North Bay
Well, heading into the last week of the season... Wolves still have an outside chance of claiming 1st in the conference... with a little help from our friends.

Games Remaining:
Oshawa - 2 - Kitchener & Sudbury
Mississauga - 2 - Niagara & North Bay
North Bay - 3 - Barrie, Mississauga & Peterborough
Brantford - 3 - Niagara, Kingston & Ottawa
Sudbury - 3 - Barrie, Niagara & Oshawa
Ottawa - 3 - Peterborough, Kingston & Brantford

What Needs to Happen:
Oshawa - L & L
Mississauga - L-W
North Bay - L - L - W
Brantford - W - L - L
Sudbury - W - W - W
Ottawa - W - W - W (only the last game really matters)

Standings Afterwards:
Sudbury
Oshawa
Mississauga
Ottawa
North Bay
Brantford

My Thoughts:
If I made any mistakes, please let me know. I'm doing this at work on post-it notes.

All three games are huge for Sudbury, however the last game of the season is by far the biggest. Thankfully, it could mean nothing by puck drop if the Wolves lose to Barrie and/or Niagara or Oshawa beats Kitchener, or North Bay beat Barrie and Mississauga, etc...
Basically, a lot of wishing and hoping on other teams to lose/win.
Of course, this could all have been avoided if the Wolves played to their potential, but they didn't and we're here now.
Let's hope for the best in the last week! Konyen is back on the 22nd. However, Coughlan is likely to be suspended until playoffs.
 
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mtshapcott

Registered User
Feb 12, 2019
168
265
Well, heading into the last week of the season... Wolves still have an outside chance of claim 1st in the conference... with a little help from our friends.

Games Remaining:
Oshawa - 2 - Kitchener & Sudbury
Mississauga - 2 - Niagara & North Bay
North Bay - 3 - Barrie, Mississauga & Peterborough
Brantford - 3 - Niagara, Kingston & Ottawa
Sudbury - 3 - Barrie, Niagara & Oshawa
Ottawa - 3 - Peterborough, Kingston & Brantford

What Needs to Happen:
Oshawa - L & L
Mississauga - L-W
North Bay - L - L - W
Brantford - W - L - L
Sudbury - W - W - W
Ottawa - W - W - W (only the last game really matters)

Standings Afterwards:
Sudbury
Oshawa
Mississauga
Ottawa
North Bay
Brantford

My Thoughts:
If I made any mistakes, please let me know. I'm doing this at work on post-it notes.

All three games are huge for Sudbury, however the last game of the season is by far the biggest. Thankfully, it could mean nothing by puck drop if the Wolves lose to Barrie and/or Niagara or Oshawa beats Kitchener, or North Bay beat Barrie and Mississauga, etc...
Basically, a lot of wishing and hoping on other teams to lose/win.
Of course, this could all have been avoided if the Wolves played to their potential, but they didn't and we're here now.
Let's hope for the best in the last week! Konyen is back on the 22nd. However, Coughlan is likely to be suspended until playoffs.
Is your company hiring? 🤭
 
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billoink

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Nov 18, 2013
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At this point I think all have come to the conclusion, that being, coaches, Gm and most importantly the players that goal tending is the dagger to the heart and anything more than two home games at home will be a plus. Our only chance is a stay from the Governor.
 
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oldtimehockieguy

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Mar 6, 2024
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it can be both, to be fair, who was the last goalie that papineau drafted and developed? upl was parachuted in, but they cant draft ontario guys if their life depended on it.
UPL was UPL bfore he got here and was drafted before coming here. The last time a goalie the wolves drafted themselves to the OHL and drafted to the NHL was in 2005 with Kevin Beech i believe. They had long time local Bruce McDougall working with them when happened. He was with them for a bunch of years in the 90s and 2000s
 

Wolf on a Wire

Registered User
Sep 18, 2022
957
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Be committed to winning 2-1 games in playoffs. Our team will need to real good in our own end and be patient for offensive opportunities. Our D are amazing, BUT they NEED support to be successful in all 3 zones. The last Barrie game was a good example. We have done it in past games. Think of games where we have only given up only 20 or so shots against.Lastly, we gotta play hard but disciplined. Getting Konyen and Villeneuve back will help in all areas but should enhance our overall support for our D. Go Wolfers!! I’m still a frustrated believer.
 

dirty12

Registered User
Mar 6, 2015
10,294
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It's coaching and nothing else, as far as I'm concerned. When the same problems exist on every single player on the roster, including 7 NHL draft picks, 2 2024 prospects, and another 7 who were at NHL camps, I don't think the problem is in the players.
Some of the blame can be placed on the coaches for not getting the players to play a 200’ game. Some of the blame should most certainly be put on some of the forwards. Most of the blame is on the GM imo.

It was Papineau that decided defense was not important enough to select a D until round four for four consecutive drafts. He could just acquire #1, #2, #4 D. It was Papineau that passed on the oppurtunity to select any goalie the wolves deemed best in ‘22 to select Walton. He could just bring in an import that had no experience in NA rinks and as good a 19 yr old BUG one could expect.

Papineau brought in 9-10 new players to insert at every position this season with 5-6 of those expected to play critical roles. Leadership roles and chemistry would not be an issue.
 

oldtimehockieguy

Registered User
Mar 6, 2024
5
9
Some of the blame can be placed on the coaches for not getting the players to play a 200’ game. Some of the blame should most certainly be put on some of the forwards. Most of the blame is on the GM imo.

It was Papineau that decided defense was not important enough to select a D until round four for four consecutive drafts. He could just acquire #1, #2, #4 D. It was Papineau that passed on the oppurtunity to select any goalie the wolves deemed best in ‘22 to select Walton. He could just bring in an import that had no experience in NA rinks and as good a 19 yr old BUG one could expect.

Papineau brought in 9-10 new players to insert at every position this season with 5-6 of those expected to play critical roles. Leadership roles and chemistry would not be an issue.
I think a lot of the blame can be put on the coaches and Papineau equally. Like a lot of others, I believe we have the wrong staff but it is what it is, can't do anything about it now but my question is, was Kenny and Papineau on the same page come deadline time? Did the staff voice their needs to the GM? Those are questions we will never know.

Your comment about picking a goalie, they picked Gaulton, he was probably a stretch but a goalie run started early that draft year and they had to jump on a goalie. He may have not been the right pick but like a lot of other players/picks we have, what have we done to help them improve and become OHLers or better OHLers?

I wish Papineau went after the proper D for a run, I still think keeping an OA in Toure wouldve been the smarter move than adding Giroux as we had enough offence.

I wish it would be easy and we just somehow learn to win low scoring games and play shut down defence for playoffs like the 07 run but I don't think we have the ability to do it with how we are constructed and with how undisciplined our forwards have been all year in our own end, I don't know if it is possible. In O7 we lucked out and had a 3 headed monster in Staal, D'Aversa and McQuiad which helped cover many mistakes as 1 of the 3 were always on the ice at all times during that run but I don't see that with this team, we'll probably have to take our chances as a run and gun and pray we get a few saves and give up less bad goals
 

OHL4Life

Registered User
Sep 6, 2017
4,877
4,840
UPL was UPL bfore he got here and was drafted before coming here. The last time a goalie the wolves drafted themselves to the OHL and drafted to the NHL was in 2005 with Kevin Beech i believe. They had long time local Bruce McDougall working with them when happened. He was with them for a bunch of years in the 90s and 2000s
i get that, whens the last time that sudbury drafted an nhl quality goaltender and developed him in house? why do others seem to do it more often, owen sound has had like 4 in that time period.
 

dirty12

Registered User
Mar 6, 2015
10,294
4,522
I think a lot of the blame can be put on the coaches and Papineau equally. Like a lot of others, I believe we have the wrong staff but it is what it is, can't do anything about it now but my question is, was Kenny and Papineau on the same page come deadline time? Did the staff voice their needs to the GM? Those are questions we will never know.

Your comment about picking a goalie, they picked Gaulton, he was probably a stretch but a goalie run started early that draft year and they had to jump on a goalie. He may have not been the right pick but like a lot of other players/picks we have, what have we done to help them improve and become OHLers or better OHLers?

I wish Papineau went after the proper D for a run, I still think keeping an OA in Toure wouldve been the smarter move than adding Giroux as we look had enough offence.

I wish it would be easy and we just somehow learn to win low scoring games and play shut down defence for playoffs like the 07 run but I don't think we have the ability to do it with how we are constructed and with how undisciplined our forwards have been all year in our own end, I don't know if it is possible. In O7 we lucked out and had a 3 headed monster in Staal, D'Aversa and McQuiad which helped cover many mistakes as 1 of the 3 were always on the ice at all times during that run but I don't see that with this team, we'll probably have to take our chances as a run and gun and pray we get a few saves and give up less bad goals
Not bringing Giroux home was not a real option, and you know it. Otherwise the skaters and goalies are 100% on Papineau.
The run on goalies started after Papineau passed up the opportunity to select any goalie the scouting team deemed best in order to draft Walton who was the least of the wolves needs.

Papineau did not construct that roster to play like the hounds or spirit. The two best players are 6’2” 200 lbs; and surrounded by Anania, Collins, McCoy, DeAngelis, Delic, Villneueve, McCallum, Pharrand, Walton, Coughlan, Yearwood. Even Goyette and Konyen are 5’11”. The team needed to be coached by a so-called dinosaur such as Foligno, Butler, Cameron, Hunter, Wilson, …McKee (days of the trap are long gone?) Williamson (imagine the cycle he could design with the wolves roster)

The catch is the head of state would not allow any of the aforementioned coaches the power to send players not buying-in home to await a trade. So the wolves get coaches like MacKenzie or Duncanson.
 
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WolvesFanInNorthBay

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Feb 9, 2019
377
410
North Bay
Coughlan suspended for 2 games. Surprisingly I thought it was going to be more given his history.

Side note: Wolves have a good chance against Niagara as Kevin He is suspended indefinitely for now... No length yet, but if he's suspended more than 3 then he's gone till next year.
 

Wolfman Jack

Registered User
Jan 19, 2009
3,323
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Regardless of the last three games of the season and where we end up, I believe the Wolves take round 1 when Villeneuve and Konyen get back in to start the playoffs for game 1. I think they will find that spark with a full line up and will prove us all wrong. Just have a weird feeling.

WJ
 

billoink

Registered User
Nov 18, 2013
2,545
1,386
Kenny was not on board with Papineau at the trade deadline. He was well aware of the goal tending issues and was expecting a major upgrade at any cost. Giroux was not the answer having to move Toure to make room. Moving Vondras and freeing up a 19 yr old import spot made the most sense hense keeping Toure. Papineau has always been the the laughing stock at the Gm meetings and we can now see why.
 

Voice from the North

Registered User
Sep 17, 2013
1,028
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Kenny was not on board with Papineau at the trade deadline. He was well aware of the goal tending issues and was expecting a major upgrade at any cost. Giroux was not the answer having to move Toure to make room. Moving Vondras and freeing up a 19 yr old import spot made the most sense hense keeping Toure. Papineau has always been the the laughing stock at the Gm meetings and we can now see why.
Keeping Toure was not an option. Upgrading the OA D made sense as Mayer and Punnett went cheaper than Van Vliet and both players would have gladly came here.

Despite what many believe here, Giroux wasn’t the first option for Papineau. He absolutely had a choice or several options he could have went with before going after Giroux but if the Wolves were going to spend some draft picks, it should have been on bigger scoring forwards who can play playoff hockey. The forward lineup has too many smaller players and players that play small.
 

djscooter

Registered User
Apr 19, 2005
3,244
3,403
Season ticket early brid renewal prices have been emailed out. It looks like an increase of 30-100$ across the board.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, I'm comparing last years email to this year.

This years for anyone interested.

Tickets.com also shows even higher prices(for new season ticket holders I guess?)
1710899561400.png


1710899823270.png
 
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