Sudbury Wolves 2023-24 Season Thread (Part 3)

[Wolf on a Wire]

Well, they pretty much stopped playing when they got up 6-1. Not much defensive structure.

First goal against started with 2 turnovers, first by #88 then by #27 in NZ try to carry puck around Sting players who stood them up. Line 1 is back to making impossible East/Weat passes and can’t get it going in OZ.
McCallum rewards the organization (for Not trading him at deadline) with some undisciplined penalties in last 2 games..

 

[I Loveallsports]

Giroux - smart hockey player

At the rink in Sarnia, Krawchuk not dressed.

Just checked the scoresheet, Vondras with the start. Coughlan line is starting.

I think I see you by the glass. You with those Guys ?

 

[jamo27]

Our three new guys are great pickups

 

[I Loveallsports]

Our three new guys are great pickups

 

[cub]

Giroux break out game, looked very comfortable tonight.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Nice to see Pharand keep us his good play while down on the 4th line. Though not your typical 4th line minutes.

10 points in 8 games. Great depth.

 

[djscooter]

The thing that I like the most about Giroux is how responsible he is defensively, he's right in the corners battling, perfect center pickup for this team.

 

[Wolf on a Wire]

Nice to see Pharand keep us his good play while down on the 4th line. Though not your typical 4th line minutes.

10 points in 8 games. Great depth.

Sudbury boys 4 of 7 goals

 

[Wolfman Jack]

I worry that KMac won't do the right thing and break up that top unit. McCallum is lost with Delic and Giroux. Musty is better with Dvorksy and McCallum. If the Wolves coaches don't do the right thing it may be the demise of this run.

I also worry about defence with Pryce and Mania being our 6th and 7th guys. If we have one injury back there I think it will be tough to grind it out in a deep playoff.

Judging by how rough the Saginaw and London game got tonight I also wish we had a bit more grit up front. That size and sandpaper will be required come playoffs. The Petes were big and tough and smothered Sudbury in that first round.

Time will tell.

WJ

First goal against started with 2 turnovers, first by #88 then by #27 in NZ try to carry puck around Sting players who stood them up. Line 1 is back to making impossible East/Weat passes and can’t get it going in OZ.
McCallum rewards the organization (for Not trading him at deadline) with some undisciplined penalties in last 2 games..

An upgrade on McCallum was required. He cannot be trusted. He's either floating around skating in circles or taking an ill timed undisciplined penalty. Ottawa picked up 3 new OA's at the deadline. We will see how this works out. I hope it does for Paps sake.

WJ

 

[Wolfman Jack]

where is Mania? healthy scratch?

As physical this game was early I think it may have been a good game for Mania to sit out. Just hope he elevates his game as we get closer to the 50 game mark. We really do need Mania to step up and show why the Kings took a chance drafting him.

WJ

 

[WolvesFanInNorthBay]

Giroux - smart hockey player


I think I see you by the glass. You with those Guys ?

I was the only one in the arena with the green Wolves jersey! Quite a few wolves fan though! It was nice to see so far from home! I was behind-ish the Wolves bench.

 

[I Loveallsports]

I worry that KMac won't do the right thing and break up that top unit. McCallum is lost with Delic and Giroux. Musty is better with Dvorksy and McCallum. If the Wolves coaches don't do the right thing it may be the demise of this run.

I also worry about defence with Pryce and Mania being our 6th and 7th guys. If we have one injury back there I think it will be tough to grind it out in a deep playoff.

Judging by how rough the Saginaw and London game got tonight I also wish we had a bit more grit up front. That size and sandpaper will be required come playoffs. The Petes were big and tough and smothered Sudbury in that first round.

Time will tell.

WJ


An upgrade on McCallum was required. He cannot be trusted. He's either floating around skating in circles or taking an ill timed undisciplined penalty. Ottawa picked up 3 new OA's at the deadline. We will see how this works out. I hope it does for Paps sake.

WJ

Something to watch with McCallum for sure. He better keep his focus. Tonight back to getting involved in scrums he has no business in.

Agree with mania and Pryce. To Pryce defence, he hasnt played much of late. Mania back there is just frightening in his own end.

The wolves are a better team with the adds. You just wonder if it will be enough to reach the promise land. Konyen, and McCallum could of been upgraded. Speaking of konyen, that kid takes a beating almost every game. Although, according to RP, teams didn't make a ton of players available. Also, some teams added who most thought would stay pat.

Will be interesting to see how things turnout.

 

[justawolfan]

Question for this group: What is going on with Musty?

He coughs the puck up more than the rest of the team combined. He's also floating around many shifts tonight. He coasted to the bench on several line changes including one in the defensive end. He seems less than motivated lately. It's like he scores a bunch or doesn't engage at all. Really weird.

New guys are doing great!

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Jeeze, you'd think the Wolves got pounded last night from the posts here.

 

[djscooter]

Jeeze, you'd think the Wolves got pounded last night from the posts here.

It's not a wolves thread, without a dogpile(wolfpile?) on Musty.

 

[I Loveallsports]

 

[Wolf on a Wire]

Seems we have the bottom six forwards figured out, now we just gotta get the right combos for the top six. If we keep GA 3 or under, on most nights we will win. Paps did a great job bringing in some leadership pieces that have provided us with team balance and better defence. From now until playoffs we must figure out playoff style structure. What I mean, is high forward in OZ at all times and hard back pressure to assist D. No turn overs in NZ. Shoot more. And improve special teams. No more one minute shifts. If there is full effort back pressure you should be exhausted after .45 secs.
This is no longer a 2-3 player team, everyone has a role and EVERYONE contributes. IMO

 

[Wiserbud]

I did note when Sarnia was attempting to get back into the game, they were focused on short shifts - likely with the plan to catch our lines at the end of an extended shift. We certainly need to adapt for playoffs.

 

[WeThe North]

Question for this group: What is going on with Musty?

He coughs the puck up more than the rest of the team combined. He's also floating around many shifts tonight. He coasted to the bench on several line changes including one in the defensive end. He seems less than motivated lately. It's like he scores a bunch or doesn't engage at all. Really weird.

New guys are doing great!

I think we all know whats going on. Musty plays for Musty. He passes when he chooses to and he looks slower and slower trying to complicate things. Can’t believe the coaches don’t address the situation its so obvious.

 

[djscooter]

I think we all know whats going on. Musty plays for Musty. He passes when he chooses to and he looks slower and slower trying to complicate things. Can’t believe the coaches don’t address the situation its so obvious.

Musty is top 3 in the OHL in points per game, I guess if he tried he'd literally be Wayne Gretzky reincarnate.

 

[WeThe North]

I don’t think he’s happy last 10 games and it shows thats all.

 

[djscooter]

I don’t think he’s happy last 10 games and it shows thats all.

That's very different then "Musty only plays for Musty". Watching the players on ice, it's pretty clear Musty is very liked as a teammate. He's always one of the first to celebrate with the goalie at the end of the game, you can see him as excited for his teammates goals as his own.

Even thinking back to previous seasons, when North bay had Lukin running around trying to take the head off of Wolves players. Musty was the player who went after him.

I don't think Musty is a perfect hockey player by any stretch, he has some pretty massive flaws, obviously. So do all the players on the wolves(Outside of maybe Dvorsky haha). I just think Musty gets pilled on more then anyone else in this thread.

People obviously mention his giveaways a lot, which are definitely numerous. However, with the wolves gameplan, no play really has the puck on his stick more then Musty. When you have the puck that much you're definitely going to end up with more giveaways then others. Look at the NHL, the top 5 leaders in giveaways this season, Kucherov, Carlson, Forsberg, Barzal, MacKinnon.

Like I said, I'm not trying to claim he's a perfect player, but he's without a doubt one of the top players on the Wolves and we have a tendency as wolves fans to really expect perfection from our top players for whatever reason.

That's all I have, going to get off my soapbox and try to enjoy the rest of this, hopefully, historic season

 

[billoink]

Just a few thoughts going forward, I really believe we could have become heavy favorites over the Bay and Ottawa if Paps would have gone all in for this season and not worried about next season. I would have moved Vondras freeing up am import spot and going after another higher end player. My question is hypothetically, if all imports were available that belonged to teams that would move them, would Vondras have been your first choice? Secondly, with assets they had left being pics and roster players how do you not land another 19 YR old forward to boost up your second line? Saginaw went all in, that is an example of all in. This existing team is the best chance we have at a real kick at the can and as far as I am concerned our Gm could have done a lot more. With what he brought in was good value and bettered the team SOMEWHAT, but why in your right mind would you have stopped there? Hopefully we make a good run and are able to go past two rounds however, if that is not the case, Dario should start doing some serious thinking on who is in charge of his investment. When you are building houses do you not hire the best contractors?

 

[djscooter]

When you are building houses do you not hire the best contractors?

May not want to ask that with Zulich homes hahaha.

 

[Wolfman Jack]

Jeeze, you'd think the Wolves got pounded last night from the posts here.

Not at all. Team has many great pieces. It’s a matter of the coaches to figure things out in line combinations and structure that will get the most of the players they have including Musty. We need him to buy in and play within a proper structure. If that stuff gets cleaned up then we will have success. Otherwise we may have a disappointing run. It will take all to buy in. Remember the year the Wolves dealt for Kelly and Jansevski from London to an already loaded line up. Team got beat by Mississauga in the first round when they were heavily favoured. The team gave up on coach Templeton. If they can buy in like the team in 2007 lead by Mike Foligno then discussion in here won’t be as pessimistic. Just my thought for what it’s worth.

WJ