Wednesday 27 December 2017

OHL Trade Deadline Tracker

2015-16 Trade deadline Flashback
Total Trades - 23
Total players moved 37
total draft picks moved 46 + 12 conditional (13 2nds 14 3rds)

2016-17 Trade deadline Flashback
Total Trades 33
Total Players Moved - 45
Total Draft Picks Moved 74 draft picks + 13 conditional picks ( 27 2nds 19 3rds)


2017-18 Trade Deadline Counter

Players
'97 - 10
'98 - 17
'99 - 6
'00 - 10
'01 - 4

Draft Picks by Round
2nd - 34
3rd - 18
4th - 2
5th - 4
6-10 - 10
11-15 - 3
Cond - 16

Draft Picks by Year
'18 - 16
'19 - 14
'20 - 13
'21 - 9
'22 - 9
'23 - 9
'24 - 6
'25 - 5
'26 - 1
'27 - 1
'28 - 1

Trade Deadline Links
OHL teams draft cupboard I will be helping Matt Wilson maintain this for the next little while

Brock Otten and his yearly Trade Deadline Preview can be found here



Jan 10th
Missisauga
Jake Gravelle

to

Hamilton
12th 2018

Breakdown
Hamilton picks up some insurance in the event one of ther defenceman goes down. Currently playing for Mississauga in the OJHL Gravelle is currently on a "B" card which makes this move possible.

Gravelle is an offesnive defenceman who was outstanding last year for North Bay in the Ontario Telus Cup qualifiers and has played very well as a 17 year old in Jr A this year.


Sudbury Wolves
Dmitry Sokolov
Con 3rd 2020
to

Barrie

Alexey Lipanov

Breakdown
The Wolves looking to move Sokolov out but with no import market due to the fact that the Greyhounds had little interst in his services lead him to being sent to Barrie along with a conditional pick for fellow Russian import Alexey Lipanov.

The 3rd will go to Barrie if Lipanov plays his 19 year old season in the OHL.


Hamilton Bulldogs
Reilly Webb

to

Saginaw Spirit
2nd 2018 Kit
5th 2020 Sag
Con 3rd 2023

Breakdown
By moving Webb the Bulldogs are set with the 7 defencemen they have in their line up. They are someone exposed in the event of injuries as I believe they are at their 30 card limit. With the acquisition of Mattinen and Stillman, Webb had become surplus although there wasnt much difference between the teams 5th and 8th defenceman. By moving him however they pick up a 2nd in 2018  which gives the team 2 in the up coming draft. Given their questionable track record developing talent the last few years and the fact they traded their last 2 top picks this will go a long way in preventing a major drop off.

For Saginaw head coach Troy Smith gets reunited with Webb as he spent the last 2 seasons as an assistant with Hamilton. A former member of Team Ontario at the Canada Winter Games Webb's development has been slowed by injuries but has enough promise that the Red Wings used a 6th round pick on him. He should fit in nicely in Saginaw and would not be surprised if we see a jump in his development over the rest of the season.

Kitchener Rangers
Cole Carter

to

Mississauga Steelheads
3rd 2020 Wsr
3rd 2022 
6th 2020

Breakdown
Kitchener came to the realization late that they can't touch the Greyhounds have decided to sell off. I kid I kid. With a surplus of forwards they move Carter to Mississauga for a trio of picks that they could use if they wish to make a move for someone more suited for a bottom 6 role come playoff time.

For Mississauga I really like this trade. Carter is an above average winger who based on their roster would be 1 of 2 quility OAs next season. If they play the OA market right they could get a better return than what he cost them plus they get half a season out of him now and with their big 3 they could plausibly shock someone in the 1st round although I wouldnt bet on it.


Jan 9th
Sudbury
Reagan O'Grady

to

Mississauga Steelheads
2nd 2019
3rd 2018 Miss
3rd 2021

Breakdown
The Steelheads add one of the more underrated defenders on the OHL trade market. O'Grady will bring size to their blueline as James Richmond looks to strike lightning twice with another strong 2nd half run.

For the Wovles the season is lost and they start building for next year the veteran D-man had more value as the draft picks he returned. With the acquisition of Peter Stratis there was ice time needed to develop the next generation of Wolves as the new group looks to build a consistent winner.


Ottawa 67s
Peter Stratis

to 

Sudbury Wolves
2nd 2019 Miss
2nd 2019 Ptb
3rd 2018 Eri
3rd 2021 SSM

Breakdown
Stratis a former 1st round pick never lived up to expectations in Ottawa and will now be on the move to the Nickle city as Rob Papineau and Cory Stillman continue to put their finger prints on this team as they look to build something that can be sustainable for years to come.

After picking up Rippon from the Steelheads a week ago the 67s were dealing with too many young defenceman and not enough icetime and Stratis is the odd man out. Getting 3 early round picks in the next 2 drafts Will help Ottawa next year if they look to push for a title with their young team

Erie Otters
Mitchell Byrne

to

Kingston Frontenacs
6th 2018
13th 2020

Breakdown
For a mid and late round pick the Fronts get a veteran stay at home defender with 33 career playoff games under his belt. Byrne will help solidify their depth on the blueline and should thrive on the 3rd pairing in Kingston. This is a great under the radar pick up by the Fronts

In the race for Byfiend the Otters move a surplus '98 and open some more ice time for their younger players so the management team can continue and make evaluations for next season.


Flint Firebirds
Nicolas Mattinen

to

Hamilton Bulldogs
Riley McCourt
2nd 2023
5th 2023
Con 2nd 2024

Breakdown
The Bulldogs use what I believe is their final player card on Maple Leafs draft pick Nicolas Mattinen. The hulking 6'5" defender has been playing heavy minutes and is likely better suited for a 2nd or even 3rd pairing role and with the amount of bodies in Hamilton should be able to get some protected minutes.

The Firebirds picked up Mattinen from London for 3 picks + 1 conditional so they get killed on the present value of those picks but getting McCourt for Mattinen is a coup by Barclay Branch and that doesn't happen very often. He is a promising defender who should excel under the tutelage the Flint coaching staff will give.

London Knights
Sam Miletic
3rd 2018 Sby

to

Niagara Icedogs
2nd 2018 Ptb
2nd 2024
2nd 2025
3rd 2022

Breakdown
The Icedogs and Knights sneak this one in just before the OA deadline. In Miletic the Icedogs get my preseason OA of the year pick. Miletic started the year in the AHL after signing a FA deal with Pittsburgh. He has been more than a point per game player for the Knights and would be the highest scoring forward on the Icedogs

The price was steep however. For half a seaosn of Miletic the Icedogs drop down about 19 spots in the 2018 draft and then give a pair of 2nds and a 3rd to London as well. But what is the reward? Instead of losing to Hamilton in 4 games in round 2 the will now lose to them in 4 games but take 1 to overtime?

Peterborough Petes
Jonne Tammela

to

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Con 15th 2018

Breakdown
With their only pressing need being an improvement on their 4th line Kyle Raftis took a flyer on Tammela a player whose OHL career has been marked by injuries. A talented forward who is rehabbing with the Syrcuse Crunch right now has the type of skill set that could really flourish under the possession system that Drew Bannister has employed with the Greyhounds. Given what else was out there and the prices this could turn out to be a very shrewd move by Kyle Raftis


Sudbury Wolves
Troy Lajeunesse

to

Erie Otters
5th 2020

Breakdown
The Wolves acquired Lajeunesse from the Sting on September 25th for a 4th in 2021. They get half a season for him and then move him for a 5th in 2020. The present value of a 5th in 2020 is nearly on par with that of a 4th in 2021. On top of that they make Erie stronger as the Otters are 1 of the teams they will be battling out for the Quintin Byfield sweepstakes for the rest of the year. That right there is some Sam Pollock level magic by Rob Papineau.

Sudbury Wolves
Michael Pezzetta
8th 2018 Gue

to

Sarnia Sting
Ethan Lavallee
2nd 2019 Bar
2nd 2023 
Con 4th 2019

Breakdown
Pezzetta is one of 3 forwards taken in the 1st round of the 2014 draft to play more than 200 OHL games but not hit the 100 point mark on their career. He is however a very affective checking center who excells at the faceoff dot. He currently sits 8th in the OHL in faceoff percentage for those who have taken over 300 draws and gives Sarnia 3 in the top 10 in that catagory.

For the Wolves to get 2 2nds for Pezzetta is an absolute heist and speaks to the demand he had given his strong defensive play and prowess in the faceoff circle. In Lavallee they get a 6'7" defenceman who played Minor Midget hockey in Sudbury as a 14 year old before heading to Austria for his draft year. He is currently staring in the NOJHL where he has 25 points in 32 games. He is a former 4th round pick who if signed will be a significant part of the Wolves blue line for the next 2 seasons

Kitchener Rangers
Jake Henderson
10th 2021

to

North Bay Battalion
8th 2019

Breakdown
With the acquisition of Mario Culina yesterday the Rangers had to move some OAs before the 12 pm deadline. The Battalion get a nice veteran presence who may be born to play Stan Butlers boring system. He wont wow you on the score sheet but Henderson will play hard, block shots and chip in with the occasional goal. They will struggle to score goals without Dineen but Henderson will make them harder to play against

Waiver Claim
Windsor Claims import forward Cedric Schiemenz from Kitchener
Breakdown
After releasing their Russian import yesterday the Spits move to fill that spot by taking a flyer on a former Ranger who was playing this year in the german 2nd division. He had 9 points in 49 games last year as a 17 year old. Playing against men this year as an 18 year old he has 17 points in 31 games. The Spits will have him for half a season to decide if he is worth keeping around for his 19 year old season

Jan 8th

Sudbury Wolves
Mario Culina

to

Kitchener Rangers
8th 2019

Breakdown
The Rangers add their 5th OA to their roster so but they add more stability in net in doing so and a goalie who could possibly push Richardson and even take over the number 1 job. A former star goalie with the Soo Thunder minor midget team that featured the likes of Blake Speers, Nic Sicoly and Owen Headrick. Culina has a championship pedigree helping lead the Soo Thunderbirds to a Dudley Hewitt Cup title and a place in the RBC cup. He was signed as a FA by the Spitfires where he backed up DiPietro for 2 years.

For the Wolves it was a free draft pick as they they brought Culina in after he started the year with Ryerson as OHL interest was lukewarm. He provided solid goaltendeding for an overmatched Wolves team but wasnt enough to pull them back into the playoff picture. Are the Wolves fully jumping into the Quintin Byfield race? Will other moves be coming?


London Knights
Robert Thomas

to

Hamilton Bulldogs
Connor McMicheal
2nd 2021
Con 2nd 2020 (Miss)
Con 2nd 2025
Con 2nd 2026
Con 3rd 2022

Breakdown
In what could be the final move the Bulldogs make (they are at 29 cards) they pick up World Junior centre Robert Thomas from the Knights. The cost for half a season of Thomas is 1st round pick Connor McMichael and a pair of 2nds, 2nd round pick in 2021 and either a 2nd in 2020 or a 2nd in 2019 if Hamilton acquires one and a 3rd in in 2022 although that becomes a 2nd in 2023 if Hamilton wins the championship. If he fails to make the St. Louis Blues as a 19 year old the cost of that season would be 2 2nd round picks.

Surprising that the Knights moved Thomas as an 18 year old so they must feel there is a less than 50% chance he returns next season. They were able take advantage of the market though and pick up McMichael who sits 2nd among '01 born players in shots this year with 67. He is playing his best hockey of the season with 5 goals and 2 assists in his last 9 games. The Knights are set up nicely for the next 3 seasons and may still have enough in the tank to hold of Saginaw for the 4th seed in the West.


Peterborough Petes
Jonathan Ang

to

Sarnia Sting
Brady Hinz
2nd 2020
3rd 2020

Breakdown
Sitting in 9th in the East Mike Oke has finally realized that his best bet is to retool for next year and Brady Hinz will go a long way in helping them be competitive next season. The 2nd year forward has already set a career high in goals and points this year and is averaging .7 per game. Not bad for a former 3rd round pick in only his 2nd season. The Petes have him for 2.5 more years and it isn't out of the question that he wont have a similiar offensive impact as a 19 year old than what Ang is offering this year.

In Ang the Sting get an speedy offensive player who was invited to Canada's World Junior selection camp. He has a penchant for taking too many minor penalties but the Sting may be able to survive that with the leagues best penalty kill. While Kitchener in response to SSM has seemed to give up on getting faster and deciding to go big the Sting by picking up Ang and Dineen have decided to go the other way and get a lot faster. It will be interesting to see how that plays out in their 2nd round match up.

Sarnia gets better this season by picking up Ang and the Petes pick up great future value to make up for what has become a lost season.

Jan 7th

Windsor Spitfires
Logan Brown
Austin McEneny

to

Kitchener Rangers
Grayson Ladd
2nd 2018 Sag
2nd 2019 Kgn
3rd 2018 Sag
5th 2019 

Breandown
This Spits add their 3rd '01 1st round pick as Ladd will join recently acquired Cody Morgan and their own 1st rounder Nathan Staios to form what Warren Rychel hopes is a nuculus that will turn this rebuild into nothing more than a quick reload. The fact that all 4 draft picks received are for the next 2 drafts is also worth nothing as they will have a higher PV than some of the other picks we have seen being moved that are as many as 7 drafts away.

The Rangers pick up a stud power forward with NHL experience who helped the USA claim a bronze medal at the World Juniors. McEneny is a former Free Agent signing by the Spits who was an integral part of their blue line last year. McEneny gives the team 4 OAs although Dumont-Bouchard has been out with an injury and it appears he may be the odd man out at this point.



Guelph Storm
Givani Smith

to

Kitchener Rangers
2nd 2021 Miss
2nd 2024 Wsr
Con 2nd 2025

Breakdown
Earlier this week Smith said he wanted to finish his career with a contender and the Storm were able to get a trio of 2nd round picks out of him. This also becomes another branch off the Ben Harpur trade tree as the Storm picked up Smith (Along with CJ Garcia) for the towering defender. All in all that pick will now have netted the Storm 6 2nd round picks 1 3rd, 1 4th 1 5th and 1 10th along with 178 games and 64 goals from Smith and 88 games from Garcia. (1 pick has become Mason Primeau the other was traded to SSM in the Hawel Trade. All others yet to be selected)

The Rangers paid a premium to get Smith who should thrive in a secondary role with the team. He has been hobbled by a high ankle sprain all year and isnt the fleetest of foot. That could be an issue for the Rangers as the Greyhounds have exposed them this year a slow and plodding team and Smith wont do much to fix that issue.

The Conditional pick for 2025 becomes a 2nd in 2020 once Jack Tortora officially does not report to the Rangers.

London Knights
Max Jones

to

Kingston Frontenacs
Sergey Popov
2nd 2023
3rd 2021

Breakdown
The Fronts add another piece by picking up Jones at a bargain price. Jones will fit in nicely on the Fronts 2nd line giving their offense an added dimension and another physical presence. While he is having a bit of an off year he still has 18 goals in 25 games and 63 on his career in 121 games. He added 12 points last year in 14 games in the playoffs for the Knights including a trio of 2 goal games.

The the number of assets that buyers have shrinking by the hour the Fronts only had to give up an '00 born forward who is only averaging .37 points per game, a 2nd round draft pick 6 years away and a 3rd round pick 4 rounds away. He should get some more icetime in London but it is not as though Popov was blocked by a great deal of depth in Kingston this season.

I felt Kingston is pot committed based on the moves it already made and the small price for Jones makes this move a no brainer. With Rasanen, Nyman and Robertson all returning next year they will recoup their assets in no time at all.

Jan 6th
North Bay Battalion
Cam Dineen

to

Sarnia Sting
Braden Henderson
2nd 2019 (SSM)
2nd 2021
4th 2019 (Fli)
4th 2020
6th 2022
Con 2nd 2025
Con 3rd 2024

Breakdown
The Sting join the OHL trade deadline fun by picking up one of the most dynamic defenders in the league. Being the only skilled star in North Bay the Battalion were a completely different team when he was on the ice. Playing in Sarnia with the likes of Kyrou, Hinz, Ryshma and Ruzicka we could see Dineen explode offensively.

The Battalion were hoping to cash in with Dineen and score themselves an '01 draft pick but with Windsor and London selling the market shifted and that opportunity was lost. Still they get an intriguing defender in Henderson who will get a larger role in North Bay. While he has only played 25 games in the OHL he was a point per game defender last season for Chatham in the GOJHL where he won the Western Conferences Most Outstanding First Year Defenceman award and was name to the all rookie all star team.

It is foolish to say who won or lost a trade where the value received for each team will be spread over multiple different seasons I will say the Sting picked up an absolute game changer at a very reasonable price.



Erie Otters
Taylor Raddysh
Jordan Sambrook

to

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Hayden Fowler
2nd 2019 FLI
2nd 2020 Gue
2nd 2021
2nd 2022
2nd 2023 Ldn
3rd 2018
3rd 2023
6th 2018
6th 2021

Breakdown
They Greyhounds add the RW they have coveted to put on the top line with Katchouk and Frost after rotating rookies on that line for most of the season. They also had another solid 2 way defender in Sambrook who will slide in behind Timmins as the #2 defenceman on the team and give them a top 6 of Timmins, Sambrook, Hollowell, Sandin, Carrol and DeMeo/Leguirrier which may be the best group of defenders in the league.

The price was step but the fact that they only had to give up 1 roster player was a huge bonus. In Hayden Fowler the Otters get an up and coming player whose numbers may not jump out at you but he plays maybe 5 mintues a game on the Hounds 4th line. What has been impressive about him this year is that he has been playing centre as a 16 year old and while the Hounds 4th line has clearly been their weakness this year Fowler has looked strong at times.

The 9 picks jump out as a significant total but they have shown in the past that they can stay competitive after going all in and their group of '01s looks like their strongest draft class since their '98s who are leading the charge this season.

For Erie this replenishes their cupboard of draft picks and will allow them to be selective in how they move some of their tradeable assets.

Erie
Cade Robinson

to

Owen Sound
Luke Beamish

Breakdown
A pair of players who get fresh starts with new teams. In Erie they get an up and coming '00 born defenceman who should get some ice time as Sambrook has been moved and his minutes get sprinkled through the roster. The Attack pick up Robinson an intriguing '99 born forward who will be a nice addition to a team that is in need of some depth up front and could be apart of a strong Attack team next year.

Jan 4th
London Knights
Cliff Pu

to

Kingston Frontenacs
Nathan Dunkley
3rd 2019 (Wsr)
2nd 2020

Breakdown
Well that was quite the price paid by Kingston for half a season of Cliff Pu. They went all in moving Morgan for Villardi and Day but Dunkley was an '00 who was already averaging a point per game. This is Helvig's last season so they want to take advatage of having the best goalie in the Eastern Conference.

For London the drop off between Pu and Dunkley isn't that large and the fact that they get 2 more seasons out of him slides the value needle over to them. Add in the fact that they get a 3rd this year and Kingstons 2nd (likely the year of their rebuild) in 2020 and they are coming out great. If they dont make any more deals they should be able to snag the 3rd or 4th seed in the West while making their team significantly better for next season.

While Kingston may have given up way more value then they recieved back based on their position it is a calculated risk. On paper I have them better than Hamilton right now but dont be surprised if we see some moves out of the Ontario's #2 Steel City.


Jan 3rd
North Bay Battalion
Brett McKenzie

to

Owen Sound Attack

Matthew Struthers
2nd 2020
14th 2018

Breakdown
For half an OA season of Brett McKenzie the Attack gave up quite a bit and it was a steep price to pay for a 3rd line centre.

They give up at minimum 1.5 years of Matthew Struthers who has nearly doubled his point production this year and should fit in nicely with the Battalion. On top of that it cost the Attack a pair of draft picks. 1 throw in late rounder and a 2nd rounder in 2020. The veteran forward has 198 career points and 48 career playoff games under his belt but is he enough of an improvement over Struthers given the cost? Are the Attack really in a position to justify that cost?

Jan 2nd
Niagara Icedogs
Zach Shankar

to

Windsor Spitfires
Wsr 7th 2019

Breakdown
The Icedogs move one of their 3 OAs. While this opens up an OA slot for them they do not have a pressing need to fill it. They development of their young D helped make Shankar expendable and while they may be open to adding one up front they may not want to do it at the expense of icetime for their young forwards.

The Spits had an open OA spot after moving Aaron Luchuk and since they moved Sean Day to Kingston they had an opening on the blueline for a veteran leader to help insulate their younger players and take some of the high leveraged ice time.

Shankar was picked up for a 5th by Niagara and while they drop down 2 rounds in the 2019 draft he soaked up important minutes early in the year while giving the team time to ease their 1st and 2nd year guys into their roles. He will be missed but he leaves this blueline in better shape than it was when he arrived. The Spits are hoping he will have the same affect on them as they enter a new phase in the junior hockey cycle.



Jan 1st

Mississauga Steelheads
Shaw Boomhower
Jacob Cascagnette
Merrick Rippon

to

Ottawa 67s


Mathieu Foget
2nd 2018 (Sar)
3rd 2018
Con 5th 2019

Breakdown
Ottawa gains some experience out of this trade and an '00 born defenceman at a much lower cost than what they were willing to pay in the summer. In Cascagnette they get 200 regular season game of experience as well as 35 career playoff games. Boomhower is a gritty forward who will help their 4th line but should not be in the picture for an OA spot next year. Rippon came into the league with a lot of buzz but failed to live up to expectations but nobody really has in Mississauga this year. A fresh start is just what he needed.

Foget was a FA signing at the deadline last year by the 67's turning down the advances of atleast 1 Western Conference team to sign in his hometown. He has had mixed results playing in the NCR for the last year and will get a head star in exploring his pro options now that he is with the fish.

There are some who are puzzled by this trade for a couple of reasons. The Steelheads moved an '00 born defenceman they gave up 2 2nds for as well as 3 conditional picks (I have heard they were tied to his NHL draft position but I have yet to receive confirmation on that). They way I look at it Cascagnte and Foget are a wash. The trade comes down to Boomhower who while a valuable player should not be in anyone's OA plans next year an Rippon for a 2nd and a 3rd in 2018 as well as the conditional pick. Their hands may have been tied here and they made a move to liquidate him for a pair of picks next year. What they gave up for him is a sunk cost and felt the draft picks for next year are more valuable to this team in the long run then his next 2 seasons.


Windsor Spitfires
Sean Day
Gabe Vilardi

to

Kingston Frontenacs
Cody Morgan
2nd 2020 (Miss)
2nd 2022
2nd 2024
2nd 2025
3rd 2020
Con 2nd 2027
Con 2nd 2028
Con 3rd 2023

Breakdown
The Fronts move all in picking up 2 former Memorial cup winners although they do not come without question marks. Gabe Vilardi the Kingston native who is a Los Angelas 1st round draft pick and former 2nd overall OHL priority selection gets to come home. Vilardi however has yet to play this year after suffering a back injury. He has been cleared to pay and Kingston would have never pulled the trigger if that had not happened but there are so many what ifs around back injuries the talent is there hopefully he will be able to play with the same aggressiveness and authority as last season.
In Sean Day they get a veteran D man with size who gets a bad rap for not living up to expectations after being granted exceptional player status. He comes to Kingston with 268 games of experience with 41 career goals and 91 assists. He will be able to take some of the pressure of Eeli Rasanen.

The Spits get Cody Morgan who was taken 12th overall in the past draft and has chipped in with 4 goals and 3 assists this season in Kingston. Morgan was pointless in 6 games at the U-17 but picked up 5 points for team GTHL-Blue at the OHL Gold Cup.

The Fronts sent a load of picks to Windsor but the 2nds are 3,5,7 and 8 drafts away which significantly lowers their present value. For Windsor it gives them more trade capital for future years. They will likely be in the market still for 2018 draft picks with future trades but with their ability to recruit their need for early picks isn't as great as it is for other teams.

Sounds like the conditions on the draft picks are if Vilardi returns for his 19 year old season but I am awaiting final conformation.

End of the day I am surprised at how little the Present value cost is to the Fronts. Even with the question marks around Vilardi they did really good to pick up these two players at this cost especially when you compare it to what Hamilton spent on Riley Stillman.

Dec 28th

Oshawa Generals
Riley Stillman


to

Hamilton Bulldogs
2nd 2020 (HAM)
2nd 2022 (HAM)
3rd 2018 (WSR)
con 3rd 2024
con 4th 2023

Breakdown

The Bulldogs bolster their defence by picking up '98 born and Florida Panthers draft pick Riley Stillman. The move gives the Bulldogs 2 '97s and 3 98's on their blue line will still trying to find icetime for Landry, Webb and McCourt. Expect another trade maybe moving one of their OA defenceman to open up a spot for another OA forward. They could also use one of their young defenceman as a trade chip for a forward. Speculation has it that Webb was included in the Moore/Caamano trade but used his NTC.

From a cost perspective the sticker price may be high with 2 2nds and a 3rd especially for a guarantee of only half a season of Stillman. The fact that the 2nds are for 3 and 5 drafts away takes a way a nice chunk of their present value.

From the Generals perspective they needed to make room on their blueline for some of their younger players and also have more '98s than they need. There were multiple teams interested in Stillman which allowed them to maximize their guaranteed return and limit the conditional aspect upon Stillman returning for his OA season. Expect those picks to be used by the Generals next year when they should be among the East leaders.

Saturday 23 December 2017

Mid Season #OHL Awards

While the halfway point of the OHL season isn't officially here till game 340 is played on the 28th the Christmas break is the perfect time for a mid season awards post. I had some help with this year from a few OHL twitter must follows

Steve Mclean: @SteveMclean888 whose soothing voice you may know from the @OHLfanboys podcast

Ryan Noble: @Ryannoble66 The man behind the A Very Barrie Colts Blog

@Generalsupdates who will keep you up to date on all things Oshawa Generals while also posting some interesting stats on his wordpress page here

@Stingupdates is another guy who will keep you updated on all things Sarnia Sting

@PetesUpdates will keep you in the loop for all things Petes hockey.


Most Outstanding Player

We had a unanimous winner for this award but only one other player got more than 2 votes which was the lowest out of any category. Outside of the top 2 it is a wide open race but unlike the actual Most Outstanding Player vote at the end of the year there wasn't a predetermined player from each team up for the award.



Kyrou:
Leaves for the World Juniors leading the OHL in scoring with 58 Points in 30 games.. Eleven games this year Kyrou has had 3+ Points next closest is 7. - Stingupdates

You know when rumours start coming out that the Mens national team is considering you for the Olympic team at age 19... you're doing something right. I watched this kid go off for a 6 point night at the PMC earlier this season.... he's the real deal. - Petesupdates

Kyrou leads the league at the Christmas break with 58 points. Sarnia will continue to feed off of his success. - Ryan Noble

Luchuk:
Put up big numbers in the first half on a team that was without many of its stars for a large chunch. Has now been traded to Barrie where he should get plenty of minutes with some elite level talent for the rest of the year - Peter Kneulman


Thomas:
A breakout season in the assists department last season has seen Thomas keep up the same pace this year but already has 4 more goals in just 27 games than he did all last season.  - Steve McLean


Timmins:
Best defenceman on the best team. Plays and excels in all situations and gets the toughest matchups night after night from Drew Bannister and continues to put up big results. - Peter Kneulman

Frost:
The best player who will be back in the OHL again next year. He has 55 points in just 33 games to lead the best team in the country to a fantastic start. - GeneralsUpdates


Max Kaminsky Trophy Top Defenceman

This was by far the closest vote of the 6 categories as there was a possibility of a 3 way tie going into the final ballot but Steve messed that all up. Could Timmins be the 4th Hound this decade to claim the Max Kaminsky trophy joining Muzzin, Sproul and DeAngelo? Will Durzi continue his torrid start and be the first Attack player since Andrej Sekera in '06 to claim the award?


Timmins
Hands down the most impressive defenseman I've seen this season. Is there anything this kid can't do?  -PetesUpdates

Has great speed and instincts and isnt afraid to play aggressive against the rush and take away a forwards space. Most of his points come at even strength but has shown an ability to take over a game when needed. Rumour has it Jonathan Ang has been playing without a jock since Nov 30th as the city of Peterborough has yet to remove it from the PMC rafters - Peter Kneulman

Durzi
Leads all D-men points and points per game and is 2 nd in goals. Durzi
has already surpassed his previous highs in goals and points - GeneralsUpdates

Boucahrd
1 points is 3rd most among defencemen. 30 assists is 2nd most for blue liners, and he seems to constantly get pucks on net, totaling 142 shots on goal. His 4 game winning goals most in the league for defencemen. - Ryan Noble

has been the best defenceman in the OHL this year for my money. He has to be logging 30+ minutes a night for Dale Hunter. On a London team that isn't scoring a lot (Ranked 13th in goals) he has 42 Points (2nd) in 34 games. He is also 2nd in the OHL in game winning goals with 5. - StingUpdates

Rookie of the Year

The 2nd of 3 unanimous selections it speaks to how dominant Svechnikov has been while in the lineup as he has left no doubt even after missing 6 weeks with a broken wrist.




Svechnikov
I don't think there is any doubt that Svechnikov has been the most impressive rookie this season. 4th league wide for rookie point leaders; Svechnikov has stayed among points leaders even though he has played in half the amount of games other top rookies have played. His 1.31 points per game average is most among rookies and 13th league wide. - Ryan Noble


Hillis
Leads all rookies with 29 points in 33 games despite scoring just 1
goal in his first 13 games. He’s really come on since then and is having
a really solid rookie season. - GeneralsUpdates


Kaliyev
The only 2001 born player on my list, Kaliyev has been nothing short of impressive for the Hamilton Bulldogs this season with 14 goals (tied for the league rookie lead) and 22 points (3rd in the league among rookies). Kaliyev seems to be slowly finding more consistency to his game with a recent stretch of 6 games out of 7 where he scored.  He just recently put up his first multi goal game on December 9.  No doubt he has benefited from a strong Bulldogs roster that leads the eastern conference, it's clear that Kaliyev is a big part of that success and not just riding in a hot teams coattails. - Steve Mclean


Jenkins
Took a while to get going but has he ever figured it out in a hurry... on pace for roughly 55 points. Just the young offensive star SAG needed. - PetesUpdates

Sandin

The Greyhounds are 20-1 with Sandin in the lineup this year. For a 17 year old transitioning to a new country and a new team mid season his has fit in rather seamlessly. Teaming with Mac Hollowell to great the best #2 PP unit in the league he has also been a force in his own zone and his puck skills allow for a quick and seamless transition. - Peter Kneulman

OA play of the year

Luchuk was the run away winner of this award which should come as no surprise. The more interesting things was the fact that 6 different players picked up either a 2nd or 3rd place vote.



Luchuk
He leads the league with 31 goals, 2nd for points with 56, 1st for power play goals with 10 and tied for 2nd with 3 short handed goals. I feel the second half of his season will be even better. - Ryan Noble

 He pretty much carried Windsor's offence by himself. He was a great leader for a young Windsor team and he should help Barrie a ton down the stretch & into the playoffs. - Sting Updates

The man who scored the Memorial Cup winning goal on home ice for the Windsor Spitfires has had an amazing follow up season thus.  On a Spitfires squad where the bulk of the offensive load would fall on his shoulders Luchuk became essentially a goal per game player with and put up 51pts in 30 games only 7 shy of his career high in a full 68 game campaign.  An emotional trade to the Barrie Colts now has Luchuk on arguably one of the top lines in the OHL with Svechnikov and Lipanov.  In his brief 3 game stint with the Colts before the holiday break Luchuk hasn't skipped a beat with 3 goals and 5 points. - Steve Mclean

Helvig
Tops in the league in save percentage. Has elevated his game from last year where he was already one of the best in the league. - Peter Kneulman

Helvig is the backbone of the Fronts and as a Petes fan I've seen it plenty of times before... he can beat you by himself when he's on his game - PetesUpdates

Fazio
The top goalie in the OHL, Fazio gets my #2 OA spot because of how good he’s been for Sarnia this year. He’ll be huge going forward and especially into the playoffs for them. -GeneralsUpdates

Goalie of the Year

5 different goalies picked up atleast 3 points and a very good argument could be made for either one to be in the top 3.



DiPietro
Best goalie in the league, doesnt have the team in front of him like some of the others do but is one of the biggest reasons the Spits have been so good this year. In fact the Spits were the last team to pick up a win from their back up goalie. - Peter Kneulman

Fazio
He leads the league in minutes played & Saves. He ranks 1st in Wins, 2nd in SV%, And 5th in GAA. Sarnia will want to sharpen up a bit defensively after the break but Fazio has shown he can handle it. - StingUpdates

1st in the OHL in wins, 2 nd in save %, and has been as stable of a goalie as there’s been in the OHL this year. Gives Sarnia a chance to win every time he’s in net and it’s no coincidence that Sarnia is over- achieving thus far this season with how well Fazio has played. - Generals Updates

Helvig
lets show some love to the East. Helvig's 2.49 GAA is tied for the best average and his 0.924 GAA is the best for goalies who have played more than 15 games. - Ryan Noble

Helvig has been nothing short of spectacular this season for the Fronts... Jeremys 2.55GAA and a .922SV% has Kingston way higher in the standings than many predicted at the start of the year - PetesUpdates

Villalta
Soo has been so dominant this season. Matthew has been so strong for them. 2.49 GAA is the best in the league - Ryan Noble

Raaymakers
The former Soo Greyhounds star began the season sitting at home and awaiting a trade before eventually winding up in London to play for a Knights team that was desperate for some solid goaltending.  They have gotten that in spades.  London began the season with a record of 1-8-1-0 including 8 straight loses.  Since the Knights picked up Raaymakers he has posted a 17-6-1-0 record along with 3 shutouts and having a stretch of starts that would make Aaron Molnar proud.  One would wonder how low the Knights would have kept sinking had the steady hand of Joseph Raaymakers came riding into town on a white horse. - Steve Mclean

Coach of the year
With multiple teams being fixtures in the CHL top 10 as well as a group of teams exceeding expectations there were plenty of worthy candidates for this one as well.



Bannister
How do you quantify coach of the year? Is it the coach that takes a team with the lowest expectations to the best finish? That would eliminate the coach of the favoured teams just because we under estimated some others. What stands out to me about Bannister is how disciplined of a possession system the Hounds have. They seem to never give up the puck and they are super aggressive on the penalty kill. They have scored more short handed goals on their winning streak then power play goals allowed! - Peter Kneulman

The Soo Greyhounds continue to steam roll their way to the tops of the CHL rankings... Banister has come in, got the guys to buy in right away and the players have run with it. - PetesUpdates

Hatcher
Who saw this coming from Sarnia? They were pegged by most to finish somewhere in the middle of the Western Conference but instead are 2nd in the entire OHL. They have had the league's best offence & have gotten great contributions from guys people didn't really know about. - Sting Updates

Has Sarnia doing a lot better than most anticipated this season. Will be interesting to see how the team does the next couple games

without Kyrou/Ruzicka at the WJ’s. - GeneralsUpdates

Hawerchuk
Dale has found a way to take a terrible team and, with the help of some good picks and trades, make them a threat in the league. He has managed to keep the team fresh rolling all the lines and the team will be able to make a strong push late in the year because of it. - Ryan Noble

Burke
Billy has the young Niagara Burkes playing great hockey. It is not just that they are exceeding expectations but it is the way he has helped the team rebound for a early season lull after a hot start and put them in position to heat back up again. - Peter Kneulman

Safe to say not many people had anticipated the Icedogs being as good as they are currently... the Burke brothers have silenced the critics and put together quite the product on the ice in Niagara. -PetesUpdates

Gruden
Hamilton leads the Eastern Conference. The team always looks so fresh and they have managed to play a disciplined style for the most part. - Ryan Noble

Tuesday 19 December 2017

OHL Week 13 Power Rankings

The Christmas break and holiday trade freeze is finally upon us.

The Canadian world junior roster has been set and 8 players who have suited up in the OHL this year have made team Canada. On the blueline Conor Timmins (SSM) will reprasent the OHL. Up front Alex Formenton (Ldn), Gadjovich (OS), Katchouk (SSM), Kyrou (Sar), McLeod (Mis) Raddysh (Eri) and Thomas (Ldn). You can add OHL alum and current Montreal Canadians rear guard Victor
Mete to that list as well.

Divisional recap

In Hamilton 2017 draft pick Liam Van Loon picked up his first career assist. Van Loon has been tearing up the GOJHL this year playing with Ancaster... After missing almost a month of action due to imjury Kyle Keyser has stopped 105 of 113 shots the last 2 weeks.... The Petes now have only 1 point in their last 5 games Are they getting closer to selling?

Luke Bignell picked up Barries OHL leading 5th suspension of the year for a slewfoot... In sudbury David Levin has come back but Blake Murray and Zack Malik have gone down with injuries with the Malik ailment sounding the more serious off the two.... In Niagara Bradey Johnson looks like he will be out of the lineup for about 3 weeks

Isaac Ratcliffe was seen on crutches after a game this past weekend but the big forward toughed it out and was able to play against the Soo and Oshawa.... With Victor Mete loaned to Team Canada there is speculation swirling that he will be on his way to London soon.

Morgan Frost picked up OHL player of the week. The OHLs 3rd leading score has points in all December games and is the front runner for player of the month... In Saginaw Evan Cormier set the franchise record with his 6th career shutout

We are almost at the official halfway mark of the OHL season (Game 340 is on December 28th). There are a few surprises both good and bad. This week I thought I would look at a unsung here/Breakout star for each OHL team.

(1) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 29-3-2 Power Rank Percentage (PR%) ..8745
Anthony DeMeo and Jacob LeGuerrier: The Hounds 3rd D pair have been flying under the radar in the shadows of the Hounds top 4. DeMeo and LeGuerrier are the Hounds only defenders to play all 34 games this year. They have done a great job easing the pressure on the big 4 and have shown plenty of promise as their games grow.
Games this Week: Dec 28 @ Sag

(2) Hamilton Bulldogs 21-7-6 PR% .7523
Isaac Nurse: The production the Bulldogs have been getting from their 2nd year 3rd liner may be going unnoticed by most casual OHL fans. What he has been able to bring on the PK as well has his secondary scoring has been key to their success. With 7 goals and 6 assist last year he has topped last yeasr 2 goals and 6 assists which came in a full season.
Games this week: next game Dec 28 vs Miss

(3) Barrie Colts 20-10-3 PR% .6727
Jason Wilms: When Svechnikov went down with an injury a lot of people thought the Colts were going to implode. Wilms is one of the main reasons why they did not. The second year forward is averaging a point per game and has already hit career highs in goals and assists. He is also averaging over 3 shots per game as he has developed into an offensive force for the Colts.
Games this week: Next game Dec 28 vs Sby

(4) Windsor Spitfires 18-11-3 PR% .6655
Cole Purboo: On a team with big names Purboo has been a constant source of offensce for the Spitfires thsi year. After averaging .25 points per game last year he is up to .97 this season. He has already scored 11 goals and has added 20 assists. With further trades coming to this Roster he will be leaned on more and more.
Games this week: next game Dec 28 @ Sar

(5) Sarnia Sting 25-8-2 PR% .6501
Sean Josling: One of the main reasons why they Sting have exceeded expectations is that they have exceptional depth in their top 9. Josling has been fantastic on their 3rd line this year chipping in with 24 points through 35 games this year. He has almost doubled last years point production and has seen ice time in almost all situations.
Games this week: Next game Dec 28 vs Wsr

(6) London Knights 18-14-2 PR% .6516
Alec Regula: With Mete playing in the NHL there was a giant hole on the Knights blueline. The first year defender from Michigan has done a great job filling some of that void. Paired for most of the season with Even Bouchard Regula has been shooting up draftboards and has been just what the Knights have needed.
Games this week: next game Dec 28 @ Fli

(7) Niagara 16-11-5 PR% .6503
Bradey Johnson: The 2nd year forward has scored his first 7 career goals this year. With 5 assists he has also surpassed his 4 from last season. You cant complain about that kind of production from a 13th round draft pick.He is scoring a goal once every 5 shots which I cant see him continuing at that pace. That said he should continue to be a key piece for these young icedogs.
Games this week: Next game Dec 28 @ NB

(8) Saginaw Spirit 17-12-3 PR% .6347
Kyle Bollers: The big guns in Saginaw get lots of press but one player who has been integral to their success has been the 2016 Free Agent signing. After picking up only 3 points last year in 63 games he has seen that jump to 12 points in 28 games so far. This team had depth question marks going into the season but the added production on the bottom 6 has been a pleasant surprise.
Games this week: next game Dec 28 vs SSM

(9) Kingston Frontenacs 17-10-6 PR% .6330
Tyler Burnie: Going into the season the big question surrounding the Fronts would be if they had the scoring depth to compete. They have the high end talent with Robertson, Rasenen and Helvig but needed other players to step up. Burnie has come out of nowhere in the 1st half picking up 15 goals and 11 assists. After averaging .12 points per game last year he us up to .79 in the 1st half of the season.The towering forward from Midhurst is one of the big reasons why Kingston is where it si in the standings.
Games this week: next game Dec 28 vs Ott

(10) Kitchener Rangers 21-11-2 PR% .6295
Jake Henderson: The veteran OA forward continues to work hard and solidify the Rangers bottom 6. He has the best +/- on the team which I know isnt the greatest stat but he is 4 points away from a career high and has seen his point production jump this year by .23 points per game.
Games this week: next game Dec 28 @ OS

(11) Guelph Storm 17-13-3 PR% .5931
Cedric Ralph: With 14 goals in the first half this year Ralph almost has as many goals as he had points last season. What has also been beneficial to the Storm is that all his goals have come at even strength. His 14 goals have come on only 48 shots so I cant see him maintaining this pace in the 2nd half but he should continue to outpace his .29 points per game from last year.
Games this week: next game Dec 28 vs Ptb

(12) Oshawa Generals 15-17-2 PR% .5644
Cole Ceci: Picked up from the Storm while Keyser was injured the Generals were desperate for a life vest to keep them afloat. Ceci did just that sporting a 5-7 record with the Generals which prevented them from free falling in the East standings.
Games this week: next game Dec 28 vs Eri

(13) North Bay Battalion 12-18-4 PR% .5017
Justin Brazeau: The veteran power forward from New Liskard his having a huge year for the Battalion. He has surpassed his career high in goals arlready with 24 on the season and has almost doubled his point production from .55 per game last year to 1.09 this year. He already has 10 goals on the power play and has snagged a player of the week nod.
Games this week: next game Dec 28 vs Nia

(14) Peterborough Petes 15-17-1 PR% .4718
Austin Osmanski: There have been a lot of disappointments with the Petes this year but early season trade pick up Austin Osmanski has been giving the team great value for what they gave up. He is having a breakout offensive year and has shored up some of his defensive issues that plagued him last year with Mississauga.
Games this week: next game Dec 28 @ Gue

(15) Owen Sound Attack 14-13-5 PR% .4577
Jacob Friend: The veteran OA deference has once again been a rock on the blueline for the Attack. In his third full season with the team has continued his strong play for Owen Sound and is an indispensable part of the team even with their struggles.
Games this week: next game Dec 28 vs Kit

(16) Sudbury Wolves 10-19-5 PR% .4402
Reagan O'Grady: With the acquisitions of Candella, Rhodes and Blaisdel the returning 4th year dman somewhat gets lost in the shuffle. He has been a rock on their blueline all year and will likely be very coveted at the deadline. While teams will always covet his defence he is having a career offensive year as well with his production up to .41 points per game up from .27 last year.
Games this week: Next game Dec 28 @ Bar

(17) Ottawa 67s 15-16-3 PR% .4254
Kody Clark: The late '99 birthday has exploded in his 2nd year in the OHL. After picking up 7 goals and 4 assists last year he has 13 and 12 this season. His points per game has jumped up from .19 to .86 and lets not forget his OT heroics that has helped the 67's pick up some extra points along the way.
Games this week: next game Dec 28 @ Kgn

(18) Erie Otters 11-17-6 PR% .4235
Alex Gritz: picked up in the offseason from the Soo Greyhounds. Gritz was looking for more icetime and he has gotten it in Erie. With 8 goals and 8 assists this year he has blown past his totals from last year. His .48 points per game far outpaces is .14 from last season.
Games this week: next game Dec 28 @ Osh

(19) Flint Firebirds 10-20-3 PR% .4083
Jake Durham: the 2nd year forward has slowed down a bit in December with only 3 points in 8 games but on the season he has been a much needed source of offence for the Firebrids. With 5 goals and 13 assists he is averaging .55 points per game, up from .24 last season
Games this week: next game Dec 28 vs Ldn

(20) Mississauga Steeleheads 13-20-1 PR% .3989
Shaw Boomhower: A free agent signing from 2016 Boomhower filled a bottom 3 role last year and brought great value to the team. He has stepped it up this year with more icetime opening up for him. He has jumped is production from .28 points per game to .50. He has also already set a career high in goals with 8 so far in the 1st half.
Games this week: next game Dec 28 vs Ham

Monday 11 December 2017

OHL Week 12 Power Rankings

The World Junior invites are out and the players will be off to St Catharines on Monday. Could be a long week for some teams with their star players out of the line up.


Division Quick hits

Bulldogs 2017 1st round pick Connor McMichael scored his first two career OHL goals this weekend. Are the flood gates about to open? He ranks 2nd among '01 born skaters in shots.... The Gens are still struggling on their special teams. Currently a -7 on the special teams. This will be a point of emphasis next year when they are expected to make some noise.... With a -30 goal differential on the year the 67's are worst in the division.... More arena talk in Peterborough as the project will come in around 80 million

The Steelheads have now lost 9 in a row and lose McLeod to the world juniors.... The Colts made a head scratcher of a trade dealing Nizhnikov to Sudbury for a 3rd a 5th and 2 2nds down the road with little present value... The Wolves on the other hand are loving Nizhnikov who has 6 points in his first 3 games with his new team.... Watched the Battalion in the Soo on Friday. Every time Dineen was on the ice you knew they had a chance to score. He should be more talked about at the deadline...

The Midwest only has 1 team in that has more wins than losses this year and a positive goal differential. That would be the Kitchener Rangers.... Isaac Ratcliffe left Sundays game in Guelph and was seen postgame on crutches. That would be a huge lose for the Storm.... Owen Sound now loses Suzuki and Gadjovich to the WJC camp. It could be another rough week for the team.... Adam Mascherin picked up his 100th career OHL goal this past week. Joining Korostelev and Raddysh as the 3rd OHL to hit that feat this season.... Victor Mete has been loaned to team Canada for the World Juniors. Is London next?

The Greyhounds have now pushed up their winnings streak to 17 games.... Sarnia picked up a commitent from 2017 draft pick Ashton Reesor.... Justin Fazio also set a Sting record for most career games by a goalie and Jordon Kyrou also set a franchise record for career assists.... The city of SSM announced they will open up bidding on the naming rights to the Essar Center in January. I still feel Northern Ontario Credit Union makes the most sense....



This week will have a bit of a trade deadline feel as I will look into what draft assets teams have and what they might do come deadline time. You can find a list of all teams draft assets here (it has yet to include the Nizhnikov trade) Dont forget about Brock Otten. He should be release his trade deadline preview in the coming weeks.


(1) Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds 26-3-2 Power Rank Percentage (PR%) .8690
5 2nds betwen '18-'22 4 3rds between '18-'22
The Hounds are in on just about every player. Look for them to pick up an elite '98. Other non conventional options include unsigned draft picks Corson Green and Randy Hernendez currently playing in the USHL. Dreams of Rasmus Kupari being loaned after the WJC seem a little far fetched. Could they kick the tires on Soo native Nic Sicoly coming home to help boost their 4th line? Lets not forget the Hounds have been playing this season with only 2 OA spots filled although they wont fill it for the sake of filling it
Games This Week: Dec 13 vs Fli; Dec 15 @ Kit; Dec 16 @ Gue

(2) Sarnia Sting 24-6-2 PR% .7546
5 2nds between '18-'22 2 3rds between '18-'22
With Kyrou gone after this season now is the time for Sarnia. Surprisingly they have enough picks to add a few players even after their moves with Ottawa the last 2 deadlines. They will need some speed up front if they are to compete with the Greyhounds as well as some extra depth on the blueline. Would they be able to pry away Stillman from the Generals?
Games This Week: Dec 13 vs Sag; Dec 15 @ Ldn; Dec 16 vs Fli

(3) Hamilton Bulldogs 18-7-6 PR% .7260
4 2nds between '18 and '22 5 3rds between '18 and '22
They made an early move picking up Moore and Caamano from Flint. I could see them making another move. Luchuk, Brown or Day would look great on this team. They may not have the picks but 2016 draft picks King and Pivonka are very valuable trade pieces. One would have to go to get one of those names listed above.
Games This Week: Dec 14 @ NB; Dec 15 @ Sby; Dec 17 vs Ptb

(4) Niagara Icedogs 16-9-5 PR% .6840
5 2nds between '18-'22 4 3rds between '18-'22
Part of me would like to see them move Langdon. Why? Because he is the last living branch on the Lucas Lessio trade tree. Which reminds me I should really put the finishing touches on that article that has been on the back burner for the last 18 months. The Icedogs like the Fronts are likely stronger next year so any addition would have the '18-'19 season in mind.
Games this week: Dec 15 vs NB; Dec 16 vs Bar

(5) Saginaw Spirit 15-11-3 PR% .6717
Jake Jeffery from Around the OHL had a good piece on the Spirit Here. The only thing I would disagree with is I dont believe Cormier is an elite OHL goalie. He is definitely above average but definitely below Villalta, DiPietro, Fazio and Raaymakers and that is just the Western Conference. With 3 2nds next year look for them to get aggressive looking for '98 and '99 talent. The '98 talent would have to posses OA potential for next year as they only have 1 on the roster (Middleton) who is NHL drafted but may not earn an NHL contract.
Games This Week: Dec 13 @ Sar; Dec 15 vs Fli; Dec 16 @ Wsr

(6) Kingston Frontanacs 16-8-6 PR% .6610
3 2nds between '18-'22 4 3rds between '18-'22
This team is hurting in the asset department and is better set up to compete next year outside of the fact that this is Helvig's last year. Could they get creative and move a guy like Cranford to the Soo or Owen Sound to help offset the cost of getting a guy like Maksimovich? Any moves they make expect the to have next year in mind as well.
Games This Week: Dec 15  Gue; Dec 16 @OS; Dec 17 @ Kit

(7) London Knights15-13-2 PR% .6486
5 2nds between '18 and '22 6 3rds between '18 and '22
Getting Mete back after the world juniors would be bigger than any trade the Knights could make. Still expect the Knights to be buyers as they have plenty of high end talent and a top 4 western conference goalie between the pipes.
Games Thiss Week: Dec 12 @ Eri; Dec 15 vs Sar; Dec 16 vs Miss; Dec 17 @ OS

(8) Kitchener Rangers 20-10-2 PR% .6315
5 2nds between '18-'22 7 3rds between '18-'22
With 3 2nds and 2 3rds in the 2018 draft the Rangers are in a uniquely strong position of strength when dealing with asset starved rebuilding teams like Erie and Windsor. This team needs to get faster as they were exposed by the Greyhounds in November.
Games This week: Dec 15 vs SSM; Dec 17 vs Kgn

(9) Guelph Storm 16-11-3 PR% .6315
5 2nds between '18-'22 6 3rds between '18-'22
This team is not ready for primetime. They should be real good next year however. I could see them moving Smith in an effort to pick up some 2nds in 2020 and 2021 two years they have none. I could also see them move some of their 2nds from '18 and '19 (they have 2 in each season) to pick up Maksimovich from Erie who would be a stud OA for them next year.
Games This Week: Dec 15 vs Kgn; Dec 16 vs SSM; Dec 17 @ Osh

(10) Barrie Colts 17-10-3 PR% .6033
4 2nds between '18-'22; 3 3rds between '18-'22
They have an open OA spot. Luchuk would be a perfect fit for them but I'm not sure they have the pieces to get into a bidding war for him. He will be coveted by every contending team. Mackenzie from North Bay could be a more affordable option and will allow the team to target other lineup upgrades as well.
Games this Week: Dec 14 vs OS; Dec 15 @ Eri; Dec 16 @ Nia

(11) Windsor Spitfires 17-11-2 PR% .6011
No 2nds or 3rds over the next 5 drafts
The cupboard is empty. But they have plenty of tradeable assets. Aaron Luchuk should fetch the highest total for an OA in recent memory. 2 years ago Stephen Harper picked up a pair of 2nds a 3rd a 5th and a prospect. Luchuk's starting point will be that. Brown or Day could bring in some high end '00 talent if not a '01 not to mention draft picks. DiPietro should also bring in quite the ransom. Im not sold on Vilardi moving. What team would pay a premium for a player out all year with a back injury. Windsor will likely hang on to him and move him next year when he is healthy.
Games This Week: Dec 14 vs Miss; Dec 16 @ Sag

(12) North Bay Battalion 11-16-4 PR% .5388
5 2nds between '18-'22 6 3rds between '18-'22
The Battalion have some interesting OA pieces in Bruce, Saban and MacKenzie. They also have 1 elite impact defender in Cam Dineen. Without Dineen im not sure this team makes the playoffs. He makes everyone on the team around him better. If they can pick up an quality '99 or '00 for him it makes it a no brainer but it would have to be more than picks. They can get those for their OAs
Games This Week: Dec 14 vs Ham; Dec 15 @ Nia; Dec 16 @ Eri

(13) Owen Sound Attack 14-11-4 PR% .5281
5 2nds between '18-'22 1 3rd between '18-'22
This team needs a goalie and if they have waited this long I would expect them to make a move for DiPietro. An '01, an '00 on their roster, the rights to one of their US based '16 draft picks would likely be discussed as well as a few 2nds. If you feel it is your time to win you go out and get the best.
Games This Week: Dec 14 @ Bar; Dec 16 vs Kgn; Dec 17 vs Ldn

(14) Sudbury Wolves 10-17-5 PR% .4879
5 2nds between '18-'22 7 3rds between '18-'22
Sudbury is in an interesting position. Papiniau, Stillman and Smith are still putting their touches on this roster and repairing what Barclay Branch did while he was in charge. They dont really have much elite talent although Sokolov would be an intriguing piece for a team with an open import spot. They already picked up Kirill Nizhnikov from Barrie and I wouldnt be surprised if they try to make similar moves to that. If there was a '98 that would be moved Reagan O'Grady is the player I would pay a premium for.
Games This Week: Dec 15 vs Ham; Dec 17 @ Miss

(15) Peterborough Petes 15-14-2 PR% .4743
4 2nds between '18-'22 4 3rds between '18-'22
This team has a lot of issues and they have had them for 2 years. This is a team that has never really been strong at shot suppression and most of that was covered up by the strong play of Dylan Wells. This year however Wells has struggled and the Petes havnt been able to make up for that. Even if they pick up an elite D there are systemic issues with this team that will not be fixed. I dont think a tear down is necessary but maybe a retooling for next year around Hunter Jones who could be an elite goalie under a better system.
Games This Week: Dec 14 vs Ott; Dec 15 @ Osh; Dec 17 @ Ham

(16) Oshawa Generals 13-17-2 PR% .4711
5 2nds between '18-'22 3 3rds between '18-'22
The Generals have 6 non import '98s on their team. I would expect some of them to be moved for picks. It would also allow for some ice-time for their younger players especially on their crowded blueline. This team has the pieces to be strong next year, it will be interesting to see what Hunt has up his sleeve.
Games This Week: Dec 15 @ Osh; Dec 17 vs Gue

(17) Ottawa 67s 14-15-3 PR% .4427
10 2nds between '18-'22 8 3rds between '18-'22
Ottawa has the pieces to go after a high end '99 like Lodnia, DiPietro or Vilardi. With 2 2nds, 2 3rds and 2 4ths in 2018 I would expect at least 3 of those picks moved between now and the draft. With the amount of young talent already on this roster and in Jr A it is a surplus that is best used elsewhere.
Games This Week: Dec 14 @ Ptb; Dec 17 vs Gat

(18) Erie Otters 10-16-5 PR% .4355
They have 0 2nds between now and 2024 and only 2 3rd round picks over that time. They will get an '01 for Raddysh but expect up to 10 teams to be in on Maksimovich. His OA potential for next year makes him desirable to teams like Ottawa, Kingston, Oshawa and Guelph to name a few not to mention the contenders this season.
Games This Week: Dec 12 vs Ldn; Dec 15 vs Bar; Dec 16 vs NB

(19) Flint Firebirds 9-18-3 PR% .3693
This team has too many draft picks. 8 2nd over the next 5 years and 10 3rds over that same period. They still have a few tradeable pieces in Coella and Smereck. I could see this team using some of their surplus picks to target a '98 forward who could be back next year as an OA.
Games This Week: Dec 13 @ SSM; Dec 15 vs Sag; Dec 16 @ Sar

(20) Mississauga Steelheads 11-19-1 PR% .3508
2 2nds between '18-'22 3 3rds between '18-'22
Losers of 9 straight and bereft of trade assets I would not be surprised to see the Steelheads sell. Not only would they recoup assets by dealing McLeod and Haugue but further tanking would put them in a position to win the Quinton Byfield sweepstakes. A player who could be an ELITE 17 year old during Jacob Ingham's 19 year old season
Games This Week: Dec 14 @ Wsr; Dec 16 @ Ldn; Dec 17 vs Sby

Thursday 7 December 2017

A look at the Greyhounds 15 game winning streak

The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds are currently in the midst a franchise record 15 game win streak. Their previous high of 13 was broke on Sunday in Ottawa and extended Wednesday night at home in a CHL top 10 showdown against Sarnia. The 15 game streak ranks 5th in OHL history behind a 25 game streak for the Rangers, 24 game streak for the Knights, 22 game streak for the Colts and a 16 game streak for the Spitfires.

The Hounds had topped 13 straight wins twice in their history. The first was in 80-81 when the Ron Francis led Hounds accomplished the feat. That team would make it all the way to the OHL finals before falling to the Kitchener Rangers. The 2nd time the team achieved 13 in a row was in 84-85 on the Wayne Groulx, Derek King and Bob Probert led Hounds who would go on to claim the cities first OHL title.

I decided to take a look into some of the numbers and factors around the Greyhounds streak. It has been a stretch of dominant hockey for the Greyhounds. For starters over their 15 game winnings streak they have outscored their opponents 78-32. 7 wins have come on home ice, 8 on the road. They have scored the opening goal 13 times. 4 of their wins have come vs West Division opponents, 1 vs the Midwest, 4 vs the East and 6 vs the Central and 4 wins have come in overtime. There are a few numbers posted during this streak that I want to look into more closely.


Rasmus Sandin

The Hounds Swedish import came over to the team in mid October. His first game happend to be their last loss which was in Sarnia. What Sandin has done is really solidify the Hounds top 4 D. You will be hard pressed to find a better group in the league than Timmins, Carrol, Sandin and Hollowell. While leaving them with a very solid bottom pair of DeMeo and LeGuerrier.
Offensively Sandin has picked up 13 points in 16 games this year and has teamed iwth Hollowell to give the Hounds a 2nd PP unit that is just as deadly as their 1st unit.

Penalty Kill

Early in the season the penalty kill was one of the main weaknesses of the Greyhounds. They were able to continue with least years trend of creating plenty of offense for themselves but struggled in preventing other teams from scoring. Before the streak started the hounds PK had given up 17 PP goals in 70 chances. Their PK % was floundering at 75.7% which had them sitting around 15th in the league. Since the streak started they have only given up 5 goals while being short handed 49 times. That has been enough to pull the Hounds PK up to 6th in the leauge and now sits at 81.5%. The most impressive stat however is that in the last 15 games the Hounds have scored 8 short handed goals. That means during the streak they have score more times shorthanded then power play goals they have given up.

Shot Suppresion

Of the 45 periods (OT not included) they have played during their 15 game winning streak the Greyhounds have held their opponents to a single digit shot total 29 times. That is 64% of the periods they have played during their streak they have held their opponents under 10 shots. In fact in only 1 of their games during this stretch have they been outshot in a game and that was their 8-0 win over Flint that kicked it off.

Looking into the shot suppression a bit more the team has held their opponents under 5 shots 9 times. They Greyhounds have a very methodical offense. They will turn around and work the puck back to their D if they don't like their set up breaking into a zone. They will circle around and keep passing it till they find a lane they like and a scoring opportunity worth risking a chance of possession. All of this has really started to click since the end of October and the results speak for themselves

Balanced Scoring

What has helped set the Hounds apart during their current streak is their depth. When you score 78 goals in 15 games you are going to be deep in your lineup from top to bottom but the Greyhounds have had 10 different players pick up multi goal games during their streak. Boris Katchouk (3), Morgan Frost (2), Ryan Roth (2), Barret Hayton, Cole MacKay, Mac Hollowell, Joe Carroll, Jack Kopacka, Conor Timmins and finally on Wednesday vs Sarnia captain Tim Gettinger picked up a pair.

They have had 3 players really stand out over the stretch. The first is 3rd year center Morgan Frost who is developing into one of the best playmakers in the league. In 14 games over the streak (missed 1 game due to a team suspension) Frost had scored 9 goals and added 20 assists. Team Canada invite Boris Katchouk has added 11 goals and 13 assists in 14 games over the streak while Defenceman Conor Timmins has 5 goals and 17 assists over the 15 games.

As mentioned earlier they have scored 8 shorthanded goals. On the power play they have added another 20 goals. They have scored 21 times in the 1st period, 29 times in the 2nd period and 24 in the 3rd plus 4 in overtime. There doesnt seem to be a point where this team isnt scoring goals


Just the Numbers

13 – Number of times the Greyhounds have scored 1st
4 – Number of times the Hounds have needed OT to extend their streak
1 – number of times the Hounds have trailed going into the 3rd period
10 – number of different multi goal scorers during the streak
+18 – The difference in power plays to penalty kills during the streak. A stat the Hounds have finsihed 1st or 2nd in the OHL in each of the last 3 years.
+3 – Differential in goals their PK has scored vs given up to the opposition while down a man
3 – number of times the Hounds have shutout their opponents during the streak. 2 of which were picked up by Tyler Johnson
599 – The amount of shots the Hounds have fired at the net during their streak. An average of 39.93 per game
391 – The amount of shots the Hounds have given up during their streak. An average of 26.06 per game.
13 – The Hounds on average are out shooting their opponents by 13 shots per game. Even if there is a regression in the teams shooting or save percentage they are still well positioned to succeed.
20 – Number of power play goals scored during the streak
1 – Rank in the OHL for the Greyhounds power play after a surge during the streak

6 – Rank in the OHL for the Hounds penalty kill which was as low as 15th before the streak started.