Smaller and faster has been better for the Bulldogs
The goal, he’ll remember. The game, he’d rather forget. When Logan Morrison scored the first marker of his Ontario Hockey League career, his Hamilton Bulldogs were down 7-0. That’s right. They were on their way to being blown out. But what can you do? “I’ll take it,” he said. “It’s still good to get the monkey off your back.”
And as for his celebration? He laughs. That, he said, he’s saving for goal No. 2.
Morrison wasn’t the only rookie forward to find the back of the net last weekend. Avery Hayes and Liam Van Loon also scored their first OHL goals — a right of passage of sorts, and something many junior hockey players look forward to their whole lives.
“It just felt amazing,” said Van Loon.
“It was awesome,” added Hayes.
The fact that these youngsters are not only scoring but look like they belong in the Bulldogs lineup just three weeks into the OHL season is kind of remarkable. Because when you’re 16 and new to a league packed with older, bigger, stronger guys, it’s not easy to keep up.
Yet, for all three of them, the transition has been pretty seamless. And it’s largely a consequence of the type of players and style of game the team values since Steve Staios took over as general manager at the start of the 2016-17 season — a year after the team moved here from Belleville.
Initially, when George Burnett was still calling the shots, the Bulldogs were inch-for-inch the largest team in the league. Now they’re not even close, with Staios tending to target smaller, faster and more skilled players — guys like the five-foot-11, 170pound Morrison.
And their offensive production has skyrocketed.
With Burnett at the helm in their inaugural campaign, the Bulldogs scored 197 goals in 68 regular-season games. The next year, it was 238, and 252 the year after that.
This season, they’re on track for 272 goals despite the fact that most of their veteran players have yet to contribute their characteristic levels of offence. Of the 28 goals the Bulldogs scored in their first seven outings, 11 have come from either newcomers or defencemen, or well over onethird.
“I think our young group has done great,” said head coach Dave Matsos.
“I still think our older group has more to offer, and I don’t think they would disagree with me. I think they’re happy where we are right now, however, once they start rolling, so to speak, we can’t lean on the kids.”
That’s especially important this weekend with a second straight three-in-three coming up — something the rookies are still getting used to. It starts with a home-and-home against the Mississauga Steelheads — who are among the stingiest defensive teams in the league, especially on the road — and ends with a rematch in Oshawa. The Generals were the squad that held Hamilton to a single goal, Morrison’s, in that 7-1 blowout last weekend — their only previous meeting with the Bulldogs this year.
“We’ve got a great support cast,” said Matsos.
“But, again, it’s going to be your captains, your assistants, your older guys that ultimately are going to dictate how your season goes.” NOTES: Zack Jackson (concussion) didn’t skate this week and will be out the lineup this weekend. Jake Murray (knee) and
Owen Burnell (concussion) did practise, but aren’t ready to return. D.J. King (hand) is also sidelined.