Petes have some question marks on defence
Up to 19 returning Petes players expected in lineup
The Petes haven’t played a game that counts in six months but it was an eventful off-season, with a number of newsworthy decisions made that will shape the team as they return to regular season action.
The off-season drama kicked off in April with the Petes decision to select Will Cuylle – who had previously told the team he would not report – with the third overall selection in the OHL entry draft. I’m not of the opinion that a 15-year-old should be forced to go to any city in Ontario simply based on which team finished lowest in the standings the previous year and it was in his rights to not report.
The Petes put on a strong face and there were brief whispers that Cuylle might be swayed by the hiring of Rob Wilson, by all accounts a man respected around the hockey world, as head coach or the appointment of Bob Gainey as a senior adviser to the club.
In the end, it played out quite predictably. Cuylle found his way to a preferred OHL destination in Windsor and in exchange the Petes received a haul of future draft picks, in addition to the compensatory fifth overall selection in 2019.
There is little doubt the move will serve the Petes well in the long term, I only question the timing. The team had gone to great lengths in the past couple seasons to emphasize this was now a place where players want- ed to be and to put past defections behind them. Opening the door they had worked hard to slam shut is curious.
In terms of the on-ice impact the Petes will be the only team of 20 who doesn’t inject that highend first round player into their roster.
Perhaps that talent injection comes in the form of import pick Liam Kirk, the first English-born and trained player ever to be selected in the NHL draft.
Kirk will look to immediately jump into an offence led by Nick Robertson, who shone for Team USA at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, and Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, who survived the first round of Toronto Maple Leafs cuts to make his NHL pre-season debut.
The Petes allowed the third most goals in the OHL last season and made no major off-season additions to the defence or goaltending.
The greatest hope for overall defensive improvement comes from Wilson’s appointment and implementation of a new overall team defensive system.
A major question looms in net, where the Petes have only 15 games of OHL experience and may have to look to add a veteran at some point.
With expected regression from Eastern Conference rivals in Kingston, Hamilton and Mississauga, the Petes should be in the mix for a playoff spot. An improvement in overall defence and a strong showing in net could push the team into the upper half of the conference.
The Petes could have as many as 19 players returning who suited up for the club last season which, given natural year over year improvement, should be a strength, but if the goal prevention issues of a year ago aren’t improved, another long season isn’t out of the question.