Veteran IceDogs lead pack in OHL’s Eastern Conference
Seventeen years.
That’s how long it has been since Eastern Conference clubs won back-to-back Ontario Hockey League titles.
It was 2001 when Ottawa capped a three-peat for the East. Belleville started the run two years earlier and Barrie followed before the 67’s rounded things out.
Since then, the J. Ross Robertson Cup has been dominated by the West.
But that may change.
The Hamilton Bulldogs are the defending OHL champs and there is power in the East this season.
Favourite: Niagara IceDogs. The bulk of the team is 19 years old and several key players will be leaving after this season, so the clock is ticking. Expect the club to be active on the trade market as it goes for its third Bobby Orr Trophy in franchise history.
Next in line: Oshawa Generals. The ingredients are in place — talented overagers, players ready to take the next step offensively, a veteran defensive unit and a reliable goalie. Another impact 19-year-old forward would cement the squad, but the time is right for the Gens to strike.
Dark horse: Ottawa 67’s. The fire power is there, but most of this year’s team is 18 years old or younger and that’s a bit of a concern. The bigger problem is in net where the team is currently relying on two unproven goalies (at the OHL level).
Moving forward: Sudbury Wolves. The pack has finished in the basement in three of the past four seasons. That said, there are things to like in Nickel City. Firstoverall pick Quinton Byfield has the talent and temperament to lift the Wolves back into the playoff picture.
Falling back: Hamilton Bulldogs. Win the league crown and then rebuild. We’ve seen this
OHL movie before. There are still some gems left in the Hammer, but the Steeltown squad lost a lot of its regulars and whatever older assets are left will likely be dealt to recoup draft picks that were used to lure hired guns during their championship run.
Barrie Colts
GM: Jason Ford
Coach: Dale Hawerchuk
Last season: 42-21-4-1, second
Ice chips: It’s sophomore Ryan Suzuki’s team now with Russian sniper Andrei Svechnikov (Carolina Hurricanes) eyeing the NHL. … F Jason Willms is a 35-goal threat. … Import G Maksim Zhukov (Vegas Golden Knights) takes over for Leo Lazarev in net. … D Joey Keane (New York Rang- ers) is coming off a breakthrough campaign and leads the back end. … Czech F Matej Pekar (Buffalo Sabres) has signed with the club.
Key loss: F Aaron Luchuk led OHL in scoring with 115 points.
Fun fact: Svechnikov finished season on a 23-game point scoring streak.
Three words: Young but talented.
Hamilton Bulldogs
GM: Steve Staios
Coach: Dave Matsos
Last season: 43-18-4-3, first
Ice chips: OHL champs in rebuild mode. … Will have huge trade chip if F Robert Thomas (St. Louis Blues) returns. … Could Arthur Kaliyev be a 40-goal sophomore? … ’Dogs waiting for breakout year from F MacKenzie Entwistle (Chicago Blackhawks). … D Nicolas Mattinen (Toronto Maple Leafs) to shoulder load on young blue line . ... Getting F Brandon Saigeon (Colorado Avalanche) back an unexpected surprise.
Key loss: F Ryan Moore was a difference maker in the playoffs.
Fun fact: Staios’ son Nathan is a defenceman for the Windsor Spitfires.
Three words: Will lack bite.
Kingston Frontenacs
GM: Darren Kelly
Coach: Kurtis Foster
Last season: 36-23-6-3, third
Ice chips: Ex-coach Jay Varady now runs bench of the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners. … Former Guelph assistant coach Luca Caputi joins team as associate skipper. … F Jason Robertson (Dallas Stars) coming off back-toback 40-plus goal seasons. … G Brendan Bonello gets a shot at starting with departure of veteran Jeremy Helvig.
Key loss: Helvig was a rock in net.
Fun fact: Appearance in last year’s conference final was team’s first since 1993.
Three words: Draft picks scarce.
Mississauga Steelheads
GM/coach: James Richmond
Last season: 33-32-1-2, seventh
Ice chips: F Ryan McLeod (Edmonton Oilers) leads a thin attack and he could become trade bait. … G Jacob Ingham (Los Angeles Kings) looking for a bounceback season after posting .880 save percentage. … Team owns OHL rights to F Jack Hughes, the projected first overall pick in next year’s NHL draft. … Getting F Owen Tippett back from the Florida Panthers is unlikely, but would be a huge bonus.
Key loss: D Nic Hague led team in scoring and in the back end.
Fun fact: Trout are 5-9 to start each of the last two seasons.
Three words: No fearing Fish.
Niagara IceDogs
GM: Joey Burke
Coach: Billy Burke
Last season: 35-23-7-3, fourth
Ice chips: F Akil Thomas (Los Angeles Kings) a threat to win the OHL scoring title. … Acquisition of F Ivan Lodnia (Minnesota Wild) via Erie helps boost depth scoring. … Sophomore F Phil Tomasino primed for a breakout season. … Back end is mobile and experienced. … G Stephen Dhillon entering fifth campaign. … Cambridge’s Jody Hull joins bench as an associate coach.
Key loss: F Sam Miletic potted 20 goals in 28 games.
Fun fact: The team’s GM and coach are brothers.
Three words: Going for it.
North Bay Battalion
GM/coach: Stan Butler
Last season: 30-28-7-3, sixth
Ice chips: Newly minted captain Justin Brazeau led OHL in preseason scoring with 10 points in three games. … G Christian Propp looking to rebound after injury-plagued season. … Former third overall pick F Brandon Coe ready to emerge. … OA D Cole Cameron comes in from Owen Sound and gives young blue line some needed experience. … OA candidate F Luke Burghardt (71 points) forced to retire due to spinal issue.
Key loss: D Riley Bruce was a physical force.
Fun fact: Butler is one of two active coaches with more than 700 OHL wins (Dale Hunter is the other).
Three words: Fighting for playoffs.
Oshawa Generals
GM: Roger Hunt
Coach: Greg Walters
Last season: 36-29-3-0, fifth
Ice chips: Ex-coach Bob Jones now an assistant with AHL’s Texas Stars . … Jack Studnicka (Boston Bruins), Serron Noel (Florida Panthers) and Allan McShane (Montreal Canadiens) lead a deep offensive attack. … G Kyle Keyser (Boston Bruins) has posted improving numbers in net in each of his three seasons. … Former Rangers D Giovanni Vallati (Winnipeg Jets) added in off-season trade.
Key loss: F Kenny Huether potted a team-high 30 goals.
Fun fact: The Gens used a league-high five different goalies last season.
Three words: Potentially scary good.
Ottawa 67’s
GM: James Boyd
Coach: Andre Tourigny
Last season: 30-29-6-3, eighth
Ice chips: F Kody Clark (Washington Capitals) a 30-goal threat. … No 67’s among top 25 blueliners in scoring last season. … May be in hunt for experienced goalie via trade. … Sophomore F Mitchell Hoelscher (10 goals) breakout candidate. … D Kevin Bahl (Arizona Coyotes) a back-end beast at six-foot-six and 236 pounds.
Key loss: F Travis Barron provided points and punch.
Fun fact: Had most wins in OHL (9) when trailing after two periods last season.
Three words: A year away.
Peterborough Petes
GM: Mike Oke
Coach: Rob Wilson
Last season: 23-39-3-3, ninth
Ice chips: F Pavel Gogolev should be fired up after being bypassed in NHL draft. … Third overall draft pick F Will Cuylle traded to Windsor for seven picks. … F Nick Robertson potted 15 goals as a rookie. … F Semyon Der-Arguchintsev (Toronto Maple Leafs) ready for a 75-plus point season.
Key loss: F Nikita Korostelev led squad in scoring the past two years.
Fun fact: F Liam Kirk was born, raised and learned to play hockey in England.
Three words: Hard to read.
Sudbury Wolves
GM: Rob Papineau
Coach: Cory Stillman
Last season: 17-42-9-0, tenth
Ice chips: Darryl Moxam joins bench as an associate coach. … Feels like a make or break year for former first overall pick F David Levin. … F Alexey Lipanov (Tampa Bay Lightning) could be AHL bound. … G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Buffalo Sabres) a huge boost in net. … All eyes on 2018 first overall pick F Quinton Byfield.
Key loss: D Doug Blaisdell provided stability on the blue line.
Fun fact: The Wolves could have 11 first and second round OHL draft picks in their lineup.
Three words: Finally moving up.
How they finish: Niagara, Oshawa, Ottawa, Barrie, Sudbury, North Bay, Peterborough, Hamilton, Kingston, Mississauga.