Next season, next roster up in the air for Petes
Part 2 of an in-depth look at the team’s future with coach Wilson
Part 2 of an interview with Peterborough Petes head coach Rob Wilson on the team’s future. Part 1 was published Friday.
The Peterborough Petes have more roster questions than usual this off-season.
COVID-19 brought an early end to the Ontario Hockey League season but the National Hockey League hasn’t cancelled its 2019-20 campaign. No one can say for certain if or when the NHL might conduct playoffs and what impact its timetable will have on other leagues.
The Petes have 12 players eligible for an overage season but they can only keep three. Some of those players, such as Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, Hunter Jones and Akil Thomas, have signed NHL contracts. Declan Chisholm and Liam Kirk have until June 1 to sign an NHL deal or become free agents.
In a normal year you might not expect those players to return for an overage year, but Petes head coach Rob Wilson says this isn’t a normal year.
“We don’t know when the NHL will start,” Wilson said. “If they don’t start until January, teams are going to want their prospects playing. You could have some of the best overagers the league has ever seen come back. Really talented guys NHL teams wouldn’t have thought of sending back to junior except they want them playing.”
If the NHL does not return, there are seven other players eligible for consideration.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have also stated intent to give Nick Robertson, the Petes’ top scorer and Red Tilson Trophy nominee as the OHL’s most outstanding player, every chance to make their club next year.
Whether he is back or not will impact the Petes significantly.
“The one thing with Nick is we all know he will give himself every opportunity to get there,” Wilson said.
“From the day he left Peterborough to go home, Nick is going to work extremely hard to make that jump,” he added.
If Robertson makes the Leafs, it will still be good for the Petes, he said.
“I want us to have guys signed and guys make the NHL. That’s why agents and everybody will want to send their players here because they are getting developed and good things are happening with the Peterborough Petes. When those things happen, it will have a massive impact either way,” Wilson said.
Wilson now looks for younger players to assume bigger roles.
“You have a proven goal scorer already in Mason McTavish. You’re hoping to build on him and make sure there are guys there who can contribute offensively,” he said.
“Tye Austin is going to be given his real first opportunity to take the net. We have a lot of confidence and belief in Tye’s ability and size. I know Andrew (Verner) believes Tye is going to be a very good goalie in this league for the next couple of years. When I first came here, the goalies had a combined 15 games of
OHL experience. We’re in a better situation because Tye has already played two years in the league and learned a lot.
“I think you’re going to see maybe the best 18-year-old shutdown defenceman in the league in Shawn Spearing,” Wilson said. “We have a lot of high expectations of Shawn and his ability. Hopefully he starts taking a leadership role next year.”
Wilson points to players such as Artem Guryev on defence as well as J.R. Avon, Tucker Robertson and Keegan McMullen up front, who will all be given an opportunity to play bigger roles.
“I was really impressed with Artem by the end of last year. I think he would have played some games with us if he hadn’t been suspended. That’s how excited we were about his progress,” Wilson said.
Wilson identified some areas of concern. “We’re going to need a new captain. There have to be guys step up to take Zach’s (Gallant’s) spot. We have holes,” he said. “We’ll be looking at four or five guys you hope can fill the void and experience of a guy like Zach. If Declan is not back, a power-play-type defenceman is going to be very important to this organization.
“We have to fill the void of winning faceoffs because you don’t want to be chasing the game all the time,” Wilson said. “Along with special-team guys, there are lots of spots to be filled. As we’re talking daily, we’re slowly trying to piece together who are guys we think might be able to fill a certain role.”
It will make for an interesting training camp where lots of spots are up for grabs. Wilson said he’s shown the past two years he’ll give opportunities to players who earn them regardless of age, experience or nationality. “Who would have thought we’d have started with four 16-year-olds last year on a very experience team,” he said.
It’s possible the pandemic will delay the start of next season.
“I’m an optimist,” Wilson said.