2027 Memorial Cup is Royal City Bound - The OHL in 60 Podcast - The Armchair GM's Sports Network

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to the Armchair GM Sports Network.

Speaker 2 (01:00):
Welcome to another edition of the Ohl and sixty podcast
with Colin Ward. I'm Restumani BC is in the clouds
working on all the technical stuff, making sure we sound
and not necessarily look awesome because it's tough to fix us.
But uh, all right, says the guy wearing a twenty

(01:20):
dollars piece of crap. So all right, here you go.

Speaker 3 (01:23):
Ohio State, the world famous, the national champion, the Ohio
State Buck Guys.

Speaker 2 (01:29):
I love it. Gus Johnson, the best intro in college football.
I love it.

Speaker 3 (01:34):
Right right.

Speaker 2 (01:37):
Hell to the victors, Valiant, Hell to the cock man.
What is your fight song? Every fight song is boring
compared to Michigan's.

Speaker 3 (01:47):
We can play it. We can play it at the break.
Nah nah, play it out of the break. Noah, We're good.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
Big show this week for the Ohl and sixty. Big
Monday drop got Colin Ward up at ten to seven
in the morning and got me up at about eight
o'clock in the morning on Monday. Jet Luchenko is off
to I mean Brantford, so we'll talk about that. Jet

(02:15):
Luchenko going to Theford Bulldogs, not the windsor spitfires. His
bags are banked and ready to be left at the
Waftons Sunday. So yeah, well we'll discuss that. Of course,
that's the latest trade by the Brantford Bulldogs, and then
of course there were some other trades that happened before.
Then we'll touch on those as well. Sarni A Sting

(02:39):
make an addition to the coaching staff and by that
I mean they've got a new head coach. So we'll
get into that. Gwell Storm hosting a twenty twenty seven
Memorial Cup in quotes upsetting Kitchener, although I don't think
it's as big of an upset as people think it is,
So we'll touch on that. Why we think gwelp a

(02:59):
is a good spot. I mean, we're gonna give a
huge shout out to Tony Sachson from Gwelph Today with
the article essentially how the gwelf Storm won the bid
and won the chance to host the twenty twenty seven
Memorial Cup, because it's actually a really awesome article. Had
a chance to read it. On Monday, we'll get to
the standout players of the week and then Dragusica to

(03:22):
kick off segment number two. The penalty has been handed down.
Our thoughts on it, and I think it's pretty well
in line with what we were thinking. A topic that
was on the agenda last week, but we had a
few things to discuss, so we pushed it back. We're
going to touch on the OHL draft being in person

(03:43):
in Kingston, and then of course we get to our
power rankings from the HL. Colin Ward, let's start with
the big news of the day. Jet Luchenko is a
Brantford Bulldog, and with some speculation of a going to
Windsor being false and him moving with Charlie Piquette being false,

(04:04):
it's just lit Jett Luchenko on the move to Brantford
Lane Gallaher along with Kitchener second in twenty twenty seven,
Sunbury second in twenty twenty eight, Branford's third in twenty
twenty nine and Brampton's fifth in twenty and twenty nine.
I have a really good feeling that those will not
be gwelf storm picks by the time the twenty twenty seven,

(04:27):
twenty twenty eight and twenty twenty nine draft drafts roll around.
But Colin Jett Luchenko just another first rounder in the NHL.
That's gonna join the Branford Bulldogs and a guy that
just slide slides right into the to the top six. Unfortunately,
someone will have to get pushed down. It's just the
way it happens. But but what uh, what do you

(04:50):
how do you see this trade unfolding right now for
the Bulldogs?

Speaker 3 (04:54):
It's it. I mean, it's a get deal for both
sides of the Chankico obviously thirteenth overall pick by Philly
in twenty twenty four first rounder. He I mean, I
don't know the goals for two goals on the year,
Bramfordy the goal scorer, so you get one of the
assists leaders in the Ontario Hockey League. It's a great
pick up for both sides. Layn Gallaher is going to
be a stud for gwelf. I think Gallaher has been

(05:16):
one of the most improved player on the Bulldogs this year.
I've said up numerous times on the wreck record about
Gallaher's play this year. Is their top page player.

Speaker 2 (05:26):
He set a fourth line, that line drove pace for
the Bulldogs, ended on the second line with Dennison al
Hultra before he got injured.

Speaker 3 (05:34):
Lees Uh. With Gallaher going to Gwelf. It's a great opportunity.
He's going to be their second line center. I would
assume later on when he gets back and gets healthy
for the rest of the season. They're beending what the
circumstances are, what they do with the deadline. Still for Gwelf,
but great ad for both sides. Obviously Lachenko. I mean,
another first round pick goes to Branford. You got five
of them. You look at the power play now, we

(05:56):
talked about this on the Dogcast this week. I think
Lachenko kind of slots into that spot that Malhulter is on. Malhultra,
it makes your second unit a little bit stronger. You
probably go Malhulter, Mceu Testa, Dennis Dravetski runs it on
the point top unit. You put Lachenko in that spot
down at the half wall, at the line, you go Lachenko,
Van Acker, O'Brien Bannock, you're a check. I think it's

(06:19):
a great I think I think I mean the forty
one power play got better. I think it's a good
add for both sides. I think Braf needed to forward.
I don't think they're but I don't uh, I don't
think by any means they're done. I don't think wealf's done.
So I think it's exciting times for both teams in
different directions. Obviously with the Men Cup, with the gwelf storm,

(06:41):
you're gonna have to change that direction. It also is
interesting to see what the Kitchener Rangers do off that, right,
I know it's a side question and we'll probably get
to that in the mem Cup talk, but it'll be
interesting to see what the Rangers do. Now, what do
they pivot? I mean, it hasn't been the best to
starts in the standings for Kitchener, obviously during the playoffs,
but you can they gotta get hot. I through the
Rangers as we have a month going to the deadline

(07:04):
here in the sixth spot, Like you gotta get hot
and you gotta pick a time now, right, I mean
you're preparing for next year, but is this year of
the year now with some of the guys that they
have aging out and moving on. But all in all,
great deal for both sides. Branford gets better for sure.
I mean it's been a great start. I mean this week,
this week for the Bulldogs was definitely better than it

(07:24):
was the week before, the week before as everyone knew.
I was critical on here about them. I didn't think
they played. I don't think they were playing the rest hockey.
And then this last week comes out shoot, you outscore
the other, the opposing team to the shutout in Niagara, Like,
I think that those are the games that you got it.
You want to see out of the Bulldogs. You had
the Chanko. It's a great ad World Junior time. I mean,

(07:45):
they're gonna struggle, but I don't think it's as bad
as it thinks. I mean, I don't think everyone is
gonna be gone. We discussed this before. I don't think
every single Canadian that's on their team that's gonna get
the invite is gonna meet Canada. Think of the roles
you gotta play right, we'll see, we'll see.

Speaker 2 (08:04):
Yeah. Well, and you think about it, you would think
first round picks in the NHL are automatic locks for
for Team Canada. Jet Luchenko I think is because he's
a returning guy. I think that's kind of a that's
that's not even a conversation. Danford, I think would be
a lock for for Team Canada. You know, then you

(08:26):
go into the they have a good chance to make
the club, but we don't know if they'll be on it.
Jacob Brien's Who's Who's an eighteen year old? Merck van
Acker nineteen year old, so it's his last year of eligibility,
which this is the second year in a row that
you're probably gonna have a Bulldog or probably have the
leading scorer in the OHL heading into World Junior Invite

(08:48):
time being on the Bulldogs.

Speaker 3 (08:50):
Right.

Speaker 2 (08:50):
Last year we're talking about Nick Lartis. He doesn't go
for Team Canada this year, Well, we'll see if he will,
see if he makes it. So and then you think
about the back and again I mentioned Danford, but Owen Protts,
does he get an invite? Does he make the team?
Who knows? You know, it's not a guaranteed lock that
he is a great player, great defender again my pick
for defenseman of the Year in the Ontario Hockey League.

(09:13):
Now that Dickinson's no longer in the conversation, but you know,
does he make Team Canada?

Speaker 3 (09:19):
Is he?

Speaker 2 (09:19):
Is he a fit for Dale Hunter? What they want
to do?

Speaker 3 (09:23):
So? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (09:24):
And then and then you think of the checks. I
think all three are gone, but knocking your check have
to be locks for team check ya Dravetsky, seventeen year old.
I wouldn't consider him a lock, but I also wouldn't
be surprised if he's the seventh or eighth defenseman for
for Team check Yea, like he gets in against a
Kazakhstan or a Germany or Latvia, like one of those

(09:47):
lower tier teams that might be in the conversation for
the relegation round. Again, that's no knock at any country,
but we know how well they do it the World
juniors in the in the top division, and it's not
very well. So, so you think about that and the
impact that this has on the Bulldogs lineup. Yes, it's unfortunate,

(10:09):
but you're gonna see David Buckman come back up, who's
the first rounder for the Bulldogs, has passed HL priority selection.
I would imagine Gavin Christy comes up and plays his
nine games for people saying that Karmanov's gonna come up.
It's not gonna happen. The Bulldogs have their three import
cards taken, whether they're playing for the Bulldogs or not.
They've signed Banoch, Yourchek and Dravetsky to the import cards,

(10:31):
which means Karmanov will not play for the Branford Bulldogs.
So that's out of the question. You know, you think
Joey Bannis, who we saw make his Bulldog's debut on
Friday against Sarnia. Ryan Chamberlain, who played twenty games with
Sarnia before getting dealt to the Branford Bulldogs, made his
Bulldog's debut on Thursday in Niagara. You have to imagine

(10:53):
those two guys immediately move in. They've got eight games
left as they're not on eight cards in the Ontario
hockeygu and with the Branford Bulldogs. So those are guys
that you're gonna see step into the lineup and and
and fill in h while these guys are away. And
you know, we we've been saying it Colin we Yes,
we have a Bulldogs show on the Bulldogs Audio Network.

(11:13):
Yes we cover the cover them on a regular basis.
But we're not stupid like we're we're realists. The Bulldogs
are gonna lose this year in regulation. It's gonna happen.
It's probably gonna happen between December tenth slash eleven to
mid January, like just before the trade deadline. So so

(11:34):
I think, uh, you know this is and I heard
Spencer Hymen say it while he was talking to Jeff
Merrick that you know, let's get him in. Let's get
him into Branford, Let's get him used to being a
home player at the Civic Center. Not that well came
very often, but you know, let's let's get him into
the system. Let's get him into the team, get him,
you know, acquainted with a lot of the guys, and

(11:56):
you know, let's get this started before he does leave
for a month, month and a half and then and
then he comes back and he's ready to go.

Speaker 3 (12:01):
So yeah, for golf too. Yeah for Gulf. I mean
you look at you get gallaher lower body injury week
to week. Those are those are times where your rehab
you come back. It's exciting to see for gallaher too,
to get in the system as well, go through the

(12:22):
go through the training staff, go through the doctors, all
the requirements in gwelf with the fiddles too, right and
golf you're prepping, you're prepping for next season now and
I think you just got your best face off man
for next year. And I know the deal is what
it is. And it's funny. You see a lot of
the comments and the consensus online is that's all they
got for the Chanko expected more, but the deal like

(12:45):
this deal, this deal. Not to get too bulldog e
centric on you, but it feels last year this deal
was done, but ownership took it over. It feels like
last year the trade deadline and known generally answer the
time Matt to want to get this deal done. There
was a deal done, it was vetoed ownership. There's an
article in GWELF about that there were ownership steps in.

(13:06):
There was no deal this year. It sounded like the bulldogs.
It started talks in the summer when the trade window opened.
But when that trade window, when that happened, you didn't
know what the status was gonna be. L Chanka, when
he was gonna be back, he comes back then obviously
this morning, get the phone call, get the phone call
from Spencer earlier at that and that's just the way

(13:27):
she goes. I mean, great deal for both sides, Bulldogs side,
to finally get the deal done for gwelf, honestly, to
finally get the deal done Gwelf. I mean, once the
men cup came out, you knew this deal was gonna
be close, and you knew yea that they had to
get the deal done. H yeah, and move for next year.
Especially last week when you saw that feature in gwelf
of the mem Cup. Yeah, like you look, where's Lachenka?

Speaker 2 (13:50):
Like yeah, yeah, And well, and that's the thing, Like
these phone calls were ongoing, right, It's not like there
was complete silence on jetly Chenko. People were called. You know.
Spencer Hymen on the record talking with Jeff Merrick said, we,
you know once once Luchenko came back, we were doing
our due diligence, we were checking in, we were making calls,

(14:11):
so you know this, It's not like this was a
FID situation. And then over the weekend it's like, hey,
well off you this and and you can have Jet Luchenka.
It's like, well no, it was going on, like you said, Colin,
for you know what, ten months since last year's deadline,
when when Matt Turk was was still around and still
the general manager of the Bulldogs. This wasn't out of
the blue. So there were phone calls exchanged by Spencer

(14:33):
Hyman and George Burnett and and to get this deal done,
and and again to your point about this being really
that's it for Jet Luchenko. Let's not forget that Patrick Babbers.
It was also sent to the to the gwelf Storm
earlier on this this year. He's also a guy that's
going to be a really big part of the gwelf

(14:54):
Storm team next year. Will be an eighteen year old
defender who excelled at the junior B level last year.
You know, really didn't get an opportunity for regular minutes
this year because we'll look at the Bulldogs blue line,
whereas in GWELF he's gonna get every opportunity to learn
this year and then next year they're probably gonna expect
big things out of Babin as an eighteen year old defender.

(15:14):
So that is also part of this. It was essentially
a pre what's the right word, you know, a pre
trade before the trade, much like Colin you compare it
to Bedkowski and and and the Barlow trades last year.

Speaker 3 (15:33):
Yeah, no, absolutely, I think this deal for I think,
like I say, both sides, is a good deal and
it's on to the next Like it's nice that both
teams can move forward, especially for Gwelf. You know you're
hosting them Cup. It's a tough move to make, but
it's nice and teams can make make a move like
that and help them out in future aspects.

Speaker 2 (15:53):
Yep, absolutely other trades to get you caught up on
if you miss them. Sarnia and Eerie hooking up for
a deal. These two teams played each other this weekend. Also,
by the way, but but Tyler Challenger to the Sarnia
sting case Camsick to the Erie otters colin Ward, how
do you see this trade going down for each team?

Speaker 3 (16:14):
Love this deal? So it's funny. I was getting ripped
before the show about my power rankings. But there's why.
I have an analysis on every single trade that take play,
that took place, and I have no ties in my
power rankings. By the way, spoiler alert, but man do
I Hey, how are you gonna catch me? Man?

Speaker 2 (16:31):
We're done with that?

Speaker 3 (16:33):
Yeah, uh no. I like this deal for both sides. Erie,
You're getting a Pennsylvania kid in case you know he's
a Pennsylvania kid. You get to go home, You get
an opportunity, right, And that's one of the big things.
And then a lot of this this year, there's been
so many trades. I think the Dead is going to
be boring or it's going to be crazy with all
the moves that's happened, and I think you get a

(16:54):
Pennsylvania native for Erie. You get an opportunity to get
more people in the game. You have en up. As
Brandon says in the comment session, tenth overall pick with Challenger, yep.
But I think for the Eerie side to start, it's
it's the and we've seen this trade a lot this year.
Opportunity elsewhere and I know poor Zach Wilson again on

(17:15):
the move, but I think that these are the moons
that opportunity is so important. And Erie starting. You have
two teams that are struggling, two players that when you
look at the way they're playing, they just need a
fresh start. You watch their games, need a fresh start.
You go to Eerie. You create energy. That's that's important.

(17:36):
Then Tyler Challengers you can see on your screen on
YouTube for those watching on the stream. Challenger, I mean
same same thing. It's a great opportunity to get a
fresh start. You look at last year, right, your rookie season,
get a tenth overall pick, you get ten points in
sixty three games. You come out this year reached, you
get two and twenty three Like opportunity, Opportunity is a
big thing instead new coach. The new coach, in turn,

(17:59):
caught just had him last week as part of one
of his players. As along with Lorio, you had Edwards.
So I think it fit. I think it fits the
old six two two oh two fits a Sarnia sting
body type for sure. They have a certain way they play,
and I think that I like this. I like this movie.
I just think for Sarnia, you gotta play your young

(18:22):
kids more when you have a when you hold god,
when you have a top five pick and LeMans as
a non playoff team and you're only playing them one
to two shifts a period, I don't think that's I
don't think that's a good luck. When you're one of
the worst teams right now in the Interio Hockey League
and you're playing a kid only you're a sixteen year old,
a top five pick in the Terio Hockey League draft,

(18:44):
and you're only playing on one to two shifts a
period on a not good team right now, I don't
agree with that. I hope with the new coaching staff
that's kind of thing that comes in play. The young
guys play the young guys. I've been saying it forever.
With the red Wings. If the red Wings aren't gonna
be good, play the young guys who cares. I'd rather
use with those guys experience and veterans that aren't gonna
be here next year. So yeah, Challenger is gonna get

(19:06):
a chance to play.

Speaker 2 (19:07):
He's gonna be here.

Speaker 3 (19:09):
Play Lamban's more. Play these young guys more, these top picks,
play them like I you know, like I know Eerie
last year had a decent year, but like, why are
like you draft a kid you drafted in the top ten,
top five obviously for Challenge, your top top ten, tenth overall,

(19:29):
play the play the kids, play them like those three
and threes. Man, we got to see more balanced out minutes.
That's that's gonna be my pet peeve next probably next
week on the show, that'll be my pet peeve.

Speaker 2 (19:40):
Like next week's be better segment. Make sure you Tuesday night,
seven o'clock.

Speaker 3 (19:45):
Yeah, like I I think with like I don't understand
why these teams. I mean, hey, look at London, Look
at London. I know, here we go ice dogs fans.
I'm sorry, but you look at you, look at you,
look at the the London nights. I know the deal
happened with Wostlon Woston's playing a lot of minutes. He's
in O eight. Look at them out of O waits

(20:06):
and they're playing all for London, and at the deadline,
I think London sells. I mean the logical decision would
be to sell in London, trade off guys like o'reiley,
get picks for them and keep building off this eight
cores and then have two three years again where you
can be a legit contender over what it's it gonna
be this year. I think with you look at London Knights,
there's a reason why they're always good. You look what

(20:28):
they're doing with their waits. They're building a corp of
O waits. We saw this song and dance a few
years ago Easton Cowen Kmocha. Oliver Bonk was in Saint
Thomas Denver Bok. He had spurts with the Knights, like
you look at them that core sees Bee this team again,
Wastlin Cret. You look at the guys they have these

(20:50):
O eights how like yeah, yeah, exactly, like what are
we doing? Like teams should be adopt adapting and adopting
the strategies that other teams do. It's a honestly like,
if something's working for another team, why why don't we
copy that? Why isn't a copycat league? Like he like,

(21:11):
just because they're doing it, don't don't hold it because
you don't like the London Nights. Like I know it
works in different ways in the systems, but my pet
peeve this week, Man, if you draft a kid that high,
we're quitting after one year on them and we're not
even playing, Like I don't. I don't like the like
Sarnia their new coaching staff. Man, I cannot wait. I

(21:34):
cannot wait to see what they do. I wish they
were in Branford this week instead of last week because
Lamman's has to play morn. He's a top five pick,
you're playing them. That bottom line in my opinion.

Speaker 2 (21:46):
Which congrats to him. He scored not his hometown close enough,
but but he scored in Brantford on Friday, so that
was that was pretty cool. But yeah, I mean, I
I agree with you. Then he scores a guy to
take him in the first round, like it just kind
of seems a little stupid, especially a team that's in
jeopardy of missing the playoffs or a third straight year.

Speaker 3 (22:06):
What do they have the last you.

Speaker 2 (22:07):
Know, yeah exactly, so yeah, yeah, yeah. Next up, the
Sudbury Wolves grab a goaltender from the Windsor Spitfires. Paolo Frasca.
By the way, for people watching us on YouTube, shadout
to those pads and that setup because that looks awesome. Yeah,
I love it. The Spitfires receiving a twenty twenty sixth

(22:30):
conditional fifteenth round pick that was originally Niagaras, along with
a fifth round pick in twenty twenty nine that was
originally Owen Sounds that also a conditional fifth round pick.
Colin mood you said it before we started the show.
The Wolves grabbed their ninth goaltender of the year. Just kidding.
It's not their ninth goalie. But we saw Finn Marshall.

(22:53):
He committed out West, so so he's no longer in Sudbury.
So Frasca, now, remember the Subury Wolves organization and and
and what are they getting in mister Frasca.

Speaker 3 (23:05):
Well, they're giving up conditional picks. That's something inside uh
inside the Ohl. It's a hot topic. Conditional picks. Wow,
but what are those? But I mean, you're getting a goalie.
You need a goalie, I guess like teams that don't
prioritize goaltending. Always needs goaltending, even when one fell in

(23:27):
their lab pack of Lucan and that was like the
last one in my opinion, that was an actual goalie
for the Sudbury Wolves. No offense, but I just think
it's fact I Marshall leaves, you gotta get a goalie. Mean, yeah,
what are they? What wolves? Right?

Speaker 2 (23:42):
Like?

Speaker 3 (23:43):
What are the Subury Wolves. I think they're building their
team now for post deadline. What their core is gonna be.
Get guys in now, before the villainings are gone, before
the Walts are gone. Get guys in now. Maybe you
strength and wins together and you see what happens. But yeah,
bhl frescos of Victoria. He's got the name of an

(24:04):
Ohl or so that's something. But yeah, we'll see, Yeah,
we'll see, and I will say I will say in
the graphic a lot more athletic looking Numbersard was one
of the last memory and so this is that's all right.
But yeah, I know, we'll see what happens. I mean,
if your Subbury you had to do it. Hope they

(24:25):
don't go crazy and buy the deadline. But well, uh,
we'll see what happens. We'll see how this plays out well.

Speaker 2 (24:32):
And yeah, I mean we're kind of seeing the effects
of them buying at the deadline last year when they
probably shouldn't have. So yeah, I'm just gonna leave it
at that. But the Sarnia Sting have their next bench boss.
It is Matthew Turcotte who has been announced as the
organization's next head coach. He's got experience in the queue,

(24:55):
especially with Hockey Canada as well as some development programs.
So was the Yeah, recently the head coach of blaine
Ville bro Brion. I think I said that right, the
Armata Armada. I think it's Armada, Uh for the twenty
twenty three, twenty twenty four until four twenty five seasons.

Speaker 3 (25:13):
So also with summaries.

Speaker 2 (25:18):
Yeah, yeah, exactly. But but yeah, Drummondville shakuded me and
Valdor he's also been a part of so I don't know.
That was probably a really bad uh friend.

Speaker 3 (25:30):
Oh, I'm loving that. I'm loving this. You're loving it.
Oh man, I think you're doing great. You're doing great.

Speaker 4 (25:38):
Rap Eira, no comment. Jeez man, this show's going downhill
this week.

Speaker 3 (25:51):
It's the dog Days in November.

Speaker 2 (25:53):
But I don't know, like I just think some of
the uniforms in the Q are awesome, Like they're just
the lot different than we're used to seeing. So I
don't know, I like a lot of the Q uniforms
and the Q names, so that that's kind of where
I'm coming from. But just a little bit of a
quick quote here from GM Dylan Sika, you know, he says,

(26:14):
and you can read this on the OHL website in
the article, but it goes on to say that Matthew
is an exceptional communicator and a proven developer of young talent,
and his vision for how the game should be played
aligns perfectly with the direction of our organization. And of course,
Turcotte is a former Hockey Canada coach, gold medal and

(26:37):
you seventeen eighteen World Championships, you know, coaching experience at
the link of tournament as well. So yeah, I mean,
there's no place to go but up right now for
the Sarnia Sting. Right, I'm not saying playoffs are out
of the question by any means. It is November, even
though albeit at the end of November, but it's hard

(26:59):
to see this team having home ice in Round one.
So right now, I think it's just you gotta get
into the playoffs right now. If you're the Sarnia Sting, right,
but you can't go anywhere but up think yeah, if
you're in Sarnia, I think.

Speaker 3 (27:11):
You gotta develop. I think like it goes hand in hand.
But we just mentioned in the last segment you got
to play guys. You gotta develop a good young coach.
Obviously this year with the Ivan, I think a Gretzky
tournament as well with Turcott Hockey Canada. Experience is huge
in this. He has a lot of young talent. He's
been really good at the U eighteen level as well,
as you say, as we've saw now with Hockey Canada,

(27:32):
I think that that's a I think that's big. I
think for the Sting, you just want to play your
best hockey and what is their best hockey? Right Like
you've lost five in a row, your two six, one
to one, your last ten, when's it gonna click? Right,
when's it gonna click? There's special teams is.

Speaker 2 (27:47):
Not horrible, to be honest.

Speaker 3 (27:48):
Their special teams is a playoff team. It's an eight,
it's a seventh eighth team in the conference. But I
think right now you're just gonna focus on playing your
best hockey. What is the best hockey the stink can
possibly play and see what it goes? Right, And you
gotta get the minutes even out. No, maybe not even out,
but you gotta get the proper minutes out there and
see what happens. But sorry, he's got a lot to

(28:09):
improve on, Rick, I don't.

Speaker 2 (28:12):
Like, Like, here's a question for you, Wardy. Do they
take Peterborough's approach and just spread out the minutes no
matter what?

Speaker 3 (28:19):
No, not that bad because you have guys in draftyears
like the Oreo. I just think you gotta reward guys
that play good. I think guys that have success, Like
like I say, Friday night, Laman scores a goal, what
does he play one shift after that? Like it's a
second period he scores a goal? Why are like, why
don't you Why don't we give them an extra couple shifts? Right?
Why don't we reward them? And that's that's kind of

(28:40):
the angle I'm coming from, Like you got evening the
minutes is a struggle too, even the minutes, then you
have bad, bad, bad games happen, Like then you create
a lot of havoc and they have a lot of
good young talent. I just think they got to balance
out their top six. I think they have better I
think they have better candidates in their four to six
forwards then they do. They're currently there right now. And

(29:03):
I just think that that these young players have earned
their stripes and they've earned their keeps to be promoted
in the lineup like the Orio Edwards. Those guys are
gonna be guys. I'm like, I see how Challenger looks
as well in that lineup for the We'll see, but
great opportunity for guys. And I think you got award
guys that are playing well on a team that is
struggling in the standings. Right, you never know what happens

(29:25):
Lambman's plays in the top six. Next game has a
big night and the Sting can rattle off three four
wins in a row, then all of a sudden, what
what happens? Like Daniel, you're in a playoff spot and
then like your season changes. That's kind of where I'm
coming from with that.

Speaker 2 (29:40):
From young guys potentially getting more rice time in Sarnia,
we're gonna move to some old guys or oldish guys,
middle aged guys.

Speaker 3 (29:51):
Yeah, I don't know.

Speaker 2 (29:51):
I don't want to call them old because they're not
really old. Yeah, Jeff Carter looks awesome, Yeah, great, Jame. Yeah,
better shape than I'm in. Better shape I've ever been in, probably,
But but he was honored in Sue Saint Marie this
past weekend, so so congratulations to him getting his jersey
raised to the rafters. Uh in Sue Saint Marie. Of

(30:14):
course you can see that GWELF logo there on that
graphic that was clipped by BC that is obviously not
correct because Jeff Carter was a Sue Saint Marie Greyhound.
So congratulations to him, and then and then to Dustin
Brown who got his number raised to the rafters in
GWELF and what was a heck of a weekend. Yeah,

(30:35):
for the GWELF m dorm. So you know immediately his
h his number is gonna get shown off right away.
Well in a year and a half, I guess at
the at the Memorial Cup in twenty twenty seven. But uh,
you know, saw the video of Dustin Brown going into
the locker room and reading the lineup, which is which
is always cool to see. I remember seeing Conor McDavid

(30:56):
do that last year in Eerie which yes, which was
cool to see. So uh, congratulations to to Dustin Brown
as well as his number is raised to the rafters
at the Sleeman Center. I would say a little bit
bigger news, but not by much for the Guelf Storm organization,
but they have won the right to host the twenty

(31:18):
and twenty seven Memorial Cup, beating out the Kitchener Rangers
for this honor. I shouldn't say beating out the Kitchen Rangers.
That's probably the wrong way to put that. But but
pretty cool to see the Guelf Storm get it again.
They were, you know, not by betting odds, but probably
by everybody on social media to not be favored in

(31:41):
the in the Memorial Cup sweepstakes. But good on GWELF
for putting together one heck of a bid callin and
and you know what you like people there are people
have said that they've stolen this from the Kitchen Rangers.

Speaker 3 (31:54):
Absolutely, I mean they went out and want it right
like they took it. And I think that for GWELF,
it's a great, it's great for their great for their city. Obviously,
the fans in our Twitter pool last week they want
a Kitchener majority of fifty four percent of the votes
in favor of Kitchener forty five and favorite Gwelf. I
I'm excited for Gwelf. I really am. I think for Gwelf,
the downtown factor really gets me excited over a Kitchener, right.

(32:18):
I love the odd, I really do. I said today
that I said earlier on this week's podcasts on the
Bulldock It's audio network, I mentioned that the Kitchener Kitchener
gets me excited to go to the other's game. I
like the odd It's one of the best plus to
watch the junior hockey game.

Speaker 2 (32:32):
Yeah, you look at you look at.

Speaker 3 (32:34):
Gwelf, and I mean Gwelf. I mean they did run
a little bit of run out to their building. I'm
sure they're gonna do a little bit more. I like
the capabilities all the talk online the gwel Storm are
really taking advantage of that hockey at the mall this week.
I love to post it on Monday like I tak
advantage of that. And honestly, I think for the business
side of things that could be incredible, like the pop

(32:54):
up shops, like the opportunity in that could be incredible
for the gwell Storm, the CHL I guess for this matter,
Like downtown area in Gwelf is gonna be incredible for
the games, Like, yeah, I think I think it's a
great idea. I love the parking situation in Gwelf. I
know there's a lot of people that can complain about
the parking situation. I don't think the parking thing. I

(33:17):
know the parking and kitchener is incredible, but GWELF is
pretty good as well. Like they got the three to
four garage just right there, Like, I think that's a
great I'm really excited to see what GWELF can do
with this event. Congrats to the Storm. Yeah, second time
host a last week and then again, I was four
years old when they hosted it in two thousand and two,

(33:37):
so I forgot about that. But second time they're hosting it,
I think it's gonna be great for the Storm. Hey,
good year two thousand and two. Best team of all
time in the NHL won the Stanley Cup two thousand two.

Speaker 2 (33:47):
Yeah, Red Wings, And I mean I mean for Gwelf, Like,
if you don't like the parking situation in Gwelf, the
transit hubs right there, go station via station all there.
You know it's right there and then you can then
you can walk over. I know, Oh, but trans it's
not convenient. They run on a schedule. I'm sure the
City of Gwelf is going to find a way to
make buses a little bit more frequent during this Memorial Cup.

(34:10):
But I'm sure they'll find a way to have shuttles
from somewhere. Like they've got restaurant partners at Gwelf Storm.
They do watch parties at restaurants around the city of Gwelf.
I'm sure there's somewhere that they can set up a
what's the right word, a shuttle bus from one of
the restaurants to the area. They could definitely do that.

Speaker 3 (34:31):
So I saw too that they announced I don't know
for Guelf, but they announced in Kitchener Waterloo the go
train on weekend into uh Union.

Speaker 2 (34:38):
Well that's yeah, that's a Kitchener line, yepl The Gwelph's
the last stop before Kitchener on the on the Kitchener line.

Speaker 3 (34:46):
So so there we go. That's perfect too, right, like
kind of the game comes you can come from the city,
Like it'll be easier to get to a game in
Gwelf than it will be in Brampton. For you know,
to Brampton. But like with the go train, like it'll
be easier with the transit going there. I mean, this
is saga that was a problem before. So I think
I think it's great. Like I think I am really
excited to see what gwelf can do. I think that

(35:07):
it's it's gonna be cool. I think obviously it doesn't matter.
Media was gonna be there either way, Kitchener Gwelf. But
being in Ontario, I think the biggest thing is the right,
Like it's so easy. I know it's a touchy subject,
but it's easy for TSN to get to get to gwelf,
to get the Kitchener from Toronto to Scarborough, I guess
instead of BC Albert wherever, like you or the dub.

(35:30):
But I think that I think it's gonna be exciting.
I'm really I am. I'm thrilled that gwelf gets it.
I bump for kitchen at the same time, But for Gwelf,
I think that this is okay, this is the opportunity
they've been waiting for it for a long time. Kitchener, Kitchener.
If it's not the Rangers, it's a lot of nights,
you know, wealth to be able to get that.

Speaker 2 (35:48):
This opportunity is huge. Yeah, yeah, that's that's cool too.
The buy Centennial. Absolutely, that's that's awesome. And I'm not
going to read all of this. I don't want to
ruin it. It's a really great article by Tony Sachson
from GWELF Today. I encourage everybody go go read this
article because it's actually it actually gives a lot of

(36:09):
insight on what the Storm plan to do and kind
of something that, you know, some tidbits that helped the
GWELF Storm win the bid and and win the chance
to to host the Memorial Cups. So, I mean, I
love this line. I'm gonna read this directly from it.
So he goes. The four man one woman group, a

(36:30):
mix of event business and hockey backgrounds, entered an empty
sleem In Center early of that afternoon. Of course, when
they went and visited the sleem and Center for the
rink portion of the tour and were hit with a
smell familiar to anyone in Canada that has ever spent
time in a rink of any size or place fresh popcorn,
which you want to ask you. There are ohl arenas

(36:54):
that you walk into and you can close your eyes
or blindfold yourself. You walk in and immediately you can
smell where you are. And I mean that might sound
really bad, but but gwelp, yeah, fresh popcorn for for sure.
You know, Kitchener, you've got the roasted nuts at the
at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium like it's it's it's just something.

(37:17):
I wonder if Kitchener didn't put that smell or didn't
have that going when when they came in toward the
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, they didn't have the roasted nuts peanut
smell going. Maybe that's why they lost. I don't know why,
but I thought that was really cool to kind of
start off the tour like you want. And it seems
like they really tried to make it like, oh, the

(37:39):
Memorial Cup is next week, We're already set up for it.
That's kind of what this article tells me, you know.
He goes on to say that they had a sign
on one of the doors that said QMJHL Champion. Would
this would be their dressing room, you know, where the
media room would be. It sounds like it looks like
it's in a different spot where it usually is because
where the usual media room is yeah, that can't accommodate

(38:01):
a memorial cup. Group of it sounds like there's a
whole media section that's going to be added to the
Sleeman Center for this event. I mean they invited former
gwelf storm players, uh, for the for the rink tour
and for kind of the presentation that they were putting together.

(38:21):
You know, it looks like they're gonna have a big
uh this this might be my favorite part of it.
They are actually going to very much incorporate the mall,
which they should absolutely. You know, you know, I hope
that cafe is open because every time Calin we go,
it seems like it's not open, whether we get there late, BC.
Whenever he was there with the ice Dogs, he was open.

(38:42):
He was raving about it. So, I mean it sounds
like a great comment if you go there. Did he
comment best ice coffee?

Speaker 3 (38:53):
All right? Okay, okay, all right down, best gel, best
ice coffee, press ball wealth.

Speaker 2 (39:04):
Yeah, yeah, it's pretty cool. Yeah now that we're upstairs
at the Civic Center, for sure, But it was I
mean it was level rival. But yeah, Gwelph is Yeah,
Gwelf's cold, I will say that, but uh, Yeah, this
this sounds really cool. Uh what what they're gonna do
and and what they're gonna bring to uh to GWELP

(39:26):
for the for the Memorial Cup. It sounds awesome like
they're gonna have a big screen in that mall and
and you know, have a viewing of the games. That's awesome. Again,
I encourage you go go read this article by Tony
Sachson on GWELF today because it gives a really good
insight and and idea of how they were able to
win over the committee and also what some of the
plans are for for the tournament in twenty twenty seven.

Speaker 3 (39:48):
Yeah, they would own one this bit. I mean their
approach was unbelievable, right, Like the little fine details win
you events like this, And it sounds like that's what
they did. And hl Brass and the voters the maybe
they must must have blown their socks off seeing this
approach from GUELF. I mean, it was incredible by the
sounds of it.

Speaker 2 (40:07):
It sounds amazing. Yeah, and and end quotes it really
resonated with the selection committee. So that's that's cool to
see as well. Before we hit the break, we've we've
got players of the week to go through for you city,
starting with the player of the week, Colin Ward, is
gonna be all over there. Colin you can announce this one.

Speaker 3 (40:26):
Go for it all right from the great city of
the del High, Ontario, the City of del High, Chicago
Blackhawk first round pick Marrick from the Del High, Ontario
Van Aker. Six points in two games from Eric plus
five or eighting, three goals, three assists. Not good enough
for the cy Young a short handed goal in Niagara

(40:48):
Thursday night, big power play goal on Friday against the
Sarniast dang Americ Van Aker while deserving Player of the
Week from a great, great city, the Del High, Ontario,
got a lot great for the city man. The city's
on the rise. Great to see so uh very exciting
uh from Erica. I mean his games of all this year.

(41:09):
He's starting to play a little better. Obviously you had
the hatterrick against Niagara. Thanks BC. I I know you
wanted to hear that.

Speaker 2 (41:16):
Was very happy you were not in attendance for that.

Speaker 3 (41:19):
Yeah, I mean, you know what one Dell High guy,
but you imagine having two Delai guys. I mean their
owner is a Dela guy. You imagine having two Dell, Hi,
guys want to getting the hat trick. I'm right beside you, BC.
That's gotta be like going to an all inclusive on
a nice tropical island. Like that's gotta be a dream
of yours, that must.

Speaker 2 (41:37):
Is it all sunshines and rainbows? You guys are losing
a hockey team in del High, the Flames moving on
to the capitol of Norfolk County. Simcoe, They're not They're
not moving Flame.

Speaker 3 (41:48):
You said they were moving last week.

Speaker 2 (41:50):
No I didn't.

Speaker 3 (41:52):
Simpco is getting a team at Dela is not moving. No,
del High is not moving. Simpko is getting an expansion team.

Speaker 2 (42:02):
Oh geez.

Speaker 3 (42:03):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (42:03):
And Colin Ward, the play by play man for Rivalry week,
sim Cohen Dell.

Speaker 3 (42:08):
That'd be unbelievable. You imagine that Delai all day. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (42:12):
I got a quick question for you before we get
to the goaltender of the week. How's the Barburto doing
in Delhi?

Speaker 3 (42:17):
Never been there? Never been there? But no, uh, it's great.
Great for America. Good week. You gotta keep it going.

Speaker 2 (42:27):
Easton Rise the ohl goaltender of the week. In a
couple of games, he had a perfect record of two
and oh one point five goals against average save percentage
of nine fifty two, making sixty saves in the process.
So congratulations to him. Ohl Rookie of the Week. We're
gonna go back to the Brantford Bulldogs. It is the
captain of team CHL and the upcoming, upcoming, the current

(42:51):
you could say CHL USA prospect challenge out west Kleb
Malhotra in a couple of games, two goals to assist
for four points and was a plus two is. The
Bulldogs continued to remain undefeated in regulation after wins over
Niagara and Sarnia and then the prospect of the week

(43:11):
London Night's Prospect. We're gonna stay in London the London
Nationals Alex Campo two goals and two assists for four
points in two games. Uh for the London Nationals, who
I keep forgetting. They have a revamped logo. It's now
the train Yeah. I like this way way better, way better.
Enough with the leash colors that just brings on losing.

(43:33):
They're in last, Like, let's let's not even worry about.

Speaker 3 (43:36):
That bottom so man, especially with the train station right
down the road from the arena, like from the fairgrounds
and the literally change going by there every five minutes
from their arena. That's cool. I love that. I love
the logo change and the like the jersey, like just
the rebrands incredible.

Speaker 2 (43:52):
Yeah yeah, So so congratulations to Alex on that achievement
and for us, that means we're gonna head to break
when we come back. Uh Drgusica gets the hammer from
the Ontario Hockey League. We will discuss that the Ohl
in person draft returns to Kingston and the power rankings.
That's all coming up next here on the Ohl and

(44:12):
sixty podcast.

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Speaker 5 (45:58):
Wall, You're listening to the arm chaired GM Sports Network.

Speaker 2 (46:19):
Welcome back to the OHL in sixty podcast with Colin Ward.
I'm Reice Domani. Right off the top here in segment
number two, we got the decision. Now. I thought we
were gonna get it early this week. It turns out
we got it late last week on Friday, you know,
kind of expecting it to not be at the same

(46:41):
time or same date as the Memorial Cup announcement, So
the OHL might have been waiting for that. Like I said,
that kind of made me think, oh, maybe there'll be
Monday or Tuesday of this week. In nord Narluk it
was gonna be Tuesday, but thankfully it was Friday, so
we can talk about it on this week's show. But
Luke Dregusica uh gets the entire season plus playoffs if

(47:03):
the steel Heads make the playoffs, of course, as part
of his suspension for the baseball swing, I guess is
the best way to put and then the cross check
into the back to make good, you know, for good measures.
But rumor has it that he is appealing. I haven't
seen anything like officially said that he is appealing it,
but I've seen a couple of people thrown out there

(47:24):
that he will be appealing it, that he will be
appealing this suspension. But I think we talked about it
last week. Yeah, I mean, this is right in line
where I thought it was going to be. I think
I think it lines up with with yourself as well.

Speaker 3 (47:39):
Yeah, yeah, I mean you can't play the rest of
the year. That's the right It's the right call. The
appeal is what it is. I don't think it's going
to be successful by any means, but I think that
it's the right call. You had to make a statement here.
It's just we saw this this year. This dick not
as dangerous as this variety, but it's the second bad

(48:01):
time we saw this this season. This is the worst
one by far. You had to you had to do this.
This is then this is something that can't be in
the game. And it was the right decision and all
the best and let's move on.

Speaker 2 (48:16):
Yeah. Now he does have to go through some off
ice stuff. He is able to come. Yeah, I was
gonna say that I think I think you had mentioned
that you have to you should have to go through
some sort of whether it's counseling or courses, whatever the
case might be, in order to come back. Oh.

Speaker 3 (48:38):
Absolutely, it has to happen like it well, not to present.
This has to be it has to be a thing
like this is something that you never see in the game.
You don't want to see in the game. It's not
part of the game. And this is something that had
to that had to take place, right, Like, how many
times in our lifetime do you see a play to
this magnitude, right, like maybe once every five years. Like

(49:01):
it's it doesn't happen a lot. When it does, it's unfortunate.
And you got to learn from your mistakes, right, and
there's the opportunity to learn from it. So on the
up and then it's time to move on for uh
Dragusca and uh you know, learn off your mistakes, like
you have a long time to fill in like a
lot of time to learn and all the best.

Speaker 2 (49:22):
Yeah. To be a little bit more specific as listed
in the article. As part of this sanction, Dragusica will
be required to complete a league mandated education, counseling and
community service program and appear before a reinstatement panel before
being eligible to apply for reinstatement for the twenty twenty five,

(49:43):
twenty twenty six, twenty twenty seven season. So that's that's
essentially what he'll have to go through. And I mean, yeah,
we're not gonna really go further into this. We've kind
of already talked about it last week. We got angry
a little bit, we got a little bit fired up,
maybe more than we probably should have. But it's just
something that you know, and in the words of the OHL,

(50:04):
in this it's a dangerous and unacceptable act that is
no place in the OHL, and they're not wrong. So yeah,
I mean, it's just just unfortunate. You're right. You just
hope he learns from this, you know, I'm I don't
want to take the game away hockey away away from him.
The OHL is not doing that obviously except for this year,
but he does have to apply for reinstatement for the

(50:26):
twenty twenty six twenty twenty seven seasons. So the OHL
got this one right in in my opinion, so absolutely good.

Speaker 3 (50:33):
Good on them. All.

Speaker 2 (50:36):
Right to the Live draft, Colin Ward a little bit
late getting to it, so apologize to all the viewers
and listeners there. But yeah, yeah, fiery episode last week
and we went a little bit longer than usual, so
this one we were okay to let it slide to
this week. But the OHL of course announcing that the
in person draft will be returning for the first time

(50:57):
in a long time and it'll be in in twenty
and twenty six. Now, we do have a clip for
you from the press conference from OHL Commissioner Brian Crawford,
and here it is for you.

Speaker 6 (51:09):
You know, one of the primary things that we're you know,
tasked with doing is is growing the game right. And
growing the game of hockey, you know, takes place in
a lot of it takes place in a lot of
different forms. And one of those ways is you know,
building events and properties and assets that the league has
that exposes it to more people, that engages more people

(51:30):
in new and meaningful ways. And you know, we've started
to try to do some of those things, you know,
introducing changes to our schedule, like Rivalry Week that was
just a few weeks ago, you know, something different in
the schedule that creates another reason for people to be
engaged in the game. And the draft is an example
of a you know, of an asset that has so
many great touch points with so many different parts of

(51:50):
our community. You know, we want the OHHL to continue
to be you know, revered as the you know, ultimate
destination for you know, sixteen nineteen year old young hockey
players that are pursuing their you know, their goals and aspirations.
And we've you know, long held the top spot, and
we need to make sure that we continue to do
things that advance in our league and and and makes

(52:12):
it ensures that it's that premium experience in all aspects,
and that starts with hearing your name called and becoming
a member of the league and extends right through, you know,
all of the years that you are in the league
and what we're doing on the player experience side and
the other sorts of things. So it's really just part
of a you know kind of a broader you know,
a broader mission and mandate for us to advance the

(52:34):
league and ensure that you know, it is you know,
unequivocally the top development league.

Speaker 4 (52:38):
In the world.

Speaker 2 (52:41):
So the biggest thing I take away from from that
callin ward and he had mentioned Rivalry Week, but just
another event on the NHL calendar that a fifteen year
old circle and their families all circle so that they
can they can be in town for it. But also
it's another reason for people to be engaged in the league.

(53:02):
And you know it, you know, the summer can get
a little bit long in the junior hockey world. You know,
there there isn't a ton that goes on throughout the summer.
You know, we've got the OHL or the HL Import Draft,
there's you know, the trade freeze gets lifted for a
certain period of time. Other than that, there's not really

(53:24):
a ton on the on the junior hockey schedule in
the summertime once everything uh gets concluded at the Memorial Cup.
But just another way for fans to you know, be
interested in the league, another event for fans to participate in,
whether that's you know, just going to the fan fest
and experiencing that experiencing in this case the city of Kingston,

(53:47):
you know, whether they just go to the draft, you
know that's a possibility as well. So it's just it's
just something else that's added to the calendar that fans
can engage with the league, engage with their favorite teams.
All twenty you will be their staffs will be there.
You know, they're gonna have their meetings that week leading
up to the draft, which I think is awesome too.
You get everybody there for I don't know what five

(54:10):
six days, four five six days, and and make it
a whole event, a week long event. So this is awesome.
I heard a lot of great things, not only from
from Brian Crawford, but of course from the case and
front next perspective, from the city of Kingston with their
tourism department being there. This sounds like it's gonna be
gonna be an awesome event. And you know, a lot

(54:30):
of time, I I would think we're gonna try and
make an effort to get there and and get some
content going at the OHL draft this year, I would love.
I've never been to Kingston except on the train, and
even then I was there for five minutes because we
stopped and kept going. But but I just this is
an event that I'm actually I'm I'm really excited for.

Speaker 3 (54:51):
Right Like, I think this event is incredible. I think
it needs to be done. You look at the Q
and what they do in this in this draft. I
love the I love their approach, the way they do things,
I mean speaking with Brian Crawford a couple of weeks
ago in person, and I means a lot of good opportunity.
Like the league's really approaching this with the right approach,
open to everything, open to growing. Kingston is a junior

(55:13):
hockey market. It's just a frauts right, there's no junior city.
There's no beat, there's no OJ Like they're like there's
nothing there. It's just a front act. It's a great
opportunity to grow the game in Kingston other than the
Gaels in the UH in the Ferrance, like there's not
much there for junior hockey, in hockey in general. That
is like I I think it's a great thing for Kingston,

(55:33):
great tradition, great city, underrated city. I really liked that city.
I can't wait to see what happened. Like, I think
it's gonna be cool. I think, like the best thing
is I just hope, I just hope it's none of
those drafts where they get drafted and they do the
NHL bubble where they had to walk in. I know
this is different because like everyone's actually gonna be there

(55:55):
and it's gonna be in person. Hope it's not Na
where the player had to walk into a bubble and
talk to the GM for two minutes or god, that
was weird. That was just act like some of it
was awkward from the general manager side and the players side.
I hope that's not a thing, but I'm excited you
might see an effect here with the with the Goldhorns

(56:16):
songs and stuff, not to Ohl and sixty effect being
told to Brian Crawford. I also mentioned to Brian about
I think that the one thing would be cool is
in the city having a little bit of from each
team that represents the team, like tradition. You know, it
would be kind of cool. I don't like there's not
really a lot of like an alumni yeah, like an

(56:39):
alumni an area, laing area for that team, like even
from little as info on the arena, like experience with
the games like at Sleeman Center, host of the mem
Cup this upcoming season, which is cool. From the draft
like stuff like that would be kind of cool. Like,
you know, people in Kingston don't get don't usually get
to go to games and wins, so experience a little

(57:02):
experience of what it would be like ged WFCU Center,
kind of what the players are stepping into the facilities,
like show off the game, show off the facilities. I mean,
look at Oshawa's facility, like that would be really cool
to see stuff like like that. I know that the
league really approaches where all the teams are represented and

(57:25):
shown the band to offer, and I think that's the
best way to grow the game. And I think it'd
be cool to really go to the max. And I
know the league's gonna do this, but it'd be cool
to go to the max of everything you can possibly
take it to. Because I'm super excited. I love the
in person draft. I think this is something that needs
to be done. I just hope it's more entertaining and

(57:45):
I think that's the one thing that's gonna happen. I
think it's entertaining and I know the Saturdays it can
be long, but I think this will be a lot
more exciting and in person draft than having to watch
a stream on YouTube.

Speaker 2 (58:00):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, I'm with you, And I mean kind
of jogged my brain a little bit as you were
going through, Like what's it like to experience a game
in windsor or I don't know, Owen sound or whatever.
Like I wonder if each team gets like an intro
video like when they're walking up to the stage, or
like when Brian Crawford said, I don't know, this team's
on the clock. And then a video plays like the

(58:23):
Kings did Front Acts finished blah blah blah with this
record in this place in the Eastern Conference and did
this in the playoffs and you know, something like that,
and showed a you know, a panorama of the arena
like you know, maybe some highlights, you know with the
great Jimmy Gilchrist, some audio from him, right.

Speaker 3 (58:43):
Something like that, and then all time calls.

Speaker 2 (58:47):
Obviously you can't you know, play a video just waiting
for a team to come up. It's obviously got to
be probably a minute, two minutes or so. And then
once they come up, you can get into the music
and have just have their big logo in the back.
But yeah, that'd be cool. There's a really good opportunity
to do something pretty awesome here and yeah, I'm excited
for it. I can't wait. So before we get to

(59:10):
our power rankings, did want to touch on this, and
this is courtesy of Colin Ward, but the Windsor spit
Fires with their Teddy Bear toss game this past weekend
against the guelf storm windsor five to one win and
it's a new record minute thirty three to let the
fur fly calling.

Speaker 3 (59:28):
Yeah, no, this is pretty cool. They won fifteen games
in a row now two on Teddy Bear Toss night.
That's that's neat. Obviously a local guys scoring the winner before. Like,
I think that this is pretty I think first Teddy
Bear Toss the season one of the most underrated, one
of the best traditions in the Antario Hockey League SCHL
and honestly some AHL East Coast teams as well. It's

(59:48):
one of the best traditions that takes place each year.
Pay attention to your teams. Well they get in on
the Actually it's one of those games that you have
to go to. It's neat to see. It's a delay,
but it's a it's a well worth still that everyone.
I'm happy about that time of the year. And I
have not started my Christmas shop yet and I keep
hearing it every single day. Man, I have wow out

(01:00:10):
of be reach.

Speaker 2 (01:00:12):
Man kid me every day out of the way I
we went shopping. This is the first time I've stepped
into a Toys r RUSS and probably like twenty seven
twenty years. Like we never went to toys R Russ
like it was, you know, we'd like wherever he national sports,

(01:00:32):
Oh national, yeahs man, there's a throwback. I missed National
sports way better than sports too. I got which it sucks.
I got the best base well out of my life
in a National sports nice. I got my Rootchiever forty
five dollars reached.

Speaker 3 (01:00:48):
It was. It's the best bat I ever had. Let
a guy up team used it and he broke it.
Never let anyone use my bath.

Speaker 2 (01:00:59):
The worst, Oh man, that is that is not good.
The worst that is not Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:01:04):
Never let anybody want to be a good man one
time they do it.

Speaker 2 (01:01:08):
Man, No, screw that. I get being wanted to be
a good teammate, But nah na buy your own wood
like that's no.

Speaker 3 (01:01:15):
I'm I'm with you. No, no, no, let's not do that.
I assume they had their own back. They just want
to try it, because man, it was a bad It
was the talk of the town like it was one
of those bats with like kind of like the nomin
what buying.

Speaker 2 (01:01:27):
A marouchi is the talk of the town in Norfolk County.

Speaker 3 (01:01:31):
Well, no, no, like the bat like I mean, this
was like fifteen years ago, ten fifteen years ago.

Speaker 2 (01:01:38):
Or no, no, fifteen round ten.

Speaker 3 (01:01:40):
But it no, it was sweet like it was like
it was almost like not shaved handle, but it was
like little tan Samper loved it. You guys all at
the end of the back. It was all in the
sweet spot. But I loved it.

Speaker 2 (01:01:52):
But legal legal oh yeah yeah yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:01:56):
Like I then it was someone used it never was
able to use it.

Speaker 2 (01:02:02):
So disappointing. Disappointing.

Speaker 3 (01:02:05):
Love national sports love, National sports National. Got my football
gloves there? What those are pretty awesome?

Speaker 2 (01:02:15):
That'd be i'da be. Let's get to the power rankings
here before we wrap things up. Coming in at number sixteen,
down a spot, the Brampton Steelheads up one to number fifteen,
or the saganaw Spirit North May Battalion do not move.
They are number fourteen. Niager Ice Dog's down one to
number thirteen. Gwelf Storm down two to number twelve, Kingston

(01:02:35):
down to to number eleven, Peterborough up three to number ten.
Barry Colts move up a couple spots their number nine.
Owen Sound and Kitchener do not move. Owen Sound is eight,
Kitchener is seven. Sue Saint Marie and London both moved
down two spots. London five so six. Flint and Windsor
both move up two spots. Flint is four, Windsor is three.

(01:02:57):
Ottawa and Branford do not move. The sixty seven Our
number two Branford Bulldogs remain at number one. Colin Ward,
you can kick things off. Who is your number five
ranked team this week on your power rankings? Number five
for me points in the last twelve, the Barry Colts.
I think Barry climbs back in. Sam Ree drops out

(01:03:18):
of the five spot from last week. For me, Barry
comes up this week with the with the streak they're on. Yep, Yeah,
I've got the Barry Colts at number five as well.
You're right, it's tough to argue with points in twelve
in a row. Power play is good, penalty kills about
average or so. But they've been rolling and they've they've
taken control of that Central Division, So so it's Barry's

(01:03:41):
I think we both flipped to the opinion that it's
probably Berries to lose at this point unless something drastically changes,
because they looked like the best team by far in
that Central division division.

Speaker 3 (01:03:53):
Yeah, that was my division pick, and I like Barry.
I think that Barry is gonna be good. I don't
know what they're gonna what they're gonna win, but I
think they'll win the division. I think, like you, look
at that team and the line is gonna be interesting too.
What team in that division wants to buy? Yeah, division title?
I guess it will be, but very very solid they look. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:04:13):
Yeah, Barry now eight points ahead of the Niagara Ice
Dogs and six points ahead of the North Bay Battalions.
So they're number five for both of us. Who's number
four for me?

Speaker 3 (01:04:25):
The Winsor Spitfires. I think Winsor's four. I think there's
two teams other than Branford right now that are worthy
of being in the top three. Can change each week,
but I think it speaks to themselves. Yeah, I agree.
I agree, Windsor's been good, but not awesome compared to
these other two.

Speaker 2 (01:04:44):
I'm with you. Yeah, Winsor number four for me as well.
You know last week I had I had kind of
tried to justify myself that, well, you're still seventeen to five,
two and one. I mean, it's hard to argue with
that when your power plays at twenty eight point seven
and your penalty kills at eighty five point four. But
one team's won nine in a row and like it's

(01:05:06):
the other team is a point one in zero to one.
So yeah, I mean when wins are good team, Don't
get me wrong, I think they've got to do something.
But yeah, they're down to number four for for me
as well. Who's number three?

Speaker 3 (01:05:20):
Three for me the Ottawa sixty sevens who dropped from
one to three. Honestly, it is your last game, but
the team that's gonna go second is just you're not
not gonna have them in the top two, not top one. Hey,
at this rate that they're clicking at to me, the
Autawa sixty sevens or the third team right now, and
they are third on my power rankings.

Speaker 2 (01:05:42):
Yeah for me. Also, we're identical this week Colin Ward,
And I mean the Flint Firebirds have a game in
hand on Ottawa. Not that that means anything in November.
They're in different conferences, it means absolutely nothing, but I
look at it that way.

Speaker 3 (01:05:58):
I Mean, the one thing that kind of.

Speaker 2 (01:06:01):
Brought me back to Ottawa being number two was the
fact they've only given up fifty nine goals. But with
the power plays essentially being the same. I look at
the penalty kill as a big category in this situation,
and Flint has a way better penalty kill than the
Ottawa sixty sevens do. So that's what That's what has
Ottawa at three. For me, number two, I probably just

(01:06:22):
gave it away. Who you got, Collin Clinn Firewards.

Speaker 3 (01:06:25):
Nine in a row. That's the hottest team right now
and barely. I mean Ottawa blew. Ottawa was my number
one team last last week, so I'm going to have
a new back to my old number one team this week.
But Flint, to me, number two nine games in a
row is impressive.

Speaker 2 (01:06:42):
Yeah, yeah, it really is. And then I'm not going
to say anything different than Colin. So I'll go with
number one for both of us. It's the It's the
Branford Bulldogs at number one for both of us. They
have a couple impressive victories over the weekend, technically weak
because it was Thursday, Friday on Saturday Sunday, but but

(01:07:02):
last week in the OHL it was the Branford Bulldogs
winning five nothing in Niagara and then seven too over
The sarniest thing on home ice is the Branford Bulldogs
looked back to normal and they get a big boost
with jet Luchenko joining the lineup.

Speaker 3 (01:07:16):
You know, that's one of those things to you. Last
week I had them down. I didn think they were
playing their best hockey, and then this week they they
gave it back to me. So they answered my questions.

Speaker 2 (01:07:25):
There one for sure. They got mad at Colin Ward,
so they had to go get a couple of victories.

Speaker 3 (01:07:30):
I hope, So, I hope that was it. I hope
that was the case.

Speaker 2 (01:07:35):
Yeah. So, uh, those are our power rankings for this week.
Feel free to shoot us the message, whether it be
at the Ohl and sixty podcast, whether it be on
our personals. Uh, Michigan bye week against Ohio State this
week absolutely at the Big.

Speaker 3 (01:07:49):
House to show up, kick and not gonna show up.

Speaker 2 (01:07:55):
Let's uh, let's go blue.

Speaker 7 (01:07:58):
To the victors, to the concrete heroes, hell, hell to
the leaders and best.

Speaker 2 (01:08:12):
Holy crap, can you give me a o h oh h?
Do you have a cricket sound?

Speaker 3 (01:08:20):
Brandon? I can't wait, I cannot wait. Hey, hey, Brandon,
can you play the play from last year? Play the
national championship from last year, you know, from two years ago? Yeah,
show the cameras. Where's Jim Harbaugh right now, where's Connor
Stallions right now? Oh yeah, all right, we'll see you

(01:08:42):
next week.

Speaker 2 (01:08:46):
Okay, I don't even know how to respond to that man.
You know, it's hilarious. Last little tidbit for the end
of the week. You know how Michigan State had to
vacate wins, one of them being against Central Michigan when
Stallions was on the sidelines. How funny is that Michigan
State sucks? Not a real football program, their stadium sucks.

(01:09:09):
To just ask Mike Valente. But yeah, let's go blue.
Big game this week Michigan Ohio State Saturday kickoff. Well,
the I can't even watch it. I got a Branford
Titans game at one. I can't even watch it. Sucks.
I need to give an updates in the arena. Watch
this what's on the line? Oh, Colin's got to wear

(01:09:31):
my Michigan hat.

Speaker 3 (01:09:32):
And this is I've never said that.

Speaker 2 (01:09:37):
At the start of the month.

Speaker 3 (01:09:39):
Okay, all right, on our show when we bought all
of the hats. Perfect can't wait. How are we gonna
do that we're recording live?

Speaker 2 (01:09:48):
Well, no, I'll just bring your hat Saturday. The Kitchener
Branford game.

Speaker 3 (01:09:53):
Perfect, Then you can wear it.

Speaker 2 (01:09:55):
I'll bring it and then and yeah, the loser has
to wear it on the show next week for the game. Okay,
I don't know, sure, got it?

Speaker 3 (01:10:05):
Got it? Interview. I don't want to get too bull
to etcentric, but gotta interview us An Angle or Cooper Dennis. Yeah,
so then how good they are?

Speaker 2 (01:10:16):
Does that mean the loser has to So let's say,
let's say, uh, Ohio State wins, which isn't gonna happen.
Do I have to interview Angle and then tell how
about how wins? You gotta interview Cooper Dennis about how
good they are? All right, we can do that too.
All right, that'd be hilarious wearing the hat. Sure, let's
do it. And then the other person's got a videotape

(01:10:38):
it perfect, perfect on social media? All right?

Speaker 3 (01:10:42):
Perfect? Go you gotta say, go box or go whatever.
The team up north is Go Blue.

Speaker 2 (01:10:50):
Yeah that team.

Speaker 3 (01:10:52):
But no, I hope guys play. I hope guys play
for Ohio State. Like I said, it's just another exhibition
game for the black guys or in the playoff.

Speaker 2 (01:11:00):
Looks like the last four exhibition games.

Speaker 3 (01:11:03):
Yeah, I mean he I won a national championship, right,
like they won six in the top ten last year.
Like that's tough to do, but not ideal. Obviously, it'd
be nice to get to the Big ten championship game
for sure, and then you don't worry about having to
win six games in the top ten en route to
a national championship. But I no, I hope guys play.

(01:11:24):
I do, but we'll see.

Speaker 2 (01:11:27):
We'll see Bryce under what's going off? I'm calling it.
That's a touch show.

Speaker 3 (01:11:33):
Yeah, let's say an Heisman game. Doesn't he have nine
touchdowns on the year passing?

Speaker 2 (01:11:39):
I'd have to look, I can't remember off the top
of my head. I'd have to look. It's a lot
of money. But oh well, Michigan's got it. It's okay. American.
I can't even watch that. I'm working Thursday, American Thanksgiving.

Speaker 3 (01:11:52):
That sucks. Rocos Saturday Football.

Speaker 2 (01:11:54):
Lions will probably lose anyways, So that's kind of funny. Ghosteelers.
But everybody, thanks so much for tuning into the show
this week, whether you watched us on YouTube on the
Armchair GM Sports Network, or you listen to us on
your favorite PROPM podcast platform. We appreciate it every single week.
So for BC, for Colin Ward. I'm Mariice Dumani. Thanks
so much for tuning in to this week's edition of

(01:12:15):
the Ohl and sixty podcast, and we will chat again
in seven days.

Speaker 1 (01:12:20):
You're listening to The Armchair GM Sports Network.

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}2027 Memorial Cup is Royal City Bound - The OHL in 60 Podcast