Firings, Finn's and Firebirds - 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 am Reeste Mayne. BC is behind
the scenes working everything. I feel like I feel like
I start every show questioning whether my English is English.
I think that's like a weekly occurrence. That should be
an opening segment. Is English English brought to you by

(01:21):
g Reese who doesn't know how to speak English, but
I don't know how to speak any other language because
my school didn't offer Spanish and I gave no craps
about learning French. So yeah, that's how that went. But uh,
I'm fired up. It was a bad day at work,
Like there was so much stupidity it's not even funny.

Speaker 3 (01:40):
Oh it was. It was such a joke.

Speaker 2 (01:42):
At least the Wings won in an ultimate Jersey game
on Sunday at Madison Square Gardens.

Speaker 3 (01:49):
That was solid.

Speaker 2 (01:50):
Can we start doing more of that and at the
OHL level two?

Speaker 3 (01:54):
Because like.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
The matchup in the OHL, obviously we can't have reds
and reds, blue, some blues, yellows and yellows. That's common sense.
I know that doesn't exist very much, but like what
would be an all time I feel like the Kitchener
Blues and the Line and Greens.

Speaker 3 (02:13):
Yeah, the old one, like the old school would be good. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:21):
Could you get away with the Oshawa Navies and the
Peterborough Maroons or the Peterborough Blacks or do you think
that'd be too close?

Speaker 3 (02:29):
Trying to think of rocks here for top man, Oh,
Friday Night in Kingston. So Peterborough, Kingston Kingston's wearing their
old circled k retros. Right, Peterborough has a chance to
do something special. I hope those are not a huge

(02:52):
fan but yeah, but we're talking retro. Yeah, I guess.

Speaker 2 (02:57):
I guess like the Hamilton Bulldogs. Obviously they're Branford now,
but Hamilton Oshawa. Those were solid jerseys for the outdoor
game at the field. Obviously it was yellow and white.
But I feel like if Oh would have got would
have gone navy, you go navy and yellow, that that
would have been top notch. Yeahwa looked really good like

(03:23):
they did they.

Speaker 3 (03:25):
Oh, those are good. They nailed that absolutely. Yeah. So
I mean, yeah, but just something to think about. We'll see.

Speaker 2 (03:33):
I mean, I'm still on the train of let's wear
colors at home all year long and white's on the road. Yeah, yeah,
I don't think that's gonna happen, to be honest with you,
Maybe maybe next time we see Brian Crawford at a game,
we'll mention that some on Friday the Civic Center with
his uh and casts under fourteen, triple A squad and caster.

Speaker 3 (03:57):
That's a throwback, man. I remember playing there. We were
the Cardinals. It was wild.

Speaker 2 (04:03):
So when when I played there, we had red jerseys
and black pants.

Speaker 3 (04:09):
I was not a fan of the black pants. You
went like day games, it was tough man plus Sunday Day.
Oh I went. I was a high socks guy.

Speaker 2 (04:22):
Absolutely, Yeah, so red Sox, black pants, red jersey, red.

Speaker 3 (04:27):
Hat, the cave.

Speaker 2 (04:29):
But I like the red and white. The red jersey
white pants is a classic look. That is like when
the Saint Louis Cardinals do that. It looks awesome. I'm
a very big fan of that. Especially on Sundays you
get the Sunday Whites going. No Steelers won, but it

(04:50):
was just the Bengals. Yeah, well you know what, that's right,
Thank you b C for that. Appreciate that, big, big bi.

Speaker 3 (05:00):
Man. This is news to me. Yeah, finally I get
a bounce the upright and the Chiefs hopes are over.
The once dynasty is over, it's over, like Vince Carter
in the dunk competition. It's over, just like that. The
Kansas City Chiefs, their super Bowl hopes are done last

(05:22):
year with Philly. Now their playoff hopes are on life support.
It's almost over. Their division hopes are done. Now the
playoff hopes come on Indianapolis. But sorry, incredible, incredible.

Speaker 2 (05:35):
I mean, speaking of jerseys, those oranges are sharp.

Speaker 3 (05:38):
I will I like the old not yet, not yet.
I want to get about next one though. I think
I have about next one after that, Like I feel
like for.

Speaker 2 (05:50):
Next half every few years where it's like, okay, a
new player comes in and he's a stud.

Speaker 3 (05:55):
It might be worth getting the authentic one. And and
for the Broncos, we finally got a quarterback, so it's
not like exactly like it's not like that again.

Speaker 2 (06:06):
That's what the Steelers are. We're on rentals right now.

Speaker 3 (06:09):
Like, yeah, it's hard to buy a quarterback. Aaron Rodgers
jersey track records of Ohio state quarterbacks. But we're gonna
take Will Howard. Yeah, good one. That's awesome, National champion champ.

Speaker 2 (06:22):
But uh to the a Cereal Hockey League. We've we've
got a few things to get to. It's gonna be
a pretty fiery episode. I'll say that right off the top,
not only with my day at work on Monday, but
there's a few incidents that we're we're pretty fired up about.
So it might be allowed episode this week too, just

(06:43):
to kind of give everyone. Yeah, it's it's been. It's
been a full seven days of built up energy and
tried anger but like frustration due to stupidity.

Speaker 3 (06:58):
So so we'll we'll get to that.

Speaker 2 (07:00):
But but kind of here's a rundown and for people
watching us on the Armchair GM Sports Network official YouTube page,
you can of course see it on your screen right now.
For those listening, here are the topics that we're gonna
go through and and it's a little bit we're gonna
do it a little bit different this time based on
what's shown on the screen. So oh with y'a headlines,
you can see Alan Latang's listed there. That's topic number one.

(07:21):
We're getting to that right away. You know, Ashwa Brampton
slashing incident. Yeah, we got to talk about that. That's
gonna be near the top as well. Oscar hemming, what
the heck's going on? We'll talk about that.

Speaker 3 (07:39):
Who he thinks?

Speaker 2 (07:40):
Yeah, who he thinks to blame? That'll be part of
the discussion for sure. The live draft returning That press
conference took place this past.

Speaker 3 (07:49):
Week in Kingston.

Speaker 2 (07:50):
Actually really enjoyed that press conference with Brian Crawford as
well as the owner of the Kingston Front and ACS
and Kingston is at the CEO of Kingston or Ism.

Speaker 3 (08:00):
I think it was.

Speaker 2 (08:01):
Yeah, Yeah, she was a you know, somebody at city
hall who sounded like she had some common sense.

Speaker 3 (08:07):
I know that's not a thing. The Province of Ontario.

Speaker 2 (08:11):
Stand out players of the week of course, and then
and then updated OHL Power rankings. Yeah, colin Ward, that's
gonna be a big one. And the effect potentially from
from Colin Ward passing a message on to Brian Crawford.

Speaker 3 (08:25):
Hey, I got another one too, Brian, b the second
BC I got, I got another I got another. Uh
that's what I gotta pass on to him, so I
know this will get to him. But we were talking
about retro night and shoot it down if it's a
bad idea, but we're talking about m that's a stupid idea.

Speaker 2 (08:45):
Don't suggest that ever again, exactly, no, shoot it down,
shoot it down, BC thumbs up or thumbs down in
the chat.

Speaker 3 (08:52):
Ready, I believe we did a Rivalry night. Now, how
about in November or December? How about December? Because December
rate before the break, you know, it's kind of a
I want to get to the break, get to the holidays.
Maybe attendance isn't as good because it's a Christmas shopping
and all that stuff's going on. How about we do
a retro weekend, so we have Rivalry Weekend in October

(09:16):
in December, we do a retro weekend where teams, like
I was obviously right, you could just wear the jersey's
and Rivalry Weekend. But it'd be cool to see that
like taking a step forward, right, like continue to grow
and to grow attention, and it's easy, it's easy public like,
it's easy clicks, it's like easy for views. And I

(09:37):
just think retro would be really cool, like a retro weekend.
And maybe because the Red Wings are doing it so
much this year with the original six in the one
hundred year anniversary, I think that would be kind of cool.
So what do you guys think Retro Weekend? I like
that I'd be a fan of that actual way to
sell yeah, extra way to sell. Yeah, I'd be a

(09:57):
fan of that.

Speaker 2 (09:58):
Yeah, Because there's a lot of teams that if you
throw it back to some of those jerseys.

Speaker 3 (10:01):
I think the Kitchener Rangers. There's quite a few jerseys
out there that would easily easily sell tickets for Obviously,
you've got the London Nights jerseys, the Tombstone and Windsor
Manny Peva, I.

Speaker 2 (10:13):
Think he's on that train also, friend of the show,
bring the Tombstone back. I love those jersey. I'm still
looking for one.

Speaker 3 (10:20):
By the way, if any own sound you.

Speaker 2 (10:22):
Can see it, let me know, yeah, own sound absolutely.
Golf Jockstraps Man all time jersey, all time jersey. I
think I said on the show that I did see
one of those when I was calling back in Mississauga
somebody was wearing a Jockstraps jersey.

Speaker 3 (10:40):
I thought it was awesome. It was the best. There's
a Beer League. There's a Beer League team in the
GWLF area or somewhere in Ontario or that has a bunch.

Speaker 2 (10:49):
Of those jerseys big time, which, by the way, Brock
University Recreational Hockey. There's a team called the House League
here and they all wear Superman jerseys. It's hilarious.

Speaker 3 (11:03):
I love it.

Speaker 2 (11:04):
Some of those names I can't say on here because
this is a sometimes a PG show, but.

Speaker 3 (11:12):
The Helsleague here, I was.

Speaker 2 (11:13):
I'm a big fan of elite prospects, not so much
because they're not really elite. So let's get to topic
number one. Alan Latang is no longer the head coach
of the Sarnia Sting A. I thought it was weird
they did it in the middle of a road trip.
I thought that was something you did on a Monday
morning once you're back and and and I understand you'd
like to win the next game, and if he's not

(11:34):
part of your plans moving forward, then might as well
make the move. So I do get it from that
standpoint for for general manager Dylan Sika. But also I
thought they'd just wait till they got back to Sarnia
and make the announcement on Monday. But but Alan Latang
no longer the head coach of the Sarnia sting Colin ward.

Speaker 3 (11:51):
Man, you know what that is? Like that to me,
like when you fire a coach in the middle of
a road trip. First off, it's unexpected. But two, don't
you the vibe then that it's a lot Obviously agents
are heavily involved than players. I mean, don't you kind
of get the players are like, you know, like it's
gotta happen now, Like obviously the general managers on the

(12:11):
trip you see what's happening close, Yeah, something something didn't
align with what the GM thought or what a what
a leadership? Remember the leadership thought right out that's usually
happens now. Yeah, you know.

Speaker 4 (12:25):
What I thought of that first. But at the same time,
I think I think it more has to do with
how the Sarnia Sting organization has done on the ice
over the last number of years. They're in a playoff
drought right now, and there's no sign of it slowing
down this season.

Speaker 2 (12:40):
And and and that's not to say that they're not
gonna make the playoffs. It is November eighteenth. We're not
gonna panic. Sarny still very well could make the playoffs,
but it's not really trending in the right direction. It Tina,
press the panic button, yeah, like like and Colin you
mentioned it. And it's funny because we always usually have
one of these a year where we talk about the

(13:02):
Sarnia sting and thinking, oh, you know what, they might
be something this year.

Speaker 3 (13:06):
You know, it's really exciting.

Speaker 2 (13:07):
You know, they take three out of four points from
the windsor spitfires, and then it's just you know, nose
dive into the.

Speaker 3 (13:13):
Ground and you're thinking, oh, well, we did it again.

Speaker 2 (13:15):
We always have one team every year, and that's kind
of where we're at right now, is they took three
out of four from the spit fires and then it
really hasn't been awesome since no one hasn't recently.

Speaker 3 (13:25):
They have a power play at twenty eight percent. And
that's why I I'm not a big in love guy
with the power play right away early in the year.
But they have guys on their team like I honestly
and even like I can't believe it. Like they get
the Areo back. That's a big one. And that's another
thing that's kind of surprising. The Areo comes back, then
the coaching change happens boom like that literally like that.

(13:46):
But then that's where I can understand your point about
if agents are involved. That's where I can how you
get a star back and then immediately oh okay bye,
and it's like huh what this is unquestionable? Yeah, like
I I don't know, Like I think that there's something
behind that for sure, that happened behind the scenes. I
mean that we won't never know, but that has that

(14:06):
effect written all over it. And like I think that Sarnia,
like I watched them play and maybe it was just
a one night like obviously, like being at the Eastern
Conference like in Branford, you kind of see more Eastern
Conference teams, but honestly saw Sarnia once. You can see
him this Friday, damn excited to see him play, Like

(14:27):
I They had the week before on Rivalry weekend against
Windsor where they were the better team in two games,
like obviously the goaltending was good, but they got three
out of four points. Then you look at the week
after they they they're competitive and then like you said,
there they go. It's a nose tipe, like what happened?
Like I honestly like if there's anyone from Sarnia listening, like,

(14:49):
let us know your opinion, Like let us know, like
cause like I honestly, I don't think this team is
a ninth place team. And that's where special teams does
come in. I mean their penalley kill definitely could be better,
but every teams penalty kill wants to be better. But like,
how like they have a I like their goaltending, I

(15:09):
like like, I like I like their four which I
like Beckham Edwards, I like fish here, like this team's
a playoff team, Like I can't believe they are two
six one and one in their last ten, Like I
cannot believe that if someone want to tell me a
month ago that this team was in their next ten
games are gonna drop off like that, I'd be like
shut the front door, Like, yeah, well a category to

(15:32):
category to look at.

Speaker 2 (15:34):
And and the one that's really really concerning for me
is is the goals against. And sixty six goals four
isn't actually a terrible number. Yeah, you want it to
beach better, but you're you're just over about three goals
a game or so. So if you get quality goaltending
two out of three nights, you expect to win or
collect potentially three out of six points and say a
three game weekend, but you give up ninety one goals.

(15:56):
That is second most uh in the OHL. It's tied
with Sudbury, who's in last, and they've only won five games.
Now Sarny's only won six, but Sudbury Wolves have eleven points.
Sarney has got five more because they've lost an overtime
or pass regulation more than the Sudbury Wolves have. Right,
so you're tied in goals four or goals against with

(16:17):
the Sudbury Wolves, which, like I said, that is second
last in the Ontario Hockey League. The only team worse
Saganaw Spirit who have given up ninety four. So and
again I saw this point it out, and you see
it pointed out quite a bit. When coaches get relieved,
it's hard to fire twenty players. Usually there's one guy

(16:41):
that's the the scapegoat for management, and it's usually the
head coach. But it's just a combination of it's been
too long since we've really had a chance to go
for it and the way our rotations going throughout the years.
You know that not to say they should be competing
for a championship this year, but you gotta see improvement

(17:02):
over year to year basis since growth you haven't been there,
Like I mean for US Detroit Red Wings are yah
right now, the last they've been nah. And and like
like prime example, you're four to one on Buffalo. If
you can't close out the Buffalo Sabers, you've got problems.

Speaker 3 (17:23):
And guess what, man problem didn't close out the Buffalo
Sabers because they lost five horn overtime in a four
to one lead.

Speaker 2 (17:29):
They lost five for and overtime. That's what they Red
Wings have been over the last three years. The Sarnia
sting fairly similar in my opinion, and improvement year by
year by year. It's just not happening. And by the way,
I thank thanks for the first road win of the
season for the Sabers.

Speaker 3 (17:49):
Yeah, thanks for that. Yeah, that was awesome. But Sarnia.
Sarnia has new ownership. That's it. That's one thing too,
But there's other There's a lot of other teams with
new ownership that are not at this level. Obviously, circumstances
are what they are. I wonder if this message, if
this thing with Latang, if it was just time up.
You know, I know you're on a road trip and
it's that ideal, but also it could be it's time

(18:10):
time was up. It I think it's hard for a coach,
and with talking to coaches and listening to coaches around
the league, it's interesting there's one thing that you always
see about a coach, right, the system is so delicate, Right,
it's it's their probably it's everything for them, right, that's
the that's what they have their job. And eventually when
a system gets old or when it starts to get exposed,

(18:32):
then the shelf life starts to tick up. Here then
you start to see like, hey, it's time, and maybe
it was time. We watched the start the things and
Nita mentioned it, reaes like we never we never saw growth,
like you never saw growth here in Saryya. And maybe
that's maybe that's it, right, Like maybe maybe that's what
it is. That's what I mean it has to be

(18:53):
because like I look at this roster and I'm thinking,
how does it not come together? How does it not
come together? You look at the draft, the players that
have on their team. You look at the guys like
Beckham Edwards, like they got players I don't know how.
I don't know how it just had. Maybe that's what
it is, because I cannot believe that this team has
not gotten better. Do you know what the high picks

(19:15):
they've had in the Entario Hockey League draft, I mean
they picked they picked a high pick. This past draft
in the Liman's like, it's just crazy, Like I cannot
believe that they've never had growth. That's four pick, that's
top four picks in a row. And I know there's
a draft lottery, but really, if it's a deep draft
last year's draft, you have a top three to four pick,

(19:36):
you're getting a good player. Like I just I it's baffling,
Like I think that that's the thing. The message gets old,
the system gets old when it's the same song and
dance every single night. Teams catch on to that they're
playing a tough conference. I mean the OHL in general
is the tough is tough, Like teams get to read
on each other very quickly. You see in the OHL
finals all the time. I remember before Eastern Conference coaches

(19:59):
contact the Western Conference or divisional coach and the talk
about the team they're gonna play in the NHL finals.
I'm sure the Oshawa generals in London Knights had tons
of talks with Eastern Conference and Western Conference teams last year.
It's out there. There's a there's a lot of system stuff.
We saw Flint. We've saw Flint twice. Now look at Flint.
Flint doesn't even for check like it's all different and

(20:21):
maybe Sarnia it's one of those things where it's the
same song and dance every night and now it's just
old and then the change had to come. But if
it happens on a road trip like that, it definitely
brings up questions for sure. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (20:36):
Uh, to from a firing to a hiring or a promotion, I.

Speaker 3 (20:40):
Guess probably a promotion is a little bit better than that.

Speaker 2 (20:42):
But but Yon jan Egert new general manager of the
Ottawa sixty sevens.

Speaker 3 (20:48):
Of course, James.

Speaker 2 (20:49):
Boyd moving on to the Ontario Hockey League office to
be the Director of Hockey Operations, but the former Associate
GM and direct of scouting appointed as new general manager
of the Ottawa sixty sevens called, yeah, right on, good.

Speaker 3 (21:05):
Drafted, very good at drafting. We've talked about we've saw
Autawa's drafts the last couple of years. There's a reason
why Ottawa coming into the season. I had them like
Matt like Max like tops is like sixth place, saw
them finishing eighth to tenth, and now they're in third place,
the second hottest team in the Eastern Conference, second hottest
team in the OHL. Like that's that's their drafting right,

(21:29):
and if you can continue off that and obviously being
the guy, being the GM, being the shot collar. It's tough, right,
It's like going from the backup quarterback to be the
head quarterback. It's different to be the starter. All of
a sudden, you're getting hit, right, and like get trades
to work out. Now now you got a little bit more.
But I'm excited to see what can happen in Autawa.
I think they have a really good organization. I respect
them a ton, and I mean just look what they're

(21:51):
doing right now. Right, you have a ton of respect
for what Ottawa is doing. I mean, I don't think
anybody had them being where they are right now, and
it's November. They had flashes like they were gonna they
were for real. We remember the start they had this year, right,
and then you had a little tough, tough couple of weeks,
and now you look at the last couple of weeks,
it's like this might be the last. Yeah, this might

(22:12):
be the actual sixty sevens. They might be established. This
is probably what we're gonna get from Ottawa, which is
cool to see. Right, Like I thought Barry, right, like
I still think Barry's gonna win their division. But you
look at the stretch that they're on right like, Ottawa
is right there with them, And I think Ottawa is
a little bit more established than Barry is right now.
And I think that's the most compliment I can give Ottawa.
And I think with the general manager, it's it's it's

(22:34):
gonna be exciting when you come in like that and
the team is overachieving. I mean in their mind overachieving
right now, they probably expected this. But in house, yeah,
of course. Yeah, it'll be a fun deadline if you
get to buy year one. Yeah, not even absolutely in yeah,
no kidding.

Speaker 2 (22:52):
We're gonna stay in division for Autawa at least the
Peterborough Pets sending Caden Taylor to the Owen sound Attack
coming back. Speaking of Ottawa, their third round pick in
twenty twenty six and then a fifth round pick in
twenty and twenty eight, that is a conditional fifth round
pick as well. Colin Ward, I think this one was

(23:15):
something that was expected and just a matter of time
before it was announced. From what we saw over social media,
it was just a matter of time when it was
going to happen and what was coming back. But Kyd
and Taylor going to get a fresh start over to
the Western Conference, over to the Midwest Division and to
a really good own sound team. Absolutely well said to

(23:37):
a fresh start, I mean the start. You look at
the start in Peterborough.

Speaker 3 (23:40):
Three points in eight games, I don't think is where
Cayden would want it to be. A that's in those
eight games, you know, like I think like he probably
had higher expectations going into the season. But for his points.
But or goes to Owen Sound plays two games so far,
gets his change of scenery. Owen soundin I kind of
liked the spot there for him, Like it's it's very

(24:01):
intriguing to see how he finds, like how it fits
in that lineup, you know six three two oh five
on the wing that fits Owen sound Man like that
fits they are like we look at like you look
at the guys that they've lost now for injuries that
are out probably until Christmas time. And Owen Sound like
you plug and play Kayden Taylor in your top six
right away, Like I expect the points to go up.
I think it's a really good deal. You don't give

(24:22):
up much right Third and the conditional fifth, like the conditions,
I mean we talked about this, but when the trade
happened last week, like the conditions are probably crazy, Like
the condition pick is probably wild. It's probably if he
comes back next year play a certain amount of games,
Like probably so much behind that condition, which would be
interesting to see what it is. But the third round pick,
it's a low risk, high reward deal for the Owen
Sound attack. Great for Peterborough to get a couple of

(24:43):
picks do in their cover for sure, one probably two,
So good deal for both sides. Right. I think Peterborough's
is off to a decent start. They play hard and
Owen Sounds off to a good start, so I think
it's a good deal for both sides. Right. He wants
to be there, he wants to go to on Sound.
Great spot for a player to get a new fresh start. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (25:01):
Absolutely, And then until we get to the heavy lastly,
before we get to the heavy hitting stuff.

Speaker 5 (25:07):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (25:07):
Caleb Aljultra has been named the captain for the hl
us A Prospects Challenge that will take place out West.
This is awesome. I mean, you know it's it's and
and talking with Ja McKee after the game Friday, Yeah, Friday,
after Flint was there, I just asked him about it,
and and you know what that means to as a

(25:29):
because he's a coach that's going with Caleb, so it's
not like those guys are going alone. But but just
kind of the process of finding out the news then
passing that along with the video in the room seeing
all the guys react to to the announcements and and
he said, you know what it's it's a lot of
passing messages along about guys for for this because you've

(25:50):
got to go through guys in three different leagues. You know,
you get some information from participation at former Hockey Canada events, tournaments,
what what like that, so to hear how that came
to fruition. And then of course the video that we
saw on the Bulldogs social media. If you haven't seen it,
go check it out. It's pretty cool to watch as

(26:11):
Jamie Key's really get at delivering messages like that. But
Caleb Malhultra is the captain for for this Prospects Challenge
and it's it's cool that it's gonna be an O
Y gl or to wear.

Speaker 3 (26:22):
The sea for the for the team. Absolutely it is,
I mean best to my years, right, Like I think
that with Malholtry. He deserves it. Caleb, he's been great.
He's a hockey narrative, reminds me so much of Jacobrien,
probably more talkative than Jacobrien was at that last year.
But Caleb is great, like he's a leader obviously, the family,
the pedigree that he has, it's great in its congratulations. Uh, Caleb,

(26:46):
that's pretty cool. Definitely. I think the game's gonna be
a litle closer this year, though, I'm excited. I'm very
intrigued to see how this game goes. I mean, you're
playing a n ep team that really they're together all year.
They should be favored. But yeah, obviously the chl A
rank skaters all over the board, and we saw that
last year what happened, so it should be I'm excited

(27:07):
to see what can happen. I think it's gonna be fun.
It's gonna be a fun challenge this year. I think
it'll be better. Yeah, I think so too.

Speaker 2 (27:14):
All Right, let's we're gonna get fired up here because
there are a couple of topics that we've been waiting
to discuss on this show, and this might take quite
a bit of time here. Yep, the stupidity of the
clip if you're watching on YouTube. Luke Dragusica is currently
suspended pending a review. Many people wanting him to see

(27:38):
him back barred from the league. Some people have said
just the rest of the year. A lot of people
are saying ten plus games. I think that's a given.
I've seen twenty twenty five plus something like that, and
I think this what might fire people up and say, Reese,
are you an idiot? Which, yeah, I have my moments.

(28:00):
I'm not I'm not all admitted, I'm I have my
stupid moments when it comes to barring a guy from
the league. Immediately my thought goes to, is this as
bad as Mike Lambis on Ben Finelli? Because if we're

(28:21):
talking about barring a guy from the league, that's where
you compare that to and I.

Speaker 3 (28:25):
Know it's completely different.

Speaker 2 (28:27):
Dragusica takes a swing at his head with a stick.
This hit on ben Finelli was from behind, blind side,
whatever you want to call it, to the head whatever.

Speaker 3 (28:37):
Ben Felly missed a very very very very very.

Speaker 2 (28:41):
Long time in the Ontario Hockey League. I was actually
fortunate enough to be at his first game back at
To get you to a memorial memorial auditorium, that standing ovation
was unreal to be a part of, to be in
that arena.

Speaker 3 (28:53):
Was was cool.

Speaker 2 (28:55):
That's what I look at as judging whether or not
it's a lifetime ban from the OHL.

Speaker 3 (29:03):
That's my person now to God. Very different. Absolutely, And and.

Speaker 2 (29:12):
Yes, you have to set an example of this because
if anything future comes down the road where it happens
like this, well we have something to base it off of.
Just I it's hard for me to I base it
off of that.

Speaker 3 (29:28):
You know.

Speaker 2 (29:28):
I've seen some people saying that's charge assault with a
weapon that's come through the Twitter verse. To me, I
think it's I agree with that. To me, I think
it's if if you sit him out the rest of
the year, he doesn't see the ice until the fall
of what what year would it be, twenty twenty six?
Here we go, Reese, yeh man, I'm having a day

(29:50):
to day. It's been a long Monday. But that's where
I'm basing it off of. Is this as bad as
the ben Finelli hit? You could make the argument that
it was because we're both stupid. Yes, I think Dragusica,
that's somebody getting up and intending to destroy a guy.

(30:10):
I'm not sure like, Yeah, it's hard because it's two
different situations and I'm not so yeah exactly, I'm not
saying that Ben Finelli hit was on purpose. I'm not saying,
you know that he went at him with intent to
injure him. I mean, that's what it looked like. And

(30:31):
I said it. Ben Finelli missed a ton of time
and it was really unfortunate because he was awesome to watch.
But that's where I look at. That's what I look at.
If we're talking about a lifetime ban. That that's all
I'm saying here. I think I think it's the year.
That's just my personal opinion. I think it's the year
unless you do see something where it's assault with a

(30:55):
weapon something like that. If you see that, then okay,
that's that's a little different. The laws involved.

Speaker 3 (31:01):
Yeah, he's probably done playing in the OHL one hundred percent.
Like then that would be until whatever happens, whatever case happens,
or and all that stuff, and if it goes to
the courts. Yeah right, I think I honestly right now there,
I don't know when a suspension is gonna be announced.
I mean, I could look very dominant, could happen before
we release always how it works is that sometimes it happens, uh,

(31:28):
but one it's gonna be more than ten games. Ten games.
I mean the guy got up and went right to
the head and then to follow dude, he cross checked
him in the back. Brandon, can you put the clip
back up? Because like he get literally like he gets
it and the hit must have been the worst hit
of all time to receive to get up in baseball
swing and like when the video comes up, it'll be

(31:50):
nice to see again because he doesn't collect his thoughts.
He goes boom right at it. Like it does not
look like it looks horrible as it is. It doesn't
show before, but like you see the baseball swing of
the head and then the cross check right to the back,
then a little slash and yeah, yeah, it's.

Speaker 2 (32:08):
Like, oh the stick wasn't enough. I gotta I gotta
hit you in the back like it wasn't.

Speaker 3 (32:12):
Yeah, Like, what are we doing? Then you're really need
your money? We're that's just being dumb, I say. I
think honestly, this starts at fifty games plus and if
it goes to the courts, then probably not gonna see
him play until that's over with, because we I'm comparing
this and I mean, I know it's too bad. Like
I didn't think it was enough last year at this time.

(32:33):
And I think people that listened last year to the podcast,
First off, new listeners welcome, but second like last year
reached they they know our opinion on the cam Allen incident.
That was a complete joke. How like I'm not gonna
go into that. Oh there's a full length Thanks Brandon.
You see the hit, it must have been the worst
hit ever to take. Get up you smoke them one

(32:54):
in the back of the head. Like that's just I
think the cam Allen incident last year where there was
a suspension until the courts were done and then I
don't know if that was enough. I didn't think that
was taken serious enough. And that was my opinion last year.
I think the OHL has to set a precedent this year.
We saw it in Kitchener a couple of weeks ago
with sus Saint Marie Kitchener. Now we see it again.

(33:15):
You gotta set you gotta put your foot down here.
That guy like what if he loses an eye, what
if he gets knocked out or worse? You know, like
I think you really you're like I don't know if
games is enough. I feel like I left it short
by saying fifty games minimum. I feel like that's even short.
You got it's a privilege to play the game. And hey,

(33:37):
we've all played sports before. If I got hit like that,
you got hit like that, Are you gonna get up
and hit the guy in the head with your stick
like a two hand? I mean, yeah, it is harder
than body in New York in Game three or whatever
it was when he hit the home run. He hit
a home run every game against Yankees. It's easy. But
you know what I mean, Like he's like, what are
we doing? Like yeah, like like it. It's a level

(34:00):
of it's.

Speaker 2 (34:01):
A level of stupidity that unfortunately we're seeing a little
bit too much here in two thousand. That's why I've
approaching twenty twenty six.

Speaker 3 (34:12):
It's, you know, the.

Speaker 2 (34:14):
Fact that that's the first thing that crosses your mind
after a collision, that Okay, if you're going ahead of guy,
then cool, awesome, But like you immediately get up in
your first reaction is I'm whacking this guy in the
side of the head with my stick.

Speaker 3 (34:31):
Yep, Who, what's the thing I've ever staying on a
hockey game. What makes you think, what could possibly make
you think, oh, this is gonna be a smart play.
I'm gonna take my stick and hit him in the head.

Speaker 2 (34:43):
Like what crosses your mind that thinks that's a good idea,
that tells yourself that you know the the in the
part of your brain that tells you right from wrong
says that's right? Like come on, like, in it's hockey,
it's not soccer. We're playing a real sport where you

(35:06):
it's physical, it's hard. You're not gonna go on the
ice and cry. You're gonna get up and and continue
the shift. But the first thing that comes to your
mind is I'm gonna whack this guy in the side
of the head with my stick. And then because that's
not enough, I'm gonna give m a shot in the
back too with my with my stick on a cross check.
Like what part of your brain says this is a

(35:28):
good idea?

Speaker 3 (35:30):
And nowhere to nowhere is that? I tell you right now,
I tell you right now. I think there's gonna be
a I think there's gonna be a lot of training sessions,
uh for mister Jushka. I think that there's gonna be
a lot of There.

Speaker 2 (35:45):
Is nothing outrageous about that collision.

Speaker 3 (35:48):
There there's no raagement issues right there, though, Like you
look at him get up, You look at the clip.
Thanks BC for putting it on. You look at the clip.
He gets up, and there's not a thought. There is
no thought other than I'm taking this guy's head off.
So go right to the head with the stick. Sometimes
you'll see a guy. Sometimes you'll see a guy with
the stick action. I mean, stick action is cheap, by

(36:10):
the way. It's not very tough, big tough guy. But
I think, I think that if you're gonna go like
you can't go to the head, that's just being dumb.
That's the dumbest play I've ever saw in you don't
like it, give me back. That's what you see the.

Speaker 2 (36:29):
Two minutes. That's a slashing penalty all day. Because the
referee is right there, he saw it. It's just criminal penalty.
But that, like, what are we doing? Like it's a
three nothing game, it's over. You've got your two points.

Speaker 3 (36:42):
That's that's the end. I wish game back. You can
get up and chirp all you want. You've got the
two points. Good for you. You just you've beaten.

Speaker 2 (36:50):
The aushawa generally point you're out shooting them forty to fifteen.
There's three seventeen left in the game. You've won one time.
Why it's just dumb? Is that a career threatening hit?
Did he take a career threatening hit on that?

Speaker 3 (37:06):
No? Like it's dumb, Like legit, it's the dumbest play
I've ever saw in my life in hockey. And I've
saw a lot of dumb ones. I was a part
of them, but this this one here literally give him
a tap on the back of the leg like you
see that all the time, like and then you see
the tens and then see you later. Your night's over.
But this is just being dumb. Like I I honestly

(37:28):
believe if the if, if my I mean logic calling
logic might be a little interesting. But in my opinion,
I think that in a in my world, I would
want it to be and correct me if I'm wrong,
if I'm off and I'm being dumb here reach tell me.
But I think that in my world I would want
this to be. If it's being looked at criminally because

(37:50):
he used the stick as a weapon, and then he
has no remorse with the cross check. That's not criminally activity,
but the stick is he used that as a weapon.
I don't think this guy I should play hockey again
until that that's all done. I don't. I think that
there's gonna be a lot of counseling sessions in order
for this. And I think there's gonna be no hockey
in the near future until, like you said, twenty twenty

(38:13):
six start of the year. I don't. I think it's
gonna be courses and it's gonna be counseling sessions because
this is honestly not good. And I think you take
it from the approaches help the guy, Help the guy,
because clearly something's not clicking here, Like help the guy,
because if you get hit, nobody, if we talk to
ten people, ten people, d m us dm us right now,

(38:36):
how many would you get if you got hit like that?
Are you getting up and going to the head? No,
Like that's I oh, yeah, No. I don't think we're
gonna see until twenty twenty six opening night at the earliest. Yeah,
I think, and again, maybe to play it if they

(38:56):
think it's as as egregious as the hit on Ben Finelli,
then and you can explain it for a lifetime.

Speaker 2 (39:03):
Ban just like you did back then. Again, different situation.
It was a hit into the boards compared to us
standerting a guy in the face. I'm sure there's gonna
be a look back at what went into that decision
following that hit.

Speaker 3 (39:19):
I'm sure they're gonna look back at that. Again, very
different situation, very different type of play. But you have
to take that into consideration. If you can fully explain
and back up your reasoning to bar him from the
OHL much like they did back then, I'm okay with that,
but I think you also again let me.

Speaker 2 (39:41):
Know if I'm stupid. I've had my moments, I've said
some stupid things. I'm gonna continue to say stupid things.

Speaker 3 (39:47):
I'm not I'm like you, And that's no dissent Windsor
because Detroit's right across the border and I love Detroit,
Go Tigers and Wings. But like I'm not the brightest kid.
I drink water the tap still, I don't care people
say it's dumb. I dare still do it anyways.

Speaker 2 (40:04):
Apparently it hurts yourself, but we've all been drinking out
of the hose for our entire childhood.

Speaker 3 (40:09):
But like nothing like HOSEA if.

Speaker 2 (40:12):
If I'm out of line saying that this isn't as
bad as the ben Finelli hit, then tell me I
I can take it.

Speaker 3 (40:20):
I'm okay with that. The difference is.

Speaker 2 (40:26):
Like one of the difference, and the difference is with
this one, there's a weapon involved. It's not just body
on body into the boards. That's where I think you
can help explain yourself with a lifetime different like it's yeah,
the weapon part of it, it makes it look a

(40:47):
lot worse.

Speaker 3 (40:49):
You know.

Speaker 2 (40:50):
Then let's see if he just sucker punched him from behind,
that the weapon part of it is worse. I think
big time ben Finelli missed an extended period of time.

Speaker 3 (41:04):
You know, it's not the board.

Speaker 2 (41:08):
Yeah, we're not talking about that situation here. But if
you can justify banning him from the OHL for life,
that's all right. I'm okay with that. But it's got
to be a year. It's gotta be a year minimum.
And we see him opening Night twenty seven. He can't

(41:29):
play the rest of the year. I Hey, that's got
to be the minimum.

Speaker 3 (41:32):
It has to be. It has to be. This is Reese,
this is there with this is there? Where with the
cam Allen situation. This is major where you gotta have
checklist to be able to be cleared to play. In
my opinion, you gotta have everything signed off on to
be able to return. Hockey will be the last thing

(41:53):
right now for the player in my opinion too.

Speaker 2 (41:57):
Yeah, I think you clean out his locker and say like,
come on, we we've got some stuff to figure out.
You're you don't earn this spot again until, like you said,
you've checked every single box that you have been asking
and we'll support that.

Speaker 3 (42:11):
And if you're Brampton, you support that journey. You gotta
support that journey, put him through all the help and
see what happens.

Speaker 2 (42:19):
But no, huh yeah, I agree, so uh onto something
else that we might get fired up about, but not
as much. I still doesn't seem like he's gonna be
a Kitchen Ranger this year unless something drastically changes. But
he had committed to the BHL. I believe this was
about two three weeks ago. I was told he never

(42:41):
left Kitchener. He committed, but he never left Kitchener. Now
I could be wrong. Yep, that's what I've been told.
That's what I've heard again, whether that was factual, who knows.

Speaker 3 (42:51):
We don't know.

Speaker 2 (42:52):
The whole story. We don't We're not going to pretend
to know the whole story. We'll just say that up front,
we don't know the whole story. We don't know the
correct process for this. Now we're gonna try and find
out and we're trying to find out what the correct
process is. But we're not one thousand percent sure if
the proper steps were followed, if the proper communication was

(43:15):
given between player, family, team courts. Now, well not now,
but but so it sounds like NCAA is the route
right now. And again you can see it on your
screen if you're watching us on YouTube. From from Josh Brown,
beat writer for the Kitchener Rangers, from the record, and again,

(43:39):
we don't know what the exact process is to follow. Again,
we're trying to figure it out. But first questions that
come to mind. Did Kitchener properly communicate with his European
team about their intentions? Did they say, don't show up,
come to Kitchener, We'll take care of the rest. Did

(44:00):
they lowball on the transfer fee?

Speaker 3 (44:06):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (44:06):
And if I'm missing something, callin, please feel free to
jump in. But we're the correct steps followed in this
in this process and and Yes, a lot of people
are looking at it as his finished team is holding
him hostage from playing hockey in the Ontario Hockey League,
the best development league in the world.

Speaker 3 (44:23):
Yep, Yes, by holding on.

Speaker 2 (44:26):
To his rights. But again, if a third party, or
let's say his family. I'm not saying his family for
sure did this, but let's say the Hemming family had
something to do with this. Let's say the Rangers didn't
follow the correct procedures. Again, we don't know this. We're
just asking this out loud. This is our discussion for this.

(44:47):
Don't want to get any any messages about saying, oh,
you don't know the process. We're fully admitting we don't
know the process, and but we're trying to figure it out.
We're was there somebody else that screwed this up? And
it's just the finished team saying, hey, you didn't do
this properly. You tried to just say we don't matter,

(45:08):
you can just leave and come to Kitchener that that
would that would piss me off too. So this time this, yes,
they're holding his rights, he can't play in the best
development league in the world. Yes, that looks bad on them,
But also, is there another part to this where they're
just pissed off because the process wasn't followed. So they're saying, well,
you could have got about this the right way and

(45:30):
it would have been fine, but you decided not to,
So it sucks to suck.

Speaker 3 (45:34):
That should also be a part of it too, one
hundred percent. Now I agree with your reeche. Like I said,
I've done a lot of research on this last week,
trying to figure out from both sides of the story. Honestly, Josh,
you had a great article as well last week. Yeah,
I it's very intriguing to me. Like if like you mentioned,
if it's low balling the transfer fee, if it's like, hey,

(45:55):
I'm just not returning to this team in Finland, I'm
going here, see you, Like he's a minor, he's under
eighteen in the in the finite like in Finland, Like
that's good luck getting your feet Like also the NC
double A, Like how can you just go to the
NC double A? Like what's the schooling like, like what's
the schooling background? Like for Oscar, I'm not that's just

(46:18):
a general opinion, Like what it can you do the
schooling like the middle of the year, Like, how can
you just go to the NC double A right now,
like you just enroll in school? What classes are we
taking here? Like are we doing? Dylan Larkins g I
like what are we doing? Like I I like, you
know what I mean, like I I don't general, yeah,
like what are we doing? Like? Yeah, I don't. Like

(46:42):
it's hard to get the NC double A like it's
school I very much. I don't. I think the Rangers
maybe like maybe you win in a little bit too
deep here, But like I said, I don't want to
give an opinion on it on the matter because like
I said, it's so it's very very it's a sensitive
topic like it really is, and that it's hard to
get right from wrong right now. There's a lot of

(47:03):
different opinions. There's a lot of different stories on this matter,
and I think that's one of the big things too.
But I think that like if the Rangers low ball
the offer, well then you got what you deserved on this,
Like did you really think differently? Like you know, like, but.

Speaker 2 (47:20):
I why why why has it not been an issue
before this?

Speaker 3 (47:25):
Why is it ye now? Why why is the other teams? Yeah?
Why how does Branford get your Metski? Like you know,
like what happens, like situation takes a lot to get
a player away from that program. It takes a lot, Yeah,
big time, especially Roguela. Yeah, Like I like, I don't know,

(47:49):
I want to Like that's just if anyone from Kitchener
wants to tell us their side of the story, please
do so. But like, from my opinion right now, I'm
sticking of the Rangers low ball to the offer and
went and kind of tried to big league his team
in the player big League's team. Well, you kind of

(48:09):
got what you deserved. But we'll see, we'll see. Like
I said, I don't know, I don't have a side
on this, and I mean, why is he playing then
for the Rangers. That's just yeah, usually that's what happened. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 (48:21):
Again again, we're gonna finish off this topic by like
why is it worked every other time but not this time?

Speaker 3 (48:26):
Exactly? Why? It just seems like something was.

Speaker 2 (48:29):
Maybe not followed the way it should have been the
way it has in the past. And again we don't know,
we don't know the full story, but it just makes
you wonder, why is this situation different? What makes this difference?
So it just sucks?

Speaker 3 (48:42):
So it really.

Speaker 2 (48:45):
Yeah, like a lot of people were looking forward to
watching Hamming in the OHL and I mean, sure, we've
got his brother. His brother's really good. Don't get me wrong.
The Barry Colts are very very lucky to have him back.
But like we would have loved to have seen him,
We really would have a lot of people in Kitchener
were really looking forward to seeing this guy.

Speaker 3 (49:04):
Where were the Blue So absolutely bye, best of luck
on the mem Cup.

Speaker 2 (49:11):
Yeah, yeah, you can see it on your screen if
you're watching us on YouTube. Darren Dragger tweeting out that
CHL is expected to announce the twenty twenty seven mem
Cup host by the end of next week, which is
this week. This was tweeted out November fourteenth. So Kitchener
and Gwelf. It's funny they play each other. I think
that's hilarious. But they're in the middle of a home

(49:32):
and home right now. But yeah, I mean again, you
can have the discussion. Gwelf is downtown, it's right in
the middle of everything. Kitchener's not, but it's the auditorium,
so you know, you can look at it. There are
a lot of positives to both sides. There's some negatives
to both sides, but yep. You know, with Kitchener you

(49:53):
have a bigger capacity. Sure Gwelf isn't I mean anything
in a building really, but but well again Gwel's right
in the heart of downtown kitchen Reno for I like
that arguments you're right, yep, yeah, Like the concourse is

(50:14):
a little small in Gwelph that that's my only personal thought. No,
there's a few rinks like that Branford, Niagara. There's a
few concourses that are like that where they're just way
too small. But again it's junior hockey, so I mean,
we're not gonna roll out the red carpet and have
a one hundred foot.

Speaker 3 (50:33):
Wide concourse for you.

Speaker 2 (50:35):
So yeah, there's positives and negatives to both. I don't
have a preference. Kitchener's got the history. Gal's got a
ton of history too. Don't get me wrong.

Speaker 3 (50:43):
I'm not saying they don't. It would be.

Speaker 2 (50:47):
Cool for both. I I think I I am different.
It does not make a difference to me.

Speaker 3 (50:53):
I agree, I go either way here. If someone were
to say kitchen gey, I can say, yeah, I can
see that. Someone said's gonna get that, say I agree,
like you know, like I agree with you like, I
I think though it's a lot closer. Say, like I said,
I think either way, but you hear the people, everyone
like everyone behind the scenes that you talk to, Kitchener, Kitchener,

(51:16):
But I think it's a lot closer than what it
actually sounds. I know Kitchener, it sounds like it's the favorite,
but GWELF, I mean, I think it's a lot closer.
Like I think this is legit, but all like GWELF,
I mean, we've played there a little bit in baseball,
Like Gweal's been dying to host an event like this.
You know, they've never really hosted an event like this,

(51:38):
which would be really cool to see GWELF host an
event right like this. They deserve it. The city man
like what it like, I know, Kitchener, Waterloo area, it's
grown so much Cambridge, but Gwelf's never really had a
chance to do this. But it's it'll be interesting, Like
I say, it can go either way here. I'm excited
to see what can happen this week, Like I can't

(51:59):
wait to hear who the host is.

Speaker 2 (52:02):
Yeah, I'm I'm excited. It's gonna be awesome.

Speaker 3 (52:06):
I think.

Speaker 2 (52:07):
Yeah, when it was announced who the finalists were. You know,
people just want to know who's gonna win, Like, realistically,
I just want to know who's gonna get it cool. Yeah,
I liked that they did announce the finalists. It kind
of like it creates a debate like this in my opinion,
like we're having this discussion because they created finalists for it,

(52:28):
but we just want to know, like we just want
to know who it is. Like they probably both made
really good pitches to the Memorial Cup, uh committee who's
going to run the event, the Canadian Hockey League, So
you know, it's uh, we'll see, we'll see what it is.
I mean, parking and Kitchener is awesome. I will not lie.

Speaker 3 (52:50):
I love those parking lots in Kitchener awesome too. Yeah.
That parking garage yep, I agree. They have like two
or three rate there too. And it goes right out
to the side road and you're gone, yeah yeah, Uh,
we're just gonna power through here.

Speaker 2 (53:09):
I mean, we could take a break, but we've got
eight minutes left till we hit sixty, so let's just
keep going. We're we're pretty well near the tail end
of the show anyways, so uh now we'll we'll get
to the players of the week first and then we'll
get to the uh get to the live draft or
in person draft announcement from from Kingston this last week.
So the oly Tel player of the Week, and I

(53:32):
agree with this because we saw him live in Branford
on Friday, Nathan aspinall three games played, he scored four goals,
He had three assists for a total of seven points,
and and was a plus five And and colin Ward,
you've got a specific topic on the Flint Firebirds and
why you think they are a way better team than
people think they are.

Speaker 3 (53:51):
Can't wait for the power rankings because I really like Flint.
You know what the thing about Flint is that's very
like that really intriguing to me. Flint plays a certain
way and to beat them you have to earn it.
And the way they play the game, and they don't
really four check. It's a one to four neutral zone.
It's literally one person at the dot at center, everyone

(54:13):
else at the blue line, and they're gonna make and honestly,
it's like a pro system. Well it's not really a
pro system. It's a perfect system to defeat junior hockey
like because it's gonna make you try to. If guys
gonna try to stick handle through four guys, you're gonna
look silly and you're gonna get beat. We saw that
when they beat the Brandford Bulldogs this week. Like, I

(54:33):
think that this team, the way they play, is very dangerous.
I'm willing to go out on the record right now
and say I think Flint the way they play is
better than winsor Spiffires. I'm willing to say that when
I watch them play, I literally they don't have any
pieces yet, Like the fact when you look at their
draft picks, even many if they add two guy like

(54:54):
two really good players, no one's beating Flint. In my opinion.
They have a good goalie. The way they play the game,
they have guys like Asenal buzzing. I know, I'm gonna
show the Patrio goal like the comeback they had to
Owen sound like. I'm very excited to see what this
team can do. I I can't wait to see uh

(55:15):
Flint as this season continues. I mean and I cannot wait.
Like brand you have the Petri ad or the Petrie goal.
Oh here it is on YouTube. The Petrie goal to
me especial because you look, you look it around. That's
the goal of the week. Like you look at the
toe drag, the patience and then backhand forehand like that

(55:39):
was nasty, like not even fair. Flint looks really good, man.
Look at the shots in the game like that's on
a back to back after a one off. I know
when sounds on a back to back too, but they
had a one off in Branford the night before Flint
really strange ja yeah, big time, And they looked and
that's why, Like you look at the game against Owen
Sound and Branford, Flint is for real. Now that I

(56:04):
say that, you hope they continue it for this week.
But you look at the week they had, right, they
beat London, they beat Branford, they beat on Sound. How
much more real does it get than that? Like I
they're not like no offense to the teams in their
division that are below them in the standings. But they're
not losing the Sagana right now. They're not losing the
sign You're right now, no chance they're not going anywhere. Yeah,

(56:29):
and I mean I don't think they're going anywhere. Those
two losses in the last ten it was a two
to nothing game until the third period and it just
seemed like the Bulldogs were pissed off. It was only
a two nothing game because it scored five in the third. Yeah,
and then you get rid of the first period and
Winsor it's two two head of overtime. You know, you
give up three first period goals and then you score

(56:49):
two in the second, give up one in the second period,
and then Winsor scores the only goal of the third period,
get rid of the first and that that's it, right,
those are just in a mix. And again I didn't
watch these games religiously, well except for the Bulldogs game obviously.

Speaker 2 (57:06):
But but even that Winsor game, Like, you know that,
that's still four good periods out of six in two losses, right.
You know it was very close first against the Branford
Bulldogs in Flint. Yeah, the Bulldogs breakthrough for a couple
in the middle frame, but you're still within striking distance.

Speaker 3 (57:23):
Game is in that game? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (57:26):
Well yeah, yeah, that could be part of it, because
I mean it was very early that they scored their
third goal and then they ended up scoring five in
the third and you're like what what, Yeah, it was
two nothing like five minutes ago, and now it's five
it's like, what the heck happened? So, you know, that's unfortunately,
maybe just a period that Again, Branford Bulldogs being the
team that they are, they might have just said, hey, yeah,

(57:47):
we're gonna put this game on ice and we're gonna
head to Sagana the next day and get ready for
that one, even though they stayed in Flint. But but
even for the Winsor Spitfires, you show up to Winsor,
that's a tough barn to play. And don't get me wrong,
three first period goals. It's not the first time the
Spitfires have done that to someone coming into Winsor. But
I think you had a solid last forty minutes. It's

(58:08):
just you couldn't overcome a three goal first period against
and I think that was it. But other than that,
you're you're looking at domination against the North Bay Battalion
nine to three. You beat a Sue team that's really
humming right now, that's a three. That was a three
to two file, you know, owen sound Obviously we mentioned
the six to two game London Knights. You beat them
three two. You beat the twelve Storm six three, So

(58:32):
it's not like and again they win yeah, yeah, great point. Yeah,
and this is not any disrespect to any of the
teams that I'm about to mention. But it's not like
they're playing the Sudburyese of the world. They're not playing
the Bramptons, they're not playing the Ashawas, they're not playing
the Sarnias. They're not playing teams at the bottom of
the standings. You know, these are middle to high part

(58:55):
of each conference. You know, I think the Saganaw Spirit
are probably the lowest team in that group. Maybe North
Bay and Gwelp are probably around there too. But even
then though we're not talking about terrible hockey teams. Saganaw
has guys, Gwelph has guys. North Bay really really good
young team, but not quite there yet. You know, whereas

(59:18):
you look at the Branford's two against Owen sound obviously
again that outlier. That's seven to nothing lost to the
Branford Bulldogs. But the Spitfires in there. Yes, that was
a loss, but you played a good final forty soon Yeahagan,
I like the game against Yeah, that was it. But

(59:38):
that weekend, that Michigan trip, Yeah, I'm with you on that.
It's just if Flint Firebirds are not beating below average teams.
They're beating average teams are above and I think that's
a really good sign for them at this point in
the season, heading into where everyone you know, you start
to hear announcements for World Junior teams, you know, if
you can stay within striking distance when teams lose guys

(01:00:00):
the World Juniors for a month month, and yeah, you're right,
like great point, Like like Vacari stood on his head
Friday in Branford. He was really good and really fun
to watch and even even talking to guys on the
Bulldogs after that game, like.

Speaker 3 (01:00:16):
Vacary was good. You know, the Bulldogs probably.

Speaker 2 (01:00:19):
Weren't on their a game that day if but Vacarty
was also really good.

Speaker 3 (01:00:23):
And the next night and then you look at that
now on right, like you find a way this team,
Like I something looks special about Flint, Like I it
feels like before COVID when we were tested for the
Flint and Saganaw Conference fire. Yes, yeah, it feels like Flint, man,

(01:00:44):
it feels like Flint. Like I don't know, like I
look at this team, the way they play. They're quiet.
No one talks about them, No one talks about the
Flint Firebirds, And I think the way they play, like
I don't know, like World Juniors wins, Your loses Green Tree,
Pallasy goes to the States, like sus Saint Ray loses

(01:01:05):
Brady Martin, like Linon loses Sam O'Reilly. Who does Flint lose?
You know, like I think Flint, like I think like
this is a great opportunity for the Firebirds, Like really,
this is very good and they don't need to move.
They don't need to make a move until January tenth.
They don't have to make any moves. Just ride this

(01:01:26):
out and see what happens. But I'm excited to see
where Flint can go. I really am. I think this
is really good for hockey and Flint, especially for where
everything is with the n C Double A and guys
in the n C Double A. I think you get
American team right now more than ever because it's gonna
draw attention to the OHL in the States. Yeah. Well,
and you think about how well the state of Michigan

(01:01:48):
minus the Detroit Red Wings are doing right now in
the world of hockey, right Flint fire Flint Firebirds are
humming right now, So I got spear.

Speaker 2 (01:01:56):
Yeah, they're They're not they want to a couple of
years ago, but they want to Men Cup very recently.
Western Michigan just won a national title last year.

Speaker 3 (01:02:06):
I believe it was Western Michigan.

Speaker 2 (01:02:08):
Yeah yeah, I wasn't CMU, Yeah yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:02:13):
I'll be.

Speaker 2 (01:02:15):
Michigan State and Michigan are one and two in the
n C Double A. Right now, Michigan hockey is kind
of humming for around you know, in that area, so
that that's really cool to see. For the Flint Firebirds,
you're right, and especially with the n C Double A
thing and and and drawing attention to an American team
in the Ontario Hockey League, I think is really really big.
So it's Flint's time right now. Right, you had the

(01:02:38):
Mesas of the world go to Saganaw, you had the
McDavid's of the world a number of years ago, and
well now it's Flint Firebirds. And yes, I understand they
had tied to Landria, big big name at the time. Still,
I mean still is I'm not saying he isn't, but
you know, right now it's the Flint Firebirds that are
that are making headlines south of the border in the

(01:02:58):
Ontario Hockey League.

Speaker 3 (01:02:59):
Which is really cool to see.

Speaker 2 (01:03:00):
So it's kind of their time. It's their time to
shine out of the three for yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:03:05):
And hey they you know, Flint was one of those
teams right when they moved from Plymouth. They had that
debacle in Flint, you know, and then Eerie was so good. Yeah,
and then Saganaw gets MISA. They were on the back
burner for that coming out of Coach Covid where they
were deck conference final. It felt like against Sagana they

(01:03:25):
never really got their moment. I feel like this is
their moment. I feel like the opportunity to have their
chance in the as one of the three American teams
in the OHL.

Speaker 2 (01:03:35):
Yep absolutely uh to the goaltender of the Week around
the Ontario Hockey League Ben Herebik of the Barry Colts.
Two games for him one oh and one goes against
the average of one four six nine fifty eight save percentage,
making sixty nine saves and collecting three out of four
points for his Barry Coult squad. Rookie of the Week

(01:03:57):
to the Ottawa sixty sevens Colin Ward's actually a favorite
rookie goaltender right now. Uh writer, He's given me the goaliefe.
You ask Team World I mean statistically he is. Statistically
he's the best option for the States eligible for the
World Juniors. Trey Augustine not available this year, so too old.

(01:04:21):
So you look at the guy you don't know. Two games, Uh,
he won both of them, one point four to four
goals against average, a nine to forty two save percentage
forty nine saves for him, A couple of solid two
games for for writers. So congrats to him.

Speaker 3 (01:04:36):
Unreal, unreal pad to I really I'm a big fan
of his. Man. He's so good like everything, like the
way he uh controls a game when he's in net,
like they're never out of me. It's funny, like when
he's playing good, Ottawa's playing good right, like he's just
a back. But like I I really I really enjoy

(01:04:57):
watching him play. If Outawa is on and like Wednesday morning,
I'll have it on my phone out and about like
I just if and like I love to watch him.

Speaker 2 (01:05:08):
Yeah, I mean him and Nelson are starting to become
a really nice tandem for the Auto sevens.

Speaker 3 (01:05:13):
They're both playing well right now. So who are you taking?
Here's here's one before we get the prospect. Who are
you taking Outawa and their duo or London with their
duo Ghatto Medvedev Like that's tough. Eh, Yeah, that's tough.

(01:05:36):
You look at the goals against two fifty three fifty
two for Ottawa twitter Pool. We do a poll, it's cloak. Yeah,
we can do that. Yeah, let's do that.

Speaker 2 (01:05:44):
Yeah, right at the Hotel and sixty podcast.

Speaker 3 (01:05:47):
All right, Yeah, I have her say, London's duo or
right now, got a boy schedule it, Yeah, schedule we'll
do Wednesday morning, expiring morning after the show, after the
show releases. I think that would be good. Yeah, we'll
be all right, type it out so I don't forget. Yeah, yeah,

(01:06:09):
that's a big part of it. Sitting on my phone
right now. I have it sitting on my phone right now.
Which duo you take? Love it?

Speaker 2 (01:06:19):
And I mean, yeah, the prospect of the week. I
feel like we've talked about a Lombardi doing really well
in Flint a few times. However, you listes Lombardi Flint Prospect.
Two games for him, four goals and two assists for
a total of six points. For the Waterloo. I don't
know why they called themselves kW because they never left Waterloo.
Siskins went up to nothing on Cambridge. I thought they

(01:06:43):
were going to break Cambridge is unbeaten season. But the
Red Hawks able to find a way to to win
that one. But the Waterloo Siskins, Uh, it's another Lombardi.
That's like styles Okay, Like all right, Lorenzo, come on.

Speaker 5 (01:07:03):
Ow Man, that's all right, go.

Speaker 2 (01:07:11):
A little bit late on time. So we'll probably touch
on the live draft in the coming shows. We've got
time till we get to that. So power rankings for
this week around the Ontario Hockey League up one spot
of the saganaw Spirit their number sixteen. Up one spot
also of the Brampton Steelheads to number fifteen. North Bay
moves up the spot too, They're number fourteen. Peterborough does

(01:07:33):
not move. They are thirteenth. Niagara down to to number twelve.
Barry does not move their number eleven. The gwelve Storm
move up two spots. They're number ten. Kingston doesn't move
their number nine. Owen Sound down a couple of spots
to eight, Kitchener down four to number seven, Flint up
to to number six. Winsor moves down three spots to

(01:07:54):
the number five. Seeds Sue Greyhound's up three to four.
London up one to three, Ottawa up three to two,
and Brantford, who was not lost in regulation yet still
the number one ranked team in the Ontario Hockey League.
Colin Ward, you can kick things off. Who is team
at number five for you?

Speaker 3 (01:08:15):
Five? For me now is Sue Greyhounds. I think Sue.
I think it was a divider between Sue and London.
For our team in London as all but five to me, no,
no ties. Ward does not have a tie at fifth.
It's not over yet, no, And honestly it was a

(01:08:38):
shootout lost. And I think I said that last week too,
that in my five spot, I think she had to head.
So yeah, Sea Marine five. I mean, like I said,
points in their last four. You look at their numbers,
they look pretty good. Se five.

Speaker 2 (01:08:55):
Yeah, I've got the Sue Greyhounds, Sue Calin. I think
our lists are gonna look fairly similar. You know, a
Greathounds team that that. Again, I don't think we expected
to be really much of anything this year. Expected them
to be okay, but not like a powerhouse. So so
for the Greathounds right now at eighty five goals four
they've given up seventy four, so that is higher than
the average for teams around that around that area in

(01:09:18):
the standings. But yeah, they've got points in their last
four power play you'd like to see get a little
bit higher, penalty kills fairly average. But other than that,
they're getting results. They're getting wins, they're getting points, and
that's all that matters really in the grand scheme of things.
So so Sue number five for me as well? Who's
number four?

Speaker 3 (01:09:37):
Four for me? The London Knights? I think. I think
with the Knights, like they're starting to play get hockey.
Look at the way their systems looking like they got
guys back. But they say that next week London could
be eighth on my list, you know, like right, I
think this week London's four tentatively just above sus Saint

(01:09:57):
Mary because the shootout game. Yeah, I want a man,
I'm gonna pull a call in ward here. I can't
believe it. I cannot believe it. Man, I'm pulling a
cop geez.

Speaker 2 (01:10:11):
I'm gonna I'm gonna lie. I'm I'm not there yet.
Number four for me the Barry Colts. I know the
point the point totals might be lower than Sue, but
they have points in their last nine, you know, Hemming
has been a real boost for the Barry Colts and

(01:10:32):
and I like what they're doing there.

Speaker 3 (01:10:35):
You know, they're up to ten wins.

Speaker 2 (01:10:37):
Yes, that is significantly lower than Ottawa, significantly lower than
Branford then winsor then Sue then Flint. But but I
like the way Barry's playing right now. Gold differential isn't
pretty either, it's just plus one. But but that's that's
kind of and I know Marty Williamson is not behind
the bench anymore, but that's still kind of the Marty

(01:10:57):
Williamson style where they're not going to beat you on
the scoreboard too badly, but they're gonna play well enough
for it to be close and for enough for them
to win. So so for the Barry Colts, yes they
have less points than the Sue Greyhounds, but it's hard
to argue with points in your last nine to now
take the division lead. So so give me the Colts
at number four. Who's number three colin.

Speaker 3 (01:11:21):
They're winning their division, Barry. Barry's winning their division and
it looks like it right now. Start of the year.
I mean, like you look at their tea, the best
team on paper, and I think for me three is
the Flint Firebirds. The way they're playing right now, and
we just described we just said about Flint. Flint to
me is number three. They're dangerous, they've won six of them.

(01:11:43):
Brow Absolutely, they're deserving it being in the top three.
They're one of the hot they're the hottest team in
the league right now. You could say, and I'm going
I am going with the Flint Firebirds three. This is
where I'm playing a call in ward.

Speaker 2 (01:12:01):
And this is gonna sound really bad, but I've got
two ties first at number three, between London and Flint.

Speaker 3 (01:12:09):
I'll get to my next ones in a.

Speaker 2 (01:12:11):
Minute, but I think we've gone over Flint enough that
it kind of it's self explanatory. They've won six in
a row, they've won eight of the last ten. Again
power play, you'd like to see that get up. But
at the same time, who cares. You're getting points and wins.

Speaker 3 (01:12:27):
It is what it is.

Speaker 2 (01:12:27):
You gotta do what you gotta do. It's not always
going to be pretty, but as long as you get
it done, who cares. And then the London Knights, Yeah,
they've taken the lead in the division. I know Owen
Sound had held it for the majority of the early
parts of the season. Kitchener was involved in there as well,
but the Knights have only given up fifty three goals,
which is second best, yeah, second best in the Western Conference.

(01:12:51):
Kitchener is the least amount of goals against at fifty
but London Knights have the special teams to kind of
back up the numbers at thirteen to five three and oh,
I like them just as much as the Flint Firebirds
right now. So that's why I have them in a tie.
And Brandon's gonna kill me for my graphic. But who
you got at number two?

Speaker 3 (01:13:10):
Two for me? The Branford Bulldogs. They're not the best
team right now, I think in my opinion, and I
know this is gonna get around, just like you're picking
Oshawa in the second round. Branford's two for me. They're
not playing good hockey right now. I know they haven't
lost in but you look at their last four games,
they've gotten dominated by teams that we look that you

(01:13:33):
look in the conference and it's like they should have
lost those games. They lost to Peterborough. Peterborough is a
good team. I like they they honestly, they should have
lost to Brampton. They got out played to Brampton. They
lost to Flint and they got out played to Oshawa.
That's not good hockey those teams like Oshawa is in
the ninth spot with twelve points, Brampton's the eighth spot

(01:13:55):
in the conference. They're not the best team right now.
Branford's two for me. I've got another tie it too.
That's why I think Brandon's gonna hate me typing all
this in. But I pulled a call in ward twice.
You're one behind me, now you need one more to
catch me. Appreciate it, man.

Speaker 2 (01:14:14):
This will probably be the last and and only week
that I do a tie. But tied for second our
Ottawa and Winsor.

Speaker 5 (01:14:26):
Again.

Speaker 3 (01:14:26):
I still really like Winsor. I know that.

Speaker 2 (01:14:31):
You know they've lost two in a row. It is
what it is. They're they're five to three, one and
one in their last ten. I still like this bitfires.
They're still a really good hockey team, and they still
deserve to be around the two three in the power
rankings in my opinion. But the Ottawa sixty sevens are
giving them a run for their money. And you look
at their goaltending in federalf and and and Nelson, they've

(01:14:51):
only given up fifty two goals this year.

Speaker 3 (01:14:54):
They've they've scored eighty three.

Speaker 2 (01:14:55):
They have points in their last nine special teams is
a lit little bit of a concern once you get
into February and March and into April in the playoffs,
you're not gonna win a lot of games if you
can't kill penalties and score when you get those. November
is correct, it is November. They've got some time. So

(01:15:16):
but but they are really pushing the winsor spitfires right
now for number two on my power rankings. So give
me Ottawa and winsor tied for second. Sorry, Brandon, who's
number one? Colin Outawa sixty sevens. They're one win behind Branford.
I think they're better than Branford. Obviously.

Speaker 3 (01:15:33):
I don't think on paper they are, but right now
they definitely are. I I really like Ottawa right now
as a one seed. I think that they've earned that right.
They're only one win behind them in the win column.
Like why not Ottawa? I like the way they play.
They're a tough team to play against.

Speaker 2 (01:15:52):
You look at their goals four all day. Ottawa number
one for me. Branford's number one for me. Yes, it
just because you have zero in the lost column and regulation,
I'm if you're not playing good hockey. I totally get that.
That just means you're able to last until extra time,
but then you'll lost. Shout out to Brandon for those

(01:16:14):
two ties on the graphic below us. You still haven't
lost regulation. It's hard to argue with that. You've already
scored one hundred and seven goals, you have a plus
fifty goal differential, your power play is still over forty percent.
That still earns you number one in my opinion.

Speaker 3 (01:16:37):
In a month, it could be thirty. Colin.

Speaker 2 (01:16:41):
I agree that it hasn't been a good couple of
weeks for the Bulldogs. I will say that it's been
good enough where they've able to earn wins against not
very good teams, but have also lost to a very
good Flint team right now, and to a Peterborough team
that is kind of defying the odds and showing everyone like, sure,
autowas on this surge too, but we're still around. You know,

(01:17:03):
we don't have as many points, we're not kind of
at the same level as them, but we're gonna push
for home ice in the first round potentially, And but
you know, you'd have to lose four in a row
to match the next closest team for regulation losses in
the winsor spit fires. I don't think that's gonna happen. Yes,

(01:17:24):
they're gonna lose in regulation eventually. It's probably going to
be once everyone is gone for the World Juniors. And
by everyone I mean Jacob Brien to camp. You're gonna
is all three of your checks, but not Dravetsky, and
you're a check if they are not at team checkie
at camp and on the team, I think they've got
some issues and they need to review their player recruitment.

(01:17:47):
And then you know, does Van Acker get an invite
Danford Prats? You know there's guys that that could be
gone and you're gonna have to fill those holes somehow.
And for the Bulldogs, they are gonna lose eventually, but
the fat in regulation, I should say they are going
to lose in regulation eventually hasn't happened yet. There they're
still number one, So I think those are Thursday in Niagara.

Speaker 3 (01:18:11):
Man, what's with you and losing in Niagara? You say
that every time? Every time? Is it because it's the
last I mean they haven't Is that why no, I
think no. I just think. I think that I've lost
the last four games. Last four games, they haven't looked great,
and I'm just thinking, I know that hasn't looked great,

(01:18:35):
just like but I I think that I believe that
in that game, I think that if they get He
back and they get their captain back and they get momentum,
I don't know, I have a bad feeling about it
for Branford, I really do. I think that. I don't
know if dumping against the Bulls, but it did last well,

(01:18:56):
it didn't work obviously because they Niagara lost to Branford.

Speaker 2 (01:18:59):
Maybe worked for the first fifteen minutes, but then pretty
easy to catch you on to what Niaga's plan was.
I thought in that game, thoughts lost five in a row,
that that's like they're not yeah, but.

Speaker 3 (01:19:16):
Now the Bulldogs play Yeah. But if Kevin he like,
they're playing okay exactly, so hey, it's it's gonna get right.
And I just say, Niagara, I think it's good. It's
a good assessment and Kevin He's back. If they get
the captain back, and Branford could have two big guys
out of the lineup, Share and Lane all Herry's out
weak with lower body injury. That's a big loss. He's

(01:19:37):
their top center. Niagara gets their top guy back. He's
what I well, there, Captain, I think that. I know.

Speaker 2 (01:19:48):
I did say Lane Gallaher is the top center for
the Bulldogs.

Speaker 3 (01:19:53):
He is looking at the face offf percentage like I
think that. I I think Niagara, like I say they
got life man like, I don't know. I think Niagara.
It's right there for them on Thursday night.

Speaker 2 (01:20:10):
All right, we'll see, well, we'll see what happens. Well,
all three of us will be there. I think Colin's
gonna be there. Are you still?

Speaker 3 (01:20:16):
Game time?

Speaker 2 (01:20:18):
Game tun game time decision for Colin ward reest do
many Brandon Capudo are are confirmed in the lineup for
the press box in Niagara on on Thursday. As we
walk it off here to another Broncos victory over the
Kansas City Union, I mean Chiefs. Speaking as a Steelers fan,

(01:20:47):
I mean sure, we're not in the same division. I
I'd rather beat Baltimore, Cleveland or Cincinnati, so especially Cleveland.

Speaker 3 (01:20:54):
I hate Cleveland. Nothing good ever Kansas City, nothing good
ever came out of Kansas City.

Speaker 2 (01:21:01):
I always say that about the Royals because they're in
the same division as the Tigers. You could say the
same thing about the Chiefs being in the same division
as the Broncos.

Speaker 3 (01:21:08):
Make time. You know what's taking about Casey? Now, all
of a sudden, there's Casey fans. It's like there were
no Casey fans around the homes. No one knew who
the Kansas City Chiefs were. Like, come on, like, oh man,
Tim Tebow beat the Kansas City Chiefs. I'm not gonna
chirp because he also beat the Steelers. That was Yeah,

(01:21:30):
but that was the craziest thing that's ever happened, and
one of the craziest things has ever happened in Denver. Yeah, yeah,
that's true. But uh, that'll do it.

Speaker 2 (01:21:39):
For this week's edition of the Ohl in sixty podcast,
we did not take a break.

Speaker 3 (01:21:43):
We won one hundred and well, wow.

Speaker 2 (01:21:47):
Hour and twenty. I saw one twenty and was immediately
like boom, we went an hour and twenty or we
went one hundred and twenty minutes two hours. We did
not It was an hour and twenty minutes. It was
eighty minutes, eighty one minutes. Appreciate everybody that stayed stayed
with us along the entire way. We know he got
heated again. Shoot us a message if you think our
opinions are dumb, or if you love him. We love it,

(01:22:10):
We love the interaction, so please feel free shoot us
a message on Instagram, Twitter, at the Ohl and sixty podcast.
Let us know your thoughts on the hit on Dragusica,
on the hemming situation, La teg getting fired by the
Sarnia sting. Let us know we love to hear it.
So everybody, thank you again for tuning in. As always,
we appreciate it. Whether you're watching us on the Armchair

(01:22:31):
GM Sports Network YouTube page, whether you were listening to
us on your favorite audio platform, thank you very much
and we'll see you again next week. So for Colin
Ward for BC, I'm Reese Domani. We will chat again
in seven days.

Speaker 1 (01:22:45):
You're listening to the Armchair GM Sports Network

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Firings, Finn's and Firebirds - The OHL in 60 Podcast

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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;}Firings, Finn's and Firebirds - The OHL in 60 Podcast