Important Offseason From Top to Bottom for the IceDogs Franchise - Dog Pound Podcast: Season Finale - 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 (00:30):
This is Rod Mahood, your in game voice of the
Niagara Ice Dogs, and you're listening to the Dog Pound
Podcast on the Armchair GM Sports Network, your podcast hourse
for all game analysis, team interviews, and up to date
news regarding the Niagara Ice Dogs.

Speaker 3 (00:50):
Over time Ice Dogs winner The Person Pleas.

Speaker 4 (00:56):
Also Timmy Away.

Speaker 3 (00:58):
It's a power play goal, Hey Icebogs, Headley Score host
sing first School as an Ice Dog, Tromp stop Shipley,
Gritchie Scar gets into a kill, Thomas Thomas has the
ankle coming.

Speaker 1 (01:11):
Into Welcome into our Niagor Ice Dog's Dog Pound Podcast
season finale episode right here on the Armchair GM Sports Network.
Thank you for those that are tuned in live on
the premiere on our Armchair GM Sports Network YouTube channel,
and those who listen the next day or whenever you

(01:32):
listen to this in your favorite on demand audio platform.
Where will Ethan Zada go in the upcoming NHL Draft?
Jack Brady possibly as well. We'll hear from Steven Ellis
of Daily Face Off in second part of today's show,
going over the Ohl prospects in the upcoming NHL entry
Draft and where he thinks some of the ice Dog
names and even going forward in the next season, Brady
Wassl and Ryan Roebrick what their draft possibilities are like

(01:54):
going forward. That'll be in season uh. In segment two
for you guys, and segment one, we're gonna hear from
the owner of the Niager Ice Dogs, mister Darren de
Dobbler on the recent changes within the organization. New head coach,
new general manager are going to be coming into the organization.
He's moving more towards a business position within the team
as well, and GM West Consortie moved to a liaison

(02:14):
role as well. If you guys want to get the
full lowdown of that, we do have an episode where
myself and Colin Ward from the Ohl and sixty podcast
talked about the whole organizational changes. That's on demand on
your favorite on demand audio platform. Make sure to give
us a follow on xt Dog Pound Podcast the update
with all of our Ice Dogs coverage, and you can
give us a follow on Facebook, Instagram, and tik doc
by searching the Armchair GM Sports Network. So Cam, this

(02:36):
is it for us for this season. I'm looking forward
to talking to Steven Ellis in Part two of today's episode.
He's a great friend of ours and has some great
draft insight that we'll hear about. But also, you know,
the Ice Dogs are close to hiring their general manager,
which we're gonna hear from the owner Darren to Dobbler shortly.

Speaker 3 (02:53):
I think that's what everyone is, you know, kind of
waiting to hear in terms of, you know, what's going
on with the team. Be just recab quickly. The Ice Dogs,
after missing the playoffs for so long, get to see
our first playoff games. And he said it best. You're
gonna hear it in the interview, you know, But I

(03:14):
think expectations were met, not exceeded and not and not
you know, missed, but they were just met. And I'm
excited about the future as we discuss the upcoming really
exciting next season for the ice side, let's be honest
with you.

Speaker 1 (03:28):
Yeah, So they obviously made the playoffs, as we talked
about after they were eliminated by Barry in five games,
but they could have won easily won three of those five. Yeah,
and you know, some office things that happened, and that's
obviously something that led to the cultural review and why
we're in this position with a new general manager and
head coach. I did want to say before we get
further to thank you to a head coach, Ben Boudreau
for everything that he gave us as far as content

(03:50):
this season on the show cam. He was a great
guy to talk to away from the rink as well.
And it'll be us getting to new getting to know
another new coach here. But but that's thing behind the
scenes is you don't really notice that, you know, these
guys don't have to give us their time, the players,
the coaches of the management, but they they choose to
do it. And and with us being there, you know,
the for nine months of the year, you get to

(04:11):
know them a little bit away from the rink as well,
and you know that they they are people and have
families and and they'll have to move on to other things.
So I just wanted to quickly. I don't know if
you had any quick words to say about, you know,
the parting head coach in Ben Boudreau.

Speaker 4 (04:25):
Oh, Ben was great.

Speaker 3 (04:26):
It was a blast to talk hockey and the team
with him. He was always candid and gave us, you know,
the honest answers and and things like that. It's a
sad situation and I wish him nothing but the best
because you know, he did he did, in my opinion,
did a good job with the players in the ice
and and and got us back into the playoffs. But

(04:48):
we're onto our next era in terms of the Ice Dogs.

Speaker 1 (04:51):
Yeah, and you just want to be proud to be
a Nigri Ice Dogs fan and the fans watching and
listening to this episode, obviously that has been something that
they've been looking for the last four five years. And
we hear you and we understand, you know, going through
another major change like this is not the easiest thing
to do. And we talk about what the show topics
are today, as I mentioned Ethan Zada's draft hopes, Steven
Ells is gonna join us in segment two. We're also

(05:14):
going to talk about the many eyes on a twenty
five twenty sixth season with Ryan Roebrick and Brady Wasslon
as well in segment two, and then we quickly touched
on there gonna have a new new head coach and
assistants that that is going to be something that the
new general manager is going to be hiring with with
Darren de Dobblers obviously end approval, but Darren's not going

(05:35):
to be really making any decisions on the hockey side,
which we saw when he came in. He was named
he named himself the general manager when he bought the team,
and then they had that other situation happened where he
was suspended as a general manager, which does end at
June first as well. But I don't think Darren's going
to be appointing himself as a general manager once again.
So as we move forward here, Cam we know that,

(05:56):
you know, the GM higher or something that is going
to be taking place very shortly, as you'll hear Darren
Dedabbler talk about, you've heard possible names that have been
floating around, and some other names that went on elsewhere,
but you know, earlier in the offseason, but when you
look at a new head coach in general manager coming in,
Colin Ward talked about it a lot on the on
the last show that we had about the cultural review,

(06:17):
just making sure that the players are in a good
headspace and they want to come to the rink every day,
and a lot of the little things that added up
this last season resulted in the Ice Dogs really taking
a dive in that second half as well. Not just
a performance space, but you just want to make sure
and as we talk about the retention of players, that
the guys want to stay in Niagara and they want

(06:37):
to be a part of what is being built here.
New head coach, new general manager, fresh look and with
a good young core here. If they keep it together,
with a few moves like you could definitely see Niagara
you know, doing some making some noise here in the OHL.

Speaker 3 (06:50):
Once again, one hundred percent, I think that this season,
like I mentioned that, I think it is set up
to be one of the most exciting in the last
you know, decade for the ice Dog simply based on
you know, the national attention you're gonna get from Rowick
and Wostly and in their draft year and and not
to mention you know, the strides the team took now, Obviously,
every time the team has gone a step forward, there's

(07:12):
always been something off the ice that has kind of
dragged them back. And I think that when it comes
to the coach and GM, you know, personally, just experience.
I think at this point I think that's UH again,
We're gonna hear from from UH owner Darren Adabbler and
and his thoughts on it, but that that's what as
a fan personally, like that would be what I would

(07:34):
I would love to see is just someone who has
got a ton of experience and and like you mentioned,
building a culture, uh that that players can be proud of.
The landscape of the OHL is changing, the HL is changing.
There is a fear that players can just go to college.
Now that is a real thing. And when you have
these off ice things, that's the danger of it, Like
you could lose players that just you know what, we're done,

(07:55):
I can go play in college.

Speaker 4 (07:56):
And they've got to make sure they nip that in
the butt.

Speaker 3 (07:58):
This year and it's I would say probably one of
the most important years in the entire franchise's history. I
don't know if that's being too grandiose, but when you
consider that the team hadn't made the playoffs for five
or six seasons before it finally makes the playoffs and
then all that drama in the playoffs, you know you've
got draft eligible players. Kevin is the first drafted player.

(08:21):
He breaks records for the team. Then you get Rodbrick
he breaks a goal scorer record, and you get Wotlon
breaks the assists rookie record. Like it's not like the
Niger ice Doggs are a brand new franchise. They've got
some pretty impressive alumni, and you've got a core of
very young players that are shattering records and becoming the
best of that of what the franchise has to offer,
and you still have them. But this year has to

(08:42):
hit on all cylinders, not just on the ice, off
the ice, especially in my opinion, like if they went
five hundred and they finished in sixth, but they.

Speaker 4 (08:53):
Were immaculate in the room.

Speaker 3 (08:55):
Nothing in the press, nothing, no no cultural review, no suspense, no,
none of that, that would probably go so much further
than if they finished first and there was something that
was you know, needed to be nipped in the butt again,
because fans, I think at a certain point are just like,
you know, if the product isn't gonna even if the
product is amazing, it's you don't want it to be

(09:16):
embarrassing to be a fan. That's the most important thing.
And I think that again, if there are some really
good things that we're gonna we're gonna hear about and
obviously extremely interesting around everyone that falls the ohl because
you know, the ice Dogs are always under fire when
it comes to that, and we're gonna get some insight
on that in today's episode.

Speaker 1 (09:37):
So yeah, and I think that was sort of what
led to the nose dive in the second half of
the season, was that they were kind of trying to
keep everything together there knowing that they had to clean
up some things. And Hm and darreon the Dobbler talks about,
you know, just the little things adding up, adding up,
adding up, and it eventually, you know, came to head
in the playoffs, and we know what happened with that
with the players having to sit for a full period
and you just everything that went about it. You don't

(09:59):
want to be covering that, you know what I mean,
like us coming on the show, we don't want to
have to be talking about that sort of stuff. And
you just want to make sure that they have a
solid season of solid core. And as you mentioned, moving
forward in the SNC double, a landscape is going to
be completely new for everybody, and it's going to be
important that you put everything around the players that they
want to remain within your program and not go off
to college, you know, in an earlier sense. So let's

(10:21):
get to owner Darren to Dobbler on another installment of
What's On the Doublers Radar talks about what's coming up
for the GM higher, the coaching higher, and everything else
regarding the franchise this last season.

Speaker 3 (10:38):
What He's On to Dobler's Radar.

Speaker 1 (10:47):
Back another installment of What's On to Dobbler's Radar with
the owner of the niag or Ice Dogs, mister Darren
to Dobbler, Darren, thanks a lot for joining us a
season through ups and downs, and now that you've guys
been in the off season for a few months, obviously
we had some changes within the front office that were
made over the last month or so. A new new
head coach, new coaching staff, new general manager, and new

(11:08):
assigned role for West CONSORTI within the organization and for
yourself as well in the business side. What would be
your message to fans first of all, about why these
changes are paramount and why you think they're going to
be positive for the organization moving forward.

Speaker 5 (11:21):
You know what.

Speaker 6 (11:22):
First of all, thank you for having me on the
show today. Secondly, we can always improve. We can we
always realize, you know, where we need to improve and
we need we need to improve on the ice and
off the ice.

Speaker 3 (11:35):
You know.

Speaker 6 (11:35):
So we had a lot of little issues this year,
but too many of them, and I call it, you know,
death by a thousand paper cuts. And there was nothing
too severe, but stuff that just needed more, you know, discipline,
more attention to detail, and we just we want this
to be the premier organization in the OHL. And Michelle

(11:57):
and I are I just committed to make sure that
we are the number one and if we have to
continually make changes, We're committed to the region of Nagrin,
We're committed to the OHL, and we're committed to all
your listeners. We want to get this to the next level.

Speaker 1 (12:13):
And uh yeah, you mentioned that you want this to
be within your family for a long time, and that's
something that is very important to you within the community
with some of the initiatives and some of the partnerships
you've made in the community this year, and on the
business side as well for the arena. Why do you
think that these changes will be different than maybe the
last time you guys made changes within the coaching staff

(12:34):
three coaching changes since your time in twenty twenty two.
Obviously this one is going to be a little bit different.
The league, you know, having some cooperation within the decision
for the coaching general manager. What gives you positivity that
this is going to be different than the last few
changes you've made in those departments.

Speaker 6 (12:49):
I guess we're always learning. Ben was an outstanding coach.
Stan and marcuro as well, but we needed a different look,
a different you know, maybe the first couple of coaches
needed a little more experience. Ben had the experience. It's
just just all different reasons. And Ben, we're just going

(13:10):
to keep doing it until we get it right. So
why do I think this is going to be right?
The first the first coaches GMS were basically appointed. Now
we're just you know, it's been a month and I'm
still interviewing gms, so it's getting real close. I brought

(13:32):
six in front of the OHL, and you know, our
agreement was that, you know, I was going to hire
the GM with their approval, and you know, I really
support the OHL. And all they really wanted to do
was add value. They weren't they realized it's my business.
They weren't telling me who to hire, or they weren't
putting a GM in place for me. They just wanted

(13:54):
to add value. And they've done an outstanding job in
helping going forward.

Speaker 1 (14:01):
Then Darren about that a little bit it looks like
possibly sometime in June, you're gonna be able to make
those announcements. This being the season finale episode, this is
kind of the it for us in this season. But
obviously you guys are going into an important NHL draft
with Ethan Zada and possibly Jack Brody and Blake Aerosmith
as well that have draft hopes and things like that,
And as you get into the import draft, you want
to have your management in place by then. How has

(14:23):
the new NCAA agreement kind of changed things in your
mind as far as not only recruitment for players, but
also retaining and retention of players going forward. Now that
you've start to see some guys commit at their eighteen
nineteen year old years, does that change anything from your
perspective on how quickly you have to build up a
core and how much you have to do around them

(14:45):
to want them to stay within your program.

Speaker 6 (14:47):
Well, from Niagara's perspective, we realize it's changing. So you know,
we can we can sign a one year player that's
nineteen now, where they wouldn't have signed before or because
they didn't want to ruin their ncubleaoligibility. So now instead
of looking at trades in sixteen and seventeen year olds.

(15:07):
Now we can just look at every player available, you
know in our region, not Naga region, but I mean
in our drawing territory for the OHL. Secondly, Niagara doesn't
have a USA scout. We were just kind of handling
that ourselves. Now there's a major need for USA scout.
You see in the last draft that just went by

(15:29):
six weeks ago, there was eighty one US players selected
as opposed to thirty the year before. So the landscape's
changing and we need to change with the times hockey's changing.
And again, you know, we just need to change so
we can continue to be competitive. As for retaining players,
we just had to show them that the OHL is

(15:49):
the best development tool, quickest way, best way to get
to the NHL. And we've proven that statistics wise as
a league. So we just need to keep pounting that
in their head. But we need to make their experience
second to none. And with our region and our facility
and our dressing room, I think that we got a
head start on that. Now we just have to bring

(16:11):
them a winning culture.

Speaker 1 (16:12):
So what would be I guess your to do list
for the new general manager that comes in sometime in June.
Obviously getting your draft picks to commit Payden Bell and
Ryerson Edgar your top two picks that you took in
this just recent to Ohl priority selection. But what are
you kind of looking for as far as when he
gets in this job. You're gonna have to make a
few moves because you know that the next two years

(16:33):
for this team are very exciting and the window is
definitely open after you really didn't make a lot of
moves at the trade deadline, knowing that you had a
bright future ahead with your young core with Robrick and
was On and Zada. What are the top priorities that
you're going to want this general manager to do once
he takes the seat.

Speaker 6 (16:48):
Well, the first thing that I want him to do
if you do like a thirty sixty day plan, and
the first thing I want him to do is connect
with the players, the agents, and our stakeholders, may Or Cisco,
our major responds, all of our sponsors, and just try
to show that he's in the community. The general manager
that I basically know who it is already, Brandon, but

(17:10):
I don't want to announce anything till after Memorial Cup,
not to take any shine away from that, he is
moving relocating to the Naga region. That's another thing that
I that was pretty important to me is someone that
you know, boots on the ground and be there all
the time. And then of course, you know, we've got
good depth with Heyen Jeffries, Matthew Humphries, you know, Finn Moftt,

(17:33):
but Flores is going to be pretty tough to replace.
But we're on the right track there, so you know,
that's another major bilestone for him. I guess the words
I'm looking for in the next sixty days, so to
make sure thirty days sixty day plans.

Speaker 1 (17:48):
And then for the head coach that you're going to
be bringing in, is that I have a kind of
a two parter. Is that going to be collaboration with
the general manager or are you making that determination on
your own?

Speaker 6 (17:58):
No, that's going to be the general manager's decision with
my approval. So you know, if he wants to bring in,
you know, someone that you know just a doesn't you know,
fit with the organized whatever, it's going to be his
hire because he has to work with him, but with
my approval. But but you know, ninety nine percent it's

(18:19):
going to be his higher.

Speaker 1 (18:20):
And then the kind of follow up to that. So
trying to build off of what you guys had this
past season, making the playoffs for the first time since
the twenty eighteen nineteen season, you'd call that a success,
but obviously, as you mentioned, too many little things behind
the scenes that you wanted to clean up in that sense,
So there was good and bad with having your first
playoff run. Since then you got two home playoff games, Darren,
As far as making sure that the fans got a

(18:42):
little taste of it, but knowing that they want more
of it going forward the next two seasons, what are
you hoping to see from the new head coach, the
coaching staff to make sure that team gets back to
the playoffs and has suctained sustained success within the playoffs
for the fan base that's been just dying for it
the last five years.

Speaker 6 (18:58):
I think I think that we need always develop. I
truly believe that every league's a development league to get
to the NHL, and that's what the agents want, that's
what the players want. We want to win, but develop
at the same time. So that's the fine line we
need to turn to our bench. I don't want to
say that the season past was a success. I don't

(19:19):
want to say that on the ice. I think that
finishing in seventh and going out in five games was
I would say needing expectations. It wasn't exceeding expectations, and
it wasn't below expectations. I believe with the players we.

Speaker 7 (19:36):
Had, that was that was the bare.

Speaker 6 (19:38):
Minimum that we had to do. So I think there's
a lot more in these guys, you know. I think
there's a lot more in this team that I think
we can make a run this year.

Speaker 1 (19:50):
And then lastly, for you, Darren, and we appreciate your
time today. If you look at it, thirteenth in attendance
this season thirty six o three attendants across the league.
In sports in general, has taken hit with the state
of the climate, financially and things like that. So as
far as what you're looking for going into next season,
you've got some exciting partnerships. Your marketing team is building,

(20:10):
you know, with the Carlsburg Lounge and Performance Auto as
well coming on board with some exciting things. Is this
sort of an early gear up for a possible bid
for the twenty twenty seven Memorial Cup. I know you
don't want to put the car before the horse, and
you want to make sure you compete for this season.
But is that something that's in your mind knowing that
there are other teams like Kitchener and Sue Saint Marie
that might also be wanting to get in on that

(20:32):
bid for the next time it goes back here to Ontario,
which you went for back in twenty twenty three.

Speaker 6 (20:37):
Yeah, we do. I think that we have a lot
better team in to bid for the Memorial Cup. From
an on ice perspective, we learned a couple of things
in our bid that we may be missed on that
we can improve on. So I think the fact that
we didn't get the first one, but it's going to

(20:58):
educate us on how to get at the next one.
From an attendance point of view, it is low. I
believe that we're one of the most reasonable, if not
one of the cheaper venues in the OHL. I still
think two tickets twenty five bucks. I think it's a
real cheap night out, a cheap night of entertainment. We're

(21:19):
trying to make it more of an entertainment not just
about the hockey game, and I think everyone in the
office has done a great job at doing that we're
trying to add more entertainment features to the game to
make it, you know, not just about the hockey game.
Attendance wise can always get better, you know, it's more

(21:40):
fun to play in front of a full crowd. We've
sold eleven hundred season tickets already for next year, so
that outstanding. But we need to educate our season ticket
holders on if you're not going to the game, give
them to your neighbor. We don't want to see empty seats.
We want that atmosphere, so you know, if you're not
going to the game, give the tickets to your neighbor,

(22:02):
give them to a kid, give them to the mailman,
give them to somebody so that we don't have seats
sitting there empty. So we're eleven hundred season ticket renewals already,
which is quite a bit higher than where we were
at this point last year. So I still I think
the buzz is there, and the excitements there, and the
support is definitely there from our sponsors and our fans,

(22:24):
so we appreciate that. But again at thirty six hundred Brandon,
we got fifteen hundred empty seats, so that's that's too many.

Speaker 1 (22:32):
Yeah, absolutely, and we saw in the playoffs that that
number is always in an uptick when people are excited
to see the prospects of what this team could do,
especially coming into the next two years. So the owner
of the Niagara Ice Dogs, Darren the Dabbler, Darren, thanks
a lot for joining us today. Best of luck with
the coaching search. I know the GM search is basically done,
but can't anything can't be announced until after the Memorial Cup,
So look forward to that announcement. Exciting changes are made

(22:54):
this offseason to improve the hockey club and seeing them
hit the ice for the first time in training camp
in August.

Speaker 6 (23:00):
Appreciate your support, thanks for having me.

Speaker 1 (23:02):
So there was owner Darren de Dobbler on another segment
of What's On to Dobbler's Radar Cam. He was very honest,
took a lot of accountability for you know, some things
that happened this season. You know, talked about death by
a thousand paper cuts are his words that he used.
So they can always improve on and off the ice
and little issues. They're always learning and they're gonna keep

(23:23):
doing keep doing it until they get it right. That
was kind of my main takeaway from it. But we've
got a lot to discuss there.

Speaker 3 (23:30):
No, and I'll be honest with you, going into to
listening to that interview, I didn't really think there was
anything he could say to alleviate all of the concerns
that again as a fan, not just someone covering the team,
but as a fan of the Ice Dogs, And I'll
be honest with you, after hearing him talk about the
issues and the process of what's going on, I feel

(23:52):
a little bit better about the team's future. So the
things that I kind of wanted to focus on is
number one, hiring a GM. Obviously, that's gonna be very important,
and it's going to be done with the not with
the OHL saying here's a general manager. This is who
you need to implement, because I don't think that would
ever work because then you've got friction between the owner

(24:13):
and the GM if if they don't you know, it
isn't the owner. You know, if you own something and
you were told this is the person who has to
run your business and you don't get you know, if
you're not in lockstep or have the you know, the
of the same mindset right like that, that probably isn't
set up for success. But nonetheless, it's with the OHL's guidance,
so you know you've got some you've got some prospects

(24:36):
of who you want to put and the OHL basically
giving their stamp of a robe like this is a
good idea, and I think that is what the That
was what the team needs. I think so very interesting
to see who is the general manager and I think
that is a good thing. You mentioned how he was
the general manager in the first season, he did everything
in his power to try and get the Memorial gup

(24:56):
bid and that included making a trade every day, and
even last year, I think there were some strides Weston,
So what he did. We talked about the trade deadline
show and Colin when he opt on and his show
as well.

Speaker 4 (25:09):
He mentioned it during it.

Speaker 3 (25:10):
The win was the trade deadline, nothing happening, not trading
away players that were doing well like Loshco and just
keeping things out of squow and so there were lessons learned,
but getting a GM.

Speaker 4 (25:20):
The bigger thing that that made me.

Speaker 3 (25:22):
Feel a little bit more confident is that he said
that the coaching hires the GM's decision, and that is
extremely important and I couldn't agree more because I think
that them GM and the coach working together is extremely
important for this franchise. And I think that that's I
like that that is how it appears it's going to go.

(25:43):
We don't know, you know, but like that's what he's
going into this offseason with the with the thought process
of we'll get the GM, GM gets the coach, and
you know he's obviously he said ninety nine percent the GM,
one percent him and obviously you're the business owner you
should get final say. But I think that that is
that's a big positive. Curious you are your thoughts on
that on just the GM and the coaching situation.

Speaker 1 (26:05):
Yeah, I mean he said it's coming after the Memorial
Cup end, So that brought up some some rumors about
who could possibly it be. Again, we don't have confirmation
on who it is. We have some names floating around
the Twitter verse there, which is always always a fun
time and a fun uh you know, rabbit hole to
get into. But it sounds like it's gonna be somebody
with experience coming from a good program. And as Darren mentioned,

(26:26):
he's going to be relocating to Niagara. He's gonna be
here on boots on the ground here every day, and
that's just not with the with the you know, they
have they had done still being in Branford, Darren and
West Consortie over there. The general manager is now going
to be sort of a bridge liaison between the management
and Darren. Anybody that thinks the owner of the Ice
Dogs is not going to be able to have last
say and and final stamp on approval, you're foolish because

(26:48):
that's every that's silly.

Speaker 4 (26:50):
Yeah, that's that's silly.

Speaker 3 (26:51):
If you're an owner, you own something like to basically
just sit there and say, yeah, I'm the owner, but
I don't have Yeah, I mean like that's silly.

Speaker 1 (26:58):
To think, but sort of be more hands off in
not trying to get involved and you know the day
to day which you know he's you know, said that
he doesn't want to be part of that, but you know,
it felt like he had to at certain points with
you know, when he was the general manager and things
like that. But again letting the coach coach, letting the
general manager be the general manager with the league's cooperation.
He said he brought six names to the Ontario Hockey

(27:20):
League and said, you know, what do you guys think
of this? And that's sort of he said, He's he's
made his choice there. But it seems like with the
least cooperation, he said, like they weren't trying to tell
him who to hire. They were just trying to add value.

Speaker 4 (27:33):
Which is huge that that.

Speaker 3 (27:35):
I think that, like I said, like that gave me,
you know, some promise in that, like just to hear
that's how it went. Because, like I said, if the
OHL said here is your general manager, I don't think
that set up for success because you know what I mean,
what if the GM you know, isn't the right fit
and you're just stuck and you know, you didn't see
how to eye with you essently your boss, like you know,
it's a very could be very messy situation. But I

(27:57):
do like how you know, given given what happened that
that the OHL being like, yeah, this is probably a
good hire. I think that's a great I think that's
that's a positive.

Speaker 4 (28:06):
I think that's positive.

Speaker 3 (28:08):
So very interesting to see how that all plays out. Obviously,
all eyes are going to be on the ice dogs
once the moreal cups down in terms of the OHL,
because that needs to get resolved immediately. The thirty to
sixty days in terms of like where he what, what
what's on his checklist for it. I love that he
brought up goaltending, you know, because I think that is if,

(28:32):
if this year for the Ice Dogs is going to be,
you know, one of the most important the most important
piece now in terms of roster construction is one hundred
percent replacing Flores because they have enough horses up front.
The decor again needs some love as well because they
gave up the most goals in the in the Eastern

(28:52):
Conference and I believe the OHL last year and it's
been a few years of doing that, so that needs
to get fixed as well. But they do have some
strong pieces on the back end, and they got to
figure out a goaltender. So I'm curious to see what
they do there because obviously that's going to come from
I mean, he brought up Finn Moffatt and Humphrees, but
he said that we need something else as well, which

(29:16):
is really interesting because that means that they're going to
have to go and get them from outside the organization.

Speaker 1 (29:20):
Yeah, and it seems like he said he wanted the
players to connect or he wanted the GM to connect
with the players. Knows that the NHL draft's coming up,
the import draft, so they've got some big events coming
up where they need to have everything sort of in
order and then when you want to make offseason trades
and things like that, Like they're not going to run
back the same group here, so obviously some changes are
going to be made in that department he talked about

(29:41):
twenty twenty seven, they're going to try to bid for
the Memorial Cup, but they've learned some things in the
last time that they went through the process, and again
for the CHL to want to bring a big event
here to Niagara, taking nothing away from the region part
of it, but everything has to be stable with the
team that's going to be hosting it. You want to
make sure and that just was not the case the
last time that they had gone for it. Their teams
gonna hopefully be more competitive and they you know, will

(30:02):
see what happens. And then that's two years from now,
but we know that the you know, the selection process
takes place the year before, so we'll probably see some
CHL people within the Meridian Center at some point when
the you know, they start to go through the bidding process.
But you know, do you you knew that when they
didn't do anything at the trade deadline cam that this
year and next year we're gonna be very important, and

(30:23):
now more so than ever with the NC Double A
eligibility and players being able to leave earlier. You know,
these two years are going to be very important for
the Ice Dogs franchise moving forward, for them to be
able to keep those players, to have that window for
two years.

Speaker 3 (30:36):
It's it's a scary time because again not just for
the Ice Dogs, it's the it's the CHL because you
could have just two and done. Essentially, like we haven't
seen the full impact. It's gonna take about five years
before players, agents, gms everyone has figured out what the
actual normal process is for the NC Double A and

(30:59):
c HL kind of marriage here right, Like, we're not
gonna see what is to be expected. So I already
saw Malcolm Spence, who's youd be a first round talent
basically are to commit to going to school like two
years ago that was never a thing and he would
just be back with the Erie or with his NHL team,
You don't. Yeah, And so the landscape is going to

(31:20):
change so dramatically. And what's scary is for a team
that has a lot of off ice issues, if that
does not get solved immediately, like I mean, like this,
like this month, you're gonna have players that the Ice
Dogs can develop and do everything that they can to
get all these great players. The scouting could do everything
and find Kevin he in the second round, you know
what I mean, and all of this and it won't

(31:41):
matter because in two years they could just go play college.
And they've got to figure that out because they have
such a good opportunity because of their proximity through the
border and where they're located and the fact that they
have a fantastic arena and it is when the building
is full, it's awesome.

Speaker 5 (32:00):
It is.

Speaker 3 (32:00):
It's so easy to see him Amorial Cup here. And
I don't mean to be biased, but like if you
were to come and you took all the op ice
stuff away and you and the team, let's say was
a top four team in the league, it like just
easily is a marriage for the Memorial Cup, right. But
the problem is that there's a lot of negatives that
come with the Ice Ice Dogs in terms of optics

(32:21):
and whatnot. And if that can be solved, like it's
just so easy in terms of you know, the setup
and where they're located and the you know, the hotel
situation around and everything else that comes with the Memorial
Cup bed Like, it's just so easy to see that
the Ice Dogs could host it.

Speaker 1 (32:37):
So we kind of look at what the lineup's going
to look like, and I asked them about, you know,
making sure that they get their their players to commit
as well. We know that first round pick Ryerson Edgar
and third round pick Cayden Bell still have not signed
up until this point, although Bell was there during draft weekend.
You know, making sure that they can get their first
round pick signed is going to probably be you know,
priority number one for the GM, which the Ice Dougs

(32:57):
have done well since the Sam Dickinson situation. They've gotten
their top guys to report. Other than that when it
was going through the ownership change from the Berks of
the Dobblers, they've done a good job in that. But
you need to see, you know, the off ice stuff
improve if you want to have stuff like that get
taken care of right away and you're not going into
June where you're still trying to pencil in what the
lineup's going to be like. Because you're losing a top

(33:19):
center in Loshco. You're losing a top defenseman in Van Vleet.
You're losing your number one goalie and Flores, So there's
a lot of question marks as far as what this
team can be on the ice. But I think the
off ice morale and you know, the camaraderie within the guys,
I think is something that the new GM and the
new head coach is gonna have to come in there
and make sure that that is priority number one.

Speaker 4 (33:37):
No, one hundred percent. I agree.

Speaker 3 (33:39):
I think that's why I said, I hope that whoever
is chosen for the coach and GM job is a veteran.
It needs to be you know, at all in the room,
I guess would be a way to describe it. It
needs to be someone that has a lot of experience
in both roles, or it's just you know, I thought
that I honestly thought that we would see Band and

(34:00):
his staff here for you know, five ten years, you know,
depending on you know, the success. But you know, we're
going through it again, and I hope that this time
it's again not it is extremely stable.

Speaker 1 (34:12):
And the last thing you mentioned was the eleven hundred
season ticket holders obviously talked about wanting to get the
building more full, making sure people are giving their tickets
away to other people that can go to the games.
We saw it in the playoffs. Can We only got
a small taste with the two playoff games, but the
buzz was there. You know that it wasn't quite fifty
three hundred like we've seen you know them in the
past with deep playoff runs before. But getting the buzz

(34:33):
back in the building and getting the fans back in
love with this region's team is something that we've been
talking about needing to happen the last couple of years.
We saw the attendance have an uptick in the second
half of the season once people knew that, you know,
it was a playoff team, and then they went through
the rough stretch there with a thirteen game losing streak
before beating London, which, as you mentioned, just felt like,
you know, winning the Ohl Championship at times. But you know,

(34:54):
encouraging stats, they're already thirty six hundred average attendance of thirteenth.
I think with Roebrick and Zada and Kevin he and Wostlin,
like I expect, if everything goes right with these hires
and the off season, that we should see an uptick
in that department as well, I.

Speaker 3 (35:10):
Think just because the team is going to have again
they were in the playoffs. The casual fan is what
you need to attract, and the casual fan now they
were there in the playoffs. You know, they might not
follow the team regularly. But it's also a great night out,
like as someone who lives very close and that is
how I ended up meeting you. It's just it is
a phenomenal experience there, and I'd like that there are

(35:32):
ideas of trying to, you know, make it just more
than about the hockey, but it is such an easy
way to have a great night out at the Murdy
and Center, and I hope to.

Speaker 4 (35:41):
See more people out there. But obviously the on ice important.

Speaker 3 (35:44):
First off, again, got to get out of your own
way off ice, but on ice, the product has improved
the tenfold and this year it should be even better.
I would think hoping it'd be pretty It would be
a crazy an area if it wasn't the case. But nonetheless,
I'm excited for this season. I think it's a said
it is. If there was a more important season for
the Ice Dogs, I don't remember it. I can't think

(36:06):
of one.

Speaker 1 (36:07):
Yeah, So I mean final thoughts here as we go
before we hit the Steven Ellis In the second segment today,
you know, seventh place in the conference. Darren de Dobbler
talked about, you know that just meeting expectations, but not
something that they were necessarily proud of as far as
you know that that was what they were striving for,
they wanted more. So as we hit in the offseason,
Cam like, like, what are you thinking here as we

(36:28):
hopefully come back in late August early September and get
ramped up for another season here with a lot of promise,
but you know, final thoughts here as we go into
the off season, the draft and everything that's going to
happen with offseason moves.

Speaker 3 (36:40):
Well, you we went back and listened to our show.
We said this a number of times during the Loser Dream.
We went back and listened to our show. At the
beginning of the season, if they made the playoffs, that's
a massive win. The problem was is that they were
first in the Eastern Conference for the half the season,
expectations changed and then they just kind of felt so
flat that it felt like a lost season.

Speaker 1 (36:59):
Like that was that was.

Speaker 3 (37:00):
And then what happened during the series against Barry was
just obviously brutal and hopefully a learning experience, not just
for the coach, of the players too. And with that
being said, I think they he said it perfectly. They
just met expectations, didn't exceed it didn't miss them, And
I think that was a perfect synopsis of how it
went this season. My expectations is a round or two,

(37:23):
like a couple of rounds, you know, like if they
don't make the second round, they're in a lot of
trouble because, like I said, we talked to this, they
have two years essentially two years here and.

Speaker 4 (37:34):
Then it's rebuilding again.

Speaker 3 (37:36):
And with the new rules, if things aren't really really
tied down and everything's buttoned up, gonna be awfully tough
and obviously scary hearing about the you know, the the
prospects not signing and whatnot. So we'll hopefully get that
sorted out when the new GM comes in and I'll
be off and running. But I I would hope that

(37:56):
they challenge for the division. And I don't mean just
for the first half for the season. I mean, like
you know, last week of the season, the challenge of thenivation.

Speaker 1 (38:02):
One thing is they don't have a lot of picks,
so you'd assume that they're gonna have to make change
some roster players.

Speaker 3 (38:08):
I guestion, like I said, the general manager's got a
tough tough you know if that means I don't even know,
I know, I mean, like, is that Kevin for for
locks like rock solid players.

Speaker 1 (38:21):
I don't know.

Speaker 4 (38:21):
I don't know what that looks like.

Speaker 1 (38:23):
So yeah, we don't want to start speculating on trades.
But again, when when they the draft cupboard, definitely the
new GM has his work coming out for him with
a solid core. But you have to make the right
moves around to to make sure that this thing is
gonna be still on the rails going forward. But we're
gonna take a quick commercial break. We're gonna come back.
Were gonna hear from Daily Face Off Steven Ellis about

(38:43):
the upcoming NHL Draft, to Ethan z oadas draft prospects,
as well as Ryan Roebrick and Brady wasson the year
after and as well a little bit on the Ohl
side of things. So stare out here, be right back
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Speaker 1 (42:19):
This is Keviny, This is Brady Woslin, This is ethan Z.

Speaker 7 (42:22):
This is Andre Loshkarl.

Speaker 3 (42:23):
It's on Florida.

Speaker 1 (42:24):
This is the dog Pound Podcast, official podcast with Niagara
Ice Dogs. Welcome back to part two of today's Dog
Pound Podcast season finale episode right here on the Armchair

(42:47):
GM Sports Network. Thank you everybody. This tune live on
our YouTube channel with this premiering live as well those
listening later on your favorite on demand audio platform Brandiico
Wittle Cam. Howbard are back with you and we are
pleased to be joined now by a special guest. Steven
Ellis from Daily Faceoff does great draft analysis, great draft coverage.
You had him on the season finale episode last season
as well, previewing some of the OHL Draft eligibles as

(43:09):
well as some Niagara Ice dogs to look forward to
in June's NHL Entry Draft. Steven, thanks a lot for
joining us today, you know, always great to have you
on to talk about the prospects because you're there watching
more film and tape than I think anybody in the league.
So always appreciate the time and look forward to this.

Speaker 3 (43:26):
Yeah, I appreciate you guys.

Speaker 6 (43:27):
Bring me on here.

Speaker 1 (43:28):
Yeah, I'll try not to have any NASCAR talk with you, Steven,
because we could have a whole podcast on that. But regardless,
we start off here with Obviously, Ethan Zada is a
guy that has risen up the drafts, the red draft boards,
and draft rankings since the season started. At the beginning
of the year, Steve, and he was sort of like
a seventh round grade, skyrocketed up in the mid mid
season rankings and on NHL Central Scouting. He's currently ranked

(43:51):
forty ninth in the final rankings, fifty five points in
sixty eight games after you know, in his second season,
you have him ranked number fifty six your board. What
did you see from Ethan Zada and where do you
think his name could be called in a June's entry draft.

Speaker 3 (44:05):
I think anywhere really Like I got it. Yeah, I
got him late in the second round. I wouldn't be
surprised if he fell even to the fourth round. And
I think he'd be good value if he fell there.
And part of that is because you look at the
skating and what a great skater he is. He's shifty,
he's he's got a good acceleration there, he could turn
quickly like with the puck like he does a lot
right there. I like his two way game. I think

(44:27):
he also he's got he's a really good play reader.
Like the thing about him was there's a lot of
players who will make passes for the sake of just
getting the puck somewhere, but for him, it feels like
he will sometimes hold onto the puck a bit too
long and sometimes it hurts them, but other times it's
to try and draw guys to him and then maybe
make the right pass. He's looking for the right pass
more than just a pass, which is something you really

(44:49):
appreciate there. So he's a good playmaker there. I think
he's also got a really good shot. I wish he
would use it a bit more. But you still look
at this year, some solid numbers in the OHL. He
didn't get to really show himself the link of Gretzky
at the start of the year. I thought he was
a lot more impactful and kind of that bottom six
role he played at the U eighteens. I think with him,
you're looking at a guy who is probably if he

(45:12):
makes hl's it's more of a bottom six role, but
he'd be a good bottom six player because it brings
that energy. He's smart, he can get himself out of trouble,
and you put that together.

Speaker 1 (45:20):
I really like it.

Speaker 3 (45:21):
Like I wish he'd be a bit more physical, but overall,
I think that this is a guy that when he
gets the buck on his stick, he's often making the
right play. There's something that like we we saw over
the last two years of him being on the ice
dogs is that while there are times where he doesn't
lay the body, but there he does show a tendency
to drop the gloves stick up for his teammates. When

(45:43):
it comes to like draft prospects and things like that,
do you find that in today's game, or at least
in the last few years, that will increase your stock
in the draft or does it really not matter at
all and it's basically just skating, shot and playmaking ability?
Like does that does that still add value like it
used to twenty years ago. Scouts are looking a lot

(46:03):
more at the skating and the hockey sense. If you
can put those two things together, Like like Brady Martin
is a perfect example of a guy who can hit,
no question about it, and I bet he will fight.
But I remember in his Ohl Draft year, he was
probably one of the most skilled players at the U
sixteen level, Like he was just pulling off moves that
nobody else could do. But he eventually learned he had
to be more of an everyday player. And you watch

(46:25):
what he's able to do with the Sue Greyhounds and
especially with Canada at the under eighteen it's a guy
that just he wanted to go out there and make
no ways. And when you when you look at that,
it's like he's not like he's got the physical elements.
That's not a negative. That's the thing. It's definitely a pause.
It's not negative. It's whether or not that's could be
super valuable as a question, Like if you're gonna be
a bottom six player, you gotta be smart, you gotta

(46:46):
be able to skate, and you also need to be
very reliable defensively. If you put those three together, that's
gonna be fine. Then you've got the the His hockey
sense is what creates so many of his great plays
and you put that together. I do think he's gonna
be a good bottom six player, but I don't know
how impactful the physicality side of it it's going to be.
But it's not a bad thing now.

Speaker 1 (47:05):
And he's an underrated agitator Steven because you watch when
you watch games of him, he he knows how to
kind of you know, take an extra a little bit
of somebody or you know, hold the stick and he
like he just has that knack for getting under the
other player's skin with legally, I guess is the word
I'm looking for. He's won three gold medals playing for
Team Canada's you know U eighteen and Gretzky Helenka. He

(47:25):
played at the OHL Top Prospects Game, so he's been around.
He's a top five pick in the OHL Draft and
when they drafted him, they said that, you know, he's
a guy that just is in plain sight all year.
You know what you're gonna get from Ethan Zada day
in and day out. Do you think that his style
is more encouraging for teams that you know, want to
play hard in the in the playoffs, like you look
at what the Florida Panthers are doing, Like do you
think that his play style is kind of geared more

(47:47):
towards the playoffs, not necessarily putting up a ton of
points and having those flashy plays.

Speaker 3 (47:52):
I think so because I think when you watch the
way he plays again, it just it's it's high energy
all the time. He's got that two way game, he's
he's got a good shot. He's like, you put all
those things together, and yeah, I do see someone who
the teams are looking for at that point. You're not
going to be getting a top line player in the second, third,
or fourth round of the draft. You're looking for guys
who you hope will be nhlders, whether it be more

(48:14):
of a depth role or more of just a support guy.
And I think that's where he comes into the play here,
and he's like, yeah, Okay, he's not gonna be a
top line player, but he's really good at being a
bottom six player in situations like playing for Team Canada,
where he gets into that role, like obviously a bit
more of important role with Niagara, but when he gets
put on these all star teams, he really looks good

(48:34):
in the roles he's given, which is usually deeper down,
and that's because he's got that energy, he's got that
ability to just attack guys all the time. So yeah,
I really think that this is a guy that teams
should be very excited about. And that's why I got
him as a second round player because he might not
be a flashy as, he might not be explosive offensively,
but he's got a lot of the trades teams are
looking for. Last year we had we had our first

(48:56):
drafted player and Kevin he in quite some time. He
fell to the fourth round and went to the Winnipeg Jets.
Do you think that this season he came out with
such a hot start but kind of fizzledop near the
end And I'm not sure if that had something to
coincide with, you know, just the losing streak in the ice.
I was looking kind of tiring out near the end
of the year. But did he improve his stock? Did

(49:17):
it did it go down? Did it say the same?
What do you think in terms of Kevin He's development
and is there a chance that he could you know,
be up, you know, into into the HL and NHL
sooner rather than later. He's very interesting prospect. You know,
the Jets have a lot of really good young guys.
They love the Yeah, yeah, they they know what they're

(49:38):
doing there. Yeah, that's one thing he's kind of got
advantage of is they draft they have a lot of
centers and he's a winger, so that is something where like, okay,
might actually help him kind of going up with the
system there. For me, well, the big thing of watching
him play this year was seeing a guy who can
play bigger and more important moments, because yeah, he had
thirty one goals last year, but he was doing on

(49:58):
a team that wasn't getting you know, wasn't getting all
the wins and they were they were of the Super
Iron teams, so he was going out there and getting
goals that were just not as important. But as the
team got better this year and he took on that
leadership role, we saw a guy who was still scoring
even better of a playmaker. The speed's still there, so yeah,
there's a lot of stuff there that can make him
a middle six player. And I'd like to see him,

(50:20):
you know, add a bit more muscle to his game
because I know, like when you've got that speed, it'd
be really cool to go see him go and just
knock guys down. And he's he's not a small guy,
but it feels like I wanted to see him get
a little physically stronger and use that to his ability.
But watching what he's able to do with the puck
and what he's able to do with the speed, like,
there's there's a lot to like there. And yeah, he's
easily one of the most improved prospects in this past

(50:41):
year's draft because he was taking over like in the
fourth round. Definitely, like what an absolute fine in the
fourth round already one of the most improved players.

Speaker 1 (50:48):
Yeah, and when he gets going, he's like, you know,
if a fast train, he's hard to stop and he
kind of lays some big hits when he's at full speed.
One of the fastest players, as you know in the
Ohl Steven as we kind of move on for methan Zada,
and I do think that, you know, his penalty killing
is something that improved this year that I think scouts
to Cam's question, really scouts saw this year that he was,
you know, used in all situations. But turning the page

(51:10):
here a little bit, Steven to another draft eligible player
for the for the Ice Dogs is Jack Brody. This
is the second time into the draft as a as
a plus one draft d and you look at at
number one thirty nine on North America's Central Scouting rankings,
possibly a round five, round six type guy they haven't
projected as. What would you think that you'd have to
see to have Jack Broddy's name defensive from the Niagara

(51:31):
Ice Dogs have his name called in June.

Speaker 3 (51:34):
I think scouts would love if he was a bit bigger,
But what we really saw at the the Buffalo Prospect
Challenge when he played for Boston was like he was
a free agent invite to that draft. He wasn't one
of the top prospects, but he was one of their
better players, and that's what really opened my eyestand like, well, okay,
like that was a lot better than I remember watching
him play in the OA Challenge. It's a really good
puck handler, like like a much bet more improved puck handle,

(51:56):
I should say, because that was a thing that felt
like was kind of a weak point of him in
it draft year. The hockey sense is there, he's a
good skater. I know scouts would just wish he was
a bit bigger, but I think you've got a lot
of those raw tools where you can probably be patient
with him and still be happy because you know, maybe
he's more of a shutdown defender in the NHL. Again,
you probably want someone a bit more size, But I

(52:17):
do think he's got that offensive skill that really could
translate to him being a bit more underrated in a
sense there. So there's nothing about his game that stands
out to a point where oh, yeah, he's definitely an
NHL draft pick, But there's enough into his game where
if he gets drafted, I think the team would be
taking a smart making a smart move, whether it be fifth, sixth,
seventh round, because there's a lot of upside in a

(52:40):
lot of those traits of this game. Would it be
his hockey sense, his shot, his ability to just skate
really well both ends of the ice, So there is
a lot to like. Whether he gets drafted, I guess
as a question for NHL scouts, but I do think
that there's a lot of elements there too, Like after
a few you know, rough years for the Ice Dogs
and finally back into the playoffs and to see kind

(53:00):
of their core gets the the highlight and the notice
and next year is really kind of the pinnacle of it.
We had Ken Kevin he get drafted last year. Zada
is definitely gonna be potential to go to go higher
in the draft than Kevin did, which I don't think
any of us saw coming into this year. But that
being said, a fantastic year by Zada. But now going
into next year, Ryan Robert, who has been on NHL

(53:24):
prospect radars for you know ever since he came into
the OHL, as well as the Niagress firs round pick
last year, and Bray Wostlin, who had a great rookie
season in the OHL. Both of them seem to have
really high ceilings. Would you be able to just give
us what the ceiling on both of those players and
what the floor could be like where you would see
the absolute you know what would what would have to
go really wrong for them to to not really hit

(53:45):
their hit their stride in their draft year. For Rubric,
I'd be shocked if he's not a top ten pick
next year. Like, that's a guy that has everything teams
are looking for, an outstanding shot, a great offensive IQ.
He's got the big frame and we watched him at
the U eighteens where he was basically that net front
presence and no one could knock him out, and especially

(54:06):
in the power play, he was a great guy in
front of the net, screening everybody, doing just so much
that you're looking forward, Like his off put game has
come a long way. I remember watching him when he
was I think it was like fourteen or fifteen and
hist Ohl Draft minus one year, so he was trying
to go for exceptional status and did end up getting it,
but he looked so physically dominant no one could keep up.

(54:26):
The year after, it felt like he took a step back.
While the numbers were great, it felt like he was
too good for that level. I think whether or not
he should have gone to the OHL yearly. I guess
it's up to the Canadian Hockey League and Michael beas
as well. But yeah, yeah, I mean Misa basically was
not going to get it until he had that dominant
OHL Cup Final HL Cup, I should say. But with Rubric,

(54:48):
like last year, he showed Okay, yeah, he was damn good.
And he's got that size without going out and getting
himself in trouble, and he's he can knock guys down
if he needs to, but that's not his game. Like,
he's got a lot of skill to his game, and
you put that all together and I would be shocked
if he's not a top ten pick, like he would
probably be a top ten pick in this year's draft too,
But I think for his sake, he's probably happy that

(55:10):
he gets that extra year development to push himself higher up.
When it comes to Woscelyn, I think a really good playmaker.
Remember watching him, he was one of those guys everyone
was talking about was a top forward from the OYL
draft of twenty four. I liked him in the OJHL.
I know he didn't get a lot of points, but
I thought he brought a lot of good energy and
made that team more dangerous and those couple of games
he played. So we're waiting for him to kind of

(55:32):
get that big offensive breakout. But I think that even
watching him play as part of Canada selection camp for
the A teams, obviously he didn't make the team, we
saw a guy who was just really good at just
getting the breakouts started. And it was just drills and
stuff like that, but he was getting the past everywhere
he wanted it all the time, and very few guys
were able to do that. So I like to see
him kind of to continue to improve that goal scoring ability.

(55:56):
But right now I think he's at a good point
here where we're still talking about a first round pick.
What a good comp sat before I forget what a
good comp because of Rubrick's late birthday and getting the
extra year in the OHL for his draft.

Speaker 4 (56:10):
It would a good comp be like port of Martin
this year.

Speaker 3 (56:13):
Yeah, I could see that because like Marton, well big yeah,
Like Marton was a big goal scorer pretty quickly into
his career when he started Peterborough and then Mississauga and Brampton,
and I think with with within that situation, they're like, yeah,
that's a good case. They're like both like to play
a bit on the edge from time to time. I
think Marton hits that edge a bit more than Rubric,

(56:34):
But Rubric also is just a lot bit more of
a finesse player too, Like I think I mentioned it
last year, I saw him score like one of the
coolest empty net goals I've ever seen, where he scored
from his own zone. It was a bar down shot.
Oh yeah, that's pretty cool. So yeah, there's a ton
of talent there and it would be interesting to see
if he's in the running for Canada's World junior team,

(56:55):
because that's some of my next question was, like, we'll
see like I'd assume he's gonna be part of that
world their summer showcase team. We'll see from there. Like
there's the thing about Canada is obviously a lot could change.

Speaker 4 (57:05):
And it can't mess around.

Speaker 3 (57:07):
Yeah, they they're not bringing Dave Cameron back, but like
with them, you can look at it and say, Okay, well,
like there's a there's a situation where he could probably
be a good thirteen four flirteam or even a four
f liner. But they've got a lot more skill. So
as long as they don't have a bunch of guys
going to the NHL, and I don't think they will.
I don't think Shaffer's in the NHL next year. I
don't think Marton's in the NHL next year. Like those

(57:28):
guys can come back. I think Canda should be in
a really strong team there, so he might be knocked
out because of that. But I do think the Rubric
has also got the situation here where he could be
in the NHL right after he's drafted. He might be
one of those guys where if he's not taking the
top five, like he could takes six or seventh but
still be ready to go to the NHL. Because he's
got that size, he's got the foote and older. Yeah,

(57:50):
he's got that older age. I think there's a lot
of value there. So yeah, he'll, he'll, he should be
in Hockey Canada's radar, no question about it. It's just
a tough team to make next year. Like we say that,
I feel like every year, and Canada probably should have
done a lot better with the right coaching staff this
past year. But it's the story for a different name.

Speaker 1 (58:07):
Yeah, he had eight points in the in the four
round robin games for Canada. I think that's a pretty good,
pretty good showing for him there at the the UA
teams and you mentioned, you know, just Washlon and Roebrick
taking a step forward. Washlon when he was drafted was
more known as a as a shooter, and we saw
him break Niagres with the rookie record for assists this year.
Obviously he was you know up there in ice time

(58:28):
as well and was given every opportunity to do so.
But when you look at you know, early projections for
this team next year, Steven, you look, if Kevin he
does come back, you know, if he doesn't make the
NHL or the American Hockey League, you look at Ryan
Roebrick going into his draft year, all the eyes on him,
eyes on Brady Wasslin, Ethan Zada is drafted, Like, where
do you see this core going now? And especially now

(58:48):
with the changing landscape of the NCAA eligibility there retain
the retention of players is going to be big for
these OHL teams to kind of know that they've got
a core that's going to remain there for a couple
of seasons. With Niagara having a two year window that
they're trying to go for. Here with the mem Cup
in twenty seven as a possibility, where do you see
this team going forward? You're obviously gonna have a new
head coach and general manager as we talked about in

(59:10):
the first segment today, but like, where are your thoughts
on where this whole core is going and what you
think their ceiling could be this next year with all
the eyes on those draft eligible guys in the year after.

Speaker 3 (59:21):
It's a good core, Like that's the thing always you're
looking at this team and for the years of just
trying to take that next step forward, it was like, Okay,
what is it that is going to make this team
kind of take that next step forward? And we've got
that now with for Erubric and Kevin He and all
these guys out of Like, this is a very strong
and compelling group. So for me, it's always like how
good is your goaltending going to be? How?

Speaker 5 (59:42):
You know?

Speaker 3 (59:43):
The London Knights in general are a team you never
want to play against because of what they can do.
But I think this is a team that should, no
question about it, take that next step, like we saw
a winsor almost do this year where they should be competitors.
They should be contending every single night no matter who
they're playing with, and they're gonna be lethal, especially in
the power play. So yeah, like this is a this
is an exciting situation for this team where they look

(01:00:03):
like they're ready to go. And I'm I'm wouldn't be
surprised if Ryan Rubik at sixty goals next year. We'll see.
There's a lot that's a tall task to do, and
I think we were all kind of hoping, like or
thinking Porter Martone would be one of those guys who
could kind of reach that mark there. But with Rubrick
that the ceiling's super high there and that's you know,

(01:00:24):
and then that isn't counting the guys who are already
gonna be drafted to that point. So I think it's
gonna be a exciting season.

Speaker 1 (01:00:29):
Eighty seven point one goals in sixty four games.

Speaker 4 (01:00:31):
Game no, absolutely, and it'll be really exciting to see.

Speaker 3 (01:00:35):
I honestly, last year we talked about how Zada you know,
had to be the X factor for the team and
if he put up fifty points and then we were
definitely a playoff team. Again, this was before you know,
the season, that was kind of what we were hoping
for wostlyon next year. You know, if you mentioned it,
if he becomes a goal scorer and what we saw
earlier before he got drafted, that would be massive. And again,
I think if you combine those two, I think that

(01:00:56):
you're gonna see potentially a lot of Ice Dog records
challenged and uh that we've already seen over the last
few years, but but even even more so. And it's
not like the the Ice Dogs don't have a lot
of impressive alumni over the years either. So it's gonna
be an exciting year specifically, and next two. Really I'm
curious to see who they go after net and things
like that, because you allude to that who goes in

(01:01:18):
net is gonna be very important. But in terms of
the draft prospect the last thing I do want to
ask is even when it comes to having players in
the HL, but more more and more specifically the OHL,
because that kind of gets the biggest highlight just demographically,
does it cause like national attention? Like do you do
you do you think that there will be more eyes

(01:01:39):
on the ice dogs, not just maybe not just in
the arena, but just overall because of Robriick and maybe
Wastling if he has a really really strong season and
improves his draft stock tremendously. Yeah, Like I feel like
now the H in general is going to be a
bit more watch because a lot of cases people are
also like, if you're a college hockey fan, like which
one of these guys are we going to get? In
a couple of your point, it's it's a really interesting

(01:02:01):
landscape that not enough people really know what's gonna happen there.
Like we know Malcolm Spence obviously going into the college.
There's a bunch of other high end prospects that they
haven't announced yet that are also gonna be going the
same way, and it's gonna be really fun. So in
case of that, like, there's some opportunities to go out
there and shine. I guess the one thing that you
got to always be worried about is if all the

(01:02:22):
top prospects are leaving, does it start to devalue? And
that's what you don't want. You don't want this to
be a situation where the BHL is obviously a bit
of a different situation. But the big thing about them
was they were attracting all the best college bound guys.
Now there's no reason to go play there in the
league took a massive hit this year, so I think
they don't want that to happen. At this point, you
go want to make sure you're keeping these guys, like

(01:02:44):
it's harder. It might be harder to build for the
long term future going forward. Where teams this year the
Ochel Draft, there was a lot of question marks are
we getting these guys just for two years or like,
are we getting them for the full four years or
like obviously there's the question about the guys who do
two years and go to the NHL, But one of
the guys in two years go to college. That's where
things get really interesting here. So yeah, I think just

(01:03:06):
even just from a drafting perspective, like, are team's going
to start drafting safer picks as opposed to the high
end picks just because you might have a better chance
of holding onto those guys longer, Like ye, teams don't
want to have those guys for just two years. They
want to have those guys for longer, especially not the
early part of their two years where they're not playing
their best. So it's gonna be very interesting. But as
long as they can keep the core together, like you

(01:03:27):
look at e and you look at Rubric, you look
at ZADEI like, those are good guys who you can
still build around and make a very competitive team. So
I think there's gonna be a lot of eyes there,
and I'm very interested to see where this whole thing
kind of shapes out in the next couple years, because
I don't think anyone knows I know for a fact,
like ohlgms have no idea how this is gonna go.

Speaker 4 (01:03:45):
Yeah, completely new to navigate. For sure.

Speaker 3 (01:03:46):
The window goes from four years basically you mentioned it two.
I think you're gonna see a lot of super teams
or that situation where you've got it where you're going
all in is not three cracks at it it's one
or maybe two. Yeah, it's like it's interesting because it's
like it's it could be a lot of situations where
teams don't know where those players are going to play
up until after the draft, because those ANGEL teams are

(01:04:07):
gonna start making the decisions for you. And that's why
it's interesting seeing someone like Malcolm Spence commit when he did.
It's like, would you not want to wait to see
what the NHL team? Maybe they'd rather have you in
the OHL. We'll see, so it'll be interesting. But like
we expect a lot of announcements within the days after
the draft is over, and I think that's going to
make things wild.

Speaker 1 (01:04:26):
Yeah, Like you just don't want it to turn into
a UA teen league for the best, top quality players, right.
You want to see them last longer in the OHL.
We know that the second round this year, I had
more Americans than ever in the OHL draft, So it
was it was interesting to see and like you said,
the landscape is changing, but you hope that the OHL
retains those players, And like Cam mentioned, like as far

(01:04:47):
as keeping those coors together, you might have to go
forward a year earlier than you usually would, So I
think there's a lot changing in that sense. Uh, Steve,
and I have a quick question just in general about
the draft that somebody wanted me to ask you as
far as what you think the value is of you know,
picks between you know, seven to fifteen, Like what is
a first round pick worth now? As far as trade

(01:05:08):
value because we know, you know, if it's a deeper
draft and or if it's a weaker draft, that could
change things. But you know, we don't really see the
the Corey Schneider or bohorvet for Corey Schneider type deals
where he was basically traded for for a top ten pick.
There Like, where do you see the value of picks now,
because it's different than maybe in some other sports, you know,

(01:05:28):
where do you think it's going? Is it better, more
lesser than maybe it was in the past.

Speaker 3 (01:05:34):
That's a great question. I know, Like every year you
see people on Twitter like theorizing that their team might
trade down like two or three picks to get something
like that doesn't happen. That doesn't happen, And I don't
see why an NHL team would really want to do
that unless the offer is so compelling or the team
that's willing to give up a lot of assets are
willing to go in and you're passing on z Billiams, Well, hey,

(01:05:57):
we know how much fun that you look at a
the D group last year and love shoot off. I
think it's nowhere as much attention as he probably should
for how good of a defenseman he is. But then
Mouiam goes to Dominates colleges, It goes to Dominates. They like,
it's a very interesting draft class this year. Like, yeah,
it's not a super strong draft, but I still think

(01:06:18):
like it really depends on the team. Like I know
now it kind of feels like a cop out of answer,
but it depends on the team because certain teams might
not be willing to wait an extra year to go
grab a guy, like they might be like, we want
to start doing this now, and I'd rather have a
player than have a pick. I'd rather have that that
the known quantity at this point than like a may
see what happens, Like you saw what happened at the draft, Lauteri.

(01:06:40):
The Islanders had no intent, like they had basically no
shot of picking first overall. In they picking first overall.
Now they got to change their well, first off, they
had to hire a GM, but they had to chapter
their entire outlook of how they were going to handle
the draft. So I'd rather draft in the present than
trying to training and do something like that. So it
really is team dependent. But like I'm looking at the

(01:07:00):
bottom out of this top ten, like you could get
Victor Eckland, who I think is gonna be better than
his brother And I know, Kam you like, no, no.

Speaker 4 (01:07:08):
I think so too. I think that there could be Yeah, they're.

Speaker 3 (01:07:11):
Totally different players and fun fact, they actually like play
like NHL with each other like all the time. Really, yeah,
like even though their time zones are very different in San.

Speaker 4 (01:07:19):
Jose and Sweden that is a very different time zone.

Speaker 3 (01:07:22):
Yeah, yeah, they still play. They still play a lot
of NHL together. But yeah, like it was so like
I'm trying to think of one other teams like Buffalo,
you're still gonna be You're still gonna get some good value.
Like Roger McQueen could fall out of the top ten.
And this is one of the most interesting forwards we've
seen in a long time because he's just like kind
of like Kayden linch Strum last year, where he's got

(01:07:42):
so much skill but he barely played this year due
to back injuries, and we saw what that just did
to kid Lindstrum where he barely played any games this season.
So I think it really kind of depends on where
that team is. But right now, like I would rather
have a pick, pick a player now and trade it
to maybe get a pick next year, because as good
as that draft could be, your situation could change. And

(01:08:05):
that's why you never draft for your immediate needs either.
You draft best player available in the first round because
your immediate need could change three days later in free agency,
so you might as well get who you think is
gonna be the best player down the line. Because the
worst case, like Montreal drafted a lot of defensemen in
a short span, they.

Speaker 4 (01:08:22):
Were able to crime. But yeah, that was always their issue.
They did it in the wrong year.

Speaker 3 (01:08:25):
They kept drafting defense, but they didn't get any superstar defenseman.
But they were able to go in upgrade their current
roster and getting Alex Carrier, for example, by trading one
of the young defensemen they had in the system, and
they still have more like Logan may you I have
to assume he's on the trade market at this point
because they've got too many young guys, and he's gonna
be in his thirty year in the AHL, like at
some point he's got to make that step forward. So

(01:08:47):
again it really depends, but I would rather have a
pick now and take that asset and see what you
could do with it. And you don't see prospects traded
immediately way after, but you know, you look at who
was the team? Was it was it Vegas. Vegas drafted
David Edgstrom.

Speaker 4 (01:09:03):
Yeah that was He's not his third different team.

Speaker 3 (01:09:06):
H third team already, and I still think he's an
outstanding prospect, but there's like he's a key piece of
every trade. He's part of ye and Vegas easily could
have traded that first round pick to get something else
of the deadline, but they got him and they've turned
that into assets that they used now. So I'd rather
have that than trade the pick. Last question for me,
what is the percentage that Shaeffer falls to two for

(01:09:26):
the Sharks, which is the ultimate dream scenario. I don't
should pass on him, I know.

Speaker 4 (01:09:35):
But he just scored.

Speaker 3 (01:09:37):
It's never been more wide open. Yeah, that's the thing, Like,
in a perfect world, if Chicago got first overall, I
think you think same That's what I said too. I
was like, man, that is Chicago winning the draft. Watter
they take themselves out of the running from a canne two.

Speaker 4 (01:09:54):
It is the whole thing. I was just like, oh,
let it be and it didn't work.

Speaker 3 (01:09:57):
In the Islanders put it the Islanders are they need everything,
They need every prospect they could possibly have, Like Michael
Lisa is a good fit, but Schaeffer just they don't
have a young, good defenseman coming up. I will say
that as good as like, obviously, the whole story about
next year McKenna being this star prospect is incredible and
I can't wait to watch him.

Speaker 4 (01:10:16):
At college next year.

Speaker 3 (01:10:18):
But uh, I will say that if you need a
defenseman next year, six foot four h Keaton Verhoff is
going to be a star in the NHL.

Speaker 4 (01:10:31):
This guy interesting.

Speaker 3 (01:10:32):
He only started playing goalie, I believe when he were
defense when he was twelve years old. He was a
goalie before that, you hear, but before really defense. This
is a guy who's playing goalie.

Speaker 4 (01:10:41):
That's crazy.

Speaker 3 (01:10:42):
Then he goes to Deed and he's maybe the second
best prospect next year and our shadow though right like
no one hears about him. Yeah, the under eighteens. Well,
see he's he played out played in for a West
in Victoria, but he was one of the best players
at the under eight teams overall, and he missed the
first few games because he wasn't the team at that time.
So Keen Verhoff is going to turn so many like

(01:11:04):
like I have them a tank at number two or
number three for my next draft if you don't get Schaefer,
Like there's an argument that there might be more intrigue
in nan Keen Beverhoff because of the size and skill factor,
like you had like something like fifty points this year
as a six foot four defensive.

Speaker 1 (01:11:18):
And then my last question for you, Stephen before we
let you go, is just the general thoughts on the
Ohl draft this year, Like in your opinion with all
the top Ohl talent available, the Schaffers, the mesas the Martons.
I know you're very high on guys like Brady Martin,
Jcobrien and Kashan Agison's like your favorite player that you've
mentioned a lot throughout the season, Like where does this

(01:11:40):
Ohl draft rank in your mind as far as what
we've seen, Like we look back to possibly the McDavid
and Marner draft and how deep that was for the
OHL with some top end guys, but to possibly have
five guys from the OHL go in the top ten,
Just how much do you think that you know what
you've seen from the OHL this year and things might

(01:12:01):
change with all the NC double A agreement going forward,
But how proud are you of the league this year
for having the you know, a lot of top end
talent that you've been able to cover.

Speaker 3 (01:12:11):
Well, makes it easier someone based in Ontario to go
see these players, and when you look at it, there's
a realistic chance that the top three players could all
come from the same week. That's incredible. You look back
when Michigan a couple I think it was twenty one
where they had all their like really high end prospects
like Ken Johnson, Owen Power, Meddi Beniers all playing on
the same team, Like that was really cool. With this

(01:12:32):
all being in the same league, like that's still like
such a testament of how good the league is because
there's been a lot of talk like is the league
getting watered down a little bit. When you look at
the skills, the high end skill is still there, and
part of it is you look at the development levels
the GTHL, the oh's all that stuff like that, there's
so much high end talent coming up, and so it's
not a surprise to see all these high end guys

(01:12:53):
at the top of this draft board. So yeah, like
it's exciting. Like Schaeffer is a future top parent defenseman,
like Michael Misa is the guy that if I need
to go out and get a goal, like, that's who
I want in the draft. And yah, you look at
Porter Marton. People are way too underrating him, man, Like
they're like, oh, his skating is not great, his skating
isn't bad, and that's something you give an NHL coach

(01:13:14):
five minutes to figure out for him, and he's gonna
be a great player. Like like, you want a Porter
Marton on your team. And then I love Brady Martin
Kasehawn Ahison man, Like, I that's everything you want in
a defenseman, a guy who wants to be as difficult
as humanly possible to play against. Like that's the thing.
Like Shaffer's great, he's got the high end playmaking. Obviously

(01:13:34):
we know he's gonna probably be the first overall pick,
but Kaseean Agerson is like the exactly what you want,
just just he wants to knock guys down. He can score,
he can fight, he's fearless. He's not big, but he's fearless.
And you've got a guy like that who's not afraid
of anything out there. He's gonna be a good player.
So a ton of talent. OHL is gonna probably have
the best draft of anyone this year. And it's it's

(01:13:56):
interesting because, like you know, Western Canada that kind of
had a couple of great years, it's Ontario stern.

Speaker 1 (01:14:02):
We saw kaysehan Ah just an up close and personal
with the Ice Dogs being in the same division and
playing them in the first round of the playoffs. Definitely
a hard guy to play against him. Cam can't rave
enough about him, even though he was, you know, an
agitator for this Niagara Ice Dog's team this year. But
Steven Ellis from Daily Face Off, thanks a lot for
joining us and giving our fans a lot of great insight,
not just on the Ice Dogs but the Ohl Draft

(01:14:22):
coming up. I know it's gonna be an exciting time
and busy time for you with the combine and the
draft and and everything that goes with that. So great
job is always this season and look forward to having
you on, you know at some point to talk about,
you know, the Washlon and Robert Draft. It's gonna be
all eyes on it. Next season.

Speaker 3 (01:14:37):
It's gonna be an exciting year for the Ice Dog.
So I'm looking forward to saying I should definitely get
down there a couple of times. Now that Buddy my
family live a little closer there, I might be able
to go down and see some more games.

Speaker 4 (01:14:47):
We'll do absolutely.

Speaker 1 (01:14:48):
So that's gonna wrap it up for our Dog Pound
podcast season finale episode right here on the arm heare
GM Sports Network, thanking everybody that tuned in live on
our YouTube channel and those who listened on your favorite
on demand audio platform for Cam Hobbard and our guest
Steven Ellis. My name is Bernon bbutto enjoy the off season.
We'll talk to you again very soon and we'll wait
to see what the Niagarais Dogs do in this upcoming
off season. You're listening to the Armchair GM Sports Network.

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Important Offseason From Top to Bottom for the IceDogs Franchise - Dog Pound Podcast: Season Finale

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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;}Important Offseason From Top to Bottom for the IceDogs Franchise - Dog Pound Podcast: Season Finale