New Season, New Rules, Same Vibes - OHL in 60 Podcast: 2025-26 Season Premiere - 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 season of the OHL in sixty podcast
and for the first time in video form, it's Reese
Doumanian Colin Ward back with you for another OHL season.
It is our first on the Armchair GM Sports Network,
and that's why you can see us on camera for
the first time in show history. Wardy faces for radio.

(01:23):
We're on the screen.

Speaker 3 (01:25):
What are we doing?

Speaker 1 (01:27):
Maybe?

Speaker 3 (01:28):
Yeah, maybe check out Apple podcast, Spotify podcast. Maybe check
the podcast out because uh yeah the face. No, I'll
get uh something new, something new.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah. Yeah. We'll give a shout out to Brandon Caputo,
who's producing this show. He's our OL's brother. For any
Overdrive fans, he's uh, he's OL's brother behind the scenes,
so although he's not really behind the scenes anymore, he's
kind of like on this front of the scenes. Is
that the right word on the scenes in front of

(02:03):
I don't know one or the other. But yeah, we're uh,
we're golden now, I got the got the fish going.
We're champs. Baby. Sorry to any GWELF fans listening, but
uh uh uh yeah, tough second round for you, especially
that last one. Eight one man. But Uh yeah, Jackfish
and Champs got to rock the Fish in this first

(02:25):
episode and I'm feeling all right. Party last until two
thirty am Monday morning. It's a good time. Yeah, it's
a good time. So we uh by the hockey season
again for sure, and Junior B loop has already started.
We're gonna get to that on this this week's show.
We've got a lot of topics to cover, I should say. Uh.

(02:46):
Of course, the inaugural power rankings are are out for
this twenty twenty five twenty sixth season. They still mean nothing.
Most is you got to play the games. So we
saw how much that made an impact last year in
one arena that felt the need to talk about it
every single chance they got, and then their team lost

(03:07):
in the first round of the playoffs. So yeah, that
worked out well. But yeah, we're we're not going to
get into that again. I think that was a whole
rant on a previous episode that we talked about, So
we're not going to get into that. But we've got
that the under armoured jerseys some issues to start, some
teams don't have them, is it and.

Speaker 3 (03:29):
Is it hard to add another layer of stitching?

Speaker 2 (03:33):
I guess it's hardly.

Speaker 3 (03:35):
Yeah, yeah, you see.

Speaker 2 (03:37):
The topics there on your screen if you're listening to us. Obviously,
we're gonna go over some headlines. There's not a ton
you know, opening week of courses this week, but there
is a headline Subbury Wolfs made a trade. They're trying
to recover picks that that they got rid of last
year for going for it. That's another rant that you
could go back and listen to on a previous episode.
Of course, the g OJHL affiliation with the Ontario Hockey

(03:59):
League will discuss that. The NC double A rule. We're
seeing it this week both sides, which is kind of
what we thought it would be.

Speaker 3 (04:07):
So should it be this week in the dramatic NC
double A agreement.

Speaker 2 (04:13):
Might be Yeah, we can do that.

Speaker 3 (04:16):
Biking a lot of issues there.

Speaker 2 (04:20):
Yeah, yeah, a little bit flow hockey of course, the
new streaming partner here with the Ontario Hockey League, so
we'll touch on that and what we think of it.
Rookie camp obviously, we Colin mood is not a fan
of why we're starting the OHL this week, but we'll
get into that later on in the show. And then

(04:41):
our preseason media poll that we are always pleased to
be a part of Josh Sweetland sends it out before
about a week before the season, week and a half
before the season to have a bunch of people around
the league fill it out and we are very happy
to do so every single year. So we'll go over
all of our answers from that. But first, let's let's
get off. Let's get off to a hot start here.

(05:01):
Whardy The Owen Sound Attack received Noah Roberts from the
Sudbury Wolves in exchange for a third round pick in
twenty twenty six, a fifth round pick in two thousand
and twenty eight, and a fifth round pick in twenty
and twenty nine. The third and twenty six and the
fifth and twenty nine is an Owen Sound pick. That
fifth rounder in twenty eight is a Peterborough pick. So

(05:24):
trying to recover picks. Are the Sudbury Wolves after last
season trying to go for it and not doing very
well and Noah Roberts being shipped out to Owen Sound
to the Bay Shore.

Speaker 3 (05:35):
Yeah, you know, it's a good move for Owen Sound.
You get some depth, you get to add some depth
there in Sudbury. They settle their Owa situation right, So
that's kind of huge, but we'll see what happens in
both sides. You know, Sudbury has a team that a lot
of drafted talent. Reason you know, we'll see what they are.
Obviously we spoke about it last year. They're really gonna
regret their deadline last year at this point of the

(05:59):
year now that we speak, when I think they have
a half decent roster. They just weren't built for this
year when they did what they did last year the deadline.
But Forrowin's Sound, you know, you get a piece, you
get no AA piece, you get a candidate. You know,
he's tough, he's physical something he plays on that line.
He fits the Owe Sound system to be honest, Owen
Sounds always had that defenseman who can play on that line.

(06:23):
And hopefully for Noah Roberts' sake, he doesn't cross it
too much. But he's an effective player. When he's playing,
he can be effective for you. So it's a good
move for both sides. For Sudbury, you know, you get
three picks. Maybe that turns into something. You know, maybe
we'll see what happens, but I don't know. The goaltending
in Sudbury is gonna be the thing for them, and
I mean, I mean, we'll touch on that in the

(06:43):
second half of the show, but we'll see what happens.
But it's a good deal for both sides. It's a
hockey deal at this point in the year that we
see quite often.

Speaker 2 (06:51):
Yeah, absolutely, you know. They they lose views as well
having to do well not having to But he goes
to the U of M Go Blue Boom. We sucked
against Oklahoma.

Speaker 3 (07:03):
That was not I don't even yeah, like I don't
even want Ohio State to have a hockey team. I
want them all to come to the.

Speaker 4 (07:12):
I want him all the league.

Speaker 2 (07:18):
The founder of the That is an angle fan club
right here.

Speaker 3 (07:24):
Colin Ward, Well, it was awesome when you see Reid
Duffy and I's picks. And I know Brandon's cackled in
the background right now because you know when you saw.

Speaker 5 (07:36):
The picks, when you saw the I just did that
on your network, Brandon. But I just think that when
you saw the picks and you saw who read and
I picked, that is an angle on the Bulldogs defense.
But I mean, and honestly it's worth the pick.

Speaker 3 (07:52):
I think fans that see that throughout the year will
see why we picked them. But it is quite funny
that the two Ohio state people pick Edison Angle as
their player to watch on the Bulldogs this year. That
was quite amusing.

Speaker 2 (08:05):
Just didn't see that coming at all. It's amazing, isn't it. Yeah,
that's really the main headline we had. Noah Roberts going
to going to Owen sound for for three picks. Gotta
love Mondays right, go out with all those trade news
off the weekend. So it's happened before, it's going to
continue to happen, I'm sure. And we like that because

(08:25):
we record Monday night, so it works out well. To
the to the g o j h L, they got
their season underway this past week weekend and new agreement
with the Ontario Hockey League and affiliation agreement do the
two leagues have? And I got a phone call from
Josh Sweetland, so I'll give a show out to him,
the director of communications for the Ontario Hockey League. Just

(08:48):
I had some questions just about this. You know what
this means? You know, is it our team's gonna have
to you know, come to an agreement with a g
o j HL team, you know, kind of like what
the Air Centennials and Golf Storm have what the Riatas
and Port Colburn Sailors have right now. So the answer

(09:08):
to that is, no, they don't have to name an affiliate.
Players do not have to go to the g o
J h L. They can still play in the n
o J, they can still play in the o J,
they can still play in the the C C ch A,
whatever the case might be, whatever's best for the player.
And I know a lot of gms look at that
look at it that way anyways, but it sounds like

(09:29):
there's it's gonna be a little bit easier to access
your players. And what I mean by that is when
when they go and join a club that's not in
the Ontario Hockey So for example, they go and join
Todd Bertuzzi and the Camera Dreadhawks, which would be awesome
because that barn is amazing. I love that barn. And

(09:51):
so so let's say I don't know, the London Knights,
send somebody to Cambridge do that. It'll either be London
like you know, some team out there, London National, Saint Thomas,
yeah exactly, Kamoka, whatever the case might be. So they'll
let's say they send someone there, and normally there would

(10:12):
be an obligation to play for the goage team if
both teams are in action. So let's say Cambridge plays
on a Friday and the London Nights are an action
on a Friday. Now it sounds like the priority is
whatever the team decides to do. So if they need
to call that player up to play, then it sounds

(10:33):
like that's gonna be easier than it was in the past. Uh,
you still could do it. I think there might have been,
you know, you had to work a little harder for it.
It just sounds like it's gonna be a little bit easier.
It doesn't sound like anything's changing with with cards or
anything with with player cards. Doesn't sound like anything changes
with you know, how many games you can play if

(10:54):
you're if you're on a yeah. So so this it
sounds like it's just strictly a little bit better access
to to having players be in your OHL lineup if
you need them, compared to playing for their junior B squads.
So again, players don't have to be assigned to this league.
They can still go wherever they want. If an OJ
team holds their rights, they're gonna go play in the

(11:15):
OJ or ENERG whatever the case. Might be it's just
a little bit easier to get those players to to
the OHL. And you know, this is kind of something
that we at least I assumed was happening anyways, is
there might be a little bit of help in terms
of financials, I guess between the OHL and the g

(11:36):
OJHL to help with billeting and you know, with travels
and stuff like that to travel exactly. So all of
that's kind of part of this this agreement. Again, it's
tough for the teams up north with with Sue Saint Marie, Sudbury,
North Bay. Obviously you've got the teams out east, like
the coach is pretty well to the southwestern Ontario. So

(11:56):
that that's what this agreement is essentially for with the
OA and the g OJHL. And it sounds like they're
working on agreements with the other leagues as well. This
isn't just going to be a strictly GOGE and OH agreement.
It sounds like they want to get something done with
with every other league in this in this province, and
it just sounds like the GOAGE was a little bit

(12:18):
further ahead in the process than those other leagues are.

Speaker 3 (12:20):
In one hundred percent resent you and you see the
agreements around Ontario with the affiliations, and you think about
the potential with the OJ, and I know the OJ,
there's a lot of college commits that go out to
the OJ. But you think about that, you think about
out out eastern Ontario when you have Sudbury, you have
North Bay, sous Saint Marie. That's that's a big crucial
spot yet to move on this development. But the ge O,

(12:42):
for sure, it's huge. And I mean it's nice that
the OHL as well to step up here Billet travel, hotels,
et cetera. Because I mean there's some tough trips in
the GEO still, yeah, and it sounds yeah in two weeks,
so yeah, like there's a lot of tough trips. Like
if there's a back to back, I'm sure teams will
come in for two and you'll get that a little

(13:05):
bit of that where they'll play and one night and
let's say Branford the next day in Cambridge or something
like that. So it's important. It's nice for travel, and
it's nice to chio hockey team's playing for the Billets
and also for the OHL. It's a great time to
have your local affiliate. We see what airon Gwelf's relationships
like for instance, and you see the development that they've
had on the Storm recently. I mean every year it's

(13:26):
a new air centennial that's playing for the GWELF Storm.
That's that's the type of move. And I mean the
Knights have done it forever with the Nationals, the Saint
Thomas Stars, they've done that forever. Obviously used cow with Kamocha.
But it's something that is very exciting for the league
and it's good for Hockey Canada to build off. I mean,
it makes it. It makes Hockey Canada stronger, and it
makes hockey and Ontario stronger, and we need to be

(13:49):
stronger in a hockey league than ever before here with
the NCAA and all that stuff happening, that you have
no choice to make the move, and it's an exciting move.
It's great for junior hockey. It should be better for attendant.
I mean you think about Air right like gwelth like
you think about London Nationals playing on Wednesday nights, nights
on Fridays. It works. It's a perfect relationship to do that.

(14:12):
I mean you see it in Branford with the Titans
at one o'clock this year reach and then the Bulldogs
at seven. I mean that works out perfectly and it
allows players to practice with teams. It allows more players
flexibility to go play more ice time down below in
the g O. You get more opportunity down there, get
to play twenty five thirty minutes a night instead of

(14:34):
ten minutes a night. I mean, it's a big difference.
Instead of playing once every five games, you get to
play every game for multiple minutes, which is huge. So
I like the move, I like the agreement. I think
it's incredible opportunity here to move forward for the OHL.

Speaker 2 (14:47):
Yeah, absolutely absolutely, I'm excited for sure. And again speaking
specifically on on Branford and getting to call those games.
I mean, we've already got Chamberlain with the coach club
in Branford with the Titans, We've got Christy there. That
was a recent draft pick of the Branford Bulldogs. They've
signed all three imports, so that means big seven foot

(15:10):
Alex Karmanov is Junior B bound as well, so it's
well I would assume he is based on you can't
have four imports, so yeah, it's it's it's exciting for sure.
Again it's it's more better access for players. And again,
it's the best best situation for for that guy. If
if they're better off playing in the OJ, then awesome.

(15:32):
If they're better off playing somewhere else and then cool.
But it's just a little bit easier to get access
to players in the in the g O J h L.
So that's really exciting. And now we move on to
the n C Double A, which has had some positives.
Colin Ward wanted to really discuss this, so I'll let

(15:54):
you have the floor. Wardy. Yeah, we've seen big name
guys head to n C Double A, but it's it's
worked out the other way. With Caleb Buhultra coming into
the league. Valentine, he was coming to the league and
then he dipped uh to to the U of M.
Sounded like a roster spot just opened up. He was
offered it and he took it. You know, there's there's

(16:17):
guys coming that wouldn't have so I don't look at
it as a bad thing. We've seen things start to unfold,
you know, the porter of Martones of the world going
to or committing to Michigan State, Ivan Covid of course,
Spence to to the University of Michigan, Luke Misa to
Penn State. Obviously, McKenna out West going to Penn State too.
So I'm I'm kind of over the whole. I'm not

(16:42):
a huge fan of it. Like, it is what it is.
It's best, it's what's best for the player. I think
a lot of people got to get past that, and
not essentially I don't want to say stop getting salty
over it, but you know, realizing what the bigger picture is.
And that's not to say everyone I see hates this
because a lot of people like it. But I'm past

(17:04):
the point where I'm like, Okay, cool, I'm seeing it
work both ways. That's all I really care about it. Again,
it's what's best for the player. Like we talked about
with the with the goage situation and the agreement, it's,
you know, whatever the player wants to do and he
wants to get to the NHL and whatever path best
suits him, he's gonna take it.

Speaker 3 (17:21):
Hey, there's there's been some great signings and there's been
some tough months for and against. I mean, you look
at the Niagara Ice Dogs. They signed guys here in Michigan.
They can sign anybody. Last year, and all of a
sudden this happens and it favors them. I mean, and
they've improved a lot. You look at it, you're looking
around and you see the opportunity of the NC double A.
And that's what makes me think of last year of

(17:42):
last week's announcement, and that's what I wanted to touch on,
where the CHL is not implementing media passes to NC DOUBLEA. Coaches, scouts, gms, whatever,
they're not gonna implement them. But it's up to the teams.
There's a lot of teams in the NHL who will
not There's a lot of and I think every we're
not gonna mention the teams. We all know what teams

(18:04):
are not in favor of the NCAA. But on the
flip side, there's a lot of teams right now that
have improved dramatically off this. So with free agents, and
I mean, does it take away from the draft? Does
it make drafts more important? Does it like what is
the draft? Does does it take the value off the draft?
Like that's the questions that I that I think I

(18:25):
need answers to you now with you with the free agency,
with these guys just coming right free agents. You see
at an Angle sign with Branford. You see all these
guys signing. That's the one question that I think that
is the question that we're gonna see. Do the rich
get richer? Are the rebuild Are the rebuilds as long
as they were or normally are rebuilds faster than they

(18:47):
normally are? Like, that's what I want to see with
this agreement, with this announcement here up that just came
out from Jeff Merrick about the media passes. But well,
I don't have the players right.

Speaker 2 (19:00):
Yeah, and and again, like I we talked about this
a little bit on the Dogcast, which will debut this
week on the on the Bulldogs Audio Network, that these
are multimillion dollar programs. They can spring for twenty dollars
tickets or fifteen dollars tickets or whatever the case might be.

Speaker 4 (19:19):
Like I get getting allowed in the building and getting
into the games.

Speaker 2 (19:25):
I think, so okay, I'm pretty sure.

Speaker 3 (19:28):
Okay, as long as teams are as long as they're
allowed in the building, the program is not allowed in
the building, that's a problem.

Speaker 2 (19:34):
Yeah, yeah, exactly. I Again, I could be wrong. I
haven't heard anything different, but it just sounds like they'll
left to purchase a ticket to get in. So or again,
if you if you have an agreement with someone with
with an organization and you can set something up, then
then that works. Use your resources. Don't blame them. But
and also I'm pretty sure the schools can can spring

(19:56):
for for some tickets too to get those get those
recruiters in the building.

Speaker 3 (20:00):
Well, the players too, right like the players, and I
think for teams, you hope there's a respect there's a player.
You hope a player spends three to four seasons with
your program here in the OHL before bouncing. That's the
one thing I think if you're a general manager, you
ask right like, don't just stay for a year and bounce.
Don't use the reference and then bounce for a year,

(20:21):
Like have some stability and some respect for the team.
Is the one concerned I have from the OHL standpoint
on this. The players are for the teams that aren't
gonna issue them. The teams that are. I mean, you're
gonna get a lot of respect out of your players.
And the teams that are. I think we all know
the teams that will. They are the upper tier teams
that they do. I'm not gonna say they don't have
to rebuild, but they have the resources, they have the

(20:46):
time to have the effort in place to where they
don't doubles regroup. But one of Knights, the Elena Knights
are still gonna be a top team this year. Like, yeah,
they have no draft picks, They're still gonna be a
top team. Why cause they they can rebuild from within
and they can now with this luxury to signed guys,
the rich are gonna get richer. And that's the one

(21:07):
concern I think for the teams that vote against not
letting people in from the NCAA, it's just gonna get
worse for you. It's that's the one concern. You gotta
look back and you gotta think what's the best interest
for my players? Can I get a stud sixteen year
old out of this? If I before going to the USHL,
Like if I'm Saganaw, I would have had two years

(21:28):
of Adam fan Tilly.

Speaker 2 (21:30):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (21:31):
So that's just the way I look at it. Where
you have you have more, you have more resources now
And like if I'm Saganaw and Flint, I'm all over this.
They're right up the road, like you got you got
Michigan State literally right there. You know, Western Michigan, who
is a Frozen four champions right in their backyard, and
Flint and saganaw So I just think, I just think

(21:53):
that you have to use your resources effectively, and I
think that it's I think it's important to keep letting
them in. I know it's unfortunate and I know it's
a little salty from the CHL standpoint, but for the OHL,
there shouldn't be too many teams against it because I
do think here, we're gonna still get a few players

(22:14):
that come out of the end. Let's they sign entry
level deals as well over the next couple of seasons.

Speaker 6 (22:18):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (22:19):
Well, and that's that's the thing, right, You get your
first round picks into the NHL more times than not,
their entry level deal will be signed within half a year,
maybe three quarters of a year, six to nine months.
So yeah, you're not really concerned about that. It's those
quality guys that maybe slip to the third, fourth, fifth round. Yeah,

(22:41):
that that you might see head off to school a
little bit early, and you know what, it to not
be an OA in the OHL anymore. I think like
quality oays are gonna be hard to come by. I
think moving forward, because obviously there's only three spots. You
can only have three oas you know on your roster.
Once the deadline is is coming gone, so you know

(23:05):
we're gonna start seeing more twenty year olds off to
n C double A. So, like I said, and that's
not anything against any OA in the OHL, but you're
not gonna see top end talent step around for their
fifth and final year the OHL. So that that's also
the thing too, is you want to get the guys
here for three to four years and then and then

(23:27):
if they go off to school, if they choose, that's awesome.
But I think at at minimum you have to get three,
but I'll love to get four.

Speaker 3 (23:34):
Also for oas, you gotta be getting in school. You
gotta be carry out your studies, you gotta be getting
in school. Like that's the thing. Like that, I think
that's my biggest pet peeve with this announcement. When you
have the player that's only gonna be there for one season,
they're like, I'm only going for the school, Like I
beg to differ, like especially if you're gonna be a fan.

Speaker 4 (23:55):
Like and on and nothing against Gavin McKenna medicine.

Speaker 3 (23:59):
Had I fel sorry for them though.

Speaker 2 (24:01):
Man, yeah, that's yeah.

Speaker 3 (24:03):
It sucks their gate, like the gate, like the attendants,
like all that, like the business side of things. Yeah,
how many teams can say that they have a first
overall pick in their program? Not too many. And it's
unfortunate and it's unfortunate that like you miss out on that,
Like we saw the McDavid effect, we saw the Badard

(24:25):
effect in Regina, Like Regina has literally done nothing since
the mem Cup other than a couple of seasons conor badar.
Other than that, what is there? Like, So I just
think that that's the unfortunate part for uh Medicine hat.
I feel bad for them. You know, you just go
to the mem Cup and then you should have a
good team this year and then boom. That's tough.

Speaker 2 (24:47):
Yeah yeah, yeah, it sucks to say the least, but
uh yeah, it's uh it'll be it'll be interesting to
see how this first year goes. And I can't remember
who it was. I think it might have been Pierre
Maguire that said that you're probably gonna see a lot. No,
it was one of those hockey insiders that you see

(25:09):
on TV all the time. I can't remember who it was,
but he said, you're probably gonna see guys come back
to uh the h L after about a year or
two part of this experience. So we'll see, we'll see
what happens. But uh, Ohl will be fine. I'm not
concerned whatsoever.

Speaker 3 (25:27):
Yeah, in the pre season product for all that matter,
looked pretty good. It did.

Speaker 2 (25:32):
Yeah, absolutely, and you know the product is going to
be on a new streaming platform this this coming season,
flow hockey. See how I did that? That were rolled
right into that ag flow hockey.

Speaker 3 (25:45):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (25:46):
And the way he worded it, the way their staff
worded it or the higher ups worded it. It's a
media partnership. It's not just a we're going to stream
the games. It's it sounds like it's a media partnership.
There's going to be more than just the streaming of games,
which which is really exciting.

Speaker 3 (26:01):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (26:01):
You know flow hockey as the AHL is there, the
the GOAG is there. You know all of these leagues
are are on flow hockey, right, so not only are
you getting access of course should be yeah absolutely so yeah, yeah,
it's uh, it's it's exciting. You get to see obviously
your OHL team, your favorite OHL team, but you get

(26:22):
to see the prospects as well in in those affiliate
leagues are I guess Tier two junior league. So you
got your Junior A, Junior B. I think Junior C
is streaming on flow Hockey as well. So yeah, I'm excited.
I think it's gonna be awesome. I have been told her.
I've heard through the grapevine that there will not be
access to radio broadcasts on Flow Hockey, which I was

(26:50):
looking forward to. It fired there by the way. I
don't know why I did that, but I don't know
what we we want the radio calls maybe to me
like we we on it. We want stubbs, we want
we want to read on the road. We you know,
we want to hear the great voice. We want to
we want Jimmy Yo Christ where we don't have to
try and sync it up with the TV. Right and yeah,

(27:11):
it doesn't sound like we're getting that.

Speaker 3 (27:13):
You know what, I'll give you this. I'll give this Sea.
I'll give the Flow of Hockey this all. Year one.
Year one, we see what happens. Year two is when
I'm That's when I'm expecting the improvements to come. I
think year one, I hope, honestly, the biggest thing. I
hope technically it's better. I hope the production is a
little better and that type of stuff is better. There's

(27:36):
a lot of unevenness of production levels around. The league
we watch.

Speaker 2 (27:42):
Doesn't have anything with that though.

Speaker 3 (27:44):
I know that that's the stream I know that's just
the streaming, but I just want to see more of
that happen. I want to see more options. I want
more accessibility for the league. You know, just click onto
a game and it's just the game and then you
got nothing, and right right, that's what I want to
see more of next year. I'll give them a year.

(28:05):
I'll give them a year and then if then I
will see what happens. I guess for the radio, but no,
I was looking forward to that too. I was hoping
because the Achell's on there too. In the AEL you
always could and it was great. I really enjoyed that.
I mean Red Wings with Bob craiks You're and Grand Rapids.

(28:25):
I used to always watch it the Griffins game, so
it was always cool to see the red Wings broadcast
and be able to hear the interviews and stuff with
red Wing prospects. So that's what I was excited for.
The OHL is a good opportunity, you know, on the
road is usually when you hear the voices, when you
hear the interviews behind the scenes with players, and you
get to hear all that in depth stuff of the
team you like on the road. So it's unfortunate, but

(28:48):
hopefully it's an idea. Hopefully, if someone from Flull Hockey's
listening to this, someone from the Interio Hockey League, this
is something that they take into consideration and it.

Speaker 2 (28:57):
Could be part of the plan moving forward, right, And
you just want to get established. You want to you know,
make your mark in year one and you want to
get your you know, get your feet wet with the
OHL for a year one and then maybe expand to
that in year two. We'll see, who knows, but I
know that's something that other people have expressed interest in

(29:19):
in having that option. Hasn't just been us, There's been
a there's been a number of people we've seen that
would enjoy the the radio call being an option on
on whatever streaming platform the OHL is on. So again
it's it's the Jimmy Gilchrists that are out there. It's
you know, obviously Mike Stubbs, you know, Mike farwell in
in uh in Kitchener. You've got the Beller and Manny

(29:42):
Peva and Windsor right, those are two guys that call
one hell of a hockey game.

Speaker 3 (29:46):
So big time energy there.

Speaker 2 (29:49):
Yeah, you just I think just have the option, right,
people don't have to have to do it. But I
think for us it's a little different because I think
I don't know, we enjoy a call Leddy radio broadcast.
That's who we are. So yeah, it's a it's a
new partnership that starts this year, and yeah, it sounds
like it's gonna be awesome. It sounds like they've got

(30:10):
a lot in the work. So we're we're really excited
for that. And we're kind of the same way because
we're on video and you can see our faces for
the first time.

Speaker 3 (30:20):
How much is the hair and makeup bill that goes
to Brandon? You need to know that. You gotta put
that in. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the every weeks. The Broncos
lost a heartbreaker yesterday, so there's no Broncos hat this week.

Speaker 2 (30:38):
So all right, well your how's your defense?

Speaker 3 (30:42):
Man? I tell you this like.

Speaker 2 (30:47):
Kind of setting myself up to chirt myself for this
with that question.

Speaker 3 (30:50):
But man, like, it's the most frustrating thing about a
rebuild that shouldn't be a rebuild anymore because the Broncos
made the playoffs last year. But is there anything more
frustrating than a team that when you play one bad
week of offense and then a really good week of defense,
then the following week you play a good week of
offense and a bad week of defense. Like, that's so frustrating,

(31:13):
Like that's the most frustrating thing about being a football fan. Like,
Bills fans better enjoy their Josh Allen days because we
all know what it was like before, Like, so they
better enjoy the Josh Allen days. I'll say that because
it it's tough. But thank god, Peyton Manning, it was
a Bronco thank well.

Speaker 2 (31:36):
No, And the reason I asked you that is because
Pittsburgh's defense is terrible. And the only reason we're not
going too is because week when we played the Jets,
So that kind of tells you a lot. So, yeah,
our defense sucks.

Speaker 3 (31:48):
That was awesome, but then next week they'll be unreal.

Speaker 2 (31:51):
This week we can't even pick up a kickoff, just
let it bounce past us and then give.

Speaker 3 (31:57):
Up at least you had a broadcast because if you were,
if you were, were you watching the game? And that
was before the Jackfish game, right?

Speaker 2 (32:04):
I cut the first quarter? Okay, first quarter? I turned
off after the first quarter.

Speaker 3 (32:10):
Get so you missed the like you missed the touchdown? Live?
Thank god? Because how that's got that stuff's driving That
stuff drives, just drives you crazy. A Like, that's the
thing about it's so frustrating early on in the year
like this when stuff like that happens.

Speaker 2 (32:26):
Yeah, big time. Oh yeah, we've It's time for our
first break of the show. End of the season covered
a few topics, but coming up after this quick break
rookie camps. Should the season be pushed back another week
so we can have more regular talent and lineups. We'll
discuss that of course under Armour New Jersey. Are they

(32:50):
the fanatics of the o HL we'll find out we'll
discuss and the media poll as well. We'll get to
that next after this break Here on the OHL podcasts.

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Speaker 4 (34:49):

Speaker 2 (35:09):
Welcome back to the OHL in sixty podcast, Emerys Domani
along with Colin Ward, our first episode for the twenty
twenty five twenty twenty six Ontario Hockey League season. It
is opening week for the OHL and we are fired
up for sure, and we've got a couple more topics
to get to before we get to our preseason media

(35:31):
poll and NHL rookie camps taking talent out of opening week,
which they have a right to do that obviously rookie
camps going into training camps. But Colin Ward would like
to see the OHL have a week's break of nothing
to maybe not have all those prospects back to the

(35:57):
Ontario Hockey League, but some them, because it seems like
there's gonna be a ton missing from a few lineups.
Speaking specifically with opening night, it's Kitchener more more, Yeah,
the dam Cup, Yeah exactly. The Rangers are gonna be
missing a few, The Bulldogs are gonna be missing a few.
It's gonna be the youngins in the spot like for

(36:19):
the for the opener and Kitchener for those two teams.
So colin Ward, you wanted to start a week later?
So not this coming week would be the week after?

Speaker 3 (36:28):
Yeah, like the twenty sixth, twenty seventh, I think that's
when it That's what it usually was, like, Yeah, am
I missing something here? Like because all along I was thinking, well, no,
next week is the twenty sixth, that's when it would start.
I'm thinking, oh wait, no, it's this week. Got all
my I got all confused about that as well. But

(36:50):
I just think that with the week off, it allows
to have the showcase of the best talent we could
possibly have. Lots more players obviously get opportunity better for
the players situation better for attendance for Night one, Night two,
for the first week of the season. That is, there's
a lot of teams that are gonna suffer from this,

(37:12):
a lot of teams. I don't think it showcases the
best Week one we could possibly showcase in the OHL,
and on the OHL standpoint, they're the ones that would
have to make the difference with the NHL. Is the
end all be all for sure? But that's why I
think it, Well, it should be next week, it should
start for opening night. I think that last week should
have been an IDOL week, and then this week should

(37:33):
be the last preseason game, and then the week after
there should be Night one in my opinion. I obviously
I understand what the memcop scheduling and stuff like that,
but we want the best product, the best product we
could possibly showcase each game. Can we can? We show
the best product that we could possibly showcase on Night one? No,

(37:53):
we can't. So that's why that's what bugs me for that,
because you want to see the best teams play. And
you mentioned it, and it was on here earlier in
the week on the arm triogy on Sports Network with
Brandon and Josh Brown said it and we had the
agreement we could have the Jamickee Clip post game on
Friday Night. Got the clip and Brandon you can chime in,

(38:16):
But the Jami Keee Cup Friday Night, and now it's
going to be the Jami Ckee Cup with five six
guys out for both teams. I mean, that's not that's
not the Jamickee Cup. We wanted for the solo trip
to the odd for the Bulldogs this year and the
only time those teams will play head to head at
the odds. So that's too bad for that, But it's

(38:37):
gonna be effective everywhere, and that's too bad for Night
one because the opportunity you think about, like some of
these teams lineups, I mean, sudburg I mentioned that, I
think I like their potential, I really do, but look
at their lineup Night one, right, Like, there's gonna be
a lot of bad teams Night one night too. Here
the first weekend of the season and then week two,

(38:58):
all of a sudden, guys will filter back and then
kind of the start of the season, you're basically it's
basically kind of feels like an exhibition week. And then
that's unfortunate to me. Obviously it's not it's gonna count
for the standing. He's gonna count with the goal scoring.
But look at a team like winsor right like opening night,
they have a lot of excitement this year. Yeah, o

(39:18):
Spellacy no Green Tree like that sucks. That's unfortunate. So
I I want to see those guys miss two to
four games instead of missing four to.

Speaker 2 (39:28):
Six like that's Jack Nasbit gone as well.

Speaker 3 (39:32):
Yeah, like you're gonna see a lot of guys. Look
at Susain Marie, Brady Martin, like the good players are
gonna miss a lot of time. So I'm just it's
just unfortunate. I'd rather see more of the elite players
in our league more often than not. But it's unfortunate.
So we'll see what happens. But nevertheless, it's gonna be
a great eight first weekend.

Speaker 2 (39:53):
Yeah. Absolutely can't wait for it to get here, that's
for sure. And it we're not we don't have any
confirmations on some teams and their jerseys for for opening nights.
Under Arm is a little bit late shipping a few
jerseys off to to certain teams. And it's yeah, Colin,

(40:15):
you were saying that gold seems to be the issue,
so you think about it. That's Branford Bulldogs. That's why
you're seeing them. Where the great b F D S.
Kingston's got gold. You think out West you mentioned Edmonton
and Brandon Acady, Bathurst is no more, so they wouldn't
be an issue. I think they had gold. I'm pretty

(40:37):
sure they did. But no, they're they're no, they're oh me, yeah,
I'm thinking to win again. Yeah, yeah, I'm pretty sure
they're yellow. Yeah. I mean I can't see colors very
clearly anyways, but uh, that sucks. Blogs might not have

(40:59):
their jersey he's for opening night. Yeah, hope, really unfortunate.
That's a that's a tough way to start if you're
under armour. Bower's gotten all their gear.

Speaker 3 (41:09):
Also also the stitching. I hope this isn't a fanatics
situation because there's a lot I know, there's a lot
of equipment managers. It was awesome so the other night,
obviously being with the Bulldogs. Chris Cook, great equipment manager,
one of the best highly respected equipment managers across.

Speaker 2 (41:27):
The HL equipment managers.

Speaker 3 (41:31):
Like, very well respected. He is saying the group chat
for the equipment managers here is taking off. Like the
stitches you see some of the pictures of this numbers
already ripping off, like that's unfortunate. So hopefully equipment managers
are busy. But I hope there's an extra layer of
stitching here that goes in place. And hopefully the jerseys

(41:52):
are great. And it's not like the fanatics and baseball
year one, but it feels like year two. It's not
as talked about now in baseball. The jerseys that.

Speaker 2 (42:00):
Least, we can't see through them.

Speaker 3 (42:03):
Yeah, you see a lot like the sweat isn't good,
but yeah, there's a lot like I don't think it'll
be that one. I don't think it will be an
issue in the OHLA. Then Peterborough's turning pink, but.

Speaker 2 (42:15):
Yeah, that's tough.

Speaker 3 (42:17):
Other than that, I don't think there'll be an issue.

Speaker 2 (42:19):
So then what about the bar on the back the whites? Actually,
I think they look sharp on the whites.

Speaker 3 (42:24):
Whites terrible homes look brutal, Like I I don't like
that color when it's a dominant color, usually like for
a team that wears black, a team that wears green,
a team that wears red, salt blue, or whatever, like
you can't put it like a white strip right there,
like he can't like, he can't do that. I don't

(42:45):
like that very much. I wish that those would be
a little bit of I wish they were corrected on those.
But we'll, uh, we'll see. I mean, there's a lot
of room for improvement. Hopefully the jersey quality is good
though for the players. Hope live the light breatheable. I
remember wearing jersey's that were so heavy. I mean when
they get wet and they're like they're stuck on you like,

(43:07):
hopefully yep, and hopefully that part of the game's good.
But uh no, they look all right. I'm on the
fence about it. I think the more I see them,
the better the look. But right now I'm on.

Speaker 2 (43:20):
And now it's time to get to probably our favorite
part of this opening show, uh the preseason media poll.
And we do this every single year, well for the
last few years at least, and just gonna pull it
up here on my laptop. We're gonna go through every
single question from the preseason media poll this season kind
of discuss our our choices. If we think each other

(43:43):
are insane, we might go over that too. But yeah, yeah, yeah,
I agree. So colin ward, we'll start, We'll go list
by list as you can see on your screen here
if you're listening. Of course, we're just gonna read out
the the questions and answers. But Colin Ward, who will

(44:05):
be the league's top rookie.

Speaker 3 (44:08):
Jack Owisik, I think that the opportunity for him in
GWELF is gonna be great, and I believe that he
wins Rookie of the Year. I like his size. I
think it's familiar to what we saw with the guy
like Belchez who came over like that and had the
opportunity right away and winsor I think he's gonna have
a great opportunity in GWELF with the aspirations for next season
between them and Kitchen for a Memorial Cup. But I

(44:31):
think Wisik to me wins Rooky of the Year.

Speaker 2 (44:34):
Yeah, I'm with you on that as well. Again, Gwelph's
building for next year. They've been for the Memorial Cup,
they're a finalist. It sounds like it's gonna be there
all in year next year. Weis it's gonna be a
big part of that. I've got him too, Like I said,
you know, to be honest with you, depending on what
GWELF decides to do throughout the season, you know, depending

(44:56):
on what their roster looks like after the trade deadline. Does
Weisig get up to the top six and does he
get onto that second line. I'm really curious to see
that if the opportunity is there, and if they put
him in that situation to see if he can succeed
there in his rookie season. So we're in the same
boat there. I think we're gonna be in the same
boat on the next one about who will be Coach

(45:18):
of the Year this year in the Ontario Hockey League,
Colin Ward, you have the honors?

Speaker 3 (45:24):
Yeah, I know. I think that this is the year
it happens. I'm always been on that. I've always been
on the train. I mean, I know I'm gonna get
questions about it, and I'm fine with that. I mean,
I have a great relationship with the guy in cheese, Jamickee.
I think that if there's anyone more deserving for a
Coach of the Year award, or to coach Hockey Canada

(45:44):
or to coach somebody, it's Jamie and I believe that
j McKee has shown that year in and year out
for the coach of the Year Jamickee. This has to
be the year the Bulldog's gonna be good. It has
to be the year that Jamie Kee gets it done.

Speaker 2 (46:02):
Well, I'm gonna read my first two sentences word for
word and my answer in the poll, and I'm like,
it's got to be him this year. Right, probably should
have won it in twenty twenty two, but he didn't.

Speaker 3 (46:13):
You should have could have won it in twenty twenty
three on the rebuild.

Speaker 2 (46:16):
Yeah, he gets so. J Mi Ckey's my pick as well.
You know, he's a guy that just understands the best
way to help a player succeed to get to the
next level. Right, he's not a big Oh we lost
ten nothing, woe is me? And you know, time for
bag skates or you know, you hear the Herb Brooks
again scene pop up into your mind if something like

(46:38):
that happens, and he's not like that, Right, he's gonna
break it down with his players. Will you get frustrated,
Sure of course you will, But he's not gonna yell.
You're not gonna see him too animated on the bench.
I think since we started covering the Bulldogs a little
bit more closely, Colin, he's done that once twice. Maybe
he's gotten really really heated. One of them was last year.

(47:00):
But we've got really really heated on the bench. Yeah, Like,
but you're not gonna see that normally. He's not that
kind of coach. He doesn't yell, he doesn't get frustrated
right in the moment. You know, he'll take some time,
look back on the iPad, look at the film after
the game, and you know he'll he's immediately right on
it for a game plan moving forward. So he gets
the best out of his players. I think he's one

(47:20):
of the best in the league to do that, and
I think he's gonna win. I think it's got to
be if the Bulldogs win a championship. And I know
playoffs have nothing to do with this award, but yeah,
I would think it has to be j McKee right now.
And this is a bold statement a little bit, but
these are conferences the Bulldogs to lose. And that might
be odd to say on September sixteenth, twenty twenty five,

(47:42):
but it's their conference to lose. I look at it,
I look up and down, and we're gonna get to
it in just a few minutes here. But Bulldogs are
the best team on paper coming into the season, I
don't think it's close. You know, you kind of have
that upper class of the OHL. I think you can
put the Bulldog, Spitfires, Rangers, and Knights in that category.

(48:02):
Then you've got that second group in below them, which
again we'll get to that in just a moment. But
I think that's the top tier level teams coming into
the OHL season this year, and three in the West,
one in the East. And that's basically because there were
what six teams that bought last year in the East,
five or six teams that bought in the East.

Speaker 3 (48:22):
So had that in mind too the deadline exactly.

Speaker 2 (48:27):
So h next up? Who will be the league's top
prospect for the twenty twenty six NHL Draft?

Speaker 3 (48:34):
I have two. I have two in it, and I
honestly believe both these guys are electric and they it's
neck and neck, and I believe it will be returning
Ryan Rowbrick. He showcased everything NHL. We saw Michael Mesa's
draft here right, We saw how much he rose up
through the rankings. Show at the year. Ryan Rorick is

(48:54):
a goal scorer. NHL teams are begging for goals, They're
begging for goals, Ryan Roe Ricks names and all over that,
and then the big then the big guy Ethan Belchaz
and winsor dynamic player. He changes the game. Such a
good skater for a big guy. He's so powerful. He's
a better Anthony Manth at that age. And Mantha was
great with you. I mean, but I just think the

(49:16):
Belchaz Roebrick, it's too close to split them up. Both
those guys are gonna be outstanding to watch. They're gonna
have a lot of scouts in their buildings watching those
two gentlemen play.

Speaker 6 (49:25):
Robrick having that extra year I think helped him a lot.

Speaker 3 (49:31):
Hundred percent. I think you kind of see it right,
like he he's had a big role Robrick for the
last two three seasons here, Like he's had a bigger
role than what you could have imagined. He got thrown
in a fire there on, some bad Niagara TEMs and
some bad spots and he and he's performed. He's performed,
And I think that's kind of the big situation there

(49:52):
for him. I mean, the maturity in his game. I
don't think should be a question with him, just because
we've we've saw what he's went through in Niagara And
if you're a scout, well, you gotta be a little
excited thinking about that opportunity right where he's. He's went
through adversity in junior hockey, and I think situation like
that for him, I mean to come out on that.

(50:12):
You would hope that they get things figured out this
year the ice dogs for once, but maybe stay out
of the movie theaters. But we'll see. But I'm excited.
I'm excited. I'm excited to see what he can do.
I really am. I think I think he could be
a really I think he could be a really dynamic player.
I really do. He's he gets in, He gets in
so many situations to be successful goal scoring wise, and

(50:35):
I think if you're a scout, you gotta love that opportunity.
It's hard to score goals in the NHL. And I'm
excited for that. And Belchez too. I think both those
guys have played big roles. Belchez was a big part
about Windsor going last to first in their division there
last year, Like he was a big part of that
as well, changing the tide there and Winsor. I'm excited

(50:56):
to see what those two guys can do.

Speaker 2 (50:59):
Yeah, I've got Ryan Roebrick as well. I only picked
one great point on Belchesz there because one hundred percent
he had such a great start to his rookie year
and then you started to see the sixteen year old change,
the culture slump, I guess you could say, and they're
back to being massive again. The windsor spit Fires, by
the way, and their preseason roster every defenseman was over

(51:21):
six feet but one. So that's kind of the Winsor
Spitfire's identity. It has been in the past, and it
looks like it's going to be again for this season
and for a couple of years to come. So but
but for Ryan Robrick, you're you're right about that. He
was just thrown in to the fire in Niagara. And
you know, back then when he was drafted, you know,
is he actually gonna go there? You know there were
questions because his brother was there. That was not an

(51:44):
awesome time in Niagara Ice Dog's history. And you know,
your questioning is Robrit going? Is Robrit going? He gets
the you know, they get the committee goes there and
he's been he's been electric for them. He's such a
fun player to watch. I mean, filling in for eight
games last year. You're a fun dude to be around
on the road, on the bus. Seems like he has
a ton of fun. Seems like he has a ton

(52:05):
of respect from his teammates as well. And you know
this is this is gonna be the Ice Dog's highest
pick since since Philip Thomasina in two thousand. I believe
it was twenty nineteen. So yeah, twenty nineteen when when
Nashville took him in the first round. So he's already
projected top ten and I think he's gonna stay there

(52:25):
all year long. So so gimme. Ryan Robrick is a
top prospect for the NHL Draft from the OHL for
this upcoming season, and of course the top prospects game
for the Ontario Hockey League in Peterborough this year for
anybody who wants to make the trip up to the
Liftlock City to see that game. It was a blast
in Branford last year and this one should follow up

(52:48):
and be awesome too. So who will be the league's
most outstanding player of the year, Colin Ward.

Speaker 3 (52:55):
Jake O'Brien and the Branford Bulldogs, no questions asked. I
think Jake's gonna showed case his ability. He's incredible in
every situation. I know there's questions about his skating, there's
questions about the faceoff dot, but the face off Dot's
gonna come with his maturity here in his game. You're
gonna see the growth this year leaps and bounds plus

(53:15):
with his skating. Guys, we see it all the time
when we go. When you see a guy come back
from NHL development camp, they're skating is the first thing
you notice. The confidence. I'm not too concerned about that
at all. And Jacobrien, it feels like he gets off
the Boston gets two points a game this year. I'm
really excited to see what Jacobrien can do. And I
think absolutely is Jacobrien Liam green Tree in that mix

(53:37):
as well.

Speaker 2 (53:39):
For me, I've got yeah, I've got Liam green Tree,
And you know, for me, I'm not really so much
looking at his point totals. They're gonna be there, you know.
Obviously that goes into the conversation about who wins MVP,
who wins Most Outstanding Player of the Year. I think
green Tree is gonna be the most valuable player the
winsor spitfires, you know, the most valuable guy to his

(54:00):
team in the league this year. You know, I think
with the you make a good point about Jacobrien one
hundred percent with two hundred and ninety one points leaving
in Lartist Thomas and Brown, It's really gonna have to
be a full team effort with the Bulldogs. And that's
why I picked Liam green Tree. Not to say that
the Spitfires can't get production from all four lines, all
three defense pairings, but I think Liam green Tree is

(54:22):
gonna be the most valuable to his team in the
Ontario Hockey League this season, and I'm excited to watch him.
I'm like, always been a huge fan of what the
Spitfires do. I love stys. I love having guys that
are six three six four. They can just freak train you.
That's kind of a winsor identity. And uh, you know,
back in the days of the Barn, it kind of fit.

(54:43):
And now to the WFCU Center, which that building gets rocking.
They still got the don't stop believing before the third
period already and I are big fans of that. So yeah,
I think green Tree is He's a pretty special talent
and and Spitfire fans are pretty lucky to have him
in in red down in So all right, I believe

(55:04):
we are onto.

Speaker 6 (55:06):
I'm not a fan of the don't stop believing, by
the way.

Speaker 3 (55:09):
Oh yeah, yeah, well Buffalo's tripmen trying to believe for
the last forty years. No, I mean fair enough. Yeah,
just stop believing. The song should be in Buffalo.

Speaker 2 (55:23):
Yeah, they already limitated from the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (55:26):
If Jay mckee' is listening to this, we're in trouble
big time in.

Speaker 6 (55:33):
Right, Sabers alumnus j McKee big fan.

Speaker 3 (55:38):
Yeah, leading goal scorer, best goalie, top d reach. Where
do you want to go?

Speaker 2 (55:43):
Let's go who's going to lead the league in scoring? Yeah,
we'll continue on the players for sure. So who's who
do you think is going to lead the league in scoring?

Speaker 3 (55:49):
Flip flop? Liam green Tree? I think I think green Tree.
I mean it goes hand in hand with my most
outstanding player, I have Jake O'Brien. How you have green
Tree as the most tending player? I think I think
Liam green Tree showed his ability last year in the
playoffs when he got into the lineup. He battled through
that for sure, and when we see what he is

(56:12):
to wins here, he's a heartbeat. I think he leads
your team in scoring. He leads the league in scoring. Obviously,
I Michael Meesta's back, there's gonna be a different story.
But yeah, yeah, I think exactly now.

Speaker 2 (56:23):
Yeah, and I mean that kind of goes into my
best defenseman. It's hard to not pick Sam Dickinson, but
it's hard. I also could see him with San Jose
right It's it's hard to really pick. So I've got
green Tree as well, leading the league in scoring. He's
gonna get a hundred points. I'm not really worried that
he's not going to again. It's who comes back that

(56:44):
we don't really expect them to. So Mesa is a
guy like that. But green Tree wins is gonna be
a wagon. Green Tree is gonna be all over the
score sheet pretty well every single night. I expect him to.
So I've got him as well. Who will be the
league's best goaltender in the two twenty six season.

Speaker 3 (57:02):
I have a I have a little bit of a
tie right now.

Speaker 2 (57:07):
You're a big tie guy.

Speaker 3 (57:08):
Eh, well, I'm not a tie guy. I hate ties.
I just think that right now, it's so hard to
have just one guy to lead the league in scoring.
To be the best goalie. I love goalies. It's the
best position in hockey in my opinion, and I think
that I think, oh absolutely, we get pucks in the head.
Carter Carter George to me, I think Carter George is

(57:31):
the guy that exceeds expectations. I mean, we know, everyone
knows who Carter George is. He's the elitist of the
league for goalies, He's the upper tier goalie. I think
whatever Owen Sound chooses to do, if he goes into
the right situation, he will continue to win the goaltending
goaltender that be the best goaltender of the year. Perhaps

(57:53):
he goes to Winsor, but my pick as well as
Alexi Medvedev of the London Knights. I think Medvedev in London.
I think the Knights are better than what people are
saying right now. They're fourth on the power ranking. That's
my first hand motion of the season for you online,

(58:13):
So get a load of that. We've we've talked about
it the whole all the motions I make, we've talked
about it over the last few years, and there's the
first one of the year. But for you let are
watching us on YouTube. But Alexim Medvedev to me, is
right there with Carter George. If George doesn't win that,
I'm going Medvedev because I believe Medvedev is gonna give
a lot of Knights a chance to win the Midwest
and Q my Midwest pick in a few moments, because

(58:37):
I think Medvedev is gonna be a star this year.

Speaker 2 (58:40):
Yeah, I've got Carter George. It depends where they are. Obviously, Again,
this is another award that is results based. It's not
just you know, you're a guy or whatever the case
might be. Carter George, I don't think he's last. I
don't think he's a no one say after the deadline.

(59:01):
I really don't. They were very adamant last year that
George ain't going anywhere. Don't worry about it. If you
bought season tickets to Wat's Carter George, No, don't worry.
We're not going to trade him at the deadline. How
do you not if you're in a situation where you're
near the bottom of the Western Conference, you got I
think that's just responsible management. Like and Kaprowski is awesome

(59:25):
behind him. We love Kaprowski. He showed off very well
at the Prospects game. We started to track him actually
after that. Yeah, just because he's Carter George. All you
hear is Carter George. But then you start to track Defrewski,
You're thinking, man, this is a really good guy coming
up behind Carter George, A great guy and learned Carter George. Yeah.
Like so, I don't think Carter George is an own

(59:46):
sound the entire year. If I'm wrong, I'll fully admit it,
but I don't. I don't think Carter George is no
sound attack. After the trade deadline comes and goes.

Speaker 3 (59:55):
If the Owen sound Attack can't, if there's anyone in
the league that deserves to win, it's Carter George. And
if the one sound attack cannot win a Jay Ross
this year, you gotta do whatever it takes to give
him a chance to win. He's given everything that one
sounds since he's come up, since he's come up and
stole the show as a young player in the league.

(01:00:16):
You gotta give him an opportunity here those years in
London there in the first round where he's got to
stop fifty shots at night and you know, and hopefully
fields one game. You gotta give him a chance to
be on the other side where he only has to
make twenty saves a night and round one. You gotta
give him that opportunity if you're the one sound attack.
If you can't do it for him on the ice,
you gotta do it for him because he's deserving to win.

(01:00:39):
That guy battles his butt off. We saw what he
could do at the World Juniors. It wasn't his fault
last year the World Juniors. Yea, he wasn't having guys
playing the wrong spot on the power play and all
that crap. I believe that Carter George needs a chance
to win. He desperately needs a chance to win. Man
like one percent. I agree with you with that. I
need him to win. He needs to win that.

Speaker 2 (01:00:58):
And that goes back to my points about responsible or
managing your team responsibly. You talk about it. Yeah, we're
touched out a number of teams, uh, not moving on
from guys when they probably should have. Luca Panelli. I
think of a guy that probably should go at it
with sixty sevens. Yeah, Sudbury Wolves, I mean, why did

(01:01:20):
you buy? You were in no position to buy and
go for a championship. But we've gone over that, so
we're not going to cover it again. Like I think
just being responsible for the organization's future, I think that's
a guy you have to trade, you know. And and again,
if you're winning, you don't.

Speaker 3 (01:01:35):
But then then you automatic too.

Speaker 2 (01:01:39):
And again I'll admit if I'm wrong, then I'll admit it.
We've done that before on this show.

Speaker 3 (01:01:43):
That's why I hope.

Speaker 2 (01:01:44):
But I think Carter George is not an own sound
attack at the end of the season hundred percent.

Speaker 3 (01:01:48):
Like I hope they're successful. I really do, because he
deserves to win. But you gotta give him the best
opportunity to win in the off.

Speaker 2 (01:01:54):
Of the Bay Shore too, So yeah you want yeah,
which I will remember. Yeah, I remember that time. Remember
remember from.

Speaker 3 (01:02:06):
Will you remember me? Remember? Do you remember the first
game we were at the Bay Shore and we saw
that bounce come off the end boards and like go
right out to like the middle of the ice, like
almost hit the goalie.

Speaker 2 (01:02:20):
Well, there was one that hit the back, there was
one that hit the glass behind.

Speaker 3 (01:02:25):
And then yeah, it's like what are we like, it's amazing,
like the Bay Shore bounce. I'm glad that we got
to see that because I know I missed the Joe.
I missed the Joe for sure, but I just think that. Yeah,
the Bay Shore bounce was an iconic You will be
remembered and definitely not forgotten. Bay Shore Bounce. Thank you

(01:02:50):
for all the grid memories and all the horrible I
want to leave. I want to change upgrade this arena bounces.
Thank you.

Speaker 2 (01:02:59):
Yea great last player award to get to who will
the who will be the league's best defenseman?

Speaker 3 (01:03:06):
Well? Is it unanimous if he comes back?

Speaker 2 (01:03:09):
Yes, I think it is.

Speaker 3 (01:03:12):
If he comes back from San Jose Sam Dickinson.

Speaker 2 (01:03:15):
Yeah, like if it was confirmed he's coming back, that's
my pick. It's not even close. Yeah, but I make
my pick on him not coming back.

Speaker 3 (01:03:24):
Okay, if he's not coming back, Anthony Christophoro Winter runs
a power play there the situation I have Christophora when Winster.

Speaker 2 (01:03:36):
I'm mine's like a sneaky slash random I got from
the Branford Bullows.

Speaker 3 (01:03:46):
Okay, this is this is.

Speaker 2 (01:03:47):
Still one of the biggest robberies of the last quarter century.
And Colin wod lost his light.

Speaker 3 (01:03:52):
The light there goes the light said it was gonna
go down. You know what I believe I had it
leaning on here and I must have leaned off the
table run but.

Speaker 2 (01:04:05):
Yes, oh my god. But yeah, like Owen Pratz like that.
That was this absolute steal by Matt Turk from the
Sudbury Wolves. And and again that's no disrespect to to
Noah Van Vliet, quality defender, But when the Bulldogs went
out and got Owen Protts, they were expecting him to
be their number one defenseman in the future. And I

(01:04:26):
think he's worked himself into that position. You're a check
great defender, don't get me wrong, Dravaki coming from check Yeah,
great defender. Lucas Moore really good at his position and
his role. You're gonna see a couple of really good,
nice young defenseman joined the Bulldogs this year as well.
But Owen Protts can hit, he can shoot, he can score,
he can you know, play the body like there's no tomorrow,

(01:04:49):
which kind of guess goes into hitting. But but I
think Owen Pros' Prots is a sneaky pick for this
because again it's not a guy whose name really jumps
out you like the Sam Dickinson's of the world. But
he's still a quality defender. And that's again at the
end of the day, to win this award, you have
to be good at. We would have guessed defense. It's amazing,
isn't it so? So Owen Process position is like, he's

(01:05:14):
one of the better defensemen to watch in this league.
And again, if Sam Dickinson's back, it's hard to see
him not winning the award. But but if he's not,
then I think it's gonna be Owen Prottz one hundred percent.

Speaker 3 (01:05:24):
I agree with you on that one. I think Process
steady defense. He's definitely one of the best defensive defensemen
in the Interro Hockey League. I like that pick as well. Reached,
I think that's underrated pick. I also like Cameron Reed
and Kitchener. I think that that's very sneaky good pick
as well. For Kitchener team that's gonna get a lot
of points. He's gonna be a big part of that
back end. Recently drafted high pick. I think he has

(01:05:45):
an opportunity as well for sure.

Speaker 1 (01:05:48):
I just wanted to chime in that the floor is
open for Sam Dickinson in San Jose, whether he is
able to take it or not. They signed three defensemen
in the offseason, Klingberg, Letti and Dmitri Orlov. That's betteran guys,
so who san Jose signed those three guys and Mario
Ferraro might be on the trade block, so there is

(01:06:09):
that opportunity for Sam Dicktson to be up with san Jose.

Speaker 2 (01:06:12):
But we'll see san Jose Sharks Insider. Brandon, You're an
only child, right, sure, am dang? Yeah. We were kind
of hoping you had a sibling because then we could
call you the siblings brother. It fits just the voice
that appears just like Al's brother. But but you don't
have a sibling, so that kind of sucks. We'll have

(01:06:33):
to think of something.

Speaker 6 (01:06:35):
I wanted to throw in the shark stuff just for context.

Speaker 2 (01:06:38):
Yeah, no, no, of course, of course I appreciate it.
That's like Casper Halton and Casper Halton and realistically had
no business being in the OHL last year he was.
He had proven that he was ready for the AHL
or the NHL whatever San Jose decided to do, but
they sent him back and London won the Amorial Cup
and the rest is history. So is it the same

(01:06:59):
situation there, Colin? Do you look at it the same way?

Speaker 3 (01:07:03):
Well, first, if the.

Speaker 2 (01:07:04):
Spot's there, obviously and he takes it and gets it,
good for him first, But doesn't sound like it's off
the table that he could come back to London.

Speaker 3 (01:07:12):
Well, yeah, it doesn't sound But like Dickenson's a study.
He deserves to be the guy. He deserves to play
a lot. If you're San Jose, you look at this development.
Does he need to play thirty five forty minutes a
night to get better? Or can he play the ten
twelve minutes a night in San Jose early on? I
don't think he's ever gonna be a bottom two defenseman,

(01:07:34):
So I don't think that's the right move for him.
I hope he's I hope he has the opportunity to
play a lot. I'm a big believer you gotta play
a lot to be successful as a young as a
young hockey player, So that's I hope that that opportunity
arises for him. But whatever, I think it's a long
ways away from that decision being done. But I hope,
I believe that if he's getting up to make San Jose,

(01:07:56):
he's getting to make San Jose. But is he too
good for the OHL? Like that's another thing, right, Like
he's he's the best defenseman in the league.

Speaker 2 (01:08:05):
Yeah, yeah, And that's that's the OHL's job. That's coach's job.
That's what Dale Hunter and Mark Hunter went out to
do when they drafted him. That like every player, your
job is to develop them and get them ready for
the NHL. That's that's just them doing their jobs. So
he's earned the right to prove and see if he
can earn that spot in San Jose. He is the

(01:08:26):
league's best defenseman if he comes back. So Colin Ward's
back in the light, which means we can move on
to the to the teams and division.

Speaker 3 (01:08:34):
And I just want to mention something. Shout out to
the m v P my better half Liza for that one.

Speaker 2 (01:08:42):
She just crawled in.

Speaker 3 (01:08:43):
She just crawled in. Yeah, a lot better look than half,
that's her shure, undred percent. But she just crawled back
in behind me.

Speaker 2 (01:08:56):
We needed the cameo, Come on, we needed the cameo.

Speaker 3 (01:09:03):
MVP. MVP just said hi guys here over the corner
with the MVP. No, that was pretty cool. That was
the highlight of the night right there. That that's not
going on the blooper reel. Me talkings on the blooper reel.
Liza putting the light up on the highlight of the night.
The total opposes just like the looks all right, we

(01:09:26):
can get to the teams.

Speaker 2 (01:09:28):
Oh man, who's gonna make the win the Midwest Division?

Speaker 3 (01:09:30):
Morty Well the number one in the Midwest, sorry Kitchener,
but the London Knights number one in the Midwest. I
think London is the Kings of the Antario Hockey League
until they're knocked off. And I truly believe that London
Knights said look at their team and they get Dickinson back,

(01:09:52):
this is they'd have the best defenseman in the league.
And in my opinion, I had a top two goaltender
in the league in Medvedev. They have it. I think
O'Reilly has a typical year of kind of almost like
how not fifty goals. I get Luke Evangelista did back
in twenty two, but he has a dan goodyear. And
I think with the free agent signings in London, the

(01:10:15):
London Knights win the Midwest. Kitchener two, Eerie three, Well four,
Ozero and Sound five. The reason why I have Kitchener two,
I believe they are the favorite to host the Memorial Cup.
If I was picking off who should be a Memorial
Cup host, I would be picking the Kitchener Rangers over
the Gwell Storm, if you were going to do that,

(01:10:37):
remember what Sagana did when they host the mem Cup
just a couple of seasons ago. You have to build
for the Meme Cup. And I believe that if that's
the case, they will build for next season young talent.
They have a young roster with a lot of core
that's going to be back for a couple of seasons
this year and next year. But I believe you got
to add to that if you want to be a
legitimate Memorial Cup championship team. Unfortunately for the they're gonna

(01:11:00):
be a dang good team. They're gonna be a top
three team in the East, they're gonna in the West.
They're gonna win around. They're gonna maybe win two rounds.
We'll talk in the playoffs. But the Rangers, I believe,
if they're going to host a World Cup, you're not
gonna go out and trade for Carter George. You're not
gonna do that. Yeah, I believe that they're a team.

(01:11:21):
I think GOWLF is in a better position to build
as well for next season because they're a team that
I believe has to trade Lachenkov sent back. They have
to make those moves that happens to build for next year.
I think Golf could be a really good team next
year if they can do that properly. Yeah, that's why
I think it takes notes of sagin Off. They're a
really good team. They have a lot of good talent,

(01:11:42):
they have a really good young core. But they're not
in the way child champion this year. I'm sorry, and
they'll put me wrong. I like the cher apologize well.
I like Kitchener fans. I love Kitchener. Kitchener is a
great organization. My dad's cousin almost made the Rangers like
it was almost a Rangers fan, which would have been wild.

(01:12:03):
Like my dad tells me that all the time that hey,
you would have been a Rangers fan, Like we wouldn't
even know what London is. We would have been one
of the Ranger guys. But I just think that with
the way if they want to host the m Cup,
the logical decision of building a roster is you have
to go all in with guys with term You can
be good this year for sure, for sure, but that

(01:12:25):
takes you out of the runnings of a guy like
La Chanko. If he comes back like Carter George. It
takes you out of the running of those guys. In
my opinion, I think you gotta get guys with term
you have a chance then, but that's just the way
I think of it. And then Erie Guelfowen sound follows
suit behind London and Kitchener.

Speaker 2 (01:12:44):
I've got the exact same order except for the top two.
I've flip flopped Kitchener in London. I think it's gonna
it's gonna be close. I think Kitchener is gonna win
the division, gonna win the Midwest Division.

Speaker 3 (01:12:56):
But it's closer than what it sounds.

Speaker 2 (01:12:58):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's not. It's not a Kitchener is
gonna win by twenty points. It's not a London's gonna
win by twenty points, right. It could realistically be a
coin toss at the at the end of the day. Yeah,
But but I think for the Kitchener Rangers, getting put
him back for another year is huge, you know it was.
There were rumblings last year if he'd actually come back
to Kitchener. He had made the decision to do so,

(01:13:20):
And I think once you step into the odd for
a season, it's hard to leave firm believer in that,
but that I've got the Rangers taking this division. Nights
will be good. Don't get me wrong. If Dickinson comes back,
London Knights could win this division. But but I think
it'll be a Rangers and then the Order but Order
behind it same same erie guelf And and Owen sounds.
So who will win the West Division? Colin Ward.

Speaker 3 (01:13:46):
Windsor the winsor spit Fires. I think this could be
unanimously across the board. The windsor spit Fires win the
West Division. Possibly they should be the favorite of the
Western Conference for that matter, The winsor spit Fires win
the West Division. Saganaw is going to be a number
two spot. I really like Sagana's roster. If Misi comes back,

(01:14:07):
we'll see the number two overall pick. I don't expect that,
but you saw what you saw what they did with
the imports in Sagana on how good that potential is there,
and Saganaw for what they can do in the spirit.
I like sagan on the two spots. Sue Saint Marine
is a close three, just neck and neck with Saganaw.
That's Sue Saganaw. Rivalry is gonna be back from two

(01:14:27):
years ago rees. Yeah, that in the second round of
the playoffs and had some fun in the workplace. Sarnia four,
Flint five, very close to that eight spot Sarnia Flint.

Speaker 2 (01:14:39):
I have the Windsor spit Fires winning the division as well.
To be honest with you, I think there's three divisions
that I don't want to say unanimous. Definitely, there's two
that I think will be unanimous, that being the West
and the East Division. But yeah, this is a Windsor
split Fires division. It's their year. They're going all in
for it. I had a conversation with Manny Pavea last
year before a game that featured the Bulldogs and spit

(01:15:01):
Fires in Winsor, and he said, yeah, this team's awesome,
but you know, next year is the year. You know,
you're seeing what the roster is essentially shaping out to
be a year from now and and competing for a
championship in twenty twenty five, twenty six. So this is
a spit Fires year and and I think that they're
looking for another Ohl championship to race the rafters at

(01:15:24):
the WFCU Center. And you know Jack Nesbitt, he's coming
off his first rookie in NHL camp Belche's gonna take
that extra step up. And like I said, their defense
is huge. They're huge, like it's gonna be. Their preseason
roster had every defenseman over six feet but one that's
big for the playoffs exactly exactly. So give me the

(01:15:45):
winsor spit fires all day in the in the West Division,
East Division?

Speaker 3 (01:15:51):
Colin Ward, who meant the East Division? I believe the
b ran for Bulldogs are one. Two's interesting. The two
spot in the East Division is very interesting. I I
really like Peterborough. I really do. Not a lot of
people not a lot of people do in the power rankings,

(01:16:12):
but I like the Peterborough Pets. I do. I think
if Luke obviously Lucas Karmiras with the injury there, you
hope it's not as serious as it sounds. You hope
as an opportunity for him to return, because that's a
big addition for the Pets. Like I like Eastern I
like their goaltending situation. I like Peterborough. I do. I
think Peterborough battles for the two spot. I think is

(01:16:35):
better than what people think. I think the generals and
the way this new age NC doublea agreement. They're in
that top tier of teams that can get NC double
A free agents. They've shown that last year. I think
is a three spot and they have a really good
start to the season. But we'll see what they do
with the deadline. We'll talk about them at the deadline.
That's why it's an easy three spot for me with

(01:16:56):
Oshawa Kingston four, Ottawa five. Ottawa really shot themselves in
the foot of the deadline. Not getting rid of me,
it's not getting rid of the guys they did at
the deadline in Pinelli as well. Now that those guys
aren't back, what assets did you get for them play
the cricket. Sounds like there was nothing. And I think

(01:17:18):
they have great management there, but it was a bad
year last year for their management all year around, even
their coaching staff at the World Juniors. Try to bring
that up Canadian fellow Canadians on that one, but I
think that they really mismanaged your opportunity to really go
from last to first from where they were last year.
To have that opportunity, yeah, yeah, I.

Speaker 2 (01:17:40):
Think this is the Bulldog's division. I don't think this
one will be close. I think the Bulldogs win this
very easily. Clearly the best team and it's not close,
not in the East Division, but in the Eastern Conference altogether.
Ottawa was five no arguing that whatsoever, I think Gosha
was gonna be your wow out of the gate where

(01:18:00):
generals look really strong. Okay, let's wait and see what
they are come January. Yeah, man, I'm still a firm
believer that if the Anaheim Ducks do not have Becke
at senecon their opening night roster, they should not have
taken him third. Overall, you're a third and you're not
on the opening night roster for your NHL club within
the first two years. Come on, Like, you know Pat

(01:18:22):
Verbeek obviously with the Anaheim Ducks. He came from a
winning culture in Detroit, a lot of winning years when
he was around the Red Wings. But like, your third
overall pick has to be on your team within two
years of him being drafted. Like, I agree, gotta be
Calum Richie's not gonna be back. We know that. You know,

(01:18:43):
Danford should be back. Who knows where he goes throughout
the season. But uh, they're gonna be the team that's
really really good out of the gate, and they may
surprise a few people and be like, hey, why is
oshwaod doing so good? We'll wait and see how they
go throughout the middle of the season, because you'll you'll
start to see a dip. I think, and again, I

(01:19:04):
think that's a team that you've gone for it twice,
you made two ohl finals. You know it's it's a
loutter off now. So this is that's what I think.
So give me the Bulldogs to win that East Division.
What about the Central Wardy?

Speaker 3 (01:19:20):
The Central is literally the most tightest race you could
have in the Antario Hockey thee Any division. I don't
think there's any debate on that one. There's at least
four teams that make a case to win the division.
Out of the five five, I have the Brampton Steelheads. Four,
I have the Niagara Ice Dogs. Three I have the

(01:19:42):
North Bay Battalion because I really like North Bay last
year in the playoffs and I really liked their experience.
I really did. I think North Bay is well coached,
They're a really good hockey team. That's a very that
is a big sleeper and number two very close to
number one, the Sudbury Wolves number two if they get goaltending,

(01:20:02):
and Sudbury North by Niagara. Literally I have them with
it and Barry one. Barry is my one. But I
literally have these teams within five points of each other.
Just because I have Niagara for it does not mean
they can't win the division. Like I, who do you
even pick? That's why I just picked one that I
had to in Barry. I think that Barry, if you

(01:20:24):
have if you have ahs in back, if you have
those pieces back, you never know. You have an opportunity.
You have a coach now and you have a GM
that can be a GM. Everyone knows my thoughts on that.
I like the opportunity for Barry to repeat in the division.
I do Sudbury have a good deadline. Will talk at
the deadline. We will talk of the deadline. That they

(01:20:46):
have a lot of drafted players. They have a lot
of players at development camps. For the love of god,
though management, don't screw that. Don't screw this up, like
get a goalie, go out and get go out and
get Braden Gillaspie last season from Guelph before he went
to Brampton. Don't make that move. Don't trade all those

(01:21:07):
picks for Noah Roberts and then ship them out. Good job,
Nice seeing you, you know, make hockey moves, make logical
decisions and have success, have success. So I'm begging. You
have every opportunity to be a decent team. You have
every opportunity, but please make logical decisions. Please. That's why

(01:21:32):
I like North Bay. I really like what North Bay
can do because I they're well coached, They make good decisions.
They never have a problem off the ice. They never
like who has a bad thing to say about the
North Bay battalion? You know and Ryan Olahan, nobody, Nigrice Dougs.
Stay out of the movie theaters. Stay out of the
crap please, just like Zuckery's management, stay out of the

(01:21:57):
stay out of the bad things.

Speaker 2 (01:21:59):
And why not lock them lock the popcorn door.

Speaker 3 (01:22:03):
Here's here's the deal. Here's the deal for Niagara. Don't
trade your captain, don't.

Speaker 2 (01:22:08):
Go to the movie.

Speaker 3 (01:22:09):
You'll be successful. I really hope they can do that.
I really hope they can. Just no nonsense. We know
the office quote from the show.

Speaker 2 (01:22:18):
The art going to give yourself a heart attack.

Speaker 3 (01:22:21):
And when you see I'm back, baby, I'm back. And
when you see the opportunities, when you see the opportunities
there to actually have a year please please, Niagara. You
have a great fan base. It's a great spot there,
it's a great spot. Make good decisions. Go zero, go

(01:22:42):
go sixty eight games with no nonsense, not zero days,
and you will be successful. They have every right, all
those fourteens have every single right to win the division.
Every rate out of those four teams can win the division. Brampton,
I'm sorry, or you're with last year and it never came.
I'm it sucks. It sucks to miss the window. You

(01:23:04):
did everything you could. You literally, you traded for Connor Smith,
you got Raycoff in the summer, you won the August
trade deadline. You did everything you could. You did. Unfortunately,
that's how the cookie crumbles sometimes in the Ontario Hockey
that you miss your window, and it's unfortunate. They ran
into the best first round series you could possibly imagine
in the Oshawa Generals and in like I have you

(01:23:27):
in the draft lottery. So all the best and when
we run that throughout the year, but all the best.

Speaker 2 (01:23:32):
Yeah, No, I'm with the Brampton's five for me. I
don't think there's a question about that. I think they
did last in the Ontario Hockey League, so you know,
it's tough to not have either goalie come back. I've
in Covid and Gillespie both off the school. So so
they go out and and make a deal with the
Peterborough Pets to try and shore up the crease and

(01:23:53):
we'll see. But yeah, Brampton's fifth by a pretty fair
margin in the Central Division. I'm with you. I think
this could be very close the Central I think my
Central Division, my Central Division winners get the Niagara Ice Dogs.
I just think Barry, Sudbury and North Bay North Bays two.
I love North Bay. I think there gonna be number two.

(01:24:15):
I think they could. I think they have a really
strong chance to get home ice in round one to
the North Bay Battalion. So but I think it's gonna
be Niagara, North Bay, Barry, Sudbury, Brampton. And you know,
with Barry and Sudbury, I think it's gonna be a
similar trajectory to the the Oshaua Generals, where it's a
great first half and then you realize you're not in

(01:24:38):
it to win like you were last year and getting
draft picks would be nice. So I think, and then
the Niagara Ice Dogs getting Patterson is big. You know,
the commitments they've gotten from Michigan. And you know, trade
a guy trade for a guy from the London Knights
that wasn't committing to the London Knights, but then he
commits to the Niagara Ice Dogs. You're thinking, oh, okay, cool,

(01:25:01):
that's something that hasn't happened in the last five or
six years. That that, you know, it's not very common.
So I mean credit to Frank and Vola, the new
general manager for the Niagara Ice Dogs. He's clearly trying
to preach that things are different. You know, you can
trust me on that. If things go awry, then you
know it is what it is. Oh God, I think

(01:25:26):
Frank Ivola is the perfect guy for the job. And
I think the Niagara Ice Dogs are going to be
going to be division winners this year, and it'd be
the first time since twenty nineteen that they that they
win the division. So who which which team will be
the most surprising for you? Wardy?

Speaker 3 (01:25:42):
My most surprising team, I guess I have the Sudbury Wolves.
I think, okay, what's the difference between Sudbury, I guess
Sudbury North Bay. But what is the difference between Sudbury's
goaltending and Niagara's goaltending right now, That's why I don't know, Like,

(01:26:03):
I think that those two teams are gonna battle it out.
Underrated for sure, and I think Niagara is a team
that should be picked high for sure. I have Sudbury,
North Bay, Peterborough as my surprise teams. I really like
Peterborough I do. I like the way they coach. I
like the way they can run the organization there. They
can make pieces, filler pieces, they can compete in games.

(01:26:24):
I like Peterborough's opportunity here. I don't think they're a
top five team in the conference good, but I think
they're a team that is gonna steal games. And I
think that the Peterborough Pete, Sudbury Wolves, North Bay Battalion
are my three surprise teams in the East that basically
just picked the quarter of the East. I think that
the East is gonna be That's where the surprise is

(01:26:44):
gonna be, because when you look at the West, where's
the surprise.

Speaker 2 (01:26:50):
Like, so I've got a West team as my surprise team. Now,
I usually base this answer off of not necessarily getting
home ice in the first round. Uh. I look at
this as a team that you don't think could be
a five hundred team, but I think they might have

(01:27:10):
a chance to be. And and I mentioned Owen Sound
could be at the bottom, near the bottom. But there's
a small part of me that thinks they could be
a five hundred team. And the reason I say that
is you've got Pierce Bowie, who was a absolutely electric

(01:27:30):
last year. Obviously, You've got Carter Georgian Nett depending on
what they decided to do with him. You've got Kaprowski
behind him. I think he's a very quality goaltender and
could still grab wins if George isn't with the attack.

Speaker 3 (01:27:41):
Do they have the best duo in the division for goalies.

Speaker 2 (01:27:47):
Who coming into the year and in the conference even
that's a tough one.

Speaker 3 (01:27:53):
They might, They might.

Speaker 2 (01:27:58):
Yet you start to you start to think of teams
around the Western Conference and you think, Okay, it's Costanzo
and windsor Medve Devin London. You know, you're starting to
go through You've got I think it's a coin flip
in Gwelph. It might be Ellsworth. We're not one thousand
per cent sure who their number one is gonna be.

Speaker 3 (01:28:17):
Yeah, you know, you.

Speaker 2 (01:28:20):
Start thinking, oh, who am I missing here Sarnia, like
they've got one guy Flint. Maybe Flint maybe said no, yeah, it's.

Speaker 3 (01:28:31):
All Sound dude, Yeah yeah, like like they're doing.

Speaker 2 (01:28:36):
So again. I don't think One Sound is gonna get
home ice in round one. I think they're gonna be
a first round exit. But I think it's a sneaky
team that could get to five hundred. That's what I
based my surprise team on Bay Shore got a facelift,
and I think I think the the Attack organization like

(01:28:57):
to do something right off the hop and and again,
whether that's you know, your goal is obviously to make
the playoffs and have a successful playoff run. I don't
think that's in the cards for the Attack this year,
but I think they're gonna surprise a lot of people
with a lot of the results. You know, it's it's
still a small bar, and the fans are still right
on top of you. It's still a really tough place
to play. The Wi Fi sucks, unless they upgraded that too,

(01:29:18):
which would be awesome. The fries are unreal fires up
the fans beforehand if you get some fries on the
way into the into the bowls. So the O Sound
Attack as a surprise Actually Attack is my surprise team.
O close close, That's the only reason to go. Just kidding,
Carter Jeorde's a pretty good reason to go watch the

(01:29:39):
Owen Sound Attack. But I think they're a sneaky chance
in a five hundred team, and I think that's a
successful year for the own Sound Attack. So that's who
I'm going with as my surprise team. All right, to
the conferences. Who is going to be the Wayne Gretzky
Trophy winners as Western Conference champion?

Speaker 3 (01:30:00):
The Windsor spit Fires over the Kitchener Rangers. So there
you go, Ranger fans. I didn't have you win the division.

Speaker 2 (01:30:08):
So you have London winning the division but not making
the conference finals, all right.

Speaker 3 (01:30:13):
Because Kitchener is gonna beat them out again like they
did in twenty two in London seven. Oh yeah, when's
win's your over Kitchener in the conference final?

Speaker 2 (01:30:26):
Awesome? I've got Windsor as well. I'm I'm gonna flip
a coin. It could be London our Kitchener. I have
no idea. It could be either or, But I think
the Windsor Spitfires are are going to be Western Conference
champions this season. I just love their defense. It's hard
not to. You know, Costanzo had had a tough go
to start career and you're really starting to see what

(01:30:51):
he is and why he was taken high by the
Niagara Ice Dogs, why they had a lot of interest
in him. Obviously some issue happened, they had to move on,
and he is Uh, he's really really been dynamite for
the winsor spit fires. So I like what they're doing
on the back end in their own zone. They've got

(01:31:11):
the fire power up front, So give me the spit
fires over either the Rangers or Knights. It could be
either or so who will be Eastern Conference champion and
take home the body or trophy?

Speaker 3 (01:31:22):
I think the Branford Bulldogs. I mean I all expectations
are gonna go all in and I think as of now,
I think the Branford Bulldogs. I think it's gonna be
Branford and one of the Central teams. I mean, I
don't I don't even know who. The Central is so
tight right now, but I think Branford comes out of

(01:31:44):
the similar to the twenty twenty two run.

Speaker 2 (01:31:47):
Yeah, I'm with you. I have the Bulldogs. Also, they've
still got a ton of draft capital they're gonna move
a lot, so so this is their year to go
all in. I think it's gonna be the Bulldogs and
spit Fires in the OHL Championship Series for the second
time in the last four years five years. Sorry, yeah,

(01:32:07):
math not not very easy, but yeah. So who will
be the OHL Champion, Who's gonna take home the J.
Ross Robertson Trophy.

Speaker 3 (01:32:18):
Well, I don't even know what to pick, but it's
a hard pick, Like I don't want you know, I
know I'm gonna hear it. But b Branford and seven
over win JY rematch carbon Copy. I think it's so
hard to tell with these two teams. But I think
right now, these two teams they match each other extremely well,
and I think seven game series, just like twenty twenty

(01:32:40):
two would be incredible.

Speaker 2 (01:32:44):
I'm not picking games, man, that's so hard. I've got well,
you know what, and it's been pretty clear. So they're
black and gold game, which was like gray and black
kind of went off the shoulder colors. It wasn't really
the jersey colors. That was more of the shoulder and
we are starting to shoot some media stuff afterwards, and

(01:33:05):
we've even we even heard it from Ryder Bolton when
he came on the dogcast that that's all they're talking
about is winning an OHL Championship in a memorial Memorial Cup.
You know, message is pretty clear what what the what
the goal is, and what the expectation is. So you know,
you've got arguably the three the group, best group of

(01:33:26):
imports in the Ontario Hockey League. If you're a check
Bannocken and Draveki, Leaner's and Igrov are a solid ten.
And we talked about how good the goaltenders are and
own sound, Leaners and Igrov. You can go to either
one either night and they're gonna give you a chance
to win. You know, those are two number one goalies
if they're on different teams. So Leaner's and Igrov and
net you've got your Yeah, you're all over that. Oh yeah,

(01:33:50):
So you know, and and again I expect those picks
to not be with the Bulldogs for for too long.
You know, they've they've got some capital to move and
I think they're gonna do it. So give me the
Bulldogs to win the OHL Championship for the third time
in franchise history.

Speaker 3 (01:34:09):
One hundred percent. It should be a fun one, for sure.
That would be a fun final. It should be a
fun year. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:34:16):
Absolutely. We usually end the show with power rankings. We'll
go through them. We don't have power rankings ourselves. It's
the preseason. We're not gonna do that right now. We'll
do it next week. But the Owen Sound Attack at
number sixteen. And by the way, the four teams that
are not part of the power rankings all in the
Eastern Conference. The Owen sound Attack are number sixteen, the

(01:34:39):
Erie Oders number fifteen, SARNEYA Sting fourteen, Flint Firebirds thirteen,
Oshawa twelve twelve eleven. You can see it on your
screen if you're watching us on YouTube for anyone listening.
You've got the Greyhounds at ten, You've got the Spirit nine,
North Bay Battalion are eight, Kingston Front Acts seven, Barry
Colts are six, your Ice Dogs are five, and then

(01:35:01):
you've got the London Nights at four, Kitchen Rangers at three,
Windsor spit Fires are number two and the Branford Bulldogs
are number one. Again, this means absolutely nothing. It is preseason.
We'll get to the real power rankings once once the
season gets going. But it is fun to talk about
it and it is a little bit of entertainment early

(01:35:21):
on in the in the before the season starts, to
see all the reactions on social media and see all
the comments. It's always fun to look through that. So
those are your power rankings for opening week in the
Ontario Hockey League. And it's backwardy, we're back back, so
all back fire me up.

Speaker 3 (01:35:42):
Oh hey, my blood pressure already is no half hour ago.
So it's been good. Excited, can't contain myself at times.
Bribady night, gonna sleep tonight. You gotta get over this
probably Thursday night. Be pretty excited Friday at the Odd
and the Jamickee Cup. Yeah, I'm sure. Josh Brown, when

(01:36:04):
you listen to this, you're gonna be very excited. Always
a great chat. So can't wait for the season start.
Cannot wait, No, we can't.

Speaker 2 (01:36:13):
It's it's gonna be exciting an early trip to the
Odd to see Brownian farewell. It's always always a fun yeah.
So so no fans, we we hope you're just as
excited as we are. You know, we're we're big supporters
of this league. Obviously, the NHL's the NHL. I'm gonna

(01:36:33):
take this every single day over the NHL, So fire
me up, let's get her going. The OHL season starts
this week, folks, and that'll end our first video episode
of the Ohl and sixty podcast. Thanks to Brandon Camputo
for producing the show and putting everything together and having
our ugly faces on the screen and not have a break.

(01:36:54):
So that's a that's a win, Colin. I think that's
a win to start the year. The screens didn't break,
so look at us go.

Speaker 8 (01:37:00):
Congrats to us everyone, Thanks so much for tuning in
to the first episode of the new season for the
Ohl and sixty podcast, and we will chat again in
seven days.

Speaker 1 (01:37:12):

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