Generally speaking, these guys are good
The Oshawa Generals are quickly finding out that life without a pair of long-time superstars might not be so bad after all.
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The Generals, who traded John Tavares and Michael Del Zotto at the Ontario Hockey League trade deadline last January, are one of the early surprises in the OHL this season, putting together a 7-3-2-0 record, good for a three-way tie for first place in the Eastern Conference.
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“I’m pretty happy with the way we’ve started the year off,” said Generals’ GM/coach Chris DePiero, who is in his second full season behind the bench. “I think we’re in a situation where we’ve been in every game in terms of our work ethic with just a couple of lapses here and there have cost us.
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“With the inexperienced group that we have, sometimes that comes back to haunt you in a big way. We have resiliency – we just have to bring that every game.”
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While Tavares, the first overall pick of the New York Islanders, and Del Zotto, a first rounder to the New York Rangers in 2008, are enjoying productive starts to the NHL careers in New York State, the Generals are reaping the benefits of the difficult decision to move their first round picks from 2005 and 2006.
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Christian Thomas – London’s first round pick in 2008, and Michael Zador, their first rounder in 2007, were the key components to the deal last January and both are playing big parts of the Generals’ success.
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Thomas has seven goals and 10 assists and leads the team with 17 points through 12 games while Zador has put together a 6-1-1-0 record to go along with a 2.98 goals against average and .903 save percentage in eight starts. Defenceman Scott Valentine also came over from the Knights and has played a dependable role on the Generals’ blueline and has chipped in with six assists so far this season.
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Thomas scored eight goals and 25 points in 59 games split between the Knights and Generals last season and is already looking like an OHL scoring star in his sophomore year.
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“One year makes a lot of difference,” Thomas said. “You know all the players better and it just makes it a lot easier out there. I tried to work out every day (in the summer) like a normal player in this league would do. Everything you do helps.”
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DePiero said that the Generals were counting on Thomas to be a key contributor up front this year.
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“Certainly the expectation was for him to take his game to another level,” DePiero said. “To the extent he has is a credit to him and the dedication he put towards his game through the summer. He worked hard off the ice and on the ice.”
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Zador has won five straight starts and is providing the Generals with the goaltending they will need to get back into the playoffs after missing the post-season by just one point last year.
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First round pick Boone Jenner has also been a sparkplug for the Generals in his first OHL season. Jenner, younger brother of Plymouth Whalers’ blueliner Leo, already has seven goals and 10 points in his first 12 games. He scored a goal in his OHL debut in September and followed up with a two-goal game the next night.
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“We’ve got a really young team,” Thomas said. “We had a good pre-season and we’re just bonding together. All of us our friends with each other and we’ve bonded nicely. We want to make the playoffs this year first of all, and try to win as many games as we can.”
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All-star defenceman Calvin de Haan has been solid since returning from the New York Islanders camp and captain Jeff Hayes is quickly approaching his career high offensive totals with nine goals and 16 points in 12 games. He had 10 goals and 23 points last season and is relishing his expanded role as an overager.
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“Our leadership group is very good,” DePiero said. “Jeff Hayes is our captain – he’s not a very vocal guy but certainly on the ice – the way he plays – his consistency of effort on a regular basis is outstanding. From a leadership perspective, he’s been excellent as our captain.”
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The Generals have enjoyed their success so far without the benefit of having last season’s top scorer Brett Parnham in the lineup. Parnham is back in Oshawa as an overage after a 50 goal season last year but hasn’t suited up yet because of an upper body injury. The Generals expect him to be back in the lineup later this month.
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DePiero is obviously looking forward to having Parnham back on the roster but has been pleased with the way his team has spread out the offence so far this season.
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“We play a more team game this year,” DePiero said. “We’ve got a lot more balanced scoring and for me as a coach, I certainly like it that way. There is no one guy to key on and from my perspective I like the team approach.
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“I like the team game that we’re playing. Any successful team needs that.”
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Photo: Aaron Bell/CHL