Dean calls Hounds a ‘contender’
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photo by Bob Davies
It lasted only six months.
But having become accustomed to winning, for the Soo Greyhounds and their loyal fans, the 2022-2023 season felt like a long, difficult decade.
General manager Kyle Raftis and head coach John Dean have since labeled a 20-33-9-6 mark thoroughly unacceptable.
Yes, the roster was young and injuries to goalie Charlie Schenkel, defenceman Andrew Gibson and forward Owen Allard proved devastating.
Putting those factors aside, members of the Hounds brain trust say they’re determined to orchestrate a quick turnaround.
“We absolutely see ourselves as a contender in the Western Conference,” said Dean, when asked about a realistic goal for the 2023-2024 campaign, which begins Friday with a 7:07 p.m. home start against the Flint Firebirds. “Obviously, we have a lot of work to do. But if we play the right way and keep our habits on point, we have the skill set here to have a fun season.”
About to begin his sixth season behind the Hounds bench, Dean was asked to amplify his comments regarding the club’s habits.
The native of Don Mills, Ont., who’s celebrating his 43rdbirthday on Wednesday, spoke of how the team’s compete level wasn’t always where it needed to be.
“The biggest thing about last year is the difficulty we had with practice habits leaking into our game habits,” began Dean, whose club stopped Saginaw 5-4 on Saturday to finish the exhibition season with a 3-1 record. “Yes, we want to be structured. But our habits have to be elite and we’ve really put the onus on that every day. These guys are being knocked over the head with video showing how small habits can be game-changers in hockey.”
The Soo coach noted how that has to do with on-ice and off-ice situations.
“We need more of a winning mind set,” said overage forward Jordan D’Intino, whose club struggled mightily in tight, one-goal games a year ago.
The Soo dropped nine overtime contests and lost six times in shootouts – both OHL highs.
“Nobody likes losing,” D’Intino added. “But we need to have a better attitude about games.”
Dean also talked about how the coaching staff and players typically discuss three specific values the club plans to live by throughout the 23-24 campaign.
The coach said the team will not identify those values publicly.
“Those will stay in our room. That’s for us and our guys have really embraced them,” he added. “If we live by the values and the habits we talk about every day, we’re going to have a successful season.”
Dean said the team is ready to halt any discussion about last season. He referenced the 2022-23 campaign’s disappointments at the start of training camp, saying it would be a mistake not to.
However, he’s moved away from such talk to focus more on the planned changes – and expected improvements – that go along with a new season. The addition of overage forward Jack Beck, in a recent trade with Ottawa, showed a commitment towards improving the on-ice product.
Beck cost the Greyhounds a second-round pick in 2026 and a third-rounder in 2027.
“We’re talking about what we’re creating here this year,” the coach added. “And it’s already starting to happen. You can see a bit of identity in our game. We’re a new group with a different philosophy. But we have a ways to go.”