Mignosa says Hounds ‘mindset hasn’t changed’

Having lost seven key players to graduation, OHL followers expect the Soo Greyhounds to be entering a transitional campaign.

By finishing 45-18-3-2 in the 2023-2024 regular season, the Soo posted the third-best record in the 20-team league.

But moving forward minus the likes of Jack Beck, Gavin Hayes, Kirill Kudryavtsev, Bryce McConnell-Barker, Jordan D’Intino, Jacob Frasca and Arttu Karki will be difficult.

Marco Mignosa acknowledges that.

But he also has a message for those who expect the Hounds to roll over.

“We’re younger this season, but our mindset hasn’t changed,” said the 19-year-old (2005 birth year) winger. “We want to win hockey games. We’re not here to finish in the middle of the pack.”

The plan, said the fourth-year player, is to again contend in the Western Conference.

But can they, considering what’s been lost?

“One-hundred per cent we can,” said Mignosa, who finished third in team scoring a season ago with a 22-31-53 stat line in 57 games. “That’s where our minds are at.”

The Vaughan, Ont., native, the Soo’s highest-scoring returning player, also spoke of how “a lot of people are doubting us right now.”

But Mignosa went on to explain how the work the players are putting in this month “will translate into our game” at the start of the season. The Hounds open play Friday, against Saginaw, and Saturday, with Sudbury providing the opposition. Both GFL Memorial Gardens clashes begin at 7:07 p.m.

“I want us to have a winning culture and to be a team that competes every night,” he added. “And I want to lead by example. I want to be relied upon heavily.”

To that end, the six-foot, 170-pounder put in a summer of hard work, determined to get stronger.

His game took a jump last season as Mignosa was more effective driving play, harder on pucks and more effective in 50-50 battles.

John Dean appreciates the strides the winger has taken, but the Greyhounds head coach wants to see more. He talked about how the key to Mignosa’s continued progress is consistency.

“No one doubts his capabilities,” added Dean, who spoke of how Mignosa’s skill level and intelligence “are at an elite level.”

Dean also used the words “absolutely incredible,” when discussing the player’s performance over the first half of the season.

The coach didn’t have much to say about the second half.

Mignosa missed 11 games in February with an upper-body injury, admitting it took a while for him to return to form.

“I’m determined to be really consistent from beginning to end,” he added. “That’s the goal every year. I have to play a full, 200-foot game. I just have to stay healthy.”

If he can do that, Mignosa figures to be a player the Hounds rely on in a number of situations. With the way he sees the ice, he’s certainly among the club’s best when it comes to creating scoring opportunities for others.

“He took a really-big step in the right direction last season,” said Dean. “Now, if he can do that over the course of 68 games, we’ll have a heck of a player and he’ll have a bright future.”

Part of what motivates Mignosa is the memory of how last season ended. The Greyhounds dropped Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals 3-1 in Saginaw, losing to the eventual Memorial Cup champions.

“That was a heartbreaker for sure. It sucked, it was awful,” said Mignosa. “It stuck with me all off-season. But it also gives us fuel for this year.”