Storm set sights on 2016 OHL Priority Selection
By Josh Sweetland, OHL
The Guelph Storm knew the aftermath of a championship team loaded with veteran talent would pave the way for a rebuilding cycle thereafter.
The team set franchise records with 52 wins and 108 points hoisting the J. Ross Robertson Cup for the third time in 2013-14, before following up with a 38-win season and fourth place Western Conference finish in 2014-15.
Holding the first overall pick in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection may not have been the goal, but there’s brimming optimism across the organization this week as it prepares for a big day on Saturday April 9th.
With heavy graduation and star 19-year-old centreman Robby Fabbri earning a spot with the St. Louis Blues, the Storm had a slow start to the 2015-16 campaign opting to give their many young prospects an opportunity to grow and take on an increased role with the club.
“Starting December 1st we laid out a plan and worked from there,” said Storm GM Mike Kelly. “We wanted to go as young as we possibly could and moved some older players out and provided them with other opportunities. We played with the youngest team in the league from that point on and many of our young players were seeing 18-20 minutes a night against good competition.”
The result was a 13-49-4-2 finish, one sprinkled with bits of success on the scoreboard including a run of five wins in six games at the turn of the calendar under new head coach Jarrod Skalde.
The end result marked the end of a 24-year run of consecutive OHL playoff appearances as the Storm prepare to turn the page with the first overall pick in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection.
The man announcing that pick will be same one who sat in the general manager’s chair back in 1992 when the Storm last picked first overall, selecting future NHL star Jeff O’Neill, who was honoured by the club as part of 25th anniversary celebrations in November.
Mike Kelly has had stops in Calgary, Windsor, Niagara and Italy in between, but the long-time OHL architect just wrapped up his sixth season back with the Storm and 12th with the organization since its inaugural season in 1991.
“We came into the season knowing that we would be rebuilding and as the season progressed we decided to take a couple steps backward rather than baby steps forward,” said Kelly. “I guess the end result is the benefit of the first overall pick. When we selected O’Neill in 1992 he was an incredible building block not only for the three years he played but he helped form the culture of success that lasted long after his departure. This is a unique opportunity that we look forward to.”
While many OHL Priority Selections of the past have seen a clear cut favourite penciled in as the first overall pick, the 2016 landscape isn’t quite as defined.
Kelly and his staff have gradually narrowed down their list of potential top selections.
“Going back to January 1st there were seven players that we felt could be worthy of being number one overall in the Ontario Hockey League,” he said. “I’d say as recently as three weeks ago we’ve narrowed that down to five and we’re probably down to a couple names as it stands now.”
While the player selected at first overall and the ones to follow at 29th and 42nd will no-doubt be central to Guelph’s long-term outlook, Kelly places a great deal of emphasis on the players already in the system. The Storm feature 17-year-old power forward Givani Smith in addition to four forwards (Isaac Ratcliffe, Nate Schnarr, Liam Stevens, Nick Deakin-Poot) taken in the first three rounds of the 2015 OHL Priority Selection.
“The foundation was set last year,” Kelly noted. “Now we want to bring in a few special, talented kids who can more or less stir the drink for us. Many of the pieces that we hope can lead us to a future championship have been put into place this past year and the year before.”
A firm believer in building through the draft, Kelly had a part in assembling Guelph’s 2014 championship club that featured homegrown talent in Fabbri, Tyler Bertuzzi, Jason Dickinson, Scott Kosmachuk, Zack Mitchell and blueliners Matt Finn, Ben Harpur and Zac Leslie.
The Storm set out to build another winner, holding 17 picks in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection on Saturday, April 9th.
Guelph’s top choice will be introduced to the Royal City and their fans on Friday April 8th joining current OHL rising stars like David Levin and Jakob Chychrun, first round Philadelphia Flyers prospect Travis Konecny, and current NHL stars Connor McDavid, and Aaron Ekblad in receiving the Jack Ferguson Award given to the first overall pick of the OHL Priority Selection.
Fans can follow the action pick-by-pick right here at ontariohockeyleague.com as the OHL Priority Selection Draft Show with host Terry Doyle will air for a ninth straight year.