Eastern Conference Preview
The 2004-05 Ontario Hockey League regular season schedule kicks off with a pair of games on Thursday. The Peterborough Petes host the Owen Sound Attack and the Saginaw Spirit travel to Windsor to face the Spitfires before a full slate of games on Friday.
Eastern Conference Preview
Barrie Colts
New coach Marty Williamson will have the benefit of an experienced squad in his first OHL campaign. Rookie of the year Bryan Little (pictured) had an outstanding pre-season and could be one of the top scorers in the Eastern Conference this year. He will be supported by an offensively talented club that includes veterans Dan Speer and B.J. Crombeen. The Colts were 5-1 in the pre-season.
Belleville Bulls
The Bulls are looking forward to watching first overall pick John Hughes put his outstanding offensive skills on display on the big ice surface in Belleville. He will join a young group of forwards that should get a lot of ice time under new coach George Burnett. Former Bulls scoring star Jake Grimes has also joined the coaching staff.
Brampton Battalion
First round NHL pick Wojtek Wolski will be counted on heavily to carry the offensive load, but will be helped by speedster Luch Aquino, who left the University of Maine to join the Troops, and giant veteran Tyler Harrison. Stan Butler, who has coached the Battalion since day one in 1998 is giving rookie Daren Machesney every opportunity to be the team’s number one netminder.
Kingston Frontenacs
Fourth year winger Anthony Stewart is one of the most physically dominating players in the OHL. He was a major force for Team Canada at the World Junior Championships and appears to be destined for a spot in the Florida Panthers lineup in the near future. Rookie Cory Emmerton, a fifth round pick in the OHL Priority Selection, led the team with six goals in the pre-season.
Mississauga IceDogs
The IceDogs have an impressive list of returnees from their Eastern Conference championship run last year, including scoring star Patrick O’Sullivan and David Shantz, who emerged as one of the league’s elite netminders and was invited to Canada’s National Junior Team Summer Evaluation Camp. Overage forwards Brad Efthimiou and Tom Zanoski are capable of putting up big numbers.
Ottawa 67’s
Will Colbert will anchor a relatively young blueline while veteran forwards Jeremy Akeson, Brody Todd and Peter Tsimikalis are hoping to produce offensively for Hall of Fame coach Brian Kilrea. Czech forwards Lukas Kaspar and Jakub Petruzalek have turned heads in the pre-season with their offensive skills. Two-time league MVP Corey Locke signed a deal with the Montreal Canadiens just hours before last week’s deadline and appears destined for the AHL.
Oshawa Generals
Former NHL’er Bob McGill guided York Simcoe to the OHL Cup championship last March before taking over the reigns of the Generals this summer. He will rely on twins Justin and Tyler Donati to shoulder the load offensively. Overager Brett Trudell was outstanding in the playoffs last year and helped Guelph win the OHL Championship. The Generals are building their blueline through the draft and hope first rounder James DeLory can contribute right away.
Peterborough Petes
Former OHL coach of the year Dick Todd returns to his roots and will guide an exciting group of young forwards including Liam Reddox, Daniel Ryder and Jordan Morrison. First round pick Jordan Staal hopes to follow in older brother Eric’s footsteps from the Memorial Centre to the NHL while Aaron Dawson and Mark Flood anchor a veteran lineup on the blueline.
Sudbury Wolves
Since returning home to Sudbury one year ago, Mike Foligno has taken the Wolves from a team that missed the playoffs to a group capable of winning every night. Overage forwards Bobby Chaumont and Rafal Martynowski compete every night and fourth year winger Zack Stortini is a nice mix of toughness and skill. Marc Staal was a key part of Canada’s Under-18 gold medal win in August and has the skills to be an all-star in the OHL this season.
Toronto St. Michael’s Majors
After four straight trips to the OHL’s final four, coach Dave Cameron moved on to the AHL. New coach Bud Stefanski will capably take over a Majors lineup that will be anchored by veteran goaltender Justin Peters. Cal Clutterbuck was a ball of energy in the Majors playoff run last season and Cory Vitarelli and Ryan Rorabeck are dependable scorers.
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