OHL 20 in 20: Oshawa Generals

Saturday September 13, 2014

By Evan Mathias @EvanMathias61

The Oshawa Generals are looking to pick up right where they left off the regular season and get back to business as usual heading into the 2014-15 campaign.

Last season the Generals claimed the East Division crown and top spot in the conference before sweeping their way through the first two rounds of the playoffs.  But the Gennies couldn’t maintain that momentum and fell in four games to the North Bay Battalion.

Their success last season was due in large part to second-year head coach DJ Smith who was appointed the Generals bench boss in 2012 after serving six years as an associate coach in the Windsor Spitfires organization.

Under the guidance of the 37-year-old coach last season, the young Generals posted a 42-20-0-6 record reaching 90 points for the first time in over 20 years. Smith was rewarded with OHL Coach of the Year honours, something that he doesn’t let go to his head.

“If you get caught thinking about it you’re not going to get any better,” said Smith. “It’s certainly a great honour from your peers to identify you like that… last year is last year and you’ve got to turn a page and try to do your best again.”

A big part of the Generals’ identity is gone with the graduation of some key veterans including gritty top end scorer and Team Canada leader Scott Laughton, a Philadelphia Flyers prospect who racked up 87 points last season.  Even without his presence, the team hopes to contend returning 17 players from last year’s squad.

“It’s big losing a Scott Laughton or Colin Suellentrop,” said Smith. “A lot of the meat of the room is back…Josh Brown is back as the captain, Hunter Smith, Cole Cassels, Michael Dal Colle.”

There’s no surprise Dal Colle will be leaned on the most to produce offensively. The fifth overall draft pick of the New York Islanders at the NHL Draft in June led the Generals in scoring last season posting 95 points in just his second OHL season.

“Certainly, for us to do anything Michael has to be the catalyst. He’s one of the league’s best players and he’s been that way since he’s been here… he can’t do it by himself but certainly he’s going to have to be our best player.”

Smith and Cassels join Dal Colle as returning NHL drafted prospects. The Calgary Flames selected the 6’6’’ Smith in the second round in June, while Cassels, who netted 73 points last season, was a 2013 Vancouver Canucks pick. Top five scorers Josh Sterk and Bradley Latour will also return with invaluable experience to help shape the development of their younger teammates.

“Its huge, development happens, little things every single day. Young kids are so impressionable that they need to be learning from the people and the right lessons,” said Smith. “Every guy that’s here is a respectful person, good off the ice. Our dressing room is really strong that way and I think if we keep it that way, young guys will learn that way and the young guys will pass it on.”

Among the young players coming to the Generals is first-round OHL Priority Selection pick, Cliff Pu. The OHL Cup champion Toronto Marlboro was one of five Generals prospects invited to the OHL Gold Cup reserved for top 16-year-old talent. In five games he was second in tournament scoring posting eight points helping lead Team GTHL Blue to the final.

Also joining the club is Ottawa Senators prospect Tobias Lindberg, a native of Sweden, selected in the CHL Import Draft along with defenceman Sonny Hertzberg of Denmark.

Smith believes as most coaches do, that defence wins championships and despite Oshawa not having a “bona fide star” on their back-end, the Generals coach believes they still have a deep blue line corps.

“We have some depth guys and some guys that can defend that will allow us to stay in games. I think that’s always been our motto here, defend first, that gives you a chance to win hockey games.”

Smith added that each defenceman on the roster has to push themselves to be better every day in order for them to be successful. He is also looking for some of their younger d-men to step into a bigger role.

“We want the emergence of Mitch Vande Sompel, certainly that will help us.”

Vande Sompel was one of eight OHL players who represented Canada this summer winning gold at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup, and is also a top prospect for the 2015 NHL Draft.

In goal, the Generals lose Carolina Hurricanes prospect Daniel Altshuller to graduation which paves the way for fourth-year netminder Ken Appleby who is eager to seize the starter’s role, something that Smith believes he is ready for.

“I believe all signs point to yes, but he will have to prove himself,” said Smith. “He’s been dying for his chance (to start) and he gets it. He will certainly have his opportunity to lead this hockey team.”

While staying hopeful for a strong season, Smith knows that the East Division is potentially the toughest division in the OHL this year.

“Since I’ve been here for sure, this is the most competitive this division has been.”

Smith is looking to prepare his team for a long season building towards the playoffs with the emphasis on defence first hockey in preparation for those super competitive playoff games often separated by the smallest of margins.

“If our goaltending and defence can keep our goals against to where they have been the last couple years, we’ll find ways to score more goals,” said Smith. “I’m not a big fan of trying to outgun teams, you will some nights and you won’t other nights and the wins don’t pile up. I think a lot has to be relied unto our team defence.”

If this season is anything like the last, Generals fans will have lots to look forward to and lots to cheer about this season.

ontariohockeyleague.com will feature one team each day in advance of the 2014-15 season which begins Wednesday September 24.

Read more OHL 20 in 20 previews:

West Division: Saginaw Spirit, Sarnia Sting, Windsor Spitfires

East Division: Kingston Frontenacs, Ottawa 67’s,

Central Division: Mississauga Steelheads, Niagara IceDogs,

Midwest Division: Kitchener Rangers, London Knights,