OHL 20 in 20: Owen Sound Attack
By Mark McKelvie @Mark14McKelvie
Everyone needs their big break and this season in Owen Sound several players are going to get their chance to shine.
The Attack enter the 2013-14 season with a nice group of veterans complimented by a class of rookies looking to make a name for themselves.
No longer in the mix is OHL Goaltender of the Year and St. Louis Blues prospect Jordan Binnington, or last season’s top scorer and Buffalo Sabres prospect Dan Catenacci. Subtract the solid defence of overager Nathan Chiarlitti who was a +41 last year along with Ottawa Senators prospect Cody Ceci and the Attack have big vacancies at every position following their 94-point campaign of a year ago.
The returning players will naturally have the opportunity to jump into big roles but will have to battle with some hungry rookies. Attack General Manager Dale DeGray says this season opportunities are wide open for everyone.
“There is going to be ice time to be had for some of the younger guys and even for some of the returning kids from last year that maybe didn’t get the ice time they had anticipated,” said DeGray. “We believe in our organization in competition for jobs, competition for ice time and through the competition guys generally push themselves to become better players.”
The Attack boast stability on the back end beginning with overager Brayden Rose, along with Colorado Avalanche second round pick Chris Bigras, and Los Angeles Kings prospect Kurtis MacDermid. That trio will offer support to the new additions including second round Priority Selection pick and Collingwood native Tyler MacArthur, and the Attack’s most recent import pick, Russian Damir Sharipzyanov.
“Sharipzyanov has shown he is a top four guy, great feet, makes a good pass and really reads well,” said DeGray. “He doesn’t speak much English but hockey is pretty universal and he gets it.”
Also joining the Attack blueline is Thomas Schemitsch, the younger brother of former Attack defenceman Geoffrey who won a Robertson Cup with the club in 2011 and just completed his OHL career with the Oshawa Generals. DeGray had high praise for the newest Schemitsch in the program.
“He is settling in really well and I probably go out on a limb and say at this point at 17 he is a little further ahead of where his brother was at 17.”
Offensively the Attack will rely heavily on overager Cameron Brace who is coming off a 35-goal season. Others needed to carry the load include Dallas Stars prospect Gemel Smith who contributed 23-goals last season, along with Detroit Red Wings second round pick Zach Nastasiuk who is the only other 20-goal scorer back in the lineup this season.
“After those three guys, I still think we haven’t seen the best from Holden Cook as good as he was last year for us I think he can contribute more offensively,” said DeGray. “Another guy who I expect will have a breakout year and was only with us part of the last season is Daniel Milne, he has great upside as far as offense goes.”
DeGray also pointed to second year player Jaden Lindo as a player who has put in hard work and could have a breakout year but he isn’t expecting any one player to put the offense on his back this year.
“It may be goal scoring and offense done by committee.”
The new faces up front who could contribute to the offense include the Attack’s most recent first round pick Ethan Szypula and 2012 eighth round pick Jeffrey Gilligan who has caught some eyes in training camp with his offensive prowess.
“You take both those guys and they both have offensive instincts, they both skate well, they both want the puck and they both want to be in an offensive place,” DeGray said. “To me if they learn the defensive side of the game then they are going to be very good guys who are going to contribute night in and night out.”
DeGray however, is still waiting to find out what cards he will be dealt as it pertains to his overagers. Cameron Brace and Brayden Rose are back but Kyle Hope is still on a tryout with the Vancouver Canucks while Kurtis Gabriel was most recently drafted in the third round of the NHL Draft by the Minnesota Wild and he too awaits his placement, which could be anywhere including the AHL or back in Owen Sound.
“Four outstanding kids, four outstanding junior players that have pro upside, do we get them all back? I don’t know we will see and only then will we decide on what we are going to do,” said DeGray. “If we get all four obviously we can’t play all four but somebody is going to want one of these guys no question and we will have to go from there.”
The question marks continue in between the pipes as last year’s backup Brandon Hope is faced with the task of replacing Binnington and mentoring the Attack’s 2013 fourth round pick Michael McNiven.
“Brandon is a great character type kid and he has a great personality and it is his fourth year in the league and he has already shown us in the exhibition games that he has already taken that extra step from last year and that is all you can ask for that they take that step to mature each year,” said DeGray. “For McNiven, it will be a great push for him and great sounding board for him to learn and grow.”
As for icing a young lineup, DeGray isn’t looking to make moves for veterans because he says the development of players is the key part of junior hockey.
“You have to bring in 17-year-olds that you had in the draft from the year before and a few 16-year-olds from this draft, that is junior hockey there is no way around it,” said DeGray. “We had a good little run last year and sometimes there is a cost factor, but we have a good group of returning veterans and if they decide to get better from last year then we will be in good shape going forward.”
Being in the Midwest division while also playing one of the most consistent teams in the East, the Barrie Colts six times a year, the Attack have one of the toughest schedules in the league which is something DeGray takes in positive stride.
“If London is the top team to shoot for I’m okay with that because we play them a lot all year and it is a good measuring stick for us,” said DeGray, noting players know it is tough coming into the Midwest. “They understand coming to our side and having to compete on a night in night out basis and that is going to make them better players because you’ve got to be focused every game in this tough division.”
With many new faces it will be an adjustment period for the Attack, but DeGray is confident in his veterans and the new additions who will grow into a winning hockey club in the Scenic City.
“We might be younger but expectations are the same and that is to be successful.”
Click here to watch the Attack’s 2013 OHL Priority Selection picks.
ontariohockeyleague.com will feature one team each day in advance of the 2013-14 season which begins Thursday September 19.
Read other OHL 20 in 20 season previews:
Central Division: Barrie Colts, Mississauga Steelheads, Niagara IceDogs, North Bay Battalion, Sudbury Wolves
Midwest Division: Erie Otters, Guelph Storm, Kitchener Rangers, London Knights,
East Division: Belleville Bulls, Kingston Frontenacs, Oshawa Generals, Ottawa 67’s,
West Division: Plymouth Whalers, Saginaw Spirit, Sarnia Sting, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds,
