Crowded crease in Sudbury
Sudbury Wolves have a pleasant problem preparatory to the 2016-2017 Ontario Hockey League season with a crowded crease that includes two seasoned stoppers and a highly-touted rookie.
As it stands now, the Wolves have three goalies under contract — 1997 birth-year veterans Troy Timpano and Zack Bowman and 1999 birth-year rookie Jake McGrath, who already has a pair of impressive OHL auditions from 2015-2016 on his resume.
General manager Barclay Branch and head coach David Matsos will have a decision to make sooner or later as in who stays and who goes.
Timpano and Bowman have both spent parts of three seasons in the OHL and it says here that the former has more of an upside.
Which could work one of two ways for Timpano — the Wolves could keep him based on what he has done as part of lowly teams the past two years or they could use him as a trade chip and fetch a worthy return.
It’s not as though Bowman — who the Wolves acquired from the Flint Firebirds early last season when Timpano was injured — is lacking. Bowman has proven that he can play in the OHL with 68 appearances over three seasons but what the Wolves have to determine is if they are comfortable with him as their starter and the rookie McGrath in reserve.
If not, or if the Wolves can fetch a decent return for Bowman, then they can move ahead with Timpano as the starter and McGrath as a blossoming backup.
But if another OHL team comes up with an offer for Timpano that the Wolves can’t refuse, then Sudbury goes with Bowman and McGrath in the hopes that those two can lead it back into the playoffs after two years on the outside looking in.
All three goalies stand in at about 6-foot-1 and though McGrath is on the lighter side, size does not appear to be an issue with any of the three.
Who stays and who goes?
McGrath, being two years younger, is almost a shoo-in to begin the season in Sudbury.
Which means Timpano starts his fourth OHL season in Sudbury and Bowman moves on — or vice-versa.
Let it be stated that there is little question of the vast ability of Timpano. Being injured for a good chunk of last season hindered his progress and while he was not selected at this year’s National Hockey League draft, Timpano is said to be every bit as good as two OHL goalies of the same age who were picked, namely Evan Cormier of the Saginaw Spirit (fourth round, New Jersey Devils) and Jeremy Helvig (fifth round, Carolina Hurricanes) of the Kingston Frontenacs.
To be sure, the Wolves have three twine tenders to choose from to define a duo.
Which is a healthy choice for the Wolves to have.
My Vote is keep Timpano {and McGrath} and trade Bowman. Bowman is a good goalie but Timpano is better IMHO.
Keep Timpano as he is a capable starter and did show signs of what he is able to accomplish when he came back from injury. He is a great value to the team and community. Also will be great mentor for McGrath.