Hounds coach cites familiarity
The head coach has expectations for the Soo Greyhounds in 2016-2017 that are designed to surpass what the Ontario Hockey League team achieved in 2015-2016.
After finishing in seventh place in the 10-team Western Conference during the ’15-16 regular season, the Greyhounds staged the upset of the OHL playoffs when they stunned the second-seeded Sarnia Sting in a seven-game, opening-round thriller. The Greyhounds then lost to the top-seeded Erie Otters in the second round of the playoffs.
Now, with training camp preparatory to the ’16-17 season about to begin this week, second-year bench boss Drew Bannister said the message will be to “build on last year.
“We want to build on our strengths and be a more-consistent team this season,” Bannister told HockeyNewsNorth.com.
When asked what he sees as the strengths of the Greyhounds, Bannister had a quick reply.
“We are a skating team…an attacking team,” he began. “We have to use our strengths to our advantage and be a better 5-on-5 team.”
Familiarity should be an advantage for the Greyhounds this season, added Bannister.
“There will be more familiarity for the players with me as a coach and from me to them,” Bannister said evenly. “We have expectations that extend from on the ice to in the dressing room. We are all a year older now.”
On the ice, while some fans and media have reservations about two-year backup Joseph Raaymakers stepping into the starting goalie position following the graduation of Brandon Halverson, Bannister said he has none.
“Not at all,” Bannister said firmly. “It’s not easy being a backup goalie. But I think we saw what Joseph could do when Brandon was hurt at the start of the season and then when he was away at the World Juniors. It was during those times that Joseph played his best games for us.”
Raaymakers, who has a 1998 birth date, was bypassed at this year’s National Hockey League draft and Bannister thinks that will be a motivator for the lanky puck-stopper.
“I think you are going to see Joseph wanting to show a lot of people, especially the NHL scouts, what he is capable of,” noted Bannister.
Raaymakers is just one of 20 Greyhounds with OHL experience eligible to return the team this season.
The Greyhounds are flush with veteran forwards that include NHL draft picks such as Zachary Senyshyn, Blake Speers, Boris Katchouk, Tim Gettinger and Jack Kopacka, not to mention overager Bobby MacIntyre.
The there’s a defensive corps led by NHL draft picks Colton White and Gustav Bouramman.
“I love our back end,” Bannister gushed, “and it begins with Colton White who I expect will be even more of a horse. He’s already an elite defenseman in our league.
“We also have a lot of younger defensemen back there who are ready to take a step up and play bigger roles for us. We also have kids who we don’t have to rush who should make big strides by Christmas,” Bannister continued.
All in all, as he looks ahead to training camp, the exhibition schedule and the start of the regular season, Bannister likes what he visions.
“We have got a lot of depth on our side,” he said. “We have skill and we have veteran depth and that’s a really good start.”
Hi Randy,
I’m happy to see that you are again using your insight to analyze our Greyhounds.
Regarding the Coach’s comments, I actually thought last year’s team was the most effective 5 on 5, and our special team play (ESPECIALLY our power play) was our
main weakness …..
oh, well, what do I know.
Re Bouramman…….. smart agent, he used the threat to have Gustav sign with the Swedish Pro League ( and perhaps never return to Canada) in order to get the Minnesota Wild to make a move and sign him…….what do you think ??
Ron
Ron,
You are pretty much bang on in every area.
Thanks for reading, man.
Regards,
Randy
I think that I am learning from you, my friend.
Ron