Tuneup Tuesday
Soo Greyhounds may have assembled a dream team but will they awake as champions of the Ontario Hockey League in May?…Sudbury Wolves of the OHL need to get it right when hiring their next head coach…The coach-general manager of the Detroit Fighting Irish of the Midwest Jr. Hockey League is a fan of the style of play of the Canadian International Hockey League…
HOUNDS HOUSE
It’s been written here, it’s been written over there.
After recently adding two impact forwards, a high-scoring, point-per-game defenceman and an overage defender who captained his former team, Soo Greyhounds have emerged as favourites to win the 2014-2015 OHL championship.
The Hounds will first have to get out of a wicked Western Conference that includes the Erie Otters and then have to deal with the best of the Eastern Conference before booking any flights to Quebec City, where the Remparts will play host to the 2015 Memorial Cup tournament that is slated for May 22-31.
While the Hounds certainly have a stacked squad, my question is whether head coach Sheldon Keefe can mesh all of that world-class talent that spans Canada, Russia and the United States into a team-first champion.
With a roster deep in high National Hockey League draft picks, Keefe as coach is no longer the star of this Greyhound team. Can he handle that — and can he handle all of the egos that are now residing in the Hound house?
WOLVES COUNTRY
It says here that long-time employee Blaine Smith has done a pretty-good job overall in the four-plus seasons since adding the general manager’s duties to his role as president of the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves.
Smith has drafted and traded well as Wolves GM but his track record in hiring head coaches has been ho-hum at best.
Trent Cull was Smith’s first hire and after three seasons, he took a step back to his former position as an assistant coach with the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League.
Replacing Cull at the start of the 2013-2014 campaign was Paul Fixter and the former Kitchener Rangers assistant looked lost as an OHL head coach — and was fired midway through this 2014-2015 season despite being owed big bucks on the remainder of his multi-year contract. Not only did Fixter apparently lose the Wolves dressing room with his arrogant, know-it-all ways, he became a reminder that being a good assistant coach does not always lead to becoming a good head coach.
Smith’s latest hire as Wolves head coach — albeit on an interim basis — is David Matsos, who was promoted from assistant following the recent firing of Fixter.
Matsos may or may not be the right man for the job on a full-time basis — and it is up to Smith to determine that.
If Smith decides to start fresh, he should have no shortage of qualified candidates with head-coaching success.
One veteran who I hope Smith considers adding to the Wolves staff — either as head coach or assistant to Matsos — is former Saginaw Spirit and Windsor Spitfires bench boss Moe Mantha.
Mantha, who grew up in northern Ontario, was a star defenceman in the OHL who went on to play in close to 700 NHL games.
Yes, his stint in Windsor ended following the unfortunate Steve Downie-Akim Aliu incident of 2005.
But Mantha has since been a minor-pro assistant and is now the coach-general manager of the Michigan Warriors of the North American Hockey League. In four previous seasons with the Warriors, Mantha has coached them to two North Division playoff titles and two appearances at the NAHL’s national championship tournament.
It says here that the 53-year old Mantha is someone who could bring a lot to the Wolves coaching staff — as the head or assistant.
IRISH EYES ON THE CIHL
Detroit Fighting Irish of the Midwest Jr. Hockey League recently competed in a showcase tournament that was hosted by the Canadian International Hockey League.
And Dan Vasquez, who coaches and manages the Fighting Irish — one of the top teams in the MWJHL — came away impressed with the style of play of the CIHL. In fact, Vasquez is of the notion that future games against CIHL teams will aid in the development of his players.
“Our club needs to play teams in that environment more often. As I stated in the past I am a big fan of the small-game style of hockey and all of the teams at the (CIHL) tournament were very well instructed in that side of the game. Our club would have no problem playing with them every night and it would be so much better for the development of our players,” Vasquez told HockeyNewsNorth.com.
This is good for Detroit to face some stronger competition, it will help them be ready for the new tough league they are joining in the USPHL I for one am looking forward to it.
Not sure where you get your info “Detroitirsh” but the Fighting Irish will NOT be joining the U.S.P.H.L.
Dream on as that is not gonna happen.
Someone is trying to create a problem here. Unless DFI ownership has deep pockets and uses no common sense, the best place for them is right where their at! The CIHL will increase the budget, the USPHL will increase the budget and that is only if they attend 1 maybe 2 showcases a year in those leagues. If they do a home and home with any of these two leagues they will double or triple their current budget. This makes no sense what so ever!
If I had to read between the lines, I’d have said the Irish are making contacts and building history geared towards playing in the CIHL next season. But that is also just speculation…
duceswild – I believe it to be you that is trying to create a problem here. I also believe that Coach Dan and the Cruz’s know what they are doing. Give Coach Dan credit as this is not his first skate around the rink.
Seriously! I’m creating the problem? Does anyone use common sense? Look at the budgets! Players fee’s will jump to 10-12000.00 per year. Not a guess, this is a fact. I like the DFI program and they have done a great job the past 2 and a half seasons. But this is not a Rhodes scholarship equation. The travel is two to four times as far. Hotels are more expensive out east, bussing will be off the charts. Please explain where I’m creating the problem. I’m dealing with facts, not fiction!
Out East???? What in the Hell are you talking about???? According to Coach Dan the Irish are wanting to play the Teams from the Canadian Internationel League.
Someone mentioned the USPHL!
…And if you could read you would see where I said the Irish are NOT headed to the U.S.P.H.L..
Personaly .. I think having Mo Mantha with the Wolves is a great idea. The Wolves need some “fresh ideas” from a Coach who has won in Juniors. Keep Matsoz as an Asst and bring in Mo.
Them Sault Greyhounds are the team to beat with that All Star Lineup.
Not sure why my last comment did not feet posted, BUT like I said there were USPHL personel in Detroit last month and the USPHL is forming a new league under the elite banner in Michigan. That is the talk around the Detroit junior world.
Tom, it sounds like your speaking from the inside of the DFI front office by making the claim they will NOT be joining the USPHL! So, if you can make that statement with conviction, do you know if DFI can just walk away from the commitment they have with the MWJHL without breaking any league bylaws? Most junior leagues have non compete clauses in them.
No where did I say the Irish are leaving the M.W.J.H.L.