Five OAs at Hounds camp
Jobs are on the line — and there to compete for — among the elders of the Red and White. No less than five 2004 birth year players will be competing for the three coveted overage spots when the Greyhounds begin training camp later this month ahead of the ’24-25 Ontario Hockey League season.
Greyhounds’ general manager Kyle Raftis has confirmed to Hockey News North that goalie Charlie Schenkel, defenseman Caeden Carlisle and forwards Owen Allard, Julian Fantino and Justin Dezoete will be the five overagers at the Soo’s main camp.
In particular, Schenkel, Carlisle and Allard are more of the high end variety performers who would be more than ideal for any one of a number of OHL teams, including the Greyhounds.
A towering, 6 foot 6 goalie who has improved immensely over two full OHL seasons with the Hounds, Schenkel stepped up big time in ’23-24. He followed a regular season in which he posted a record of 28-12-3 with an .883 save percentage and 3.10 goals against average by leading the Hounds through two series of the playoffs. Schenkel stood tall in the ’24 playoffs with a 6-3-1 record, .913 save percentage and 2.36 goals against average.
As for Carlisle, he has often played in the shadow of three defensemen who are all National Hockey League draft picks — namely Kirill Kudryavtsev, Arttu Karki and Andrew Gibson. But quietly and confidently, the 6 foot 2, 200 pound Carlisle has played in a whopping 200 games for the Greyhounds — regular season and playoffs included — as an under-rated defender who has become better and better over three full OHL seasons.
Allard, meanwhile, has rose to prominence along with many other later round draft picks of aforementioned Hounds GM Kyle Raftis to not only become an NHL draft pick but a world class forward with Team Canada. A classic late developer — and a defensive workhorse as a forward — Allard clicked for 18 goals, 26 assists, 44 points in 55 regular season games for the Hounds in ’23-24 before tacking on four goals, one assist, five points in 10 playoff outings.
Not be discounted either are forwards Fantino and Dezoete, who have both proven to be serviceable, all around players through their time to date in the OHL.
NEW AC FOR HOUNDS
The Hounds have added Daniel Nikandrov as their new assistant coach alongside Brendan Taylor on the staff of head coach John Dean.
The 29-year old Nikandrov replaces fellow former OHL player Tyler Ertel as an assistant with the Greyhounds. Ertel, who was an AC with the Hounds for a single season, resigned earlier this off season in favour of a business related career.
As for Nikandrov, his hockey coaching experience includes time with the OHL’s Barrie Colts as well as York University, St. Francis Xavier University and the iconic Don Mills Flyers of the Greater Toronto Hockey League. As a player, Nikandrov skated for four seasons in the OHL with both the Sarnia Sting and the Peterborough Petes.
Well educated, Nikandrov attended York University and received an honours degree in Business & Society, Global Economy and Law & Governance.
Greyhounds general manager Kyle Raftis relayed what the new assistant coach is all about.
“His thorough attention to detail, along with his dedication to the development of player skills both on and off the ice will greatly enhance our program overall,” Raftis said. “We look forward to Daniel joining our staff and working together as we gear up for the upcoming training camp.”