High hopes for Hounds but…

By Randy Russon
July 10, 2016
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It can be stated, without hesitation, that the Soo Greyhounds have a lot to build on from the 2015-2016 season preparatory to the 2016-2017 Ontario Hockey League campaign.

After finishing seventh in the 10-team Western Conference during the ’15-16 regular season, the Greyhounds became the only lower seed to win a series in the opening round of the OHL playoffs when they stunned the second-ranked Sarnia Sting in a seven-game thriller.

And what is good for the Hounds is that the core of the ’15-16 team is eligible to return in ’16-17, though it should be noted that unless goalie Brandon Halverson returns as an overage, there’s a five-hole that will have to addressed internally or via the trade route.

But back to who figures to be back when the first pucks drop on the ’16-17 season.

Up front, the Hounds forward lot is looking good.

Led by their best player, 45-goal scorer Zachary Senyshyn, the Hounds can return more than three-full lines for a ’16-17 term that should see the Soo as a serious contender to climb the Western Conference ladder.

2016 National Hockey League draft picks Boris Katchouk, Jack Kopacka and Tim Gettinger are slated to head back to Houndtown as are points-leader Blake Speers and overager Bobby MacIntyre, who was such a spark plug for the Soo last season after being obtained from the Mississauga Steelheads.

The well-seasoned Hayden Verbeek is another top forward who has Red and White eligibility remaining and then there are a pair who performed well as rookies in ’15-16, namely fourth-round bonus Morgan Frost and first-rounder Liam Howell.

Also eligible to return is 2016 playoff addition Frankie Pucci. As an 18-year old rookie last season, Pucci debuted with the Greyhounds in the playoffs and scored his first OHL goal while dressing for 10 of the Soo’s 11 playoff games.

What to do with Pucci? This is a hard-working, skilled kid who played in two OHL games over two seasons with the Erie Otters before the Greyhounds gave him a real chance to show what he can do.

In his playoff audition with the Hounds, Pucci did not look out of place while showing signs that he can be a dependable depth player.

Then there is centre Otto Makinen.

The 18-year-old native of Tampere, Finland, was taken by the Hounds with the 26th pick of the 2016 Canadian Hockey League import draft. Makinen is almost assured of a roster spot with the Greyhounds as an OHL rookie — which further crowds the Soo’s front line.

Back of the blueline, while a question mark looms between the pipes — can third-year goalie Joseph Raayamkers step it up as the starter with the presumed graduation of the aforementioned Halverson? — there are multiple dependable defenders led by 19-year olds Colton White and Gustav Bouramann.

Moving up from seventh in the Western Conference figures to be a given for the Hounds.

But let’s not forget that teams who finished ahead of the Hounds in ’15-16 will again be prime-time Western Conference contenders in ’16-17, notably the 2016 Memorial Cup champion London Knights and the 2017 Memorial Cup host Windsor Spitfires.

PHOTO: Bobby MacIntyre, in action for the Greyhounds last season, will return to the Soo in 2016-2017 as an overage forward. (Photo by Postmedia.)