Raftis is a high ranking GM
There are reasons why — year in and year out — teams in the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League combine for much better win-loss records than those clubs that make up the Eastern Conference.
On a given OHL season over these contemporary times, at least half of the 10 teams in the Western Conference are justifiably considered to be championship contenders. Meanwhile, on the Eastern Conference end, the norm is to have two or three contending teams. Often, in fact, a team finishes first or second in the Eastern Conference with a point total that would have it third, fourth or fifth in the Western Conference.
There is no clear cut answer as to why more teams in the Western Conference generally finish above the .500 mark than those who reside in the Eastern Conference. But one component just might be that in total, there are more good general managers on the Western side than in the Eastern market.
What defines a good OHL GM? Better yet, what defines a high ranking, exceptional GM?
Yield from the annual OHL priority selections draft is one, particularly from the fourth and fifth rounds on of a given 15 round yearly process. The ability to come out ahead in the always busy, high stakes trade market is another. Then there is the aptness to track down and sign free agents, regardless of age. There is also doing one’s homework on American born players and being able to find European skaters who are well above average.
Put it all together and to me, there are five current general managers in the Western Conference of the OHL who any owner with an overall feel for the game would want to be in charge of their hockey department.
In alphabetical order they are as follows.
Billy Bowler, Windsor Spitfires. Bowler is someone who has transitioned from being a superstar player in the OHL with the Spitfires to, 25 or so years later, becoming their standout GM. As a small size, high scoring centre during his OHL playing career, Bowler to this day holds Windsor’s all time record for most career points. Besides his skill, it was Bowler’s high intelligence level, ability to read the play, extreme patience, and relentless work ethic and dedication that made him a Spitfire — and OHL — scoring legend. He has taken many of those traits to the GM position in Windsor where the Spitfires — save for one year — have been an annual contender over more than half a dozen seasons under the no-nonsense watch of the 51 year old Bowler. And it is not as though Bowler walked into the Spitfires GM position unprepared. He coached at the AAA level with the Don Mills Flyers and in Windsor and was an accomplished head coach and general manager in the Greater Ontario Hockey League with both the Chatham Maroons and LaSalle Vipers. As the Spitfires GM, Bowler is known to make his draft picks count, right down to the 15th and final round.
Dave Drinkill, Saginaw Spirit. Before Drinkill arrived in mid Michigan in 2015 after a nine year apprenticeship with the Barrie Colts as their video coach and assistant GM, Saginaw was a revolving door for general managers, none of whom could quite meet the standards of ownership. But under Drinkill — who graduated from university with a degree in Sports Administration — the Spirit began a slow but sure ascent towards becoming a well rounded franchise of good repute. The 43 year old Drinkill drafts really well, trades equally well, thinks outside the box — and orchestrated a masters degree type of achievement in leading Saginaw to its first ever Memorial Cup championship in 2023.
Mark Hunter, London Knights. As a player, he was a first round draft pick to the OHL. He then became a first round draft pick to the National Hockey League and later won a Stanley Cup as a member of the Calgary Flames. (Okay, so he had the playing part down.) As the co-owner and general manager in London starting in 2000, the now 63 year old Hunter has been part of six OHL championships and three Memorial Cup titles as an owner, assistant coach, head coach and now GM. Need we say more?
Dave McParlan, Flint Firebirds. The unheralded, 58 year old McParlan is a low profile type of individual. He has an association to the OHL that dates back to 2006 when he scouted for the Plymouth Whalers and was a key part of a number of successful teams with them. Plymouth moved to Flint in 2015 under new ownership and McParlan continued his association with the franchise from director of scouting to assistant GM to GM. Now in his third season as the Firebirds GM, McParlan has calmed the waters in Flint. Not only did McParlan bring in high performance head coach Paul Flache but the Firebirds made the playoffs in each of the past two seasons and were a tough out both times. Through some exceptional drafting, free agent signings and becoming rather adept as Trader Dave, McParlan has the Firebirds firmly planted as a legit championship contender this season. Through it all, he has also played a vital role in helping to make Flint a very attractive destination for players.
Kyle Raftis, Soo Greyhounds. A mainstay in Sault Ste. Marie since 2014, the now 39 year old Raftis does not seek attention or the spotlight. But through thick and thin and dealing with geography, Raftis has become a top OHL GM, equally adept at drafting and in the free agent and trade markets. He doesn’t trade for the sake of doing so and has unearthed a good number of late round draft pick gems for the Greyhounds. A former OHL defenseman of considerable note, Raftis as the Greyhounds GM carries a reputation of trust, does not play the blame game — and is generally regarded as very good at what he does.
Then there is George Burnett. Burnett now does solo work as the GM of the Guelph Storm. Before that he led Guelph to an OHL championship as head coach and GM, dual role jobs that he also held with several other OHL teams over a lengthy career of considerable note. It says here though that if 65 year old Dale Hunter of the London Knights can be the best major junior coach in Canada and if 67 year old Dave Cameron can still coach with success as the bench boss of the Ottawa 67’s, then the 63 year old Burnett should still be coaching in the OHL, if he aspires to. University educated — and at prestigious McGill no less — Burnett is a smart one and good one who has changed with the times.