Hope for the OHL Hounds
They control their playoff destiny. Soo Greyhounds currently have occupancy of a post season position within the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League.
What has been a topsy turvy two thirds of a regular season for the Red and White to date has the Greyhounds looking over their shoulders at the two teams currently out of the playoff picture, namely the Guelph Storm and Owen Sound Attack. But the Hounds are within striking distance of both the Sarnia Sting and Flint Firebirds in the Western Conference standings, which means a sixth, seventh or eighth seed playoff spot is, at the moment, the most likely of landing spots for the Soo.

At times, the Hounds have played to potential this season. On and off, though, head coach John Dean and his Greyhounds have either underachieved or barely played to an acceptable level.
What the Hounds mostly want to do, besides making the playoffs this season, is to avoid a first round matchup with the number one seed, especially if that is the London Knights. Like, who wants to play London in the first round?
Looking ahead, what is very much encouraging about the Greyhounds is their 2007 birth year class of players that includes forwards Brady Martin, Travis Hayes and Jordan Charron, not to mention whiz kid rookie defenseman Chase Reid.
The 6 foot 2, 185 pound, right hand shooting Reid has come out of nowhere this season. Reid, who is very young with a December 30, 2007 birth date, has been nothing short of sensational since signing with the Greyhounds about three weeks before his 17th birthday. In just 15 games with the Hounds, Reid has rung up one goal, 18 assists, 19 points from his blue line post.

Meantime, as the Greyhounds look to eventually secure a playoff spot of sixth, seventh or eighth place — do they dare dream big and make an improbable run for fourth or fifth? — they will need reliable goaltending from overager Nolan Lalonde and/or the still young Landon Miller.
Lalonde, who was acquired from his hometown Kingston Frontenacs at the recent trade deadline, is now on his fourth OHL team. He has a maddening OHL history as an extremely hot and cold goalie while showing that he can win — and on the road — in the playoffs.
As for Miller, who like Lalonde is a National Hockey League prospect, he has been the epitome of up and down this season. Good one game, subpar the next.
At any rate, as previously noted, the Hounds hold the cards to a playoff spot in the Western Conference. And once a ticket is punched to get a team — any team — through the door, a lot can happen in the pressure cooker of a seven game playoff.
