Whalers Could Draw London or Windsor in First Round Matchup

February 27, 2008 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Plymouth Whalers News Release


A poll on the Plymouth Whalers website - www.plymouthwhalers.com - is asking fans who they want the Whalers to play in the first round of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs, which start around Mar. 20.

45 percent of the voters want the London Knights, while 22 percent say Windsor.

The way the tight OHL Western Conference playoff race is shaping up, London and Windsor are logical first-round playoff partners for the Whalers. And - given the dynamics of Windsor, Plymouth and London - either series should be excellent.

"I don't know who we are playing," admitted Plymouth head coach Greg Stefan. "But I do know this - the first round is going to be tough for everyone."

Moving into March, Plymouth is fifth overall in the Western Conference race and is chasing fourth-seed London for home ice in the first round. Windsor - starting to come to terms with their on-ice situation after the tragic death of captain Mickey Renaud on Feb. 18 - moves into March third overall.

If the Whalers hit a round spot and finish sixth, they'll get Windsor in the first round. If they don't, then it's London and the only question is who gets home ice.

"That's definitely our goal right now - home ice in the first round," Knights' forward Andrew Wilkins told the London Free Press. "We've been good at home but we've been falling behind (early) lately and that's not acceptable. It's like we wait two periods, look at the scoreboard and then wake up and start playing."

Dale and Mark Hunter have done an excellent job re-tooling London after the Knights finished first overall last year with 104 points and were eliminated in the Western Conference Finals by the Whalers. The Knights lost their first six games this season but have rebounded admirably to overcome the loss of Patrick Kane and Sam Gagner to the National Hockey League.

The Hunters used their most marketable asset - goaltender Steve Mason, who has played for a brief time in the National Hockey League this season with Columbus - into a deal at the Final OHL Trading Deadline that helps London now but more importantly next year and in the future.

Mason was traded to Kitchener for defenseman Steven Tarasuk, center Phil Varone, four future drafts choices and perhaps future considerations, which may turn out to be Nazem Kadri, a London-native in his second season with Kitchener who has 22 goals with 37 assists for 59 points in 59 games.

London isn't the run-and-gun team that averaged over 100-points per season from 2003-07. They grind it out up front with Philadelphia-draft Patrick Maroon (33-54-87), Chicago-draft Akim Aliu, veteran Jadran Beljo (26-21-47), Washington-draft Justin Taylor (23-23-46) and NHL-prospect Philip McRae (17-25-42). London has been banged up on the blue line, with captain Scott Aarssen, Tony DeHart and other defensemen missing games this season - so much so that former Whaler Sean O'Connor (normally a forward) has been pressed into service to help out on defense from time to time.

After Mason was dealt, the Hunters revamped London's goaltending scenario, acquiring Jason Guy from Kingston and re-signing former Erie goaltender Jhase Sniderman from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Sniderman and Guy played well into February, but are in a rough stretch now as London has lost seven-of-nine games.

"There's a difference between wanting to be the number one guy and actually doing it," said London goaltending coach Dave Rook.

"If someone gets on a roll, we can ride that goalie," Sniderman said. "I haven't played too many games in a row since the first weekend I got here. But that's the coaches' decision and they're going to do what they think is right. You can go with a tandem in the playoffs but that usually doesn't work."

Windsor hasn't played since Feb. 17 when they defeated Owen Sound, 4-1.The entire Spitfire organization - and the Ontario Hockey League - handled Renaud's death with dignity and class.

But now it's time to hit the ice again and get back to work. We'll see if Windsor can rebound and continue to play well. The Spits will host Belleville at Windsor Arena on Thursday.

WHALERS GO THREE-in-THREE THIS WEEKEND.

After playing in Sarnia on Friday, the Whalers are back home this weekend, hosting Belleville on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. and Saginaw on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

Belleville (41-12-4-2) is the top team in the Eastern Conference and second overall in the OHL. The Bulls defeated Plymouth, 6-3, on Feb. 9 at the Yardmen Arena in Belleville.

Belleville is deep in all areas and feature Shawn Matthias (27-44-71), a onetime Red Wing draft choice traded by Detroit to Florida last season at the NHL Trade Deadline in the Todd Bertuzzi deal.

Bertuzzi has moved on to Anaheim, but Matthias played four games with the Panthers earlier this season in an emergency recall and scored two goals.

"It was awesome, it was living every kid's dream to play in the NHL," Matthias told the Toronto Star. "Getting my first (NHL) goal was unbelievable...hopefully next year I can be there full-time."

"His work off the ice is exceptional," said Belleville General Manager and Head Coach George Burnett. "When you look at his motivation, his drive and interest to success, it's clearly bigger than many (other players')."

On Sunday, Plymouth brings in Saginaw in the seventh of eight games this year. Plymouth leads the season series, four-games-to-two.

The Whalers are offering Sunday brunch at Ginopolis on the Ice before the game starting at 11:30 a.m. The cost is $11 in advance or $14 at the door. In addition, the team is offering a Skate With the Whalers after the Plymouth-Saginaw game.

Plymouth's postponed game with Windsor has been rescheduled for Tue. Mar. 11 at 7:05 p.m. at Windsor Arena.

WHALERS WORK at bd's MONGOLIAN GRILL MARCH 10.

Catch all the fun as the Whalers will work as grillers at bd's Mongolian Grill on Ford Road (between Lilley and Haggerty) in Canton on Mon. Mar. 10 from 6-8 p.m.

SEMINAR INFORMS PARENTS and PLAYERS ABOUT OHL'S EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

On the surface, it appeared that minor midgets Honeybaked and Little Caesars played under normal circumstances at Compuware Arena last Saturday.

While the hockey was normal, there was more going on.

The Ontario Hockey League, Plymouth Whalers and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds arranged an informative but low-key seminar after the game for parents and players alike designed to dispel some myths about the OHL and answer any questions.

The players and parents were given a tour of the Whalers locker room and watched Sault Ste. Marie defeat Plymouth, 2-1, in a shootout later that evening.

"What we're trying to do here - especially with American-born players and parents - is to explain that we are a viable option," said Joe Birch, the OHL's Director of Recruitment and Education Services. "We know that within our 20 teams in the OHL that we can provide opportunities for players to develop as hockey players and as student-athletes."

"One thing I'm proud of about the Ontario Hockey League (is) you can develop as a player, but you don't have to jeopardize your life after hockey because you can also develop as a student athlete," Birch said. "Every team in the league employs an academic advisor."

Generally, for every year you play in the Ontario Hockey League, you get one year of tuition paid for.

It's often overlooked, but most of the Whalers go to school. All high school-age players attend the Plymouth-Canton system and most of the older players are taking college classes. Plymouth employs John Seidleman as the team's Academic Advisor. Seidleman spent 38 years as a counselor in the Plymouth-Canton Community system and works with Whaler players, coaching staff and the parents.

John Terry is the father of Whalers veteran Chris Terry and talked about Chris's development as a student when moving from Brampton, ON to Plymouth.

"My son was drafted by Plymouth three years ago," Terry said. "At the time, we didn't know a whole lot about Plymouth. But I have to say the Whalers have been a terrific organization for Chris, both from a hockey perspective and a school perspective. He's made his life here."

Making the transition from Canadian school to school based in the United States can be a challenge, but Seidlemen eased the transition.

"It was really challenging for my son to come from the Canadian educational system to the US system," John Terry said. "I worked aggressively with John for my son, because when Chris got here, he had gone through Grade 10 in Canada. When Chris came to Plymouth, he was placed in Grade 11 and we were concerned, because you need certain prerequisites to graduate in the United States.

"But John Seidleman was terrific. I could call him anytime and talk about Chris's grades and classes. John talked to Chris's teachers on my behalf. As a parent, you care passionately about your son or daughter and their education. Now Chris is attending college classes and Adam Mattson (Plymouth Director of Hockey Operations) has been terrific with getting Chris set up."

"When Chris came to Plymouth, he was a 16-year-old boy. Overall, his mother (Dianne) and I are impressed with the progress Chris has made, both on the ice and as a person. The Ontario Hockey League has been a successful league for my son."

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds General Manager Dave Torrie deals with a challenge, because of where Sault Ste. Marie is located. Still the 'Hounds have a successful program, on and off the ice.

"Our number one goal is to develop hockey players and become the best player you can be," Torrie said. "But in the end, not everyone is going to play professional hockey. Every kid that comes into our program wants to be a professional hockey player. But it doesn't work for everyone.

"So the goal of our organization is to prepare young men when they leave our program, whether they go on to pro hockey or they go on to continue their education. We're just as proud of the young men who go to university and become a success as the players who move on and become a success in professional hockey."

There's a myth around that the Ontario Hockey League is only interested in getting players to the next level. Whalers President and General Manager Mike Vellucci disagrees.

"Although we're trying to develop players to go to the next level, the thing I love is we're trying to develop our players as people," Vellucci said. "We're trying to develop our players into good citizens and good students.

"We believe that when we draft a player, then they become our kids. Some of my proudest moments are when players get married and when they become a success outside of the game - a policeman, a doctor or a lawyer. I'm just as proud of them as I am of someone who makes the National Hockey League."

Although it takes work and excellent time management, OHL players can get an education.

"It drives me crazy when I hear that you cannot get an education if you play in the OHL," Vellucci said. "The myth is, if you play in the OHL, you'll be pumping gas (eventually) or you are a piece of meat.

"When you come to play in Plymouth, you will go to high school. And then you will go to college.Since most of our games are played on the weekend, you can get your courses in during the week, so by the time you leave here, you'll be well on your way to a degree."

Former captains John Vigilante and James Wisniewski are prime examples of Plymouth players who went to school while playing for the Whalers and are close to receiving a degree. Current Whaler Jeremy Smith attends the University of Michigan at Dearborn.

For more information about educational opportunities within the Ontario Hockey League, please go to http://bestofbothworlds.ca/hm/.



Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 27, 2008


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