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Post by ricardo on Jul 27, 2022 20:57:10 GMT -5
When does training camp start for the Spirit? The preseason games start a little over a month from now.
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Post by donjohnson on Jul 28, 2022 5:59:01 GMT -5
I'm guessing it will be that week before the preseason game... Will be interesting to see if they make all of their cuts before then or if they give kids a chance to play in those to show what they have.
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Post by ricardo on Jul 29, 2022 15:02:00 GMT -5
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Post by donjohnson on Aug 1, 2022 9:05:54 GMT -5
Chris Lazary retweeted a post that Andrew Oke has been selected to represent Team USA at the rescheduled World Juniors that's taking place over the next few weeks in Edmonton. If you remember it got started at Christmastime and then got scrapped due to Covid. This is the rescheduled one from then and then there will be another one this winter in Halifax and New Brunswick at the normal time of year.
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Post by ricardo on Aug 22, 2022 18:19:30 GMT -5
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Post by aj0512 on Aug 29, 2022 9:15:08 GMT -5
I've seen a few "Don't Misa Moment" billboards around town the past few days, and it's just about hockey time with the Blue/White scrimmage and preseason starting this week. Schedule below:
Blue vs. White Scrimmage #1: Tuesday, August 30 at 7:30 p.m. (Saginaw Bay Ice Arena)
Blue vs. White Scrimmage #2: Wednesday, August 31 at 12:30 p.m. (Saginaw Bay Ice Arena)
PRESEASON SCHEDULE
Saturday, September 3 vs. Hamilton - 2:00 p.m. (game will be played in Erie)
Sunday, September 4 at Erie - 2:00 p.m.
Friday, September 9 vs. Sault Ste. Marie - 7:05 p.m. (Midland Civic Arena)
Saturday, September 10 at Sault Ste. Marie - 7:07 p.m.
Friday, September 23 vs. Flint - 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, September 24 at Flint - 7:00 p.m. (Flint Iceland Arena)
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Post by donjohnson on Aug 29, 2022 10:09:11 GMT -5
Going to be quite a different training camp compared to last season. Last year, there were a handful of random draft picks who got offers and made the team based on performance at camp. This year, there's a numbers game and it's more than likely that some people from last year's team won't make the squad this year. Here are the major questions that I think are out there for the Spirit:
1) What's the goaltending situation?
Andrew Oke was solid last year in his rookie season and performed well at Wings camp from all accounts. Couple that with making Team USA a few weeks ago and he's shown that he's ready for #1 minutes in the OHL. Brett Fullerton would be a capable backup so where does that leave Lennox? To me, this season is still part of a rebuild so it makes ZERO sense to give any minutes to an OA goalie but you hate to give him away for free and lose games to him. Very much the #1 question if you ask me.
2) What will we do for OA's this year?
Smith is a no-brainer for an OA because he's local, a good leader and a very good defenseman. I have to imagine he'll also be the Captain this year too. Beyond that, you can see Question #1 for Lennox and then the other returning OA is Schleuting and I can't see using an OA spot when you have the following dmen playing above him (Pavel, Smith, Mancini, Glavin, Zayne, Hislop, Forgione, Savard). I think it's very possible that we trade Lennox (for pick(s)) and release schleuting and we only have 1 OA this year and give the younger players the ice time.
3) What rookies will make a big jump?
We (along with the rest of the league) had a ton of rookies last year many of whom were 17 and didn't have any experience. Bodies grow like crazy during those years and it will be interesting to see who spent time in the weight room, who got faster, who plays more physical, etc. There will definitely be a few that will stand out during camp.
It will be interesting to see how we play this year...I have to imagine we're going to be faster and more skilled but we're still going to be young and everyone knows this league is won by 18-20yo's, not 16-17yo's.
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Post by spiritfan8 on Sept 6, 2022 16:11:47 GMT -5
I pretty much agree with your summary, except I’d include Josh Bloom being traded also.
I had to miss every minute of every camp this year, so I’m going in blind. There’s going to be a learning curve for me too.
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Post by donjohnson on Sept 6, 2022 16:43:13 GMT -5
I pretty much agree with your summary, except I’d include Josh Bloom being traded also. I had to miss every minute of every camp this year, so I’m going in blind. There’s going to be a learning curve for me too. I think it's a virtual certainty that Bloom will be traded at the deadline... He'll bring a great return for missing the final few months...even if we're playing well it would be silly to hang on to him and he can have an opportunity to win a title. |
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Post by spiritfan8 on Sept 8, 2022 21:28:41 GMT -5
Did Matthew Jovanovich play at camp? I havent seen his name in anything, but he’s on the roster.
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Post by FreelandSpirit on Sept 9, 2022 8:25:50 GMT -5
Did Matthew Jovanovich play at camp? I havent seen his name in anything, but he’s on the roster. Injured. Apparently he had an injury last year and his family and Saginaw determined surgery was the best/only course of action. Pending recovery should be back at some point this season |
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Post by donjohnson on Sept 9, 2022 9:41:24 GMT -5
He was advertised as a pretty good player and someone we could definitely use to help our defense but he hasn't played hockey in a LONG time and I wonder if he'll ever get back to the player he may have been before.
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Post by thepuckman on Sept 21, 2022 20:44:48 GMT -5
There have been some roster updates on the Spirit website. No longer listed on the roster are Evan Klein and Pacey Schlueting. The Spirit have 15 forwards and 9 defensemen on their preseason roster.
Also, the Spirit have an emergency goalie for the preseason games against Flint, John Chartrand. This was necessitated by both Oke and Lennox being away at NHL camps.
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Post by donjohnson on Sept 23, 2022 9:04:21 GMT -5
With puckman's comments about Schleuting and Klein being off the roster, the Spirit move quickly and add OA Theo Hill from Sarnia for (2) 4th round picks and (1) 11th round pick. That's a fairly high price to pay but he had pretty good scoring last year (.8 pts per game) and also looks like he has some toughness in him (see video below) so I really like this addition.
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Post by farmgirl62 on Sept 24, 2022 6:47:10 GMT -5
I would say Mr. Hill let be known he came to Saginaw to play. Last night's "altercation" proved that!
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