Welcome to my page!

WELCOME Hello! Bonjour! Aaniin! First, I would like to welcome you, the reader, to dedicate your time and visit my page. A little while ago, I made a decision to start up this little project for a few different reasons. I am super excited for you to join me! I hope I bring along some fun, some laughs and above all else, excitement for the Sault’s own Red & White. ABOUT ME I have been a Soo Greyhounds fan since before I was born. There my mother sat; seven, eight, NINE months pregnant on the uncomfortable, rough, turquoise seats of the old Memorial Gardens. Why? I’m sure she asked herself quite a bit. But it always came back to one reason: my family’s love for hockey stemmed deeply within its roots. Originating from Quebec, my mom’s family took the performance of their Montreal Canadiens very seriously. On the other hand, my dad is a Maple Leafs fan at heart. Whether this is a blessing or a curse, still remains to be seen… However! In between this whole rivalry, a middle ground has always been present. One team we ALL could agree on. Who is there for us, through the long, cold and boring winters. Who brings this community together through the good times, and the bad. Our Soo Greyhounds. The Hometown Heroes. Who continue to fill my winters with laughter, joy, excitement and of course sadness and disappointment. But I guess what makes a fan a fan is, we always come back for more. 2023-2024 SEASON START At the time of this post, the Hounds have a 13-7-0-0 record that is good for 26 points and 1st place in the West Division of the OHL. A lineup full of returning players headlined by:

• NHL prospects Bryce McConnell-Barker, Kirill Kurdratsyev and Andrew Gibson. All three have taken major strides in the offseason and are essential to the team’s performance each game.

• Speedy and skilled forwards Owen Allard and Justin Cloutier. Allard, arguably the fastest and strongest skater in the OHL has added a nice scoring touch to his game this year with 10 goals through the first 20 games played. The former 1st round pick, Cloutier, has improved immensely and is only 10 points away from achieving his point total from last season in just a quarter of the games played.

• Solid overagers Jordan D’Intino and Brendan Sirizzotti. After a 44 point season, D’Intino brings a smart and dangerous approach to his game. Sirizzotti finds himself outside of top line minutes, but continues to create offence (12 points in 20 games). He has also begun to staple himself as a power play specialist, helping the team to a 23% PP rate, 2nd in the OHL.

These returnees are partnered with some key off-season additions who are highly attributable to the team’s early success, including:

• Vegas Golden Knights prospect Arttu Karki. Taken 6th in the CHL’s 2023 Import Draft, the 18 year-old not only leads the Soo in goals with 14, but he leads all defencemen in the OHL. He also leads all players in the OHL in power play goals with 9.

• Overager and leading point man Jack Beck. The former Ottawa 67 was brought to the Soo in August in exchange for a 2nd and 3rd round pick. He has successfully cemented himself on the first line. He brings a ton of added experience to the lineup.

• Rookies Travis Hayes and Brady Martin might be the most notable and impactful 16 year old duo the Hounds have seen since Nick Cousins and Daniel Catenacci. Martin, went 3rd overall in the most recent OHL Priority Selection. Kyle Raftis stunned Hounds fans with Hayes, an off the board 2nd round (25th overall) draft choice. But the mystery made sense the second he stepped on Gardens ice in training camp. I am super excited to have the privilege to watch these two players for the next 3-4 years. **FACT CHECK: Hayes is no stranger to junior hockey success. His older brother Gavin is a 3rd round selection of the Chicago Blackhawks and his other brother Avery participated in two Memorial Cup championships during his OHL career. **

Other notable mentions include:

• Connor Clattenburg: This kid is an absolute beast. Finally! Someone to stick up for our small, skilled forwards. He is exactly the type of player that this team has been missing for 6+ years. His importance will only grow as the season goes on and the playoffs shift into the horizon.

• Alex Kostov: Another power forward, much like Clattenburg. Plays a huge role in PK and 3rd/4th line high energy strategies.

• Caedan Carlisle: You will not see #7 lighting up the scoresheet. You may hear more casual fans say “who is #7 again?”. But he is the unsung hero of the top 4 defence corps. Strong defensively, positionally and brings effective physicality, much like Clattenburg and Kostov.

• Matthew Virgilio: A sophomore defenceman who deserves better than 10 minutes per night and to be a bottom pairing defender. Will no question take the reins from Karki and Kirill next year. If he can improve his speed and tap more into his offensive side, he will be a sleeper for the NHL draft in June.

As we stroll into mid-November, this team has an identity riddled with inconsistency. At times they dominate even strength and man advantage play, looking like they could win it all this year. At others, they leave us fans scratching our heads. The potential is there. Can the coaching staff, GM Kyle Raftis and the 23 players in the room achieve greatness? Only time will tell.