The Ontario Hockey League Champion Owen Sound Attack staged their year end awards barbeque on Sunday afternoon, effectively, and officially, ending the most successful year of Junior Hockey in the city since 1927.
I looked at the various awards and counted 11 different winners which really speaks to the depth and balance the Attack had last year.
Over the course of 94 games, Owen Sound essentially won 2/3rds of them, and with more than 60 victories to their credit, it’s understandable that key plays and big games came from a variety of sources.
It’s not impossible to look at every player on the Owen Sound roster and recall a game in which they were a significant factor overall, or made the play that led to the victory.
But as mentioned, the 2011 OHL Champions have expired, almost half of them departing for bigger opportunities, other opportunities, in hockey and if life.
What remains are questions.
Who will coach the team ? Likely to be a prolonged process through the summer.
Who will replace the top offensive players, Hishon, Mignardi & Wilson ?
Who will replace the top defensive pairing of Blacker & Stanisz ?
A lot of questions really.
But what remains is the knowledge that it can be done; remarkably, an OHL Championship team based in the OHL’s smallest market; accomplished by virtually the same group that still exists and as we speak are in the process of trying to answer the questions above & many more.
I’m Fred Wallace