The OHL Playoffs begin tomorrow night.
From almost the get-go this hockey season, the Windsor Spitfires have made it known they fully intend to bid for, and in certain circles within the Spitfire camp, they fully expect to get, the hosting rights for the 2014 Memorial Cup
I don’t doubt for a second that Windsor and the Spitfires organization would do a terrific job as host of the prestigious Junior Hockey Championship Tournament.
And I tend to agree that Windsor’s roster two years down the line should be an exceptional one with Jordan Dekort in goal, Ebert, Devlin & Bateman on the blueline, plus Kerby Rychel & Brady Vail among the key forwards.
But wait a minute, what of the Owen Sound Attack two years hence ?
Numerically going down the Attack roster, I see Jake Dotchin, Gemel Smith, Joseph Blandisi, Artur Gavrus, Holden Cook, Chris Bigras and Zack Nastasiuk.
When they’re healthy, or if they’re healthy, let’s supplement that group with Jarrod Maidens and Kurtis MacDermid.
There’s 9 names, plus without wild speculation, let’s swell that total to 12 with 3 quality overagers.
Does the number not become 13 with an additional CHL Import, if that concept still exists ?
And with two Priority Selections between now and 2014, you don’t have to stretch to imagine 2 more first rounders and two more second rounders, leaving less than a half dozen spots up for grabs.
With no offence to Windsor, I like Owen Sound’s group of 94’s and 95’s every bit as much, probably more, than theirs.
I know, I know, Owen Sound could NEVER host the Memorial Cup under the existing criteria.
But the framework for what would be a very solid Memorial Cup host roster is virtually in place already in Owen Sound.
I’m Fred Wallace