Ontario Hockey League teams can now make deals in advance of training camps opening later this month.
The Owen Sound Attack have been fishing here & there through the summer, but any of the locations they’ve visited aren’t interested in dispatching a valuable player, nor dispatching a player they may wonder what Owen Sound sees value in.
Put simply, at this point, every OHL club is optimistic about the days and nights ahead.
Not so optimistic is the scenario pertaining to Attack first rounder Victor Mete.
Mete, through his advisor, Darren Ferris, expressed reluctance to Owen Sound & the OHL from the get go, and it doesn’t appear that stance has changed.
My friends in the hospitality industry swear the Mete Family & the Attack brass had a sit down late in the Spring in Owen Sound, but the description they used looking from the outside was one of overwhelming indifference. They called it a ” Yawnfest “.
So now it gets interesting…….
If Mete is a no-show 20 days from now when rookie camp opens, he’s is labelled as ” defected “, meaning Owen Sound can deal him for picks or…….. fry him.
A half dozen teams, one of whom you’d expect, have made inquiries and if the Attack deal Mete for picks by September 15th, Owen Sound would also get the # 9 selection next year in the OHL Priority Selection as compensation.
But, if Owen Sound decides to fry Mete, that is simply hang on to his rights & not deal him, they would forfeit the number 9 pick next year if a deal isn’t done by September 15th.
The clock has been ticking for months on this issue. Now it’s just ticking a little louder.
I’m Fred Wallace