"Bluelines" is written by Ranjan Rupal , the play-by-play voice, and Greg Theberge, a former Memorial Cup winner and Washington Capitals defenseman and hockey analyst for The OHL Tonight on TVCogeco.
There was a different reality at Battalion Orientation Camp this time around, that being the pervading sense of must find, instead of last year's exuberant post-Bobby Orr Trophy camp sentiment of nice to find.
As in, last year it was nice to find that 2014 first round selection Zach Poirier had the offensive instincts to some day instill fear in opposing defenders and, quite frankly, the low centre of gravity to bulldoze those same defenders into the unforced errors that often end up torpedoing their plus-minus aspirations. Poirier was a nice to find prospect because the Troops were still quite the formidable side, coming off a championship run as they were, with a dozen returning players, including the heir apparent to Barclay Goodrow's throne, the soon-to-be gold medalled Nick Paul.
But the leadoff hitters, other than Mike Amadio, have been retired, and so too has a good part of the meat of the order, so that, beyond Poirier, the dearth of OHL-ready 1998-born prospects in the pipeline had stirred other feelings at this year's Camp gathering.
As in, we must find a defenceman who can fill the considerable void left by departing blueline royalty, namely Marcus McIvor, the crown prince of shot blocks, and our other knight in shining armour, Brenden Miller, full of strange oaths and quick in quarrel, for whom all the world was a stage. And though our blueline could certainly use an 18-year old Brady Lyle on it, we must instead find ways to protect and nuture the not quite 16-year old defenceman, and resist sucking dry his potential by sending him into the fray against unrelenting 20-year old opponents.
Still, while the Battalion coaching staff surveyed their newest crop of recruits, ostensibly to further their familiarity with players never seen before, having relied primarily on the scouting instincts of Bob Wetick, the Battalion's longtime director of scouting, one may have sensed just that extra bit of attention being paid to the blueline, and those who might patrol it, in the coming years.
Ranjan: The OC was an important stepping stone in the careers of these young hockey players. For some it's just the beginning, and for others it signalled the end of their hockey journey...
Greg: I definitely think it's the beginning for most hockey players. A lot of them will now get an opportunity to really step up and show the organization that they appreciate the opportunity to play for the Battalion. Whether it be with the big club, or an affiliate club, it's a great opportunity and the chance for them to really open up some eyes and use this as a platform to get to the next level. At the same time, you'll have what was considered the end of the line for a few players out there. They'll have probably reached their peak but, nevertheless, it was a tremendous experience for them at this Orientation Camp.
Ranjan: Given that reality, there was a lot of pressure on the athletes, and a lot of anxiety for the parents...describe what the players went through.
Greg: Let's start right at the top. If you're very fortunate to be a high pick in the Priority Selection, like I was with the Petes, then, yeah, you feel some pressure to live up to the Battalion's expectations and deliver as advertised. But at the same time, you have that confidence in your own ability, to just play your own game, because that's the reason you were chosen high, because of your skill set.
If you're a low pick, and maybe you don't feel that you're recognized, or perhaps you feel you may have been underrated in the draft, or even a free-agent walk on, then that's even better because now you get an opportunity to benchmark yourself against some of those top picks out there. If you prepared well, you may have been able to make that good impression on the coaching staff.
Ranjan: ...and what it's like for the parents?
Greg: As far as the parents are concerned, you've put in a lot of quality hockey time through the last 10 years of development and, in some cases, they won't have the kids living with them at home anymore. Orientation Camp could signal the beginning of many changes for parents: different schools, different families to live with, and these things certainly weigh on a parents' mind. At the back of every parents' mind is the nagging question of what to do if your child doesn't succeed. Where do they go from here? What direction do they go in? Will it be Tier II Junior A, or even high school hockey, where the Battalion discovered Mathew Santos. Will they return to their midget organization, or will they explore the NCAA route, as uncertain as that can be? Families have to make a tough decision when they're only allowed so many hours at the Junior camp.
Ranjan: You've been quietly confident about the Battalion's top picks in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection.
Greg: Our first rounder Brady Lyle will start to acclimate to his new club surroundings for the next three or four years, and start to get some confidence right from day one. With Jacob Ball coming in from Peterborough, expect him to feel comfortable in his own skin up in North Bay now and start to develop his skills up here. I like the goaltender Mathew Woroniuk, from the Don Mills Flyers. I think he's going to be a real key to the Battalion's future. I watched him play against the Detroit team and I was impressed in the final OHL Cup game versus the Toronto Marlies in OT. Though he took the loss, he was a big part of that Flyers team.
Ranjan: For many of these players, accustomed to being a big fish in a minor midget pond, it was the first time that they experienced such an intense level of competition in such a professional environment, for just a handful of roster spots. What kind of adjustment in attitude and performance would have been required?
Greg: Well, it was a big attitude adjustment, for sure. You know, a lot of these players were used to playing half the game or more. Usually, in minor midget, you tend to go with nine forwards and maybe a top-6 on special teams, on the power play and on the penalty kill, but when you get past Orientation Camp to the OHL main camp, it's a big jump - a big surprise - because that age gap of three, four and five years makes a huge difference. But at the Orientation Camp, there is a lot of talent out there and it's all about playing smart and realizing that you have to have a high-end performance on this weekend. Suddenly you find yourself just under the pro level, preparing for that next level of being a professional hockey player, so although it's amateur it's the closest thing to being a professional hockey player. That's a big eye-opener.
Ranjan: With the hockey world still abuzz about Mike Babcock taking over the reins in Toronto, and with Brendan Shanahan watching from upstairs, two guys who know what winning looks and feels like, it occurs to me that anything less than 110% effort by the Leafs players won't go unnoticed. By the same token, Coach Butler knew exactly what he was looking for at Orientation Camp. What can a young player do to make a positive and lasting impression on a coach who's been at the helm of the Battalion since before these players were even born?
Greg: I remember one thing that a coach told me back in my development years when I was trying out for the Wexford Raiders organization in Toronto. He said you only get one chance to make a good first impression.
Usually players going to camp already know where they sit on the depth chart, so some players were of the mindset of going in and trying to steal a roster spot. Coach Stan Butler is looking for size, he's looking for hockey intelligence, he's looking for high compete level and, of course, let's not forget that combination of mental toughness and discipline that we're accustomed to seeing from the Battalion players over these last two seasons. It's all about opportunity and capitalizing on your chances at Orientation Camp. There were a lot of thoroughbreds out there, so hopefully if you were a born skater, you skated, and if you're a marker, you marked, and if you're a banger, you banged.
Ranjan: What are the unwritten rules of the on-ice scrimmage? Full contact? 3/4 speed takeouts? Drop the gloves...?
Greg: Orientation Camp scrimmages, from my experience, are usually full contact and you had to be ready to pay the price at this Camp. You had to be in good shape and you had to raise your level of play. There were a lot of good hockey players there that wanted to make a good, lasting impression. And how do you get ready for this Camp? Well, I remember mine where I went out and skated at Doublerinks in Toronto and then, more recently, with our son Brett, I took him down to the Vaughan Iceplex for one day of skating before he went to his Orientation Camp with the Petes because there's not a whole lot of ice out there at the end of May, so you better make the best of your situation and try to find some way of getting yourself on the ice, and having yourself in good lean condition when you get there. Again, it's all about seizing the moment and capitalizing on your opportunity.
