Petes' Plug

This Petes season brings many unanswered questions

Here we go again.
The Peterborough Petes 54th season in the Ontario Hockey League is upon us. A new season means a fresh start and reason for optimism.
Much is the same in the front office as general manger Jeff Twohey returns for his 28th season with the club and 16th year as the team’s GM.
Will he last the entire season or could a slow start lead to his departure? Time will only tell, but how long can the Petes’ six Board of Executives listen to the ‘Fire Twohey’ chants that echoed throughout the Memorial Centre at the conclusion of last year.
They also might be concerned with a reported drop in season ticket numbers. Assistant general manager Aaron Garfat confirmed the numbers are down, but what the actual number is remains a mystery. It’s automatic to blame the economy but that’s not what the once faithful are contributing their decision not to renew to. They’re tired of mediocrity and Twohey’s inability to ice a contender.
In all fairness to Twohey, the Petes are just a four years removed from a Memorial Cup appearance, but three consecutive losing records is having its toll on attendance.
According to the Canadian Hockey League’s annual attendance report, the Petes have seen their average attendance drop every year since 2005 and fell below an average of 3,000 spectators per game last year. Yes, poor on-ice performance leaves seats empty but so does a questionable marketing plan.
Now, more than ever, the Internet is being used as marketing tool and the Petes haven’t figured out how to use their team website to their advantage. The new generation of fans want inside access to the team, and to know what head coach Ken McRae thought about the game via a blog, find out if Ryan Spooner wears boxers of briefs in a in depth player profile, and receive daily e-mail updates on the latest Petes’ news.
Times have changed and the Petes haven’t, leaving them without a young fan base and concern for the future.
Whatever the future may bring, the 2009/10 Petes’ roster still has a 68-game schedule ahead of them, which started last night versus the Brampton Battalion at the Memorial Centre. Looking closely at the roster there’s great reason to believe they won’t be any worse then previous three campaigns. But the question is still out on whether they can climb the ladder in the Eastern Conference and be a contender rather than a pretender. As with any successful season you need everything to fall in place. For the Petes, that starts with Zack Kassian returning from the Buffalo Sabres. Zassian’s, the Sabres 13th overall selection in the 2009 NHL draft, all-around play is as good as it gets in the OHL, and the Petes badly need his leadership, toughness, and scoring touch, if their going to finish with a winning record. Sophomore sensation Ryan Spooner is the second big piece of the puzzle. Last year he became the youngest Pete to reach the 30-goal plateau in franchise history at the age of 16.
The centre is an offensive threat every time he steps on the ice and could become the first Pete to record 50 goals since Jason Dawe and Mike Harding did so in the 1992/93 season. However, if he wants to see his stock rise in the 2010 NHL draft he’ll have to improve in the defensive zone. He was a miserable minus -24 in his rookie campaign.
Speaking of rookies, the Petes plucked a keeper when they selected sniper Matt Puempel with their sixth pick this year. Puempel is touted as a natural goal scorer and displayed his hands on more than one occasion during pre-season action.
On the blueline the Petes ice a solid core, which is full of offensive potential, including the likes of Adam Sedlak, Jeff Braithwaite, Adrian Robertson and Barron Smith. Sedlak found the back of the net more than once in exhibition action and could end up at the top of the scoring race for defenseman. However, he and the rest of the crew need to improve on keeping opponents of the score sheet.
Goalie Jason Missiaen is a going to see most of the action in the crease but can’t be facing the almost 40 shots per game as he did the last year. Missiaen will keep the Petes in games, but time will only tell if the other 25 guys in the dressing room are up to the challenge, offensively and defensively.

Shoud he stay or should he go?

The nay sayers are out in full force at the Memorial Centre.
And their target is Petes' general manager Jeff Twohey.
'Fire Twohey' chants echoed throughout the arena Thursday (March 5), and with good reason, if of course Twohey is the man to blame for the maroon and white's dismal season.
Supporters were treated to possibly the Petes' poorest performance of the year, in a 6-3 loss to the 67's.
Other then a 1:37 stretch in the final stanza, where the Petes scored twice, the club looked like a Timbits minor hockey team.
There was a lack of urgency in their game and they had the look of a club playing a game of shinny with buddies on the Trent Canal.
This prompted a good number of fans to leave after 40 minutes.
However, that wasn't the case Saturday night as they dominated the IceDogs in a 6-0 victory, while looking like OHL championship contenders.
Leaving fans without anything to chant but: GO PETES GO. 
Oh how quickly they forget.
But a lackluster effort in the Petes' final regular season game at home versus Kingston on Thursday and chants calling for Twohey's job will return.
You just can't win when if you're the man in charge of one of the most followed junior franchises in the country.

 

Nothing to do with the Petes; but it will put a smile on your face

Thumbs up to Mr. Romano

My hat goes off to Tony Romano today. The 21-year-old native of Smithville, New York leads the Petes in scoring with 47 points, including 23 goas, and excels in the classroom. Because of his academic achievements, the OHL rewarded Mr. Romano with East division Academic Player of Month award for
the month of December, 2008.  Each month, the OHL recognizes a player from each Division who is striving to reach his full potential in his educational program while playing in the Ontario Hockey League.Ninety percent of the players currently playing in the Ontario Hockey League are attending high school or post-secondary institutions. 

Fans get up close and personal with World Jr. star

Fresh off his return from representing Team Canada at the World Junior Championships, where they won the gold medal for the fifth consecutive year, P.K. Subban signed autographs for fans following his Belleville Bulls' loss at the hands of the Petes. Subban marked his John Hancock on jerseys, programs, and ticket stubs for at least 30 minutes before boarding the team bus for the trip back to Belleville.

He also posed for pictures with kids and adults. What impressed me about Subban was the fact he signed autographs right after the game, when he was visibly exhausted and knew the team was about to receive a tongue lashing after a lack-luster performance. He penciled 12 pieces of memorabilia before  promising  his fans that he would return after he had showered. Some of the fans, who didn't see him sign his name a dozen times, had a few words for the Habs second-round pick in 2007. "The fame has already got to him," said one fan. However, if you ask anyone in the hockey world, that isn't the case with Subban, and to the fans' surprise, the gold medalist returned to give his hand another workout. The access to future NHL greats is what makes the OHL attractive to fans. It's up close and personal. I have seen fans swarm the likes of Crosby, Tavares, Lindros, but not one of them handled their supporters like Subban did. I don't if it's the ear to ear grin of Subban, but fans love this guy, not only for his play on the ice, including the Subban spin-a-rama he made famous during the World Junior Championships, but for how he brings life to post-game interviews and represents himself off the ice. As a Habs' fan, boy I am glad 30 other teams skipped on Subban in the 2007 draft. We landed a true winner!!!