Goodness, Discipline, Knowledge, and Hockey: The St. Michael's Majors (EHM)
 

The St. Michael's Majors are one of the most historic clubs in Canadian major junior hockey. The Majors were founded by the St. Michael's College School in Toronto in 1906, and played in the Ontario Hockey League and its predecessor, the Ontario Hockey Association, until 1961. The Majors won the Canadian amateur championship in 1910, and captured the Memorial Cup--given to Canada's top major junior team--three times.

After winning the Cup in 1961, the Majors' coach, Father David Bauer, disbanded the team. According to the Majors' website, Father Bauer believed the OHL's "grueling schedule and rough play conflicted with the school’s ideals."


The Majors returned to the OHL in 1996, and have been part of the league ever since. In 2001, the school sold the team to Eugene Melnyk, who is now the owner of the Ottawa Senators. Melnyk tried for several years to secure a new arena for the team, even attempting to purchase Maple Leaf Gardens. When none of these plans worked, Melnyk purchased another OHL club, the Mississauga IceDogs. Then, Melnyk sold the IceDogs and moved the Majors into the Dogs' old home in the Toronto suburbs. The IceDogs relocated to St. Catharines, where they're now known as the Niagara Ice Dogs.

I've enjoyed managing OHL teams using Eastside Hockey Manager for a while now. In the "world" created by EHM, the year is 2006; the Majors still play at the St. Michael's College School Arena in Toronto; and the IceDogs still call Mississauga their home. (I could edit the database to reflect the "real" changes, but I'd rather simply play the game.) So, in my hockey world, the Majors still represent their original home in Toronto.



I'm taking over as GM of the Majors as the 2006-2007 season begins. I'll introduce you to the players, coaches, and staff, and we'll follow them as they attempt to bring the Memorial Cup back to Toronto.

The Majors' rich history has been built by great players like Bobby Bauer, Gerry Cheevers, Tim Horton, Red Kelly, Dave Keon, Ted Lindsay, Frank Mahovlich, Reg Noble, and Joe Primeau. The players you'll meet in this dynasty are fictional, but perhaps some of them will become legends in their hockey universe, too.

It's August, 2006. Let's get ready to drop the puck...

Nice!! My dad went there in '55...he's got some good stories about Kelly and Mahovlich.

Let's look at the situation I'm inheriting as I take over the Majors.

My boss is Chairman Garrett Fleming, a 64-year-old businessman from Brantford, Ontario. Mr. Fleming doesn't appear to be too bad a guy to work for. He's wealthy and doesn't mind spending money on the team, and he's not the sort to meddle in my personnel decisions too much.

He's ambitious and would like to see the Majors succeed. So do I, but we'll have to see if he'll be patient with me if we don't win quickly. And, his poor personal skills might cause him to anger our players.

We play at the St. Michael's College School Arena. With a seating capacity of 1,800, it's the smallest arena in the league. I like its "old school" feel, however, and the ice conditions are good.

Sweet...our first fan. :thumbsup:

My dad used to hang out with Kelly, Lindsay, and some of the other Red Wings of the mid-late '50s. He told me a few good stories as well. Apparently Dad and Lindsay taught some big galoot a lesson one night, and Lindsay complimented my dad on his toughness. If Ted Lindsay says you're tough, that settles it. You're tough.

"Old time hockey, Reg, old time hockey!"

We're through with training camp and ready to start the regular season now, so it's time to meet the Majors. We'll start with the goaltenders.


GOALIES
I hate starting a season without a solid goalie, and fortunately it looks like I have two who are, at least, decent.

According to The Hockey News' season preview. Rejean Roch is the #3 netminder in the OHL. I'm frankly not seeing that when I look at his attributes--he's no more than average with either his stick or his blocker, and his reflexes aren't anything special, either. Roch was hurt during most of camp, so I didn't get to see how good he really is.

OHL teams are allowed to dress three 20-year-old "overagers" per game, and one of those slots will go to our second goalie, Keegan Lemay. I signed Lemay as a free agent in late August, and on paper, he's better than Roch. He got shelled in one of our exhibition games, however.

I'll be on the lookout for a promising young goalie during the season, since both our goalies are "older" players.

DEFENSEMEN

I think I lucked out here. The Majors boast the #1 defenseman in the league, according to THN. He's Ryan-James Bannister, an 18-year-old Chicago Blackhawks prospect. I'm surprised that the best player at his position in the whole league would have been a Round 7 pick in the NHL draft, but Bannister's ratings look great. His Teamwork, Work Ethic, and Influence ratings make him a perfect choice to wear the captain's "C."

Ryan-James' partner will be Grant Grant, who isn't as strong with the puck as Ryan-James is but might be a bit better in his own end. Besides, his first and last names are the same, so he scores a lot of coolness points for that.

Reggie Higgins and Duanne Wright give us another veteran defense pair. Higgins looks like he'll be a very good player, and I'm using him with Grant on our first penalty killing unit.

For now, I'm keeping eight defensemen on the roster. Youngsters Ed Staal, Sheldon Carriere, Jeremie Cuthbert, and Myles Murray will all get a chance to see what they can do on the #3 pair, and eventually I'll send at least one of them down to the St. Michael's Buzzers, our affiliate on the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League. Carriere and Murray are two of the team's toughest players.

I think our blueline corps could be as good as anyone's in the league. I'm really excited to seeing what they'll do this year.

FORWARDS

We're not quite as well-stocked here as we are on defense, but I think we'll be OK.

The most highly touted forward on the roster when I took over the team was center Real Hayward. The Hockey News ranked Hayward #3 in the league at his position, on the strength of his solid stickhandling and playmaking skills. Overager Brayden Forget, a speedy, soft-handed left wing, was also listed among the top 10 OHLers.

In late August, I traded a couple of guys I didn't really want to Plymouth for Rick Kinney, a left wing who was drafted in the third round by the Dallas Stars in 2005. I was surprised the Whalers agreed to the deal, because Kinney looks like he's a player. He's slow, but otherwise his skills seem plenty good for the OHL.

I wish Rick played right wing so I could use him on a line with Real and Brayden. Instead, I'm going to start the season with Derek Clark on the first line. I really like Clark, who despite standing 5'7" and weighing 154 pounds, is the Bravest and most Aggressive player on the team. That means he'll be our #1 enforcer. That's one more reason why I'd like to move him off the first line. I'll keep looking for a first line RW; Parker Payne identifies this as our #1 need right now.

Forget will give us the makings of a second scoring line, with Warren Fehr at center and Tony Carney on the right flank. Fehr is a nifty passer, and Carney is a pint-sized energy guy. Again, I'd love to use Carney on the third or fourth line, but on the current Majors, he has to skate on the second unit.

Left wing Curt Berube won a roster spot during camp, continually impressing me with his hustle and a knack for finding the back of the net during our scrimmages. He'll open the season with Randy Pageau and Pierre-Olivier Allan on the third line.

Rounding out the roster will be Jean Fetzner, Owen Armstrong, Donald Baker, and Lew Beauchamp. Donald and Lew are good defensive forwards, and Owen is especially chippy. Fetzner is our third overager, and I hate using one of those coveted roster spots on a fourth line forward. Note to self: Comb the free agent list for a better player...maybe that first line right wing.

The first player move I made in August was signing free agent forward Matt Gaudet to a contract. He can play either wing, and his attribute ratings are almost all in double digits--usually the sign of a player who can help an OHL team win. However, Gaudet came to camp out of shape and played poorly, so I sent him down to the Buzzers to start the year. If he gets off to a good start there, I'll bring him back up.

Except for the lack of a stud right wing that will enable us to shift a few other guys into roles I think suit them better, I'm pretty happy with this group, too.

Here's the Majors roster on Opening Night 2006. I've kept a couple of extra guys for now, since three of my regulars are banged up: goalie Rejean Roch, center Warren Fehr, and defenseman Myles Murray.

All our players hail from the province of Ontario, unless otherwise noted. We have one American, two guys from out west in Manitoba, and one from New Brunswick on the roster.

Looking forward to this, good luck with the season.

Thanks, Travis. It had been a while since I'd played EHM, and I'm looking forward to seeing how things turn out.

September 30, 2006

A listless preseason that saw us lose three games by a combined score of 11-2, tempered my high hopes for the regular season somewhat. We were thoroughly outskated, outhit, outshot, and outplayed.

Then, the games started to count for something, and it was if someone flipped a switch. We've won our first three games, and I'm feeling much more optimistic again.

Brayden Forget has been HUGE: four goals, six assists, and ten points in three games. He scored the game-winner in OT against Mississauga in our home opener, sending a capacity crowd home happy. Not surprisingly, Brayden was named the OHL Player of the Month for September.

I don't expect him to stay on a nasty pace like that; 98 goals and 136 assists would a bit ridiculous. However, if he can be a point-a-game guy with a knack for scoring clutch goals, I'l be very satisfied.

October 19, 2006

We're off to a very good start, with a 7-3 record in our first ten games that has us leading our division and tied for first in the Eastern Conference.

I made two roster moves that look like they're paying off well so far. On October 1, I released Jean Fetzner. He hadn't scored a point and was -4 in three games, and we need much better production from a 20-year-old. I located several overagers who were looking for somewhere to play, and on Oct. 5, we signed Jaye Imbeau. He plays right wing, and he's a tough, gritty kid with some skill. Jaye has scored five points in seven games for us, and he's done a good job defensively, too, playing regularly on our second and third lines.

Warren Fehr got hurt again on the 5th, so I called Matt Gaudet up from the Buzzers. Being sent down at the end of training camp lit a fire under Matt's butt, and he scored four goals and six points in three games with the Buzzers. I rewarded him for his efforts with a spot on our first line, and he's produced there, too: seven points in six games.

Our defensemen have played every bit as well as I had hoped. Two of them--Ryan-James Bannister and Grant Grant--got some props from the national media recently. InsideHockey.com did a piece on Ryan-James, and TheFourthPeriod.com profiled Grant. They're both scoring a point a game and playing good defense. Grant had a hat trick on Oct. 6, and Bannister dished out four assists on the 15th.

The International Scouting Service issued its preliminary NHL draft rankings this month. We have four guys listed there: Real Hayward (#67), Grant Grant (#85), Jeremie Cuthbert (#96), and Derek Clark (#139).

Brayden Forget leads the team in scoring (7-7-14), with Real Hayward (4-9-13), Rick Kinney (5-7-12), and the star blueliners also contributing lots of production.

I'll probably update a little more often than this from now on. I got caught up playing the game and didn't stop to write. :)

October 22, 2006

The Ontario Hockey League just announced that Rick Kinney was named the league's Player of the Week. Rick scored two goals and five assists in three games this week.

I was having a tough time finding playing time for all of our defensemen, so I sent Sheldon Carriere and Jeremie Cuthbert to the Buzzers so they won't get stale.

We're 6-0 with Keegan Lemay in goal, after he backstopped us to a 4-3 shootout victory in Guelph two nights ago. Sheldon Ruggiero tied the score with a shorthanded goal late in the third period. It was Sheldon's second shortie of the year, and we lead the OHL with seven man-down goals.

October 27, 2006

Jaye Imbeau enjoyed a great night in our 7-2 victory at Mississauga two nights ago, recording two goals and three assists. I wanted Jaye to get into a fight so he'd have a Gordie Howe hat trick, but he couldn't persuade anyone to drop the gloves.

Brayden Forget is now tied for the lead in the OHL scoring race. He and Peterborough's star centre, Jack Hill, each have 20 points.

Ryan-James Bannister and Grant Grant are first and second in the league in minutes played per game; both of them log around 29 minutes a contest. Grant also leads the league in plus-minus (+12). Two more reasons why I'm a big fan of our first defence pair.

October 29, 2006

We've been dominating the OHL Player of the Week Award very nicely so far. This time the winner was Brayden Forget, who potted three goals and added two assists in two games, both Majors victories.

I overruled a decision by head coach Julius Boisclair and dressed defenceman Myles Murray for a home game against Sudbury. I gave Myles permission to fight, but he took my strategic move a bit too far. Myles was a very naughty boy, dishing out a vicious slash that earned him a major penalty, a game misconduct, and a one-game suspension from the league. I appealed the suspension, mainly to show I have my players' backs, but the league upheld its decision.

November 7, 2006

The OHL season is over a month old, and the Majors keep rolling on. Our 13-3-1 record (one overtime loss) is the best in our league, and the second-best in all of major junior hockey.

We finally lost a game with Keegan Lemay between the pipes. Peterborough beat us, 5-4 in OT, on November 2. The Petes' centre, Jack Hill, impressed me so much that I tried to trade for him. They turned me down, but I think I might try again soon.

Both Brayden Forget and Ryan-James Bannister received some positive press; Brayden was featured in a thehockeynews.com column and Ryan-James was profiled by Hockey Trade Rumors. When I agreed publicly with the props, the fans reacted positively, too. Win-win situation.

The OHL All-Star roster for the Can-Rus Challenge were announced today. RJB, his partner Grant Grant, and Rick Kinney were all named to the squad.

November 18, 2006

The good news: We've lost only once since my last update. We got beat 5-1 at Ottawa in an ugly game, but that's going to happen to every team now and then.

We won a thriller at home against London, when Grant Grant scored seventeen seconds into overtime.

The not-so-good news: Duanne Wright is on the verge of being sent down to the Buzzers. He's -13 now, by far the worst on the squad. With several blueliners--Pierre-Alexandre Robinson, Sheldon Carriere, Tod Lynch, and Jeremie Cuthbert--playing very well for the Buzzers, the temptation is strong to make a change.

We'll need an extra defenceman for a few days, anyway. Grant Grant suffered a concussion at practice today, and he'll be out for a week.

November 25, 2006

The OHL All-Stars took on the Russian Selects in Game Two of the Can-Rus Challenge tonight. The game was played in Mississauga, so quite a few of our people were able to see it, and they were treated to a great evening of hockey.

All three Majors on the roster played well in a 5-1 victory for the OHL. Rick Kinney recorded an assist, and finished +1. Grant Grant was able to play, and he also contributed a helper and was +1, while logging the most ice time on the squad.

However, it was Ryan-James Bannister who stole the show. He scored two goals, one off a gorgeous pass from Jack Hill of the Petes, and assisted on another. RJB was named the game's first star.

After defenceman Pierre-Alexandre Robinson earned rave reviews from our coaching staff, I decided to call him up. With 28 points in 22 games for the Buzzers, he'd certainly earned a closer look. I'm going to send Duanne Wright down so he can work out the kinks in his game.

I signed a tough, grinding winger this week, too. Jordan Haggarty is a 19-year-old who can play both right and left wing. I was impressed with his Strength (15/20), and he'll drop the gloves when necessary. He's far from a goon, however; he's a very good skater and handles the puck fairly well.

November 29, 2006

Tonight was a lot of fun.

We beat Belleville 7-2 on the road, and our newest players looked really, really good.

Jordan Haggarty has been skating on our first line. He's working hard in the corners, and he's very tough to move once he sets up in front of the net. Tonight he potted two goals and assisted on two more, and was named first star. Jordan is now 3-4-7 in three games.

Pierre-Alexandre Robinson, the second star, had a goal and two assists. Both he and Jordan are seeing regular time on the power play units, and Jordan is killing penalties, too.

We're in first place in the OHL standings, with 41 points; we're 20-5, with one overtime loss.

December 3, 2006

I didn't think I'd be posting game-by-game updates, but tonight's game deserved special notice.

Kitchener is in last place in our conference, but we still don't expect to go into anyone's building and beat them 8-1. That's a big win under any circumstances.

Rick Kinney was the #1 star, on the strength of a goal and four helpers. He's currently third in the OHL in scoring (14-20-34), a point ahead of Brayden Forget (18-15-33). Real Hayward (8-22-30) is also in the top ten, at #9, and Ryan-James Bannister (9-20-29) leads all defencemen.

Jordan Haggarty, our newest arrival, has recorded a point in all six games he's played as a Major. He's totalled four goals and five assists. I think he's glad to be here, don't you? We're certainly glad to have him.

Happy holidays, Majors fans.

December 19, 2006

The good news: Two of our players, D Ryan-James Bannister and LW Rick Kinney, have been selected for the Canadian national team at the World Junior Championships. It's a terrific honour for two very deserving players, both of whom are looking forward to representing their country in international play.

The bad news: We'll have to make do without RJB and Rick while they're in Italy for the tournament.

December 25, 2006

The OHL season is just a little past the halfway point on Christmas Day, which makes the holiday a fine time for a midseason review. The roster freeze that prevents teams from making trades or sending players out is in effect. The World Junior Championship tournament will begin in a few days, creating the need for roster moves by teams (like the Majors) that are fortunate enough to have players good enough to make their national squads.

Here are the OHL Eastern Conference standings:



it's been a very successful season so far. We have the second best winning percentage in all of major junior hockey, trailing only the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QHL.

One reason for our success has been the consistently outstanding play of our special teams. Our power play is the deadliest in the OHL, converting on 22.2% of its opportunities. No other team in our league is successful at least 20% of the time. Our penalty killing unit ranks sixth, but it's generated eight shorthanded goals, second most in the league.

I'll post our individual statistics next.

December 25, 2006

Let's look at the Majors' individual stats.

• Rick Kinney is fourth in the league in scoring. Barrie's Ken Friesen is the leader (18-36-54).
• Ryan-James Bannister ranks fourth in defencemen scoring, with partner Grant Grant one slot behind him.
• Bannister is a force at both ends of the ice. He's blocked 73 shots, second most in the league, and he has 11 takeaways, good for third.
• I didn't fully realize until now what a contributor Randy Pageau has been. He leads the team with 121 hits (7th overall), and he's blocked 69 shots (#3 overall). I'm digging that +19; I knew Grant and Bannister were up there, but I wasn't aware Pageau was that solid. Randy's match rating is the best among the team's forwards.
• On the other hand, I'm not sure how much more I can put up with from Duanne Wright, or from Reggie Higgins, for that matter. They are sloppy with the puck--way too many giveaways--and Wright's offensive contributions aren't enough to compensate for that problem. Higgins is tied for the league lead in PIM, and it's not because he's an enforcer. He has only one fighting major and a whole slew of minor penalties. The arrival of Pierre-Alexandre Robinson gives me a little more flexibility on the blueline, so Duanne and Reggie better step up.
• The biggest disappointments among the forwards are Curt Berube and Pierre-Olivier Allan. I'm not sure giving either of them more ice time is the answer. Allan is a fan favorite, and I wonder what will happen if I send him down. I've never gotten rid of one of the guys with an asterisk beside their names before; they're usually very good players, too. For example, the other faves on this year's team are Kinney and Bannister.
• We don't drop the gloves much. Derek Clark has been our most frequent pugilist, with three bouts; he's won only one of them. When we do fight, we're pretty good at it, however. The rest of the guys have won 7 of 8 fights.
• The Hockey News said we had the #3 goalie in the league. They're right, but it's not the guy they picked. Keegan Lemay has the third best GAA and third best save percentage in the league. Meanwhile, THN's choice, Rejean Roch, might be playing himself out of the backup role.