THOUGHTS ON THE OHL CONFERENCE FINALS AND THE GM OF THE YEAR FOR 2026-2027 IS....

I know, I know! We've got two compelling Conference Finals going on in the OHL and you want to talk about the potential incoming GM of a team long since eliminated from the playoff picture? Well, yes, I do, and I'll show you why momentarily.

However to soothe the minds of those who are completely invested in two excellent conference finals, Here are some quick observations on those finals. You also need to keep in mind that at this point of the playoffs, I could not correctly predict a sunrise, I've been that bad! On the whole, it looks like we are trending towards a battle between conferences' top teams as Kitchener has yet to lose at home in the playoffs (6-0) and Brantford had only one home loss heading to Game3 6(to Barrie and they're 5-1 at home)

Brantford vs Barrie

Brantford/Barrie: The one thing I did correct opine was that this series would come down to whether or not Barrie could stay out of the penalty box because Brantford's PP is all world and was trundling along at a robust 34.5% in the regular season. Its even better in the post season at 36.3% and though it is a pedestrian 6/22 in the series, four of the six PP goals scored by Brantford came in two of their wins where they were combined 4/9. The game that Brantford won 2-0 was a rare none PP goal game for the prohibitive favorites. It should be noted that Barrie's PP is a startling 42.5% heading into the series but is only 4/22 in the series. What does all that mean? Well, do you remember the Undertaker's old move where he sat up out of nowhere and proceeded to pound on his opponent. He was like a darker more macabre version of hulking up (brother!!). The Colts put in their best effort of the series and fended off elimination by beating Brantford for a second straight time at the Madhouse on Market. This one ended 4-3 in OT after Brad Gardiner whipped a shot past Ryerson Leenders to send the series back to the Sadlon Arena. Even more impressive was that Barrie won without the services of Cole Beaudoin who did not play after around the midway point of period 2. I think their coach Dylan Smokowitz was playing coy when asked about the Utah 1st rounder when he said , and I paraphrase, "He'll be back in Game 6. I just didn't like his game". At least I THINK he was playing coy because he delivered the line with a straight face. However, I think he was like all coaches, and did not want to talk about injuries but he said it so deadpan, and with a straight face, it was hard to tell. We have a series and the tantalizing potential of a Game 7 if Barrie can win at home, which they have not done this series.

Kitchener vs Windsor

Kitchener/Windsor: We all remember last year when a limping

Windsor team jumped out to a 3-0 series lead on Kitchener before injuries and a determined Ranger squad reverse swept the Spitfires right out of the playoffs. This year has been nip and tuck and one goal games. Though Game 3 ended 4-2 Windsor the 4th was an empty net goal. The key for Kitchener? Sam O'Reilly, a Tampa prospect acquired from Edmonton. He's got 2 goals and 2 assists in Kitchener's two wins in the series, including an OT winner in Game 1 and an assist on the game winner in Game 2. He's been all world and actually would fit right into the Tampa/Montreal series if he was summoned. The series turned on Game 4 in Windsor and like Brantford, Kitchener put together one of their best and decisive performances of the post season by scoring 2 PP goals and two SH goals on route to a 6-3 win. They'll look to wrap it up at home Friday May 1st I picked this one to go six with the Rangers prevailing and that is still in the cards. After what happened in the Barrie/Brantford game last night, I'm not ready to eulogize Windsor just yet as they will be fighting for their season and desperate teams tend to put on desperate to the point of heroic performances. Of course the border city could go meekly like the Edomonton Oilers or the Dallas Stars did.

GM OF THE YEAR

GM of the Year Winner Dave McParlen (Flint) photo courtesy OHL

Congratulations to Dave McParlen, GM of Flint, who won the Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award. Part of his accomplishments included trading for Kevin He and Jacob Battalia at the deadline and acquiring the likes of OA G Mason Vaccari before the season. Flint set all sorts of regular season team records and steamrolled Owen Sound in the 1st round before getting swept by Windsor. My vote would have gone to the other finalist Marty Williamson of Barrie who took a team that was not supposed to do much, resisted the urge to trade Cole Beaudoin and Kashawn Aitcheson and instead built around them by acquiring Mason Zebeski, Parker Von Richter and Ben Wilmott. He did get lucky when Dallas 1st rounder Emil Hemming was returned from the AHL. He also had the foresight to move upstairs to solely be the GM, giving up the coaching reigns to Dylan Smoskowitz who has done a wonderful job guiding a deep and talented team to the Eastern Conference Final. No quibbles really with McParlen. This was sort of a dead heat between two great hockey men

Who will be the IceDogs new GM?

I'm already awarding the 2026/2027 GM of the Year to whomever takes over the IceDogs because this is a team that was on its way to steadying the ship but then parted ways with GM Frank Evola after just one year of a three year deal (source is St. Catharines Standard). The release was filled with "mutual parting of the ways" and "pursuing other opportunities" type language. That seems to be the lingo of the day. It was similar language used in the release when the Soo and their Head Coach John Dean "parted ways". There are a couple of names floating out there around who will replace Evola, with one of the possibilities being a dual portfolio gig for current Head Coach Krys Barch. Whomever gets the job has quite a task on their hand when you consider what needs to happen in the off season.

Off The Ice, The IceDogs Need:

• To sign their head coach as Krys Barch is only on a one year deal

• Find an assistant coach as Dylan Seitzi has left to coach the Buffalo Junior Sabres of the OJHL

• Replace a bunch of scouts as many stories indicate the whole scouting staff was let go. On the IceDogs site they've listed only three scouts

On the ice

• Grayson Tiller (Brock) Charlie Robertson (TMU) Jakub Chromiac (Pro) are departing overagers

• Potential OA Riley Patterson almost certainly turns pro next year

• Potential OA Sean Doherty has gone to Guelph of the OUA

• Potential OA Blake Barnes has signed with the NCAA

• Hayden Reid has signed on with the NCAA (not confirmed, but Instagram post seemed to indicate he was moving on)

• Alex Hage, Haoxi Wang and Sebastian Dell'Elce have NCAA commitments next year

• The OHL Draft is coming up in June and the IceDogs pick 9th

• The U18 Draft is in June

• The CHL import draft is in July

• Decisions about key players Ryan Roobroeck (late 1st or 2nd round NHL pick) and Captain Ethan Czata might have to be made

That's ten roster players that need to be replaced. Plus, there are no guarantees when it comes to imports D Ben Reisnecker and G Vladislav Yermolenko who both might be drafted. That's a lot. The IceDogs need to get their hockey operations house in order sooner rather than later or they will be playing even more catch than other teams. So my early frontrunner for '26-27 GM of the Year is whomever inherits the Niagara IceDogs.

Steve Clark - Steve has been the play-by-play voice on YourTV for the Niagara IceDogs since 2007

www.steveclarkmedia.com