Peterborough Petes
Division: East Division
Coach: Jody Hull
2016-17 Record: (42-21-2-3) 89 points
Key Additions:
RW Bobby Dow (Kemptville 73s, CCHL), D Gleb Babintsev (Metallurg, Russia U-19), C Nicholas Robertson (Toronto Red Wings, GTHL), D Cameron Sapryka (Quinte Red Devils, ETAHL)
Key Departures:
RW Nikita Korostelev (Toronto Marlies, AHL), C Steven Lorentz (Charlotte Checkers, AHL), D Brandon Prophet (Queen’s University), D Kyle Jenkins (Wilfred Laurier University), D Matt Spencer (Syracuse Crunch, AHL)
The 2016/17 season was the Petes best campaign in over a decade, as they won the Eastern Conference title for the first time since 2005-06.
The team cruised through the first two rounds of the playoffs, sweeping the Niagara IceDogs in the first round and the Kingston Frontenacs in the second. But eventually were swept themselves, in the Eastern Finals by the Mississauga Steelheads
It was a huge step forward for the team after finishing sixth in the East in 2015-16. With much of the core intact from last year, the Petes will try to build off their recent success.
“At the end of the day (other teams) are going to be gunning for us. And you’ve just to be ready for that and not let your guard down. We’re approaching this season no different than we did last year.”
-Jody Hull (Pete’s head coach)
Top Players:
Matthew Timms (D) – 68 GP / 11 G / 52 A / 63 Pts / 28 PIM / +6
Jonathan Ang (C) – 67 GP / 27 GP / 32 A / 59 Pts / 75 PIM / +16
Logan DeNoble (C) – 67 GP / 34 G / 21 A / 55 Pts / 28 PIM / -3
Zach Gallant (C) – 60 GP / 21 G / 26 A / 47 Pts / 74 PIM / +4
Dylan Wells (G) – 52 GP / 3.07 GAA / .916 Sv% / 1 Shutout
Peterborough acquired Russian sniper Nikita Korostelev in a mid-season trade with the Sarnia Sting. The 20-year-old was one of the Petes overage options but the Toronto Maple Leafs have assigned him to the Marlies, for now.
“There’s still an outside chance (Korostelev) comes back as an overage player in our league. So our fingers are still crossed here. But that being said, I think we got some other guys that can help carry the workload.”
-Jody Hull (Pete’s head coach)
Four other players from last year were at NHL training camps – G Dylan Wells (Edmonton Oilers), D Cole Fraser, C Zach Gallant (Detroit Red Wings), and Jonathan Ang (Florida Panthers). But they have all been returned to the OHL.
Last year’s defensive core will take a noticeable hit with the loss of captain Brandon Prophet and alternative captains Kyle Jenkins and Matt Spencer. The Petes will still have top defenseman Matthew Timms and will try and replace the departed trio with Gleb Babintsev (63rd overall pick in CHL Import Draft) and Cameron Sapryka (43rd overall pick in 2017 Priority Selection Draft).
Sustainability is hard to achieve in the OHL – if your team is too good you could lose drafted players to the AHL or the NHL. If Peterborough can get Korostelev back (or replace his productivity), then the club may just be the toast of the East again in 2017/18.