Battle Report
The Sudbury Wolves dove headfirst into the trading pool this
week and acquired some big pieces they feel will bring them
closer to winning a title.
Prior to the OHL trade deadline, Wolves head coach and GM Mike
Foligno shipped winger Jesse Messier, prospect Justin Vaive,
and a sixth round and 15th round pick in 2007 to Toronto for
centre Justin Donati and a fourth round pick in 2007.
Foligno then said goodbye to veteran goalie Kevin Beech by
sending him to Erie in exchange for a 14th round pick in
2007.
Following that trade, Foligno then sent a 2007 fourth round
pick to Sarnia for import goalie Sebastian Dahm.
In Donati, the Wolves pick up a potential 100-point scorer who
will be expected to bring a professional attitude and explosive
scoring to the club. He has a checkered past, as he has missed
numerous games over the last three seasons for unspecified
reasons.
"We've always feared him when we played against Toronto," said
the bench boss. "He's an incredible goal scorer and he adds
some much needed offensive punch to the lineup...and we expect
him to bring it. It was a tough move to make, but we felt we
had to make the move. We have no concerns at all with Justin.
He's coming here to win. He's been through some difficult
times...family wise and we understand it. He loves the game and
he's a great hockey player...and he will excel here."
At the time of the trade, Donati was the 14th leading scorer in
the OHL with 26 goals and 56 points in 35 games. Donati is also
riding a 12-game point streak with 10 goals and 22 points in
that span.
Dahm has a record of 9-8-2-2 with a 3.32 goals-against-average
(GAA) and a .898 save percentage. Dahm was instrumental in
keeping Belleville in the playoffs last season when their
starter, Kevin Lalande, went down with an injury.
"We feel he will come in and do a great job for us," said
Foligno. "He will give us some stability. We feel, overall, we
have improved and can compete with the best."
Foligno sang praises for his outgoing troops, stating they both
worked hard for the Wolves organization.
The Wolves have also welcomed back Marc Staal from the World
Junior Championship - where he won gold with Team Canada.
Foligno expects Staal to elevate his entire game down the
stretch.
"He was a catalyst for Canada...I hope he brings that winning
attitude to the team and helps us to a championship."
Enemy Lines
Toronto head coach Bud Stefanski hopes the New Year will bring
an end to the miserable injury bug crawling over his
roster.
Last week, the Majors played their games with eight regulars
out of the lineup due to serious injuries.
Some of the injured players are key contributors, such as Jason
Cassidy and Matt Piva, two thirds of the team's second line, as
well as top defenders such as Rob Kwiet and Jeff Barletta.
"We're depleted right now," said Stefanski. "We're missing some
significant players with significant injuries...most are out
another two to four weeks. We have a really young team now...we
will probably have five 16-year-old players in the lineup
against the Wolves. The good thing is...these young players are
gaining valuable experience for the future."
With the busted lineup, the Majors have been in trouble.
In their last 10 games, they went 2-8, and have lost five
straight games. Overall, the Majors have a record of 14-25-1-1,
which leaves them dead last in the Central Division and the
Eastern Conference.
With so many regulars out, it's going to take plenty to lift
Toronto back into the win column.
"It's going to take a lot of hard work and good play on
specialty teams to get us out of this streak," said Stefanski.
"A little luck would help too."
Despite the chaos, the Majors do have some bright spots on the
roster, who are trying their best to keep the Toronto ship from
completely sinking off the OHL map.
Forward Matt Caria has been a force, with 26 goals and 57
points in his first 41 games.
"Matt's been one of our go to guys all season," said the bench
boss. "He plays in all situations and has put up decent
numbers."
Their first-round 2006 import pick, Kaspars Daugavins, has been
a pleasant surprise and he has adapted to the North American
game quickly with 10 goals and 37 points in 36 games.
"He's a gritty player...and adjusted well to the game here and
fit in on our club," said Stefanski. "Kaspars has been one of
our better players so far this season."
With the injuries, 2006 OHL first round pick Dylan O'Neil has
started to elevate his game. O'Neil was picked 10th
overall.
"Dylan is finding his way," said the coach. "Early this season,
he was on our fourth line. Now, he's our third line centre and
doing well. He's an excellent skater who just has to adjust to
the speed of the game at this level...he has a good future
ahead of him."
