August 1, 2014
I got my license and the first thing I do is to buy a newspaper after the test results have been announced.
The only job available is as GM for Owen Sound Attack (OHL), so I apply for it. They decide to give me a chance, so I travel to Owen Sound, Ontario and inspect my team.
August 3, 2014
The chairman welcomes me and tells me everything I need to know about the club, the rink, the staff and the players. Owen Sound captured a single J. Ross Robertson Cup in 2011, the head coach is Greg Ireland and our star players are Petrus Palmu, Daniel Heelis and Colin Tonge.
We play at Bayshore Community Centre with a capacity of 3,500 and our rivals are Guelph Storm, Barrie Colts and the Kitchener Rangers. The chairman expects us to reach the playoffs, meanwhile the fans are indifferent at my appointment. I go to the locker room and inspect my team.
Goalies: Jack Flinn (18), Brandon Hope (20, Overage), Michael McNiven (17)
Defense: Alex Annecchiarico (19), Chris Bigras (19), Thomas Schemitsch (17), Damir Sharipzyanov (18, Foreign), Santino Centorame (18), Tyler MacArthur (17), Jarett Meyer (17), Connor Walters (17)
Attackers: Justin Brack (18), Jonah Gadjovich (15), Daniel Milne (20, Overage), Daniel Pugliese (18), Holden Cook (19, Overage), Jeffrey Gilligan (18), Kevin Hancock (16), Ryan Heeps (17), Nick Marols (18), Keenan Reynolds (16), Ethan Szypula (17), Jacob Busch (18), Brett Hargrave (18), Jaden Lindo (18), Zack Nastasiuk (19), Petrus Palmu (17, Foreign), Kyle Platzer (19)
Staff: Greg Ireland (Head Coach), Drew Bannister (Assistant), Nathan Perrott (Assistant), Daniel Tkaczuk (Assistant), Deron Bauer (Head Scout), Chris Kay (Scout), Steve Ludzik (Scout), Mark Sylvester (Scout)
After organizing the training I meet with Greg Ireland to set up a roster and discuss over the weaknesses and strengths of our roster. I have to keep in mind that we are 3,000 Dollar over our salary budget at the moment, so I will have to sort out a few players.
August 4, 2014
First news of the days is our ticket sale, announcing 1,798 sold season tickets, which guarantees us to play at least before half-filled ranks the whole season.
August 9, 2014
Today the Niagara IceDogs told us about their interest in our RW Jaden Lindo. As I don't think he has the quality for the line-up and we have seven right wingers, we decide to accept their offer. We get two draft picks (4th round and 5th round in 2015) for him.
September 1, 2014
Camp is not always a good thing, at least in case of Thomas Schemitsch (Broken finger) and Brayden Hopkins (Olecranon bursitis), they suffered their injuries in an intra-squad scrimmage and will miss the next two weeks, maybe even the start of the season. We sold 1,804 season tickets so far and everybody is looking forward to September 22, when we will have our first game against our fierce rivals Guelph.
September 4, 2014
Training camp ends and none of the two try-out player was good enough to get contracted by us. To get another bad news, Holden Cook will miss about ten days with a shoulder contusion.
September 5, 2014
I decide to get rid of Jack Flinn, our 3rd goalkeeper. We receive a 4th round pick in 2016 from Saginaw Spirit for him.
September 11, 2014
Our three key players Platzer, Nastasiuk and Bigras were invited to NHL camps, so we have to go on without them 'til September 22nd.
September 14, 2014
OHL Season Preview sees us in 11th place, our MVP should be Holden Cook and our key arrival is Petrus Palmu.
September 18, 2014
The top lists arrive, seeing Chris Bigras on number 5 of defensemen and Petrus Palmu on number 6 of top draft prospects.
September 22, 2014 Owen Sound 0 - Guelph 5 (0-2, 0-1, 0-2)
Time for our first game and our opponent is Guelph Storm, our fierce rivals.
Goals: -
Pen.: Suter - Hooking (04:54), Glass - Hooking (12:06), Cornel - Charging (12:06), McEwan - Holding (21:41), Jackson - Charging (23:57), Boston - Hooking (40:19)
Att.: 3,500
September 23, 2014 Sault Ste. Marie 4 - Owen Sound 3 (0-0, 2-3, 1-0, 1-0)
After the catastrophal start in the season one day later the next challenge awaits us.
1-1 Platzer (1) (Annecchiarico, Brack) 23:54 PPG
2-2 Centorame (1) (Bigras, Cook) 32:23 PPG
3-2 Cook (1) (Milne, Platzer) 37:39
Pen.: Sharipzyanov - Hooking (11:57), Pugliese - Slashing (17:50), Palmu - Tripping (27:00), Walters - Holding (59:31)
September 27, 2014 Sarnia 1 - Owen Sound 3 (0-1, 0-0, 1-2)
1-0 Pugliese (1) (Gilligan, MacArthur) 09:33
2-0 Brack (1) (Cook, Centorame) 49:48 PPG
3-1 Brack (2) (Walters) 57:41 EN
Pen.: Szypula - Slashing (21:37)
It was Holden Cook's 200th OHL appearance, he celebrated it with 1 assist. The bad news was that first row left winger Daniel Milne suffered a shoulder contusion and will miss the next matches.
September 29, 2014 Owen Sound 2 - London 4 (1-2, 1-1, 0-1)
1-0 Pugliese (2) (Gilligan, Walters) 03:27
2-3 Annecchiarico (1) (Schemitsch, Cook) 33-27
Pen.: MacArthur - Tripping (04:25), Nastasiuk - Hooking (08:20), Brack - Hooking (17:35), Szypula - Slashing (22:08), MacArthur - Charging (39:16), Bigras - Elbowing (45:30), Palmu - Slashing (51:47), Bigras - Slashing (53:49)
Att.: 3,500
After the game I decide to scratch Ethan Szypula from the active roster. Though he maybe one of the most wanted players in the league at the moment, his performance is poor. He is replaced by Nick Marois. Thomas Schemitsch came back after his injury and was put in the roster, Annecchiarico replaced Milne and Schemitsch took his place in the defense.
September 30, 2014 Kitchener 2 - Owen Sound 4 (2-2, 0-2, 0-0)
1-0 Palmu (1) (Gadjovich, Bigras) 02:55
2-1 Bigras (1) (Centorame, Cook) 11:15 PPG
3-2 Platzer (2) 25:01
4-2 Nastasiuk (1) (Sharipzyanov, Brack) 33:25
Pen.: Cook - Hooking (03:21)