Soo Greyhouds Season in Review 2000-01

By Brad Coccimiglio
It all started with Ryan Healy being sent home for “philosophical differences” with head coach Paul Theriault and finished with a 5 game losing skid. In between it was like riding a roller coaster.

There were some high expectations for the Soo Greyhounds coming in to the 2000-01 season. The goaltending and defence were expected to be solid while the offence, although a question mark, was seen as something that was not going to be a huge problem.

In hindsight the goaltending was solid, the defence was suspect at best and the offence… well let’s just say the offence didn’t come to play.

To start the season the Greyhounds did have some offensive spark in guys like Preston Mizzi, Ryan Held and Cory Pecker. The Greyhounds also featured some potential in Jeff Richards, who showed up to camp in great shape, CHL Import Pick Martin Bonda as well as defenceman Trevor Daley and rookie Brett Trudell. There was a lot of potential but, unfotunately, not all of it was realized.

The defence was suspect but did come up with some great efforts against some of the OHL’s top teams. The defensive corps was somewhat young with three 19-year-olds, two 17-year-olds and a 16-year-old.

The Greyhounds goaltending was solid during some games and off during others. Ray Emery was solid during the stretch run but the team lost some key games at the end of the year which knocked them out of playoff contention.

The turmoil all began during training camp in September. During one of the scrimmages rookie Jordan Kennedy got into a shoving match with veteran Cory Pecker. As the two moved up ice and neared the visitors bench Pecker punched Kennedy and Kennedy hit him back. That’s when veteran Ryan Healy jumped in. He came off the home team bench, which is on the other side of the rink and blindsided Kennedy. With Kennedy on the ice Healy punched himw 4-5 times before being pulled off of the rookie. Keenedy was never the same (he suffered a minor concussion and it worsened after playing a game early in the season and was forced to sit out the entire season) and Healy was sent home and eventually traded to Oshawa.

In October sophomore defenceman Trevor Daley left the team due to what he called personal reasons. Rumours floated around the city about the real reason why he left. The reason never did come out even after Daley’s return in early November.

Also in October sophomore’s Rob Chapman and Malcolm MacMIllan were suspended indefinitely by the team for allegedly breaking curfew. Both were back in the lineup soon after the incident.

In the weeks leading up up to the OHL’s trade deadline the Greyhounds, claiming to be building for the future, made a number of trades in order to get younger. Most peopple felt that the real reason was that the players dealt didn’t like playing for coach Paul Theriault.

In February team captain Brent Theobald ripped into Greyhounds fans and media because of their “negativity”. Theobald said that he couldn’t understand how the fans treat their team with such hostility. Theobald said when he arrived in the Sault that he heard that Sault Ste. Marie was the Montreal of the OHL, but he asked “Where was everyone in the playoffs?” Coach Paul Theriault also said that the Sault fans “tend to eat their own.” Theobald echoed that statement by saying, “No one likes to see a human being crucified in his hometown.” After reading that I had to ask myself, aren’t the Montreal fans the same way? (Just a thought.)

Anyhowl the Greyhounds season ended with the team losing their last 5 games. If the team would have won their last three games, which were all at home, the Greyhounds would have squeaked into the playoffs, but it wasn’t meant to be.

Looking ahead to the 2001-02 season the Greyhounds will return up to 19 players. The team will also be under ne ownership as Sault businessman Sam Biasucci, who also owns the NOJHA’s Soo Thunderbirds; Dr. Lou Loukenda, also a Sault Ste. Marie businessman; and New Jersey Devils goaltender John VanBiesbrouk purchased the team for a reported $1.21 million.

The new ownership cleaned house letting go GM Dave Mayville, head coach Paul Theriault as well as assistant coaches Steve Harrison, Lynn McKinnon and Bill Hughes and trainer Gord Hysen. The team announced that Craig Hartburg, who was also in the bidding for the team, will be the new Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations.

Overall the 2000-2001 season was a long one for players and fans but the future looks bright for the team as they try to head in a new direction.