The Attack have been good for at least 30 wins in 12 consecutive seasons, but with one of the league’s most dynamic players back in the lineup, the Bears know they’ve got a window to shoot even higher in 2023-24.
Five Questions looks at the consistently competitive Owen Sound Attack franchise that enters its third season under current head coach Greg Walters.
1. Will Barlow lead the league in goal-scoring?
If the trend continues, it’s probably a realistic assumption. Taken eighth overall in 2021, Colby Barlow scored 30 in his first season and increased that number to 46 in his sophomore campaign. The Winnipeg Jets first round pick will have solid playmaker Cedrick Guindon, Minnesota Wild prospect Servac Petrovsky and some solid overage options in Deni Goure, Ethan Burroughs and Kaleb Lawrence potentially back in the lineup this fall, giving him lots to work with offensively.
“The way he picks corners, this guy is incredible.”
The youngest captain in @AttackOHL history brings his goal-scorer’s touch to Winnipeg!#NHLDraft | @NHLJets | #GoJetsGo pic.twitter.com/2id2LZLoWo
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) June 29, 2023
2. Who controls the crease?
Corbin Votary and the now-graduated Nick Chenard split the workload last season, but 17-year-old Carter George comes off a strong season in the GOJHL and is probably ready for some added OHL minutes. The Thunder Bay native will represent Canada in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup this summer after impressing in a 10-game tour with the Bears last season, going 7-3 with a 2.41 goals-against average and .924 save percentage. Votary is a right-handed catching goaltender entering his third season with Owen Sound after going 12-9-4-0 last season. The Attack recently announced they’re seeking a new goaltending coach, moving on from long-time instructor Greg Redquest, an OHL graduate who had been with the franchise since 2009.
A career-high 48 saves for @AttackOHL rookie Carter George on Friday in Kitchener as the Bears picked up two points 🎥 pic.twitter.com/X2c5uCFnpC
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) February 25, 2023
3. What can Bryant do with a full season?
He had a great rookie season, and showed well through 30 games of an injury-riddled 2022-23 campaign. Gavin Bryant has a great motor and gets around the ice, but battled a shoulder injury throughout portions of the season, finishing with 26 points (10-16–26). The Attack could use his presence on both sides of the puck this season, and he could be a real factor with a season of good health.
GAVIN BRYANT WINS IT IN OVERTIME 🚨
The centreman finishes off the give-and-go with Colby Barlow and the @AttackOHL end a six-game losing skid in dramatic fashion 🎥 pic.twitter.com/pxjLDgRI3t
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) December 29, 2022
4. How do the Bears handle their overage situation?
Owen Sound currently has four great OA options to choose from, with the aforementioned forward trio of Goure, Burroughs and LA Kings prospect Kaleb Lawrence, along with an important part of their success in utility man Sam Sedley, one of the league’s top offensive blueliners. Sedley is so skilled on the offensive side of the puck that he even played forward and took faceoffs at various points last season. While he’s a good puck distributor, Sedley’s contributions to the power play (that finished 17th in the OHL last season), will be needed even more this year – he didn’t score on the man advantage at all in 2022-23. Teams can break camp with four overagers on their roster, but each member of Owen Sound’s current quartet is worthy of regular OHL minutes, so it will be interesting to see which direction Attack GM Dale DeGray decides to go.
Two more for Deni Goure! 🐻@AttackOHL vet equals a career-high, reaching 24 goals on the campaign as part of a big Wednesday night win over Niagara 🎥 pic.twitter.com/cEZdIfbH09
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) February 9, 2023
5. Can Owen Sound’s 2006-born recruitment class take a step forward?
As mentioned, the Attack are going to have a good number of names back in the lineup this fall, but the development of top 2022 draft picks Ben Cormier, Braedyn Rogers and Antonio Tersigni will be something to watch early in the season as competition for minutes and roles intensifies and the Attack see how their team stacks up. The three players combined for 16 points in 2022-23, and with so many returning (especially on forward), the sophomores will have to make the most of their opportunities when they present themselves. Goaltender Carter George is also a 2006 birth-year, and is already looking like he’ll be one of the league’s top goaltenders down the road.
Ben Cormier is finding his way in the @OHLHockey and changing his game as he adapts to life with the @AttackOHLhttps://t.co/W7ZqRFfA62
— Greg Cowan (@GregCowanST) January 9, 2023
Five Questions is put together by Josh Sweetland (@joshsweetland). Follow along throughout the summer for an offseason look at all 20 OHL clubs.
