Claimed:Ottawa Lynx Win S35 Founder’s Cup

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

Ottawa Lynx Win S35 Founder’s Cup

 

 

     After taking over the club in Season 33, Ottawa Lynx general manager Jim Gow put into place a plan that focused more on the long-term growth of the club than any immediate satisfaction. After two seasons of work, that plan finally paid off with a Founder’s Cup win over the Oslo Storm in Season 35. In this media spot, we’ll take a look at the journey the Ottawa Lynx have gone through during this time period.

 

 

     In Season 33, the then Ottawa Ice Dogs were under new management. First time general manager Jim Gow took over the club with the promise to improve the club and get Ottawa the Founder’s Cup that it deserves. Although the club has come close to winning a championship (including in S28, when Jim Gow himself came close, but failed in the playoffs in two consecutive seasons), the team had not won a Founder’s Cup since S23. Jim inherited a team that had just went through a failed playoff run. As a result, the roster included many older players who would soon be joining the VHL and a lack of future draft picks due to the nature of the VHLM, which includes sacrificing the future in order to improve the present. With a lack of star players and picks that could be used to acquire the necessary pieces to compete, the Ice Dogs traded multiple players before the season began in order to restock draft picks for future seasons. Matteo Gallo and Dan Tremblay, both players who belonged on competing teams, were traded for picks. Some of these picks were then traded for Edward Eldred, a young defenseman whose growth trend and potential matched Ottawa’s. Eldred and fellow defenseman Cody Inko, a soon to be VHL player who requested not to be traded,  were joined throughout the season by waiver additions Boone Cassidy and Landon Roberts, as well as VHLM newcomer Naomi Young, who only cost the Ice Dogs a measly third round pick. After limping into the playoffs with seventy-two points, the Ice Dogs were able to defeat the Saskatoon Wild in seven games, but eventually fell to the Brampton Blades.

 

 

     With only one pick in the S34 VHLM Dispersal Draft, the renamed Ottawa Lynx knew that this pick needed to work out in both the short term and the long term. After failing to work out a deal with the Minot Gladiators for the 15^th pick (which Minot used to select goaltender Que Cumberbatch, the same player Ottawa was looking to pick), the Ottawa Lynx selected winger Brennan McQueen. This pick was the beginning of when things turned around in Ottawa. After being informed that he would not be traded even though the Lynx were going through a rebuild, McQueen did not sulk. Instead, McQueen worked hard to improve and became the Lynx’s best player by the end of the season. The Lynx were also able to cash in during free agency by luring VHLM veteran Chop Cho to the team with a promise to succeed in the future. The roster was also bolstered by Dabs Ondabs, a waiver player added to the team shortly before the trade deadline. However, this transaction resulted in turmoil in the locker room. Ondabs and Eldred developed a feud, which resulted in Eldred giving Ottawa management an ultimatum: either trade him or trade Ondabs. This was not the first time Eldred’s character was called into question, so the Lynx made the tough decision to trade away Eldred for only a 2^nd round pick, even though they knew Ondabs would not be on the team next season. This turned out to be addition by subtraction, as the mood in the locker room changed dramatically. Similar to last season, with only fifty-eight points, the Lynx crawled into the playoffs, where they were demolished in four games by the Minot Gladiators.

 

 

     S35 was the make or break year for the Lynx. With a plethora of draft picks, the Lynx were able to add goaltender Mike Szatkowski Jr, center Robin Gow, defenseman Connor Low, and winger Robert Gow III to the already strong core of Brennan McQueen and Chop Cho. A draft day trade also saw defenseman David Januzaj added to the team. Free agent Matt Rielly rounded out a solid defensive unit. The team also added the previous year’s 5^th overall pick, center Frederik Ernst, and VHLM super star Jeevan Samuelsson through trade. An already stacked team improved even more at the trade deadline with the additions of waiver players Tom Slaughter and Ron World Peace. Together, this team would stay atop the VHLM from day one and finished the year with one hundred and twenty-four points. After a first round bye in the playoffs, the Lynx would knock off the Saskatoon Wild in five games, at which point they earned a date with the Oslo Storm in the Founder’s Cup. The Lynx weathered the Storm and swept Oslo in four games. The city of Ottawa finally got the championship that it deserved.

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

This ended up being so much worse than I envisioned it due to time constraints, but oh well.

 

And if I missed anyone, just let me know and I'll add you in here.

[Ball 453]

Content: 3/3- Nice article on the building of a championship team. The Lynx came out of nowhere to become a powerhouse this past season in the VHLM. It's hard to create a championship team, but even harder to repeat so good luck with that. Good read btw

 

Grammar: 2/2- I didn't catch any here

 

Appearance: 1/1- Yes sir

 

Overall: 6/6

[eaglesfan036 4,605]

Woohoo!

 

Don't forgot who your co-gm was who helped you through all this.

[Da Trifecta 1,902]

Content: 3/3 Ottawa did have a great season. You guys worked hard and it really paid off for you.

Grammar: 2/2 Nothing as far as the eye can see

Appearance: 1/1 It looks alright to me

 

Final: 6/6

[Guest]

Claimed