As the Peterborough Petes prepare for their home opener tonight, Head Coach, Rob Wilson, shared his insights into the upcoming season, including lineup decisions, and the significance of celebrating their previous year’s championship victory.
Featuring a new look roster from last season, with the potential still for newcomers and NHL camp returnees, the coaching staff faces the challenging task of assembling the most effective team for the 2023-24 as the Petes look to defend their OHL championship crown.
In talking about this year’s team, Wilson emphasized the importance of evaluating individual players and experimenting with different line combinations as they work towards finalizing their final roster.
One key uncertainty is the availability of players currently at NHL camps, with decisions about the opening day lineup pending their return. The team is taking a day-by-day approach to address these uncertainties, recognizing the fluid nature of player availability.
Wilson also stressed that preseason results were not their primary concern; instead, they were focused on identifying players who could contribute to the team’s success throughout the year, stressing that team practices are also an important part of player evaluation.
Regarding leadership roles within the team, discussions have already begun among the coaching staff. With a younger roster this season, they are looking for players who can serve as strong mentors to newcomers and contribute positively to the team’s dynamics.
Wilson acknowledged the significance of the banner-raising ceremony and expressed his pride in the team’s accomplishments, noting that adversity during the season had ultimately strengthened the team, emphasizing that without challenges, success would not be possible.
Looking ahead to tonight, Wilson underlined the team’s determination to continue building on their success from the previous year, adding that the pregame celebration will be a moment to recognize past achievements but the focus will then shift to focusing on the now.
Tonight’s game is slated for 7pm but the Petes are encouraging fans to arrive early so that you can be in your seats for the pregame player introductions as well as the OHL and Eastern Conference championship banner raising ceremonies.
If you can’t make it down to the Peterborough Memorial Centre tonight, we’ll have all the action for you live on our brother station, Freq 90.5.
