By Riley Maracle
The Belleville Bulls will embark on a new season this Friday when they travel to Ottawa to take on the 67’s.
The Bulls hope that their 33rd season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) will be as successful as their last. In the 2012-2013 season, the Bulls were able to make it as far as the Eastern Conference Finals where they lost in game 7 against the Barrie Colts.
During the off-season, the Bulls lost some of the key players that helped push them through the playoffs. Malcolm Subban, along with Joesph Cramarossa, have moved on to National Hockey League with the Boston Bruins and Anaheim Ducks respectively. Captain Breandan Gaunce could possibly be staying with the Vancouver Canucks. Danill Zharkov moved back to Russia to play for Torpedo Nizhniy Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League. Carter Sandlak was traded to the Plymouth Whalers, and Stephen Silas is now over age.
Forward Scott Simmonds will begin his fourth season with the Bulls on Friday night. He expects that this season will be a bit of a challenge.
“It’s going to be tough losing so many guys to higher levels of hockey. Were just going to start fresh here and make sure we’ve got the same attitude towards winning and doing the little things right.” Simmonds said.
Eighteen-year-old old Charlie Graham is the new starting goalie for the Bulls. He is taking over for Subban, who was a big part of last year’s success. Graham says he is ready to take over.
“Obviously,when you come in to the OHL, your goal is to be a starting goalie in the league, so I think I’ve proved myself very well,” Graham said, “playing with Malcolm last year has definitely helped me to take the reins this year.”
Graham added that he isn’t worried about the players lost from last season.
“I think we’ll be just fine. We still don’t know who exactly we’re going to be getting back from their NHL camps but you know I think we have a good group of guys in here right now and we will definitely be a team that plays a full 60 minutes every single night,” said Graham.
Although there have been some loses a few bright new faces have come into the locker room. Justin Lemcke was selected 18th overall by the Bulls in the 2013 OHL Draft. Lemcke is a 6 foot 2 inch defensemen from Whitby. Last year with the Whitby Wildcats he put up 23 points in 36 games.
Lemcke says he is excited to play his first OHL game.
“I am for sure excited, the speeds going to jump up from what it was in the pre-season, and the better players are going to be back and I am ready for the challenge,” said Lemcke
Lemcke added that he is aware of where the team is for this season.
“I know that their in a bit of a re-build, but I mean that’s no excuse for us not to make the playoffs and hopefully move forward from there.”