Youthful Colts look to get ‘one per cent better’ every day this OHL season

The Barrie Colts may be entering a rebuilding phase, but they have zero intention of taking a back seat.

Following back-to-back runs to the Eastern Conference Final and the OHL Championship Series, the Colts enter the season with 15 new faces, a new owner in John Careri, and a significantly younger lineup. Yet despite the massive roster turnover in a wide-open Eastern Conference, the focus inside the locker room remains to get one per cent better every day and push right back into the postseason.

“When we had these hard decisions last year at the trade deadline... the goal was always to make the playoffs,” said head coach Dylan Smoskowitz. “So, there’s not a day that’s going to go by this season where I’m going to think that we’re a non-playoff team. We are a playoff team, and we will find a way to get it done.”

The mental approach for this group relies heavily on incremental, daily growth.

“There’s going to be some days where we’re not going to be so happy... but again, even when those nights happen, you get up the next day, and you make sure that you do not waste that day. Everyone’s always getting one per cent better,” Smoskowitz explained. “It’s us as coaches, too. I have to find a way to be a better coach than I was yesterday, every single day.”

The contrast between last year’s star-studded, championship-contending squad and this year’s developmental group presents a brand-new challenge for the coaching staff. It’s one they are eagerly embracing.

“For any coach, you live for a challenge,” Smoskowitz said. “Look at last year’s team, what was the challenge for me as a young coach? The challenge was to get NHL first-round picks and future pros to buy into your system... This year, the challenge is, how do we get minor hockey players to be OHL players as quickly as possible, and then not only OHL players, but elite OHL players?”

General manager Marty Williamson echoed those sentiments, noting that the organization planned for this transition when making trades during last year’s run.

“We knew this was going to be that kind of year for us, and it’s all about the development of the young guys,” said Williamson. “We think we’re a playoff team. We think we can get this team into the playoffs, and that’s going to be the goal for us.”

Veteran leadership echoes the same belief. Over-age forward Luca Testa, acquired in the offseason from Brantford, made his expectations clear.

“I’m not looking to come to this team and roll over and not make the playoffs,” he said. “It’s my final year... We’re young, but I really like the steps we’re taking so far throughout the first little bit of the year.”

CROWDED CREASE

Between the pipes, the Colts will navigate an early test. Primary starter Ben Hrebik was dealt to Guelph, and standout backup Arvin Jaswall is sidelined until mid-October with a foot injury.

With Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Matvei Nikonovich expected back from NHL camp on Monday, the immediate workload falls to Nico Armellin and Hagan Bach.

Bach, who spent most of last year with the OJHL's Collingwood Blues and practicing with the Colts, has made a strong impression.

“Bach’s been fantastic,” Smoskowitz said, recalling a recent video session the netminder had with Frankie Palazzese, the Colts' director of goaltending. “The kid is just so interested and so committed to improving. It’s not a real surprise to anyone that he’s had a good start so far.”

A crowded crease could see the Colts go back into the trade market. It’s expected the OHL club will likely move one of its veterans when Jaswal returns.

YOUTHFUL BLUELINE HAS BRIGHT FUTURE

On the blueline, veterans Evan Passmore and Justin Handsor provide stability, but the ultimate future of the franchise rests on a quartet of highly talented young defenders in OHL first-rounders Lucas Matheson and Declan McNally, alongside American standouts Aiden Mowrey and Marc Ruggere. Matheson even led the Colts in preseason scoring, drawing early offensive comparisons to former Colt and Los Angeles Kings blueliner Brandt Clarke.

“I think we do have a bright future ahead of us, and some cornerstone guys that are going to be talked about as far as the NHL,” Williamson said.

Smoskowitz shared an insight from assistant coach Patrick Sexton.

“Sexton said it best when he showed me a clip of Lucas and Declan making some plays and going up the ice,” the Colts bench boss explained... He says, ‘That’s going to be pretty fun to watch for the next four years.’ To realize that your entire defence core, besides Evan Passmore, could come back next year with a whole year of experience under their belts, is very cool.”

SCORING BY COMMITTEE AND NEW FORWARD ROLES

With 157 of last season’s 246 goals walking out the door — following the departures of NHL prospects Cole Beaudoin, Kashawn Aitcheson, Emil Hemming, Ben Wilmott, Parker von Richter, and over-ager Brad Gardiner — offence this year will come more from a committee.

“On any given night, my first line could be my fourth line. My fourth line could be my first line,” Smoskowitz noted. “The internal competition is fantastic... That allows me, as a coach, to play around with the lines and spread out the ice time and opportunity more evenly.”

Forward Eamon Edgar agreed with the depth-first approach. “We’re a really hardworking team,” he said. “We have a lot of guys that can step up at any given time. I think we have a good team, a solid four lines, and guys that can chip in.”

Returning forwards Carter Lowe and William Schneid will be asked to step directly into primary offensive roles after playing behind high-profile stars last year.

“Schneid and Lowe provided some good depth scoring for us, but now that they’re the guys, the go-to-guys... those are the numbers and the names I’m going to be calling out quite often,” Smoskowitz said. “I’ve got all the confidence in the world in those two guys to lead the way offensively for us.”

The Colts are also expecting a major leap from second-year power forward Jonah McCormick.

“In the exhibition games, I’ve had multiple NHL teams come up to me and say how impressed they’ve been with Jonah,” Smoskowitz revealed. “Just the way he skates, combined with his size, his willingness to go to the net, his physicality... this guy is a prototypical power forward.”

New additions will also carry a heavy load. American free-agent signee Sebastian Mogull earned a spot in the top six and on the power play with an outstanding camp.

Smoskowitz billeted along with former Colt and current Winnipeg Jets star Mark Scheifele during his playing days in Barrie and watched how Scheifele was always that “hockey nerd” watching extra highlights and knowing the stats of every player.

“Mogull is a total hockey nerd. This guy eats, sleeps, and breathes hockey,” Smoskowitz laughed. “For him to be a free agent that Marty Williamson and our scouting staff were able to identify, he’s a massive addition.”

The roster also features veteran trade acquisitions Testa and Dylan Tsherna from Brantford, alongside Anthony Figliomeni from Oshawa. Strong training camp performances from prospects Rocco Olek and free-agent winger Ben Lombardi forced management to make tough decisions, including trading former 2025 18th overall pick Aleksandr Sementsov to Brantford for a 2028 5th-round pick.

Import forwards Maxim Shirochenkov and Elias Matousek will also add to the depth of youth up front. 

“All the credit goes to Rocco,” Smoskowitz said of Olek. “. “I’ve been pretty hard on him as a young guy to get some minor hockey habits out of his game and just mature a little bit as a player, but I’ve seen those steps already being taken in a young exhibition season.

“Probably, on my game card, I had him as a 13th or 14th forward going into the season, but he’s demanded the ice time. He’ll be in our starting lineup on opening night.”

Despite the lost firepower, the Colts’ fundamental team identity won’t shift away from structured defence.

“We will focus 80 per cent of our time on defending,” Smoskowitz emphasized. “Yeah, we’re going to focus on offence and power plays and stuff like that. Of course, we will, but we will be a team that is hard to play against.

“We will find offence, and we will take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves, but we will take pride in our defensive style of hockey.”

AND THEY'RE OFF

As the Colts prepare to open on their season on Friday in North Bay, the squad is eager to get going. While a fast start is ideal, the group knows from last year’s 3-7 opening stretch that the season is a marathon.

“If it doesn’t work out like that, it definitely won’t be the end of the world. We know that from firsthand experience,” Smoskowitz reflected.

Heading into Friday, there’s been no shortage of energy in practice this week. “The guys were saying, ‘I can’t believe we have two more days before our first game... Let’s get going right away,’” Smoskowitz said.

It’s the same excitement for Smoskowitz this season. Last year, as a rookie coach, he stepped behind the bench looking to guide a contending team.

He’s just as pumped to guide a young team this season.

 “My excitement levels and my passion for the team, nothing has changed,” Smoskowitz said.