The Barrie Colts could have some new faces in the lineup the next time they hit the ice Friday night in Guelph.
The OHL Trade Deadline arrives Friday at noon, and with Barrie sitting atop the Central Division standings, expectations are that general manager Marty Williamson will look to bolster a lineup in need of scoring depth.
Cole Emerton is going through his first OHL Trade Deadline, but the Colts’ rookie blueliner says there’s no use worrying when all of that is pretty much out of his hands.
“A lot of talk going around, but the trades are for the management to deal with,” he said. “We just play. That’s our job. Our job is to win games, and so that’s what we do.”
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Colts’ head coach Dylan Smoskowitz has been through a few of these himself when he suited up for Barrie, Mississauga, and Oshawa over four seasons.
It’s never an easy time for OHL players.
“It’s always a difficult week, whether you’re a buying team or a selling team,” he said. “I don’t know where we’re at right now. That’s a Marty Williamson decision and above my pay grade.
“One thing I can say about this team, it’s a very tight-knit family. So, whether we have players coming in or players coming out, it’s definitely going to be weighing on some of the minds of the guys we have right now.”
The league has already seen some blockbuster deals happen, and with an open Western Conference that could see five or even six teams looking to add, it could prove to be a busy week.
In the Eastern Conference, the favoured Brantford Bulldogs have already made several big moves to bolster an already strong lineup, while the upstart Ottawa 67’s appear a year ahead in their rebuild and lead the Bulldogs atop the East Division standings.
Barrie sits a comfortable 10 points up on Niagara in the Central Division, and with the likes of Cole Beaudoin, Kashawn Aitcheson, and Emil Hemming expected to join the pro ranks next season, this could be the best time to take another run.
Every player wants to win, and the Colts have put themselves in a position where they are in the conversation of being one of the contenders.
“It’s definitely exciting,” said Emerton. “I couldn’t imagine my first year going any other way than us trying to go on a run here. I think we’re going to be a good team, and we’re already a good team, and if we make additions, that’ll be great. If we don’t, I think we still have a strong team.”
Smoskowitz likes the makeup of his team, and whatever happens over the next few days, he believes it’ll be done to help the team move forward.
“The guys really take pride in playing for each other, and they work so hard for each other all week to prepare themselves for the game,” said the first-year head coach. “Whatever happens here, it’s for the best of the Barrie Colts.
“We have the best in the business making the decisions in Marty Williamson and (majority owner) Howie Campbell, and all of our trust in them.”
The deadline for overage players is Thursday at noon, while all other moves will have to be made before noon on Friday.
