GM: Stephen R
Coach: John Tortorella
Last season: 13th overall. In playoffs, lost to Bern
Ins and Outs
(Season 14 to Season 15)
In: Thomas Chabot (free agent), Kevin Fiala (trade), Derek Ryan (free agent), Marcus Foligno (free agent), Ryan Johansen (free agent), Eric Gelinas (free agent), Jason Brancheau (free agent), Georgios Kouleles (free agent), Petteri Puhakka (draft)
Out: Logan Couture (free agent), Thomas Powell (free agent), Vincent Trocheck (free agent), P.K. Subban (free agent), Jordan Staal (free agent), Peter Thome (free agent), Dominik Kahun (free agent), Drew Shore (free agent)
Potential Lineup
Andre Burakovsky/Ryan Johansen/Kevin Hayes
Jared McCann/Derek Ryan/Jake Guentzel
Michael Bunting/Marcus Foligno/Evgenii Dadonov
Kevin Fiala/Mattias Bieber/Zach Aston-Reese
Tyler Myers/Esa Lindell
Erik Cernak/Thomas Chabot
Jindrich Barak/Eric Gelinas
Andres De La Garma/Adin Hill
Three Questions
2. Another shakeup? Last year, Athens General Manager Stephen R (yes, the same Stephen R who leaked the Auston Matthew trade rumor last season) used ample cap space to acquire the pieces that allowed his team to jump up the standings. Gods fans are feeling the familiar shaking again this season, as if Zeus himself is trying to will Athens up the standings. Athens had more than $20 million in cap space when the off season began. While they seemed set in goal and on defense, it was expected Stephen R would be on the hunt for a center to feed pucks to LW Jake Guentzel and then players to fill in the rest of the important top two forward lines. Enter centers Ryan Johansen, Derek Ryan and Marcus Foligno along with LW Kevin Fiala. On defense, Thomas Chabot was signed and should be a main part of the blue line corps for the next three seasons at least. He joins a group of disciplined, rugged defensemen who are mainly under 30 with improved ratings since the last time Athens played a game.
3. Who is on the hot seat this year? Newcomers Ryan Johansen, 33, and Derek Ryan, 34, were given tough jobs as centers of the top two lines and they need to come through for management. Johansen doesn’t have the legs anymore, but he is very smart, handles the puck well and knows what to do when the other team gains possession. Ryan was an overachiever in France the last two seasons (70-plus points each year) and Gods fans are hoping he can play that way in Greece. So is his right winger Jake Guentzel, who is always ready to shoot the puck. Should they falter, look for Marcus Foligno or Matthias Bieber to get more ice time. Bieber plays a boring, uninspiring game but he is sneaky-effective. In his 8 seasons the league, he has recorded seven “plus” seasons – in fact he tied for the team lead last season – and his career turnover ratio is also on the positive side.
1. Where do they need to improve most? There don’t seem to be any weak links in the Athens chain this season, but if you look at the stats from last season, they need to improve their team defense. The Gods went from 12th best in shots allowed per game to a worrying 21st last season. Meanwhile, goalies Andres De La Garma and Peter Thome gave the team an 14th-best goals against average. It is doubtful those two guys were the problem. (Adin Hill replaces Thome this season.) The issue was further up ice. Center Ryan O’Reilly left last season and centers Logan Couture and Jordan Staal seemed to be in Father Time’s crosshairs. Couture, 36 now, had a very unCouture turnover ratio of -49 and Staal, 37, had trouble with injuries and conditioning. Both men decided to test the free agent market this season. Free agent signings Ryan Johansen and Thomas Chabot have both proven they take defense seriously and they are just what the doctor ordered in Greece. After he ordered souvlaki, that is.
Rose’s Focus
“I can’t wait to see how Coach John Tortarella uses Mason McTavish when he graduates from the Anaheim Ducks to the Gods early in this season. The 20-year-old is a surefire top liner in the future. The question is, what is he in Season 15? I have looked at a lot of young men in my day and I will tell you this: Mason McTavish is powerfully built. He……….. (75 seconds later) …. Where was I? I mean … well, I’m not sure. Go Gods? Is that what I was saying? ”
