Season 15 Season Preview Part 2

by James Ashton and Shannon Goodfellow

Moncton Melons 8.4:1 

No team is as directly affected by one player more than the Melons and Jack Hughes . During his record breaking years the Melons were a solid 2nd place team behind the “unstoppable juggernaut Kings”. With the cap pinch not loosening the amount needed for Hughes  is extraordinary for the Melons to be successful.

The team is solid for depth on the forwards and the wings . Kakko will continue his rise of being one of the best right wingers in the game while Dahlin is the safety net that can affect both ends of the ice. The second line of Cozens , Coronato and Zadina is what will dictate how the Melons could finish in the standing.

The weak spot could be in the net. Veini is declining quickly and Commesso has been hit with constant off season bad luck.  With little options the Melons will need to put up a brick wall of defense to prevent chances and keep the opposing team out of the high danger areas.

Bathurst Mighty Ducks 8.2 : 1

This may be the first team with no major questions marks or worry’s. I don’t like this because it’s Bathurst and I enjoy giving Quinton a hard time.

Overall the team has solid depth across the board with impact players and 3 good lines that can rotate through a game. This is Yzerman's team and with Quinn as a long time running mate they could continue to make noise in the playoffs.  Thachuk is the only member of the forward group over 30 and will likely be bound for Dildo as quickly as next year.

The defense is solid with a returning Ekblaad  who still retains all the skills that made him one of the most feared defensemen in ODBHL history even though he’s slowed down quite a bit. Sanderson is the one to watch as always he leads the next generation the next great era of defensemen in the ODBHL. If he could produce more points he could contend for a Plavsic.

Blackwood has slowly started to decline but should be elite for a few more seasons. 

 Miramichi Moose 7.5 : 1

If you like offence you’ve come to the right place. 

The first line domination last was evident in the regular season and playoffs with a Shiny Barbarian trophy and a finals visit.  The +- numbers for most of the first line was in the 40’s with that helping Drysdale to his first Plasvic. 

But that’s not good enough for me. We fell short of the goal and I expect another Plasvic and more. The Sister on the 2nd line needs to put out more points which will hopefully be improved with rookie Phil Housley due to Ashton rule 10.2.

Where we might run into trouble is our overall defense. Half of my defensemen are very offensive and some of my forwards have defense in the 40’s or 50’s. Worse yet Igor was not retained so 22 year old Cossa and the rebound machine known as Hugo are our goaltenders.

Monday April 6th 2026

2.5  hours later …………

Dodgers 10 Blue Jays 1

South Esk Scotsman 7.5 : 1

Here we have the first 3 time champion * Shakes fist at monitor and tv.*, that took care of the Moose in the finals. All of the usual characters are back with a few a little closer to maybe taking a prolonged break in the rocking chair.

There is value and depth throughout the lineup with  Raymond and Petterson showing me a lot in the playoffs and have earned my respect. The third and 4th lines lack depth but gm Goodfellow channels his inner John Tortella and plays the high paid stars until they collapse.

The defense is solid with an 82 rating playing on the third line but it’s the grinding low shots allowed that is the teams bread and butter. They lean on you and grind you in their own defensive zone which is supposed to be the fun part of the game. 

Askarov is the elite goalie in this league at 25 years old and years away from being in decline mode. Hopefully we don't see much of the back up this year as it brings home another Bob award this year.

Saint John Kings 6.5 : 1

Death , Taxes and writing about the Kings last. 

The Kings have a detailed roster that is spent with every penny in mind because the high end guys get paid and the 4th line guys make league minimums. Unlike other GM’s the Kings play most of the scrubs to qualify for medical and league benefits. 

Logan Thompson is the best goalie in league history.  He is the only goalie to win the Cujo 4 times and has won them consecutively. He will be tested by the likes of Askarov , Blackwood and others but we’ll see if the run can continue. 

The defense has moved some pieces around to accommodate to ensure cap compliance but it is led by dynamic 2 way defender Noah Dobson. With over 300 hits , +21 and  goals he might be the most complete defenseman in the league. The Plavsic usually goes to the player with the high points & +- but those stats make him a dark horse for best defenseman.

What will matter most with the Kings is what they do in the playoff , where the demons and gremlins from past years show up and the team stumbles. With this much talent they should have been in dynasty mode.

By James Ashton