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Timmins commits to Greyhounds

As the 2015-16 Ontario Hockey League approaches, the Soo Greyhounds continue to add.

As the 2015-16 Ontario Hockey League approaches, the Soo Greyhounds continue to add.

The team inked prospect Conor Timmins to a standard player agreement on Thursday, making the 16-year-old the seventh member of the Greyhounds 2014 draft class to be signed.

“As an offensive-minded defenceman, Conor is at his best when the puck is on his stick,” Greyhounds General Manager Kyle Raftis said in a release. “What continually drew us back to his game was his puck management, distribution and ability to escape defenders while breaking out of his zone.”

The 6-foot, 180-pound Thorold, Ont. native split the 2014-15 season with the Greater Ontario League’s St. Catharines Falcons and Thorold Blackhawks.

In 30 games (15 with each club), Timmins scored seven goals and 18 points.

Other prospects from the 2014 draft that have been signed by the Greyhounds include forwards Jack Kopacka and Boris Katchouk as well as defenceman Mac Hollowell.

All three played in a handful of games each for the Greyhounds last season.

Goaltender Joseph Raaymakers and forward Tim Gettinger spent the entire 2014-15 season with the Greyhounds while forward Anthony Salinitri, who was the Greyhounds top pick in the 2014 draft, started the season in Sault Ste. Marie before being dealt to the Sarnia Sting in the trade that brought defenceman Anthony DeAngelo north.

In addition to the group from the 2014 draft, the Greyhounds have also inked their top two picks from the 2015 draft in centre Liam Hawel (first round) and defenceman Anthony Demeo (third round).

The Greyhounds roster for the 2015-16 season stands to look different than the one that advanced to the Western Conference final in the spring.

Defenceman Connor Boland and forwards Bryan Moore and Jean Dupuy have all graduated after completing their overage seasons in 2014-15.

The Greyhounds overage situation for the new season sees nine players eligible for three spots. Of that group, seven are signed by NHL clubs – forwards Nick Ritchie (Anaheim), Sergey Tolchinsky (Carolina), Justin Bailey (Buffalo) and Michael Bunting (Arizona), and defencemen Tyler Ganly (Carolina), Anthony DeAngelo (Tampa Bay) and Darnell Nurse (Edmonton).

Bunting signed with the Coyotes on Thursday.

Gabe Guertler and Tyler Hore are the remaining two overage candidates.

The team returns a number of key veterans, including Jared McCann, Zach Senyshyn and Blake Speers up front, and both Raaymakers and Brandon Halverson in goal.


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Brad Coccimiglio

About the Author: Brad Coccimiglio

A graduate of Loyalist College’s Sports Journalism program, Brad Coccimiglio’s work has appeared in The Hockey News as well as online at FoxSports.com in addition to regular freelance work with SooToday before joining the team full time.
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