Column: Little hope for playoffs

Officially, the goal is still to make the playoffs — realistically, the Wolves are looking to the future.

At the beginning of the season all the talk was about “hitting the re-set button,” but after a 13-game losing streak that included a winless October, it was obvious a post-season berth wasn’t in the cards this season.

It wasn’t until team owner Mark Burgess did a radio interview with me just before Christmas that the word “re-build” was used.

Since deciding to focus on next season, the Wolves have made a number of good moves to set the table for 2015-2016.

Trading star forward Nick Baptiste to the Erie Otters was a clear indication this season was write-off. In exchange for the talented Buffalo Sabres draft pick, the Wolves picked up 19-year-old forward Travis Wood, but the key to the deal was 17-year-old defenceman Cole Mayo and four high draft picks.

Mayo gives the Wolves another big body on the blueline and has already shown an ability to get better with every game.

Adding defenceman Jonathan Duchesne and forward Chad Heffernan gave the Wolves two strong characters who, I predict, will play a big parts next season.

Two more significant pieces were added at the trade deadline.

First, there's Reagan O'Grady. A couple of years from now, we might all look back and talk about the theft GM Blaine Smith pulled off acquiring the young defenceman.

O'Grady is the youngest player in the OHL, turning 16 on Dec. 15. He was Kingston’s first-round pick in the 2014 draft, selected 15th overall. He wasn’t getting much ice time in the Limestone City and the Wolves were more than happy to part with four picks to get him into a Wolves uniform.

He's only played two games with the local juniors, but has fit in nicely. Interim head coach Dave Matsos paid him the ultimate compliment by saying O’Grady already has some leadership qualities by how vocal he is on the bench.

The Wolves then picked up forward Charley Graascamp from the Sault. Ste. Marie Greyhounds for two fourth-round picks.

The Eau Claire, Wisc., native joined the Greyhounds in mid-February 2014 as a free agent. Scouts have described him as a skilled player with good vision and hockey sense and should settle in nicely as one of the Wolves top six forwards.

But the final piece of the re-build this year is behind the bench.

For whatever reason, Paul Fixter just couldn’t make things work with the group of players he was given to start the season. Losing isn’t easy on players, but it’s even tougher on coaches, because their job is based on wins and losses.

Naming Dave Matsos as interim head coach was smart. He already has a relationship with most of these guys and it’s apparent they have responded positively to his coaching style, and that of assistant coach Bryan Verreault.

It hasn’t resulted in any wins yet, that's true, but there is no doubt the players compete level is much higher and the Wolves are much more competitive.

These moves should should result in a much better product on the ice.

Sure, it won’t translate into post-season play this year, but the foundation is there for success next year.

And most fans probably just want to forget about this season anyway.

Stew Kernan is the radio and television voice of the Sudbury Wolves, and the News Director at KiSS 105.3 and Q92.