Kingston Frontenacs ready for 2025 OHL playoffs

Joel Vanderlaan

@Joelvanderlaan

Photo by Robert Lefebvre /OHL Images

The Kingston Frontenacs have plenty of reasons to feel confident as they head into their opening round of the OHL playoffs against the Sudbury Wolves.

After finishing the regular season with a 40-20-5-3 record, Kingston locked up the third seed in the Eastern Conference, but more importantly, they'll begin their postseason run in the Limestone City. The Frontenacs matched a franchise record with 25 home wins and won 16 straight at Slush Puppie Place, from December 8 to March 14.

For head coach Troy Mann, having home-ice advantage was a goal the organization set in the offseason.

"It's funny because last year, after coming in and trying to weather the storm. That first-round matchup against North Bay, which was a tough series, only lasted five games, but if you looked at the underlying analytics, it was very close," he said. "In the exit meetings, a couple of returning players talked about how they felt home ice would have been a bit of difference maker in that series and how tough it was to play up there."

"So when the end of August came around and we started getting our team together, our focus was on getting home ice in the first round. We knew the conference was going to be very difficult this year. But in December, we got rolling at home, and the wins kept piling up. At one point, I wondered if we were ever going to lose at home. Obviously, you want to carry that into the playoffs, and the guys did a great job, finishing with one of the best home records in the league."

Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images

To help strengthen their roster for a playoff run, the Frontenacs made major moves at the trade deadline. In an OHL blockbuster, Kingston acquired a trio of Memorial Cup champion forwards Joey Willis, Ethan Hay and defenceman Will Bishop from the Saginaw Spirit.

"When we looked at available players at the trade deadline, there weren’t nearly as many as last year. But this year, when we started looking at potential trading partners and the players available, Saginaw kept being the best fit," Mann said. "They were looking to replenish their draft picks based on their success last year, and they had players they knew wouldn’t be back next year. It was a good fit with what we needed. We wanted to add more skill and a game-breaking type of player, and that was Joey Willis."

"We also wanted to get harder on the third line. We wanted someone that was better on faceoffs and on the penalty kill. Hay has been fabulous. I think the way we play fits his style. He’s been solid in all areas, he's close to winning 65% of his faceoffs every night while contributing offensively."

"We were looking for a right-shot with size, but there weren’t many available. But we liked Bishop. You probably have to watch him very closely to maybe appreciate him. He’s got good stick detail, plays with a strong gap, and does the little things well, blocks shots on the penalty kill."

Kingston also made a goaltending move, bringing in over-ager Charlie Schenkel from the Soo Greyhounds to take over as the starter.

"Goaltending was another concern. In the first half, too many soft goals were going in at critical times. That happens at this level, but our expected goals for and against based on SportsLogic analytics matched what the eye test was telling us, "Mann said. "Schenkel was having a strong season in Sault Ste. Marie and he played well in last year’s playoffs. He’s been a little inconsistent since the trade, but he’s had moments where he’s made big saves for us."

"He was in Ottawa camp a couple of years ago when my brother was still with the organization. I got some good feedback from Trent. His size is very intimidating. Because of his body type, and based on what I've seen he can certainly get hot and go on a run."

Photo by Robert Lefebvre /OHL Images

While Kingston will rely heavily on their top-end talent and new acquisitions, the Frontenacs are hoping their depth will continue to be a strength. Mann knows the importance of line matching and having the ability to use his full lineup.

"One thing I’ve learned about coaching in major junior is that line matching is very important," he said. "We've been good at trying to utilize our depth. We've had players put up great offensive seasons, but we don’t have any 100-point guys. When you look down our lineup, you see players like Ben Pickell, who has 13 goals, and contributing offensively. That speaks to our depth."

As the Frontenacs prepare for their series against Sudbury, Mann understands the importance of playing to their identity and structure.

"At the end of the day, maintaining our structure will be huge. Our ability to defend will be a key to winning the series," he said. "But with a young team, when things start to go bad and adversity hits, if your structure disappears, that’s when you start giving up odd-man rushes. They were second in the league in scoring chances off the rush, so that’s something we have to keep an eye on and do our best to minimize over the course of the series."

"The players know my mandate: one, compete; two, structure; and three, play to our team identity. You can have individual success within that team identity. Now, it’s just about execution. As you know, in the playoffs, you need a little puck luck, and your goaltender has to be great. Hopefully, those things will go our way as well."

After a successful regular season, that saw the club reach the 40-win mark for just the fourth time in franchise history, Mann believes the Frontenacs have not only set a foundation for the postseason but for a strong future.

"Kingston is a great city with a great building, so there’s no reason why the team can’t have success in the OHL, just like some of the bigger teams like Oshawa, Kitchener, and London," Mann said. "That’s what we’re striving for. Last year, we finished five games above .500 from the time I took over, and this year, we’ve had a good season. Hopefully, we’ll have some playoff success to help with that."