Tecumseh’s Sova shines as he tries to catch up on lost season with Otters

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There is no way to make up for lost time in the Ontario Hockey League.

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For Tecumseh’s Spencer Sova, who was Erie Otters’ first-round pick in the 2020 OHL Draft, that means there are expectations of acting like a veteran despite having eliminated what should have been his first season in the league, but COVID-19. pandemic.

“You think (the draft) was two years ago, so the expectations are higher,” said Otters general manager Dave Brown. “At the end of the day, defenders, and especially goalkeepers, have to be patient and going through COVID is even more difficult.

“He stands out for success, but our back-end (defense) has 74 games of experience (in the league) at the moment and we are pushing (Sova) into some things that he would like to isolate him more in order for him to be successful. guaranteed and you build trust.

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“He is enduring some of the pressures of being a veteran player. Unfortunately, he’s one of our go-to guys and he’s driving substantial minutes and we’re forcing him to find his way and he’s done a good job. “

Sova’s lessons didn’t just come on ice. In their second game at Windsor to face the Spitfires on Thursday, the Otters have a new head coach in BJ Adams after Chris Hartsburg was fired a week ago with Erie sporting the worst record in the Western Conference.

“We’re just focused on the moment,” said 17-year-old Sova. “We don’t think about the future or what happened in the past.”

Like many players, the 6-foot, 185-pound Sova struggled to find ways to improve during a lost 2020-21 season.

“You want to develop your skills,” Sova said. “When everything was closed, I was doing training with my brother. When the gyms opened, I was working with Rob Maggio (a former Spitfires coach and father of Matthew Maggio) and he helped me get bigger, faster, and stronger. Finding ice was difficult, but you try to do everything you can to improve. “

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But there is no way to simulate the competition Sova now faces at OHL with older and more experienced players who are also more physically mature.

“I feel like the fit was pretty good,” said Sova, who came into Thursday’s game with one goal and five points from 13 games. “I feel like I have that role, but at the same time it’s a tougher league and we have to keep improving.”

Not only is Sova trying to adjust to the league, but he’s also trying to adjust to natural comparisons to former Otters defender Jamie Drysdale, who is now with the Anaheim Ducks.

“That’s where we as an organization have to moderate expectations,” Brown said. “It’s tough because fans are asking, ‘Is he going to be like Drysdale?’ He’s a bit bigger than JD and his shot is more powerful.

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“There are some things that he has going on that JD didn’t have and others that JD had. It would be unfair to compare Spencer’s game. “

But no doubt scouts will do the same with Sova, who is set for the 2022 NHL Draft.

“I’m trying to get better every day and help the team win and be a great guy,” said Sova. “I’m just trying to contribute what I can.”

With limited viewing, scouts still have Sova classified as a second or third round prospect, but a lot can change as the season progresses.

“I think the guys in the NHL are itching to see how Spencer is doing after 30 games today, that’s where you’ll get the true measure,” Brown said. “His skating ability is very good and he can get out of trouble, but like any other young man, he is waiting for everything to work out.”

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Brown is confident that eventually Sova will flourish on the ice and is equally convinced that taking him to the eighth overall pick in 2020 was a great choice for the organization.

“I think probably one of the most important things is character,” Brown said. “In training camp, he was inside after everyone left and I saw him cleaning up the place where we ate the team.

“Those are the things that are not talked about or seen, but leadership and maturity, he has those things. He has energy in a bottle and his companions like him very much. He gets it and he definitely has the character and I think it will be (a draft) lifter. He has energy in a bottle and his teammates like it a lot ”.

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