Hound midgets looking good


By
July 30, 2017

Assistant coach Dominic DeLuca is of the notion that the Soo Greyhounds “will surprise some people” this coming Great North Midget Hockey League season.

The long-time Sault Ste. Marie minor hockey coach told me that while the Greyhounds have advanced several players to higher ranks and are short in experience on the blueline, he and head coach Kevin Panco like what they have heading into the 2017-2018 campaign.

Thus far, the Greyhounds have confirmed 18 players who will begin the 2017-2018 season.

“We’ve got some good returning players and some new kids coming in and we think we are going to have a pretty good team again this season. Right now, we’re looking pretty good,” DeLuca noted.

The Greyhounds finished in third place during the 2016-2017 season and then lost to the Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves in the second round of the playoffs.

As for the 2017-2018 team to date, players by position with their birth year in brackets are as follows.

FORWARDS: Parker Morgan (2000), Tyler Nott (2000), Owen Shier (2000), Avery Rebek (2000), Raf Praysner (2000), Dale Armstrong (2001), Colby Arbour (2001), Cam Findlay (2001), Kurtis Rogers (2001), Nick Niro (2002), Nick Jameus (2002).

DEFENSEMEN: Mackenzie Ableson (2001), Jacob Doucette (2001), Caden King (2001), Johnny Mackin (2001), Jordan Ritchie (2001).

GOALIES: Dawson Hunter (2000), Andrew Uschenko (2001).

The Greyhounds will be part of an expanded, nine-team Great North loop in 2017-2018.

Other teams are the Soo Thunderbirds minor midgets, North Bay major midgets and minor midgets, Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves, Sudbury Wolves minor midgets, Kapuskasing Flyers, New Liskeard Cubs and Timmins Majors.

The Soo minor midgets and the North Bay minor midgets are new to the Great North.

Jamie Henderson, formerly of the high school hockey champion St. Mary’s Knights, the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and the Lake Superior State Lakers of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, will coach the Soo minor midgets.


What you think about “Hound midgets looking good”

  1. Hmmmm……A lot of no-shows from the 2001 group….Arbour , Rogers , Ushenko, Ableson have never played AAA….Armstrong, Findlay, King, Mackin, are the only true 01 AAA players (6 years) ….Doucette and Ritchie played a few years of AAA and will compete…where is the rest of the group that made up the core of the 01 AAA team for 6 years with the above 4 players namely Gavey, Mannarino, Trunzo, Zago , Bumbacco, Provenzano, Cicchello, Mackay ( past team captain and 5th round pick of the Greyhounds) Medaglia, Baber (past captain and 3rd round pick of Saginaw) Rutledge and Davidson…. ?? How does Matt Cavaliere and Sault Major explain a 75% drop out rate where most have left the AAA system and are playing high school ?? Cicchello apparently signed with Sudbury??? The data is right here that supports the fact that the AAA system in Sault Ste Marie is a dysfunctional mess. How does this team lose Cicchello and Rutledge , 2 past captains if not for the reason of cost and coaching, both being 2 of the top 01 Defenseman??? Call me a negatone but it will be very interesting to see how this team competes this year.

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