Iroquois Falls to Hearst
Iroquois Falls Eskis are on the move to nearby Hearst effective the 2017-2018 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season.
Set to play out of the Claude Larose Recreation Centre in Hearst, the venue features a complex that includes two arenas with the main Claude Giroux surface having a capacity of 1,230 for hockey.
“We welcome Hearst to the NOJHL and we are very excited about the potential with our newest market,” offered NOJHL commissioner Robert Mazzuca.
“It’s well known the Hearst area is a tremendous hotbed of hockey in northern Ontario and we look forward to working with Jonathon Blier and his community-based ownership group as we make the transition heading into the 2017-18 season,” added Mazzuca.
Aforementioned Hearst president Jonathon Blier offered his comments on the pending arrival of the NOJHL.
“We are determined to offer a first class organization, which the town of Hearst, its region and the NOJHL will be proud of,” said Blier.
“I would like to extend a special thanks to all the people that have contributed to making this possible, especially Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers (of the National Hockey League) who wanted this for his hometown,” Blier added.
Good luck to the folks up in Hearst. It’s actually good hockey to watch win or lose.
Congratulations…
So the obvious concern is travel. This move has added expense to almost every team in the nojhl . Does this spell the end of the french river team. No matter what division french river is in the travel expense has just exploded. I am wondering if there is another move in the works whereby the french river team moves to iroquois falls. At least that way you can have geographically an ideal situation. Sad that everyone wants out of iroquois falls.
I don’t believe this….whoever wants to move to Iroquois Falls to fill in the void make your move now. French River we’re all looking at you because you’re close to OJHL territory.
Al Donnan you are a peice of work man… get a franchise for free in Mattawa then screw the town over after you “borrow” 50k from the town as per the town website then you sign a 5 year deal with Iroquois Falls and bail after two and sell your franchise to screw another small town, all I can say is thank God you are now out of Hockey Canada…
Hearst finally landed their big ticket , after being denied on numerous occasion by the GNML for a AAA midget team , they finally got their big show.
Their once successful AA midget program folded recently in which they averaged 400 – 500 spectators a game & before that was the Lumber Kings out of the Intermediate league . The hockey depraved town will finally have something to talk about .
With a knowledgeable & committed organization spear headed by reputable Jonathan Blier , their success will be immediate & will be the talk of the NOJHL.
As for us in Abitibi land after the dust settles & the news sinks in , I predict in a few yrs we will have another tenant at the Igloo…..hopefully with the right people in place.
Congrats to Hearst , well deserved , hoping you revive the Lumber Kings name but not the Lumber Kings hockey of yrs back……..that was some crazy hockey.
I thought the owner had made a five year commitment to the town when he re-located. The poor fans of I.Fs get shafted again.
this is the second time in less than three years that a team has been removed from Iroquois Falls that has been three in attendance for years if not higher.how does the nojhl justify moving this team again.i feel sorry for the fans and city .i was a fan of the nojhl for years living in several of the city,s team,s played in but after this terrible decision and the way you,ve treated Iroquois Falls i shall not be attending anymore.good luck to Iroquois falls it,s fans and the community
I’m almost certain a team will relocate to fill in the void in I. F. Maybe the Timmins Rock are contemplating on moving back there. There have been rumours that the Timmins Rock are struggling with attendance and financially. Iroquois Falls Rock, Iroquois Falls Eskimos or the Abitibi Eskimos?
I don’t see how Timmins is struggling with attendance, as they led the league the past couple of years, and are one of only two teams (the other being the Eagles) to draw over 1000 at any game. Financially, however, I couldn’t begin to guess.
Adding that extra travel on does not sound like fun at all.
Distance from Iroquois Falls to…
Cochrane – 50
Timmins – 72
Powassan – 359
French River – 409
Kirkland Lake – 108
Distance from Hearst to…
Cochrane – 214
Timmins – 262
Powassan – 616
French River – 641
Kirkland Lake – 365
Well I guess my facts about Timmins were a bit off. Maybe the French River Rapids should relocate to Iroquois Falls. Not to mention, they’ve won less than 10 games in the last two years. French River is less than an hour north of Parry Sound, and the Rapids won’t get OJHL membership because they won’t meet the league’s financially requirements, so moving up north is their only option.
I did my research on Hearst via Google maps and I was actually pleased with the town. Seems like my type of town I’d like to raise a family. The arena is in the middle of a residential neighborhood.
What would be some good names for the Hearst team, besides the Lumber Kings?
Ryan, I don’t believe that the Timmins Rock are struggling with gates. Over 25,000 last year, but I can’t agree on their decision to advertise for a Coach. They should of made a list of several names that they would like to have and go after them after all its been three months that Mr. Gagne gaved them notice that he was leaving. I wonder if the Leaf put an add in the local paper or did they go after Mike Babcock? A Coach should be in place now, someone qualified like Mr Gagne Coach/Manager so he can recruit the kind of team he wants. Don’t want to sound negative but I would like to enjoy next season at the Mac on a winning note. I hope the new group are experience in what their doing.