T-Birds nab Soo boy Novello


By
October 19, 2020

Yet another local product has caught the eyes of the Soo Thunderbirds.

Ethan Novello, a 2003 birth year forward, has signed a Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League card with the Thunderbirds, Hockey News North has confirmed.

Novello is known for his work ethic, something that Thunderbirds general manager Trev Zachary alluded to, in correspondence with Hockey News North.

“We are looking forward to having a player like Ethan in the lineup,” Zachary said of Novello. “He has a big shot, works very hard, and will have success in front of the opposition net.”

Novello spent the 2019-2020 season playing high school hockey for the St. Mary’s Knights. In the two seasons prior, he skated for the Soo entry in the Great North Midget Hockey League and with the AA midget Root River Rangers.

Novello becomes the 12th local product to be signed by the Thunderbirds ahead of the 2020-2021 NOJHL season.

The others, in alphabetical order, are as follows.

Michael Chaffay. A 2002 birth year forward, Chaffay was second on the Soo Jr. Greyhounds and fifth on the Great North Midget Hockey League scoring parade in 2019-2020 with 34 goals, 19 assists, 53 points. The affable youngster paid his dues by playing three full seasons of midget hockey in the Great North and improved his overall game under the coaching of Jamie Henderson.

Tyson Doucette. A 2004 birth year forward, the 5-foot-8, 140 pound Doucette — he has grown several inches over the past few months — had modest totals with the Jr. Greyhound midgets in 2019-2020, totaling 13 points from two goals and 11 assists in 24 regular season games. He has strong athletic bloodlines from both sides of his family and is known for his hockey smarts. The youngster makes the jump to the junior A ranks despite having two seasons of midget eligibility remaining. But Thunderbird management and the coaching staff has deemed the determined Doucette to be ready for the next step.

Kaden Dundas. A 2003 birth year defenseman, Dundas is moving up to the Thunderbirds and the NOJHL after two seasons with the Korah Colts high school hockey program under the good coaching of Greg Arbour.

Parker Morgan. A 2000 birth year forward, Morgan played the past two seasons for the Sault College Cougars of the American Collegiate Hockey Association where he totaled 16 goals, 20 assists, 36 points in 56 games while greatly developing his game under crackerjack coach Mike Hall.

Avery Rebek. A 2000 birth year forward, Rebek netted 15 goals, 27 assists, 42 points as a top performer for the Thunderbirds in 2019-2020. He is a son of former Ontario Hockey League (Owen Sound Attack) and European pro defenseman Jeremy Rebek.

Kurtis Rogers. A 2001 birth year forward, the hard-toiling Rogers hustled his way to 11-3-14 totals for the Thunderbirds last season.

Brock Santa Maria. Another 2002 birth year forward, Santa Maria came through with 7-12-19 numbers despite limited ice time as a rookie last season.

Cooper Smyl. A 2002 birth year forward, Smyl produced 31 points, including 16 goals, and made an immediate impression as a rookie forward in the NOJHL for the Thunderbirds in 2019-2020.

Connor Toms. A 2004 birth year defenseman, Toms was a third round pick, 44th overall, by the Soo Greyhounds at the 2020 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft. He netted nine goals, 17 assists, 26 points in 38 regular season games for the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Midget Hockey League in 2019-2020. He is the son of Jeff Toms, a former star left winger with the 1993 Memorial Cup champion Soo Greyhounds who went on to play in 237 games in the National Hockey League and several seasons of high level pro hockey in Europe.

Caleb Wood. A forward with a 2000 birth date, Wood played the past two NOJHL seasons with the Michigan Soo Eagles. In total, Wood played in 111 NOJHL games for the Eagles and was a productive performer with 39 goals, 35 assists, 74 points.

Ty Zachary. A 2002 birth year forward, Zachary was fourth on the Greyhound midget scoring chart and 15th in Great North league scoring in 2019-2020 with 11 goals, 28 assists, 39 points. He has a work ethic that is second to none.


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