Cicchello has OHL invites
Defenseman Tristan Cicchello, fresh from an eye-catching rookie season with Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, will have ample opportunity to showcase himself at upcoming Ontario Hockey League tryout camps.
The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Sault Ste. Marie native with a 2001 birth date, has already attended the spring rookie camp of the Sudbury Wolves and was impressive enough to be invited back to their main camp in the fall.
Meantime, the Eastern Conference champion Hamilton Bulldogs have invited Cicchello to their May 12-13 OHL rookie camp.
Bypassed at the 2017 OHL draft after playing for the Soo Greyhounds of the Great North Midget Hockey League in 2016-2017, Cicchello nonetheless was able to make the jump to the NOJHL and the Thunderbirds as a 16-year old in 2017-2018.
Under the master coaching of Thunderbirds bench boss John Parco, Cicchello improved significantly over the course of the 2017-2018 campaign.
A strong, fluid skater with good offensive skills, Cicchello made great sides in his defensive game under the tutelage of Parco and Thunderbird assistant coaches Toots Kovacs and Marc Disano.
Statistically, Cicchello had 4 goals, 9 assists, 13 points, in 54 regular season games with the Thunderbirds. The ever-ready, ever-steady defender then followed up with 4 goals, 1 assist, 5 points in 13 playoff games as the Thunderbirds advanced to the West Division finals.
PHOTO: Soo Thunderbirds defenseman Tristan Cicchello.
Are the Greyhounds allergic to kids right under their noses? Do they have to go play down south before they get consideration? They seem to like the NOHFC to stock their not-ready-for-prime-time picks but don’t see any potential with the rest of the league.