On to a few good rivalries
The restless hands of time are ticking towards the start of the ’25-26 hockey season. And while little can be done about certain self absorbed, self serving minor hockey coaches and managers who treat the game as though it is a special sanctuary for them, their kids, their friends and their kids — at the expense of others — here’s to a good season ahead for all of the good folks of the game.
At any rate, the official start to another hockey season is in the air. Love it! Trades are being made, training camps are either in session or about to be. And some teams at some levels have already played some exhibition games.
The good people of the good, old game outweigh the bad, that is for sure. As someone who has spent 50 years in hockey as a writer, I can say with hesitation that I have come across way, way, way more good folks than bad. And as time goes on, I have learned that — in one way, shape, or form — karma will eventually get those who have it coming to them, especially the deceiving, corrupt men and women who have no business being a part of the game in the first place.
Ahead of the looming ’25-26 hockey season, let us take a look at a few of my favourite junior hockey rivalries.
SOO V. WINDSOR: There has always been an extra edge to the Ontario Hockey League rivalry between the Greyhounds and Spitfires that dates back 50 years. And this ’25-26 season should be no different.
Looking back, the Spitfires became members of the OHL effective the ’75-76 season, which was three years after the Greyhounds debuted in ’72-73. And there have been some crusty confrontations between the two teams dating back to the ’76-77 season — Windsor’s second in the OHL — when Wayne Maxner was coaching the Spitfires and Muzz MacPherson was coaching the Greyhounds and pre game brawls and bench clearing punch ups were of much delight to fans in both towns.
At any rate, both teams figure to be among the contenders within the 10 member Western Conference of the OHL come the looming ’25-26 season, especially the Spitfires. But don’t count out the Greyhounds. In fact, it just might be between the Hounds and Spitfires for first place, at least among the five teams of the West Division of the Western Conference.
As for any nastiness that may be ahead in the six regularly scheduled games between the two teams in ’25-26, just take a quick glance back to the opening round of last spring’s Western Conference playoffs between the second seed Spitfires and the seventh place Greyhounds.
While Windsor was favoured, the Spitfires did go into the series with an extraordinary number of injuries to key players. Still, Windsor was able to win the best of seven series four games to one.
However, in the aftermath of the series, Spitfires head coach Greg Walters was a tad critical of some of the in game tactics displayed by Hounds bench boss John Dean.
Bad blood between the Hounds and Spitfires? Nah. Probably no more than a long standing rivalry that has been going on for half a century now.
WITHIN THE NOJHL: Geography and a market size that is mostly on the small side adds up to a number of natural rivalries within the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
Aside from the bigger market Sudbury Cubs and Soo Thunderebirds and the medium market Timmins Rock, the NOJHL is mostly about small town operations such as the Michigan Soo Eagles, Blind River Beavers, Espanola Paper Kings, French River Rapids, Powassan Voodoos, Iroquois Falls Storm, Hearst Lumberjacks and Kirkland Lake Gold Miners.
All in all, with 11 teams — the Elliot Lake Vikings remain on leave of absence due to the continued closure of its city owned home arena — the sometimes hidden gem that is the NOJHL features mostly good people and healthy rivalries.
Among the member teams, the Sudbury Cubs will skate into the ’25-26 NOJHL season as two time reigning champions. The Cubs have the backing of long time junior hockey operator Mark Burgess and his family and are well coached by Darryl Moxam. (Of note, Burgess and his family owned the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League for more than 30 years, turning it into one of the OHL’s most profitable franchises over time.)
Despite the number of small market teams and while often taking a back seat to the likes of the Ontario Jr. Hockey League and the Central Canada Hockey League, the NOJHL is no slouch when it comes to recruitment, development and moving players to higher levels.
To be sure, the NOJHL does well as a recruiting base for schools at the Division 3 level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Division 1 and 2 levels of the American Collegiate Hockey Association.
And every year, a good number of OHL draft picks end up with teams in the NOJHL. Powassan has had a lengthy relationship with the North Bay Battalion of the OHL as its number one farm team. And Sudbury, Timmins, Blind River, Espanola, French River, the Soo Eagles and Soo Thunderbirds all develop OHL draft picks with regularity.
Then there head coaches of good repute that include Darryl Moxam in Sudbury, Brandon Perry of Timmins, Kyle Brick in Blind River, Jeremy Rebek of the Soo Eagles and Peter Goulet in Powassan — while good guys Jason Rapcewicz in Espanola and Paul Frustaglio of French River are good owners who also coach their teams well.
It says here that most folks who follow the league closely like to say that just being based in the north region and in towns known for their grit and gumption is what leads to so many intense rivalries in the NOJHL.
Solid column Randy. Back in the day we were taught how to coach players by teaching the game, promoting our players to the next level in either hockey or education ourselves (no money grabbing advisors that just do the same job as we were taught to do) I know some advisors who do a very good job but there are too many just there for the cash.
Previous coaches that I’ve had the pleasure of working with Gerry Lortie, Don Gagnon, Mike Hall, Pat Carricato, Paul Theriault, Ron Guy, Bart Jarrett and Kyle Brick. These men put their players 1st and their own needs 2nd the way a true leader and coach needs to be.
What I’m trying to say here is that if hockey programs or individuals are not in the game for the promotion I have mentioned previously here, please leave it to people who actually care for their players, their families not for personal gratification.
Randy always interesting reading, I had the opportunity of Coaching Soccer since the day I helped established minor soccer in Sault Ste Marie in 1967. I even was an OSA Coaching instructor for several years. What many coaches did not understand was Coaching is Teaching ,Instructing and being a role model for your players. The great rewards were not the many Trophies the teams won over the years it was the awards for Major contribution to the sport which I was fortunate to win several times. But the major win was the friendships that have lasted for over 50 years. Helping to contribute to their careers as Doctors , Educaters, Professional,Traidesmen and Coaches. Teaching them that determination, hard work, learning and respect were the keys. My high lite was taking the first Minor Sports team a soccer team to Europe in 1980/81 to Germany and Holland it was much more than just soccer, the team players that are still in the Sault still chat about that terrific experience. Results of a great experience winning 8 games, Losing 8games and tiring 7. That team was Dedicated, Determined and Proud to represent Sault Ste Marie, Ontario and Canada. But the key you know Randy you have coached Basketball it’s Teaching. Ian MacKenzie The Auld Coach.
Right on, Ian, and thank you for this.
1977-78 Windsor Spitfires. Ten players with triple figures in PIMs, including former Hounds Brian Gustafson with 299 minutes in 32 games. I imagine they included misconducts in the totals back then.
yep.