All posts by Randy Russon
NOJHL playoff preview
The spring playoff runoff in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League gets underway this week. Four teams in each of the East and West divisions are in the chase for championship glory.
…[read more]Trappers take down Hounds
How did this happen? Soo U18 Greyhounds had won 16 straight games heading into today’s Great North Under 18 Hockey League championship outing against the North Bay U18 Trappers. But the visitors from North Bay upended the powerhouse Hounds by an 8-5 score to steal the Great North title in stunning fashion.
…[read more]Great North title tournament
Sault Ste. Marie is hosting the Great North Under 18 Hockey League playoff championship tournament this week. And the Soo U18 Greyhounds, as the host team — and first place finisher during the regular season — are certainly in a desirable position to repeat as league champs.
…[read more]Two in the Walleye net
For the second successive season the Kam River Fighting Walleye has one of the best 1-2 goalie duos in the Superior International Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]This is one tough Ice Dog
Ben Hackl represents resilience. Over the past two years the 20-year old forward has suffered two facial injuries, a broken hand and a bad ankle sprain. The ankle injury was serious enough that Hackl missed the first 12 games of this 2022-2023 season for his hometown Dryden Ice Dogs of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Rock star is a Flint mint
Standout goalie Jacob Brown is developing in a big way with the Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League as a signed plum prospect of the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Soo Indians hire Jerry Lortie
Simply stated, this is a really good addition. Soo Indians of the Michigan based, Under 18 Tier 1 Hockey Federation League have brought aboard Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario product Jerry Lortie as an assistant coach.
…[read more]Timmins adds U15 AAA team
This is really positive news for minor hockey in the Timmins area. Hockey News North has confirmed that the Timmins Majors of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League are expanding their program with the formation of a U15 AAA team effective the 2023-2024 season.
…[read more]Top 15 from Great North
We have 15 players with 2007 birth dates from the Great North Under 18 Hockey League who Hockey News North feels have the best chance to be selected at next month’s 2023 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Paper Kings are in
Coming through with multiple clutch victories over higher seeded teams has culminated in a well earned Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League playoff spot for the upstart Espanola Paper Kings.
…[read more]100 games for Novello
Quietly and with little fan fare, hardworking forward Ethan Novello recently suited up for his 100th regular season game as a member of the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Up and down the NOJHL
As the regular season in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League skates towards a conclusion there is still a lot to play for and plenty to write about ahead of the looming playoffs.
…[read more]All in at Sault College
There are two good sides to varsity hockey at Sault College. As there is men’s hockey, so too are there women who play the game they love.
…[read more]Mike Hall calls it quits
The men’s hockey program at Sault College is looking for a new head coach ahead of the 2023-2024 season. Hockey News North has confirmed that Mike Hall has retired as the Cougars bench boss.
…[read more]Rock of the NOJHL
They are a model franchise, both on and off the ice. Not only does the Timmins Rock top the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League attendance chart with a per game average of 693 but it is the leader among a number of other categories.
…[read more]Paper Kings in good spot
Espanola Paper Kings have a nine point lead on the Soo Eagles in the race for the fourth and final playoff spot in the West Division of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Mauro and Mauro
Oh brother. The Mauro boys from Sault Ste. Marie are putting on productive performances for their respective teams in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Cook of the Kam River
To be sure, homegrown defenseman Jack Cook has been an impact player for the Kam River Fighting Walleye in his first season in the Superior International Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Muzzin at the crossroads
The long and winding — not to mention improbable — hockey career of former Soo Greyhounds first rounder Jake Muzzin is at a standstill.
…[read more]Bell answers the call
Espanola Paper Kings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have summoned affiliate player forward Coulson Bell from the Sudbury U16 Nickel Capitals of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League for a pair of games this week.
…[read more]10 straight for Blind River
Who are these guys? Blind River Beavers have won 10 straight games to move into sole possession of second place in the West Division of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Gold for U12 AA Jr. Hounds
ANN ARBOR, Michigan — They were the only Canadian team in the Under 12 AA Division at the Ursa Minor Big Bear Hockey Tournament that was held here on this long weekend. And the Soo U12 AA Jr. Greyhounds skated home with gold medal glitter following a frantic 3-2 triumph over the Saginaw U12 Jr. Spirit in today’s title tilt.
…[read more]Hat tricks for Paper Kings
A pair of small size forwards had big game performances as the Espanola Paper Kings strengthened their hold on the fourth and final playoff spot in the West Division of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. Lucas Signoretti and Devin Mauro both hit for the hat trick as the Paper Kings clipped the French River Rapids by a 9-4 score.
…[read more]First place advantage
Barring an improbable slump, the Timmins Rock will finish atop the East Division of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and draw a sub-par opponent in the first round of the playoffs.
…[read more]Three with 30+ goals
There are now three members of the 30 goal club as the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League skates into the stretch run of the 2022-2023 regular season.
…[read more]Across the Great North
There are three weekends of regular season play left on the Great North Under 18 Hockey League schedule. Then, in the third week of March, the eight teams of the Great North will congregate in Sault Ste. Marie for a round-robin championship tournament.
…[read more]Marson has a muscle injury
Sudbury U16 Nickel Capitals goalie Nick Marson has been advised by his physiotherapist to not participate at this weekend’s Team NOHA evaluation camp in North Bay.
…[read more]Team NOHA selection process
Esteemed minor hockey bench boss Peter Michelutti Jr. and Great North Under 18 Hockey League commissioner Albert Corradini will ultimately have the final say as to which 2007 birth year players will represent Team NOHA at the annual OHL Cup Showcase Tournament.
…[read more]Hounds v. Alexanders X 3
(EDITOR’S NOTE: With the Ontario Hockey League poised to return to Brantford for the 2023-2024 season by way of relocation of the Hamilton Bulldogs, we revert to a timeless flashback from 40 or so years ago.)
To be sure, this did not fall into the one hit wonder category. Rather, these were classic hits that kept on playing. Dressed in the vintage, full-length Cooperall uniforms of the early 1980s, the Brantford Alexanders and Soo Greyhounds faced off in three successive OHL playoff seasons.
…[read more]Voila! Vanska = Victory
Dryden Ice Dogs outshot the Kam River Fighting Walleye by a reported 82-54 margin over a pair of weekend showdown matches between the top two teams in the Superior International Jr. Hockey League. But Kam River puck stopper Eric Vanska was the difference maker for the visiting Fighting Walleye.
…[read more]Our best of the Great North
There are varying lists relative to who are the top rated 2007 birth year prospects from the Great North Under 18 Hockey League ahead of the looming 2023 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft. As Hockey News North puts a lot of time into covering the GNU18HL we have our own ongoing list of who we deem to be the best of the best from the ’07 age group.
…[read more]Superior race for first place
Dryden Ice Dogs will play host to the Kam River Fighting Walleye this weekend in a two-game showdown between the top teams in the Superior International Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]U12 AA Hounds assist SOYA
For the Soo Under 12 AA Jr. Greyhounds, hockey has certainly proven to be about so much more than wins and losses and simply playing the game. To be sure, as team manager Kenny Deplonty noted, “putting on that red and white Soo Jr. Greyhounds jersey brings a responsibility to our community.
…[read more]OHL is returning to Brantford
The city of Brantford has been without an Ontario Hockey League team since the Alexanders left in 1984 after a six year existence. But the OHL has confirmed that, due to impending renovations and the long-term closure of FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton, the Bulldogs will at least temporarily relocate to Brantford effective the 2023-2024 season.
…[read more]Roar of the Cougars
Playing with a shortened lineup due to injuries did not deter the Sault College Cougars from earning a weekend split of American Collegiate Hockey Association games with the big campus Michigan State Spartans.
…[read more]Once a scout always a scout
He has scouted for multiple teams in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for renumeration that was no more than a hat, a jacket and a cold beer or two after a given game. He has old school values and roots that have grown to embrace today’s game. Now in his early 70s, the fire for the game stills burns deep within Charly Murray as the tireless head scout and recruiter for the Sault College Cougars men’s hockey team.
…[read more]Wood is good at Sault College
He is an academic standout at Sault College as a Business Administration major with a 3.50 grade point average. He is also the captain and scoring leader on the Cougars men’s hockey team. And Caleb Wood is also a former Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League star who has good memories from his three seasons with first the Soo Eagles and then the Soo Thunderbirds.
…[read more]O, O, Ouellette!
Goalie Keiran Ouellette netted his second successive shutout and the Sudbury U18 Nickel Capitals surged to their third straight win on Wednesday with a 5-0 blanking of the crosstown Sudbury U16 Nickel Capitals.
…[read more]Respect for the Great North
There are about 200 scouts who work under the 20 general managers of teams in the Ontario Hockey League. And it is rather discernible to someone who pays close attention that players from the Great North Under 18 Hockey League do not receive the same overall monitoring as those from programs of the Greater Toronto, Southwestern Ontario and Ottawa areas of the province.
…[read more]NOJHL playoff picture
Playoff season in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League will not get underway until the third week of March. But for many NOJHL teams, just about every game being played at this stage of the regular season is like a playoff match.
…[read more]U16 Caps have net worth
Nick Marson and Mateo Beites of the Sudbury U16 Nickel Capitals form the youngest goalie set among the eight teams of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League.
…[read more]U18 Hounds clip U16 Caps
It was more of the same today as the Soo Under 18 Greyhounds faced off against the visiting Sudbury Under 16 Nickel Capitals in the second game of a Great North Under 18 Hockey League weekend series.
…[read more]Home cooking for U18 Hounds
Not to say that the Soo U18 Greyhounds didn’t deserve to win. Just saying that the Sudbury U16 Nickel Capitals deserved a better shake from the referees.
…[read more]NOHA evaluation camp
A total of 43 select players with 2007 birth dates from teams in the Great North Under 18 Hockey League have been picked to attend an upcoming Northern Ontario Hockey Association camp.
…[read more]U16 Caps v. U18 Hounds
It will be tantamount to a David versus Goliath hockey matchup when the visiting Sudbury Under 16 Nickel Capitals take on the Soo Under 18 Jr. Greyhounds this weekend at John Rhodes Community Centre.
…[read more]Borrelli in Blind River
Sault Ste. Marie product AJ Borrelli is getting an extended stay with the Blind River Beavers of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. The 16-year old goalie will remain with Blind River as an affiliate player until February 4, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]Paper Kings spring camp
Espanola Paper Kings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League are already in the planning stages for the 2023-2024 season. Paper Kings head coach Jason Rapcewicz and general manager Marc Gagnon have confirmed a northern evaluation camp for April 28-29 in Espanola.
…[read more]Ice Dogs in pursuit of Walleye
Dryden Ice Dogs have sledded within tracking range of the Kam River Fighting Walleye atop the standings of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]U16 AA Jr. Hounds are hot
Four straight wins on the weekend have solidified the Soo U16 AA Jr. Greyhounds lead atop the standings of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association’s eight-team U18 AA program. The U16 AA Greyhounds now have a record of 17-4-3 within NOHA regular season play.
…[read more]A tale of two AP goalies
What were the chances of this? Two goalies from Sault Ste. Marie who play for separate Great North Under 18 Hockey League teams in Sudbury both dressed as affiliate player backups for opposite clubs in the same Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League game.
…[read more]BR goalie signs OHL deal
Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League have signed goalie Charlie Burns of the Blind River Beavers of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to a standard player contract.
…[read more]Highs and lows of Superior
Through addition and subtraction, the Superior International Jr. Hockey League has managed to hold steady with seven teams — six in northwestern Ontario and one in northern Wisconsin.
…[read more]Cougars have good Wood
Sault College Cougars, featuring leading scorer Caleb Wood, are in Oxford, Ohio this weekend for a series of games against American Collegiate Hockey Association opponents.
…[read more]Timmins v. Hearst
Tense. Testy. Torrid. Just three words of description that narrate the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League rivalry between the Timmins Rock and Hearst Lumberjacks.
…[read more]GNU18HL in Peterborough
All eight teams from the Great North Under 18 Hockey League are in Peterborough this week for the prestigious Steve Richey Tournament of Champions.
…[read more]Kowal the Paper King AP
Teams in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League are known for making good use of affiliate players from the Great North Under 18 Hockey League in the case of injury and shortened lineups.
…[read more]U18 Majors Indigenous lads
This is something to be extremely proud of. That is, Timmins Majors of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League can confirm that they are one of few teams in Canada in their age group that are made up of more than 50 per cent of players who are of Indigenous — First Nation and Metis — descent.
…[read more]Sault College men on a roll
Home at last. Sault College Cougars men’s hockey team played its first home games since the onset of the Covid pandemic this weekend.
…[read more]U18 Jr. Hounds take two
Soo Jr. Greyhounds have added to their lead atop the standings of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League with two more victories.
…[read more]A boy and his goalie hero
Owen Whitehead, who is a goalie with the Under 12 AA Soo Jr. Greyhounds, has long thought of Marc-Andre Fleury as one of his favourite National Hockey League goalies.
…[read more]Mauro propels Paper Kings
It was a nice return to the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for Devin Mauro. The 18-year old Sault Ste. Marie product scored once and added an assist as the Espanola Paper Kings edged the French River Rapids by a 7-5 margin tonight.
…[read more]Walker and the Walleye
A showdown between the top two teams in the Superior International Jr. Hockey League is on the marquee as the first place Kam River Fighting Walleye is set to play host to the second seed Dryden Ice Dogs tonight and Saturday evening at NorWest Arena.
…[read more]From the Rock to the Majors
Timmins Majors of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League have been bolstered by the return of 17-year old forward Thomas Beard from the Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Travelling the Great North
Here ‘n there as the Great North Under 18 Hockey League picks up the pace in the second segment of the 2022-2023 season:
…[read more]