All posts by Randy Russon

U16 Trappers win two in Soo


By
January 13, 2025

It was certainly worth the bus trip to Sault Ste. Marie. North Bay Under 16 Trappers triggered an improbable weekend road sweep against a pair of teams ahead of them in the Great North Under 18 Hockey League standings.

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OHL trade deadline rehash


By
January 10, 2025

It was like a gust of a winter blizzard over the span of a few days. More than 15 deals got done just ahead of the annual Ontario Hockey League trade deadline, several of which can be termed significant.

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Overage goalie exchange


By
January 9, 2025

Soo Greyhounds have cashed in on overage goalie Charlie Schenkel in a big way. Not only are the Hounds adding overage goalie Nolan Lalonde from Kingston but they are also getting three future draft picks from the Frontenacs in return for Schenkel.

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Paper Kings in pursuit


By
January 8, 2025

They are a true north team with 13 players from across the region. They are also one of the youngest teams in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League with 15 players who were born in either 2008, 2007 or 2006. And with all of that youth, the Espanola Paper Kings are in a multiple team chase for the eighth and final playoff spot in the NOJHL.

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Matsos is back in the O


By
January 8, 2025

Good player. Good coach. Good guy. Add it all up and David Matsos is back in the Ontario Hockey League, this time as an assistant coach with the Sarnia Sting. The now 51-year old Matsos won a Memorial Cup as a hard working forward with the 1993 Soo Greyhounds. He later had OHL success as a championship associate coach with the 2018 Hamilton Bulldogs that followed winning ways as an assistant with the Windsor Spitfires.

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Hounds trade Gibson


By
January 7, 2025

Soo Greyhounds are moving towards the future. The trading of Team Canada world junior defenseman Andrew Gibson to the Oshawa Generals is a major indicator that the Greyhounds are looking more to time ahead than the present.

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Happy New Year, Evan


By
January 1, 2025

Garden River First Nation product Evan Headrick made his long awaited Ontario Hockey League debut for the Kitchener Rangers on New Year’s Eve. And what a baptism celebration it was.

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EL Vikings go on hiatus


By
December 31, 2024

Ongoing issues at their home arena dating back to well over a year have resulted in the Elliot Lake Vikings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League taking a leave of absence for the balance of the ’24-25 season.

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Here ‘n there in the NOJHL


By
December 30, 2024

Fresh from a Christmas holiday break, the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is set for a resumption in play as the calendar year readies to flip from 2024 to 2025.

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Firebirds at mid season


By
December 24, 2024

Four successive wins — including two straight over their despised arch-rival Saginaw Spirit — have lifted the Flint Firebirds to the .500 level with the Ontario Hockey League at the Christmas holiday break.

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OHL trade winds blowing


By
December 23, 2024

The annual January 10 trade deadline is looming. And there is no shortage of guesswork and supposition making its way in and around the Ontario Hockey League rumour mill.

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D1 deal for Tyson Doucette


By
December 18, 2024

Sault Ste. Marie product Tyson Doucette of the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League has committed to Colgate University for the ’25-26 season. Colgate is a Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association program.

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Bloodlines of U16 NBT trio


By
December 17, 2024

The top three scorers for the North Bay Under 16 Trappers of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League all have deep roots through dads who played in either the Ontario Hockey League or at the Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association level.

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Sault side to Team Canada


By
December 14, 2024

Sault Ste. Marie is represented in a rather well rounded manner at this year’s World Junior Hockey Championships, which start on Boxing Day and go until January 5 and are being held in Ottawa. 

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Eagles lead Border Battle


By
December 12, 2024

The tide has turned in the long running Twin Soo Border Battle between the Soo Thunderbirds and Soo Eagles. While the Ontario based Thunderbirds won the war over the past couple of years in particular it is the Eagles of Michigan who are in command thus far this season.

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Soo T-Birds in transition


By
December 10, 2024

Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have confirmed what Hockey News North first reported on the weekend. That is, general manager Jamie Henderson will also serve as head coach for the balance of the ’24-25 season. 

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Gold for U13 AAA Hounds


By
December 9, 2024

Head coach Craig Kennedy and the Under 13 AAA Soo Jr. Greyhounds struck gold at the recent 32nd annual Hamilton Steel Hockey Classic.

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T-Birds changing coaches


By
December 8, 2024

Cole Jarrett has reportedly handed the head coach duties of the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to his long-time sidekick, Hockey News North has been advised.

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Soo Eagles on 9-0-1 flight


By
December 8, 2024

Coached by Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario resident Jeremy Rebek, the Michigan Soo Eagles are flying high near the top perch of the standings in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.

…[read more]

Rock stars of the net


By
December 5, 2024

Not only are they two of the best goalies in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League but they are two of the younger ones. And not only that, Dryden Riley and Graham Gee both guard the net for the same team — the Timmins Rock, which is one of the top three clubs among the 12 of the NOJHL.

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Raftis on state of Hounds


By
December 2, 2024

His team is 25 games into the ’24-25 Ontario Hockey League regular season. And Soo Greyhounds general manager Kyle Raftis took the time to discuss the current condition and near future of the Red and White with Hockey News North.

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Scouting the Great North


By
December 2, 2024

To be sure, when it comes to scouting — and subsequently picking — players for the annual Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft there is a preference towards those from associations that include the Greater Toronto Hockey League and the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario. Which is fine, to an extent.

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A first for Wyatt Jarratt


By
December 1, 2024

Well, that didn’t take very long. Suiting up in his first game as an affiliate player for the Blind River Beavers of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League led to a goal by up and coming youngster Wyatt Jarratt.

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Assisting the Soo Eagles


By
November 30, 2024

They were born an hour apart on January 22, 1986. They have been friends since their youthful minor hockey days in Sault Ste. Marie. And Kelsey Wilson and Donnie Bruni are now together again as first year assistant coaches with the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.

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Races for NOJHL places


By
November 25, 2024

Sudbury Cubs are atop the standings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League with a near flawless record of 20-2-2. But the Cubs have company in the contender department of the NOJHL that includes the Hearst Lumberjacks, Timmins Rock, Blind River Beavers and Soo Eagles.

…[read more]

Hound picks in NOJHL


By
November 20, 2024

Recently assigned 2007 birth year goalie Reid Thomas and 2008 birth year forward James Elliott are two Ontario Hockey League draft picks of the Soo Greyhounds who are developing with rival teams in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.

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Cubs of the goal crease


By
November 15, 2024

Good teams usually get good goaltending as part of the victory formula. Very good teams usually get very good goaltending as part of the victory formula.

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MID WEEK NOTEBOOK


By
November 13, 2024

A regular, rhythmic write-up covering the exploits of various players, teams and leagues at the rep, junior and collegiate hockey levels.

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Lights are on up North


By
November 11, 2024

It may not be a perfect junior hockey league. But is there any such thing as a perfect junior hockey league? The answer to that question is rather obvious. Just as it is obvious to a seasoned writer that the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has a lot going for it in so many ways, shapes and forms.

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What do Hounds do next?


By
November 7, 2024

The Greyhounds are seemingly not quite ready for prime time in the Knight time. In their second meeting with London this season, the Greyhounds were overpowered by the Knights, who out shot the home side by a ridiculous 43-13 margin en route to a 5-1 victory.

…[read more]

MID WEEK NOTEBOOK


By
November 6, 2024

A regular, rhythmic write-up covering the exploits of various players, teams and leagues at the rep, junior and collegiate hockey levels.

…[read more]

Newton returns to Cubs


By
November 5, 2024

Sudbury Cubs, already in first place among the 12 teams of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, have added another star player to their lineup.

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Vikings toughing it out


By
November 3, 2024

There is good news to report relative to the 14 month old Centennial Arena saga and the Elliot Lake Vikings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.

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Greyhounds nip Spitfires


By
October 31, 2024

Marco Mignosa scored in the first minute of play and tallied again just past the 8:00 mark and the visiting Soo Greyhounds never trailed in upending the Windsor Spitfires 3-1 in a mid week Ontario Hockey League match.

…[read more]

Paper Kings hard at work


By
October 30, 2024

They have moved on through trades of a number of impact veteran players from a ’23-24 season in which they posted a franchise history best record of 34-23-1. And while the small market Espanola Paper Kings have since committed to more of a youth movement for the ’24-25 campaign they nonetheless more than held their own through the first 15 games of the current Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season.

…[read more]

Flint on a crease Bender


By
October 30, 2024

Ahead of three games in as many days this weekend the Flint Firebirds have added another goalie by way of an Ontario Hockey League trade with the Oshawa Generals. Flint has parted with future fourth round and seventh round OHL priority selections draft picks to get 6 foot 4 puck stopper Noah Bender from Oshawa.

…[read more]

U14 AA Hounds hang in


By
October 28, 2024

LONDON, Ontario — Close but not quite. Soo Under 14 AA Jr. Greyhounds made it to within a game of the championship match at the annual London Jr. Knights Fall Classic Hockey Tournament that was held here on the weekend.

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Sounds of the Hounds


By
October 26, 2024

The silence around Hound Town emanates from the so called forum moderator experts who had the locals written off after two losses to begin the ’24-25 Ontario Hockey League season.

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Eagles clip Thunderbirds


By
October 26, 2024

Close to 1,000 fans made their way into venerable Pullar Stadium on Friday to take in the latest instalment of the Twin Soo Border Battle between the Soo Eagles and the Soo Thunderbirds.

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Black Bears of the NOJHL


By
October 25, 2024

Based in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and with a solid Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario base of coaches and players to them, they arrived on the junior hockey scene with plans for longevity.

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Hounds, Spits, Spirit et al


By
October 23, 2024

Let us go here and there and around the Ontario Hockey League with stops in Sault Ste. Marie, Windsor and Saginaw.

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Noel Nordh heads north


By
October 21, 2024

Better late than never. Two years after being picked by the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League in the first round of the 2022 Canadian Hockey League import draft, 6 foot 2, 200 pound forward Noel Nordh is headed this way.

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Soo Eagles in nice flight


By
October 21, 2024

A slow start to the season has since turned into more of a surge for the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.

…[read more]

Three straight for U16 Wolves


By
October 21, 2024

Sudbury Under 16 Wolves have climbed to the .500 mark. After beginning the ’24-25 Great North Under 18 Hockey League season with three straight losses the U16 Wolves have since reeled off a trio triumphs.

…[read more]

Cubs romp over the Rock


By
October 18, 2024

Make that 10 straight victories for the Sudbury Cubs. The Cubs retained their spot atop the standings of the 12 team Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League on Thursday with a convincing 5-1 win over the visiting Timmins Rock.

…[read more]

Big change in Kam River


By
October 17, 2024

First year head coach Dwight Lee and the Kam River Fighting Walleye of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League have parted ways after just 10 games.

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Leamington via Thessalon


By
October 16, 2024

Brendan Cooke, a signed Ontario Hockey League prospect of the Flint Firebirds, is continuing his development with the Leamington Flyers and has his first goal as a member of the Ontario Jr. Hockey League team.

…[read more]

Fort Frances to Timmins


By
October 16, 2024

From the Superior International Jr. Hockey League to the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. Timmins Rock of the NOJHL has obtained 2004 birth year forward Clark Scaddan from the Fort Frances Lakers of the SIJHL in a cash exchange.

…[read more]

Early on in the Great North


By
October 15, 2024

Three U18 teams are leading the pack with five wins each as the ’24-25 regular season schedule is into mid October in the Great North Under 18 Hockey League. But it is an under 16 level team that scored a recent upset win over one of the pace setters.

…[read more]

Capt. Caulfield of the Eagles


By
October 14, 2024

Soo Eagles have rebounded from a sluggish start to the ’24-25 regular season to move up to the middle of the standings among the 12 teams of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. Leading by example, captain Lucas Caulfield is one of the offensive forces for the Eagles with seven goals, three assists, 10 points in nine games.

…[read more]

Day after Day in Flint


By
October 12, 2024

Being a workhorse goalie is part of the routine for Nathan Day of the Flint Firebirds. Day has been in the net for every minute of Flint’s five games to begin the ’24-25 Ontario Hockey League season.

…[read more]

Local lad in net in Halton


By
October 9, 2024

Goalie Cam Ingram, who hails from the Sault Ste. Marie area farming town of Echo Bay, is spending the ’24-25 season with the Halton Hurricanes of the AAA Under 18 Ontario Minor Hockey Association. The 6 foot, 185 pound Ingram, who has a November 7, 2008 birth date, was picked by the Windsor Spitfires in the 13th round of the 2024 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.

…[read more]

Romaniuk to the QMJHL


By
October 8, 2024

Scoring sensation Brant Romaniuk is moving up from the Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Maritimes Jr. Hockey League, Hockey News North has confirmed.

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Relative balance in SI


By
October 7, 2024

Five of the eight teams in the Superior International Jr. Hockey League are above the .500 mark in the early going of the ’24-25 season.

…[read more]

In the Nik of time


By
October 5, 2024

It only took three games for Sault Ste. Marie stalwart Nik Rossetto to score his first goal in the Ontario Hockey League as a member of the Brantford Bulldogs.

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NOJHL and its Game Day


By
October 3, 2024

Commissioner Rob Mazzuca has been known to stress that one of the first and foremost goals of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is the development and promotion of its players.

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Rapids on a modest rise


By
September 30, 2024

They began the regular season with a 9-1 loss to the perennial powerhouse Timmins Rock. But in the three games since, the surging French River Rapids have gained points in each outing and thus have a 1-1-2 record heading into this week’s Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League Showcase Tournament.

…[read more]

One for the EL Vikings


By
September 29, 2024

They went on the road on Saturday night and worked overtime. And they won. Elliot Lake Vikings orchestrated a comeback triumph over the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners for their first victory of the ’24-25 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season.

…[read more]

Capt. Carlisle of the Hounds


By
September 27, 2024

Overage defenseman Caeden Carlisle will wear the captain’s jersey for the Soo Greyhounds for the ’24-25 Ontario Hockey League season.

…[read more]

Signoretti lights it up


By
September 27, 2024

Welcome to another edition of the Lucas Signoretti scoring show. The pint sized puck hound clicked for two goals and added three assists on Thursday as the Sudbury Cubs cuffed the Espanola Paper Kings by an 11-1 margin.

…[read more]

Rock atop NOJHL block


By
September 25, 2024

Timmins Rock is the only team among the 12 of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to have a perfect record through the first couple of weeks of the ’24-25 regular season.

…[read more]

Motor City to Hound Town


By
September 25, 2024

Keep an eye on this guy. Free agent pick up Erik Muxlow has the makings of being a noteworthy addition to the present and future of the Soo Greyhounds.

…[read more]

Hounds in a rebuild house


By
September 23, 2024

Real time in the Ontario Hockey League — as in the ’24-25 regular season — is set for this week. In Sault Ste. Marie, first action for the Greyhounds is on Friday night when the Red and White plays host to the reigning Memorial Cup champion Saginaw Spirit at GFL Memorial Gardens.

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Oh brother! Halletts in Kap


By
September 20, 2024

They more than paid their dues through the AA level under 15, under 16 and under 18 programs within the ranks of the Sault Major Hockey Association. And being cut time and time again by various AAA teams in the Sault failed to deter twin brothers Nick Hallett and Logan Hallett from reaching their goals.

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Ontario side of Soo Eagles


By
September 19, 2024

Under the no nonsense leadership of long time president and general manager Bruno Bragagnolo the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League are a model franchise that is based in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. And while Bragagnolo and the majority of the players and volunteers are American citizens, the Eagles also have a significant Canadian presence from across the International Bridge in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

…[read more]

Watch out for Steelheads


By
September 18, 2024

The Ontario Hockey League is back in Brampton this season after an absence of more than 10 years. The Steelheads have relocated from Mississauga to Brampton, which is a distance of a mere six miles. And after an 84 point season in ’23-24 — which was good for fourth place in the Eastern Conference, just five points out of first — the Steelheads are a prime time contender for OHL glory in ’24-25.

…[read more]

Beavers, Rock both 2-0


By
September 15, 2024

Two teams are off to tidy 2-0 starts following the first week of ’24-25 regular season play in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.

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Take a hike, Ryder Cali


By
September 13, 2024

Soo Greyhounds have dealt no show forward Ryder Cali to the North Bay Battalion for a collection of future Ontario Hockey League priority selection draft picks.

…[read more]

T-Birds go back 25 years


By
September 12, 2024

The modern version of the Soo Thunderbirds first hit the ice as initiate members of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League back in 1999.

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OHL teams of intrigue


By
September 11, 2024

The countdown is on. Opening face-off to the ’24-25 Ontario Hockey League regular season is set for September 25 when the reigning Memorial Cup champion Saginaw Spirit plays host to the Windsor Spitfires.

…[read more]

Captain ‘T’ in Timmins


By
September 7, 2024

Two years after making the Timmins Rock as an unheralded walk-on defenseman from Maple Ridge, B.C., Tenzin Nyman is now the captain of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League team.

…[read more]

NOJHL lined up for ’24-25


By
September 6, 2024

Now united as one division of 12 teams — there is no more East and West — regular season play in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is set for opening puck drop on September 12. What will follow is a regular season slate of 50 games for all 12 teams, the top eight of which will qualify for the playoffs.

…[read more]

Erik Muxlow is a Hound


By
September 6, 2024

Free agent forward Erik Muxlow has signed with the Soo Greyhounds after being initially bypassed at the 2023 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.

…[read more]