All posts by Randy Russon
Bell rings for U18 Hounds
Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League continued their winning ways this weekend with a pair of home ice victories. And of the many players who stood out, Coulson Bell did particularly well.
…[read more]55 saves for Jake Marois
Espanola Paper Kings got a shutout of the sensational variety in stealing a 2-0 road victory from the Soo Thunderbirds in Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League action from Saturday.
…[read more]OHL drafted goalies in Timmins
For the second successive season a 16-year old goalie who was drafted into the Ontario Hockey League is developing with the Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. Last season it was Jacob Brown, now with the Flint Firebirds of the OHL. This season it is Erie Otters draft pick Dryden Riley.
…[read more]OHL shutout for NOJHL grad
A season of development with the Blind River Beavers of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has led to 2006 birth year goalie Charlie Burns taking advantage of a good opportunity to tend twine for the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]U18 Wolves v. Greyhounds
First place Sudbury U18 Wolves head on the road this Saturday for a matinee match against the hottest team in the Great North Under 18 Hockey League.
…[read more]Spits down two forwards
From 13 forwards to 11. Chasing the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League, the Windsor Spitfires will be minus two veteran forwards for the balance of the season.
…[read more]OHL ice chips and dips
Here and there in the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League with about one third of the 2023-2024 regular season schedule still on the slate:
…[read more]Lambert and U16 AAA Hounds
Sault Major Hockey Association has confirmed that it intends to have an Under 16 AAA team next season that would — if officially approved by the Northern Ontario Hockey Association — be members of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League.
…[read more]Two more for the U18 Hounds
Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League have finally climbed to the .500 mark. The U18 Jr. Hounds scored 6-0 and 4-2 home ice victories over the Timmins Majors and Sudbury Under 16 Wolves on the weekend to increase their winning streak to seven games.
…[read more]Spitfires are young on the D
Rebuilding as a team after back to back Western Conference crowns, the Windsor Spitfires have one of the youngest defensive corps in the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]77 saves in one game!
Iroquois Falls Storm goalie Connor Hatfield put on a Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League performance for the ages in a recent 6-5 loss to the Timmins Rock.
…[read more]60 goals for Mason Svarich
He is a 20-year old gun slinger from Western Canada, a pure goal scoring machine who is in his second season in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Ice Dogs on a good run
Five straight wins have lifted the Dryden Ice Dogs back into contention among the top five teams of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Glory days of Gavin Hayes
Soo Greyhounds head coach John Dean is of the notion that prize Ontario Hockey League trade deadline acquisition Gavin Hayes is even better than what was expected.
…[read more]Young blood of the NOJHL
To be sure, the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League continues to be a prime training ground for young players on their way up the ladder. For instance, there are a good number of 2007 birth year players who are standing out this season as the young blood of the NOJHL.
…[read more]Spitfires d-man is a big deal
WINDSOR — It has been said — as it has been written — that any scout of ordinary repute can identify and rate a blue chip hockey player of plain to see, pronounced skill. Then there are the acute, astute scouts and talent judgers who can zero in on a player who is not on the radar or lighthouse. One such far fetched prospect is Tanner Winegard, a hulking defenseman with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Tough test for U18 Hounds
Fresh from a tournament appearance in Peterborough, the surging Soo Jr. Greyhounds are back home this weekend for a pair of games including one against the second seed team in the Great North Under 18 Hockey League.
…[read more]Cam Boville to Chicago
Sault Ste. Marie product Cam Boville has joined the Chicago Cougars of the junior level United States Premier Hockey League for the balance of this season. The 2006 birth year goalie had been inactive since late October after being waived by the Elliot Lake Vikings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Western ways of the OHL
Okay, so the Sudbury Wolves are currently in first place in the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League with 47 points. But if the Wolves were in the Western Conference of the OHL, those 47 points would have them in sixth place. Yes, sixth place. Such is the balance of power difference between the Western world and the Eastern block.
…[read more]Symmetry of the Walleye
Scoring balance among the forward lines has been a key this season for the reigning champion Kam River Fighting Walleye of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Hot to trot in the NOJHL
Blind River Beavers. Sudbury Cubs. Espanola Paper Kings. Hearst Lumberjacks. Timmins Rock. They are what is hot in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]George is the top OHL goalie
Five goalies from the Ontario Hockey League have made the mid season rankings list of the National Hockey League’s Central Scouting Bureau ahead of the June 28-29 NHL Entry Draft. And at the top of the chart is Carter George of the Owen Sound Attack, a Thunder Bay product who has Sault Ste. Marie roots from his mother’s side.
…[read more]NHL scouts like three Hounds
Three members of the Soo Greyhounds are among 53 players from the Ontario Hockey League who have made the mid season rankings list of the National Hockey League’s Central Scouting Bureau.
…[read more]NHL scouts eyeing Spitfires
Windsor Spitfires are frantically chasing a playoff spot in the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League in what is a rebuilding season. But while the Spitfires may be near the bottom of the OHL standings, a number of their players are being eyed by National Hockey League scouts.
…[read more]Latest on the EL Vikings
Out with one, in with another. Having honoured the trade request of goalie Matthew Vahramian and dealing him to the Sudbury Cubs, the Massey-based Elliot Lake Vikings have added veteran net minder Braydon Garnhart to their crease via the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners.
…[read more]Kenny B to the Blades
Sault Ste. Marie product Kenny Belanger is settling into his new junior hockey home. The towering 2004 birth year forward joined the Oakville Blades of the Ontario Jr. Hockey League from the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League at the recent Canadian Jr. Hockey League trade deadline.
…[read more]Hear, hear, Oliver Peer!
Flint Firebirds are in control of their playoff destiny in the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League. And a veteran player who Flint paid big to get at the OHL trade deadline with hopes of advancing to this spring’s playoffs is overage forward Oliver Peer.
…[read more]Sudbury Cubs add firepower
Two forwards with Ontario Hockey League experience have joined the pace setting Sudbury Cubs of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Net gain for Sudbury Cubs
There are now three goalies on the roster of the Sudbury Cubs as they wage war with the Blind River Beavers for first place overall in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. The Cubs have picked up 2006 birth year net minder Matthew Vahramian from the last place Elliot Lake Vikings in a cash exchange.
…[read more]OHL trade deadline recap
It was an Ontario Hockey League frenzied flurry for the books as close to 40 separate transactions were completed in the days leading up to the January 10 trade deadline. And Western Conference teams such as the contending Soo Greyhounds and Saginaw Spirit along with the playoff chasing Flint Firebirds and Windsor Spitfires all made multiple moves that included major exchanges of veteran players and future draft picks.
…[read more]RIP, Paul Theriault
This is a tough one to write. A really sad one. Paul Theriault, the smart, ahead of his time, former Ontario Hockey League coach with the Soo Greyhounds, Oshawa Generals and Erie Otters as well as the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, passed away recently at the age of 73.
…[read more]Spitfires boost net worth
On a day in which they made multiple transactions ahead of this week’s Ontario Hockey League trade deadline the Windsor Spitfires upgraded their goalie position.
…[read more]Firebirds deal with Spitfires
Flint Firebirds have flipped their own script. After dealing away some high-end veteran talent in recent days for future draft picks, the Firebirds have obtained overage defenseman Roberto Mancini from their Ontario Hockey League Western Conference rival Windsor Spitfires for future second and third round draft picks.
…[read more]Four straight for U18 Hounds
Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League will take a streak of four successive victories into play this week. The Jr. Greyhounds are fresh from a home ice weekend sweep of the league leading Sudbury U18 Wolves.
…[read more]Hounds add Team USA champ
Soo Greyhounds are clearly all in as they chase an Ontario Hockey League championship. The Greyhounds have traded for 19-year old forward Gavin Hayes, acquiring the Team USA World Junior Hockey gold medal champion from the Flint Firebirds for two players and a house full of draft picks.
…[read more]U13 AA Jr. Hounds win it all
CHICAGO — Hey, hey, hey … they went all the way! In what was a truly inspiring total team toil, the Soo U13 AA Jr. Greyhounds won four of five games including the title tilt to head home as champions of a Sports Illustrated Prospects Showdown Hockey Tournament that was held here on the weekend.
…[read more]Flint flips overage forward
Flint Firebirds have parted ways with one of their top players ahead of the looming Ontario Hockey League trade deadline. The Firebirds have dealt overage forward Braeden Kressler and two draft picks to the Ottawa 67’s for five draft picks.
…[read more]The travelling goalie coach
Bill Vanderleest is an anomaly of sorts among goalie coaches. When he is not at home working with the net minders of the Sault College Cougars women’s team, Vanderleest is travelling 280 miles round trip for once a week practices as the goalie coach for the Espanola Paper Kings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]T-Birds deal three for cash
Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have traded away a trio of players in separate cash exchanges.
…[read more]Spitfires via Paper Kings
Espanola Paper Kings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League played a season long role in the development of hulking defenseman Conor Walton of the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Spitfires chasing Firebirds
It is the midway point of the 2023-2024 Ontario Hockey League regular season. And five head to head matches between the Flint Firebirds and Windsor Spitfires could be major factors in deciding the eighth and final playoff spot in the OHL’s Western Conference.
…[read more]Trade deadline is looming
D-Day is approaching in both the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and the Ontario Hockey League. As in January 10 being the trade deadline in both the NOJHL and the OHL.
…[read more]Hounds, Spitfires stay hot
Soo Greyhounds and Windsor Spitfires both returned from the Ontario Hockey League’s Christmas holiday recess on Thursday and picked up where they left off with impressive road victories.
…[read more]Net gain for Kam River
Following in the high marks crease class of graduated goalies Austin Madge and Eric Vanska over the past two seasons, the Kam River Fighting Walleye of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League has again come up with a top tender between the pipes.
…[read more]Vikings of valour and valiance
Forget about their low place in the standings. This is not about wins and losses. Rather, this is a story of courage, strength and commitment in the face of adversity.
…[read more]Assistance for the Spitfires
Twenty years after graduating from the Ontario Hockey League as a high scoring forward with the Sarnia Sting, Kris Newbury is back in the OHL as a newly hired assistant coach of the Windsor Spitfires.
…[read more]Test of the OHL West
Hounds. Spirit. Firebirds. Sting. Spitfires. There is bark and there is a motivating force and there is combustion and there is buzz and there is a fiery temperament that lies within the West Division of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]SIJHL at the break
Five of the eight teams in the Superior International Jr. Hockey League will take records well above the .500 level into the 2024 segment of this season.
…[read more]