All posts by Randy Russon
Walleye lands local lad Leduc
Kam River Fighting Walleye of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League has added to its pool of local Thunder Bay products with the signing of a plum 2006 birth year forward.
…[read more]A win for the Walleye
Kam River Fighting Walleye of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League shook off a pair of narrow losses to the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to take the third match of a three game inter league exhibition set today at NorWest Arena in Thunder Bay.
…[read more]Chase at Sault College
Chase Muswagon has ventured approximately 1,200 miles from home to enrol in the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Technician program at Sault College and play for the varsity Cougars men’s hockey team. Hailing from The Pas, Manitoba, the 21-year old Muswagon is settling into his first year of student life at Sault College.
…[read more]Wolves sign Soo boy
Devin Mauro has overcome the odds as a former 11th round draft pick. The 18-year old Sault Ste. Marie product has signed an Ontario Hockey League contract with the Sudbury Wolves.
…[read more]Leading the way in EL
Elliot Lake Red Wings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have established a leadership group of six players.
…[read more]NOJHL opinion, outlook
For puck sakes. The 2022-2023 version of regular season play in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is scheduled to get underway next week. And here we are with a point of view perspective on the 12 teams of the NOJHL.
…[read more]Six Cubs at OHL camps
A half dozen projected members of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League’s Sudbury Cubs are at training camp sites of a number of Ontario Hockey League teams this week.
…[read more]Good friends and coaches
Brent Hughes and John Dean have been best buddies for many years. And now the two long-time friends are working together as coaches with the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Birds are Reddy in net
Soo Thunderbirds have obtained 2003 birth year goalie Zach Reddy from the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners in a Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League cash exchange.
…[read more]Red Wings of 1965-1966
They were within two victories of winning the 1966 Stanley Cup only to come up short in what would have been a stunning championship triumph. Still, the Detroit Red Wings of the 1965-1966 season remain unflinchingly and unshakeably rooted in my National Hockey League, Original Six memory bank.
…[read more]New Liskeard to Timmins
It is hard to keep a good man down. And experience, vision and values are just some of what prompted the Timmins Majors of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League to tap 58-year old Steve Polyblank as their new head coach for the looming 2022-2023 season.
…[read more]Paper Kings and Wolves
A small market Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League team has managed to secure an affiliation alliance with a nearby member of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Dual role for Dave Clancy
Good guy Dave Clancy now has more responsibility connected to his association with the Sudbury Cubs of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Soo Eagles bolster blue line
Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have added some experienced depth to their defence position with the acquisition of Joey Woldt.
…[read more]Original Six recollections
To me, what will always stand out from being born in the early 1950s and being a National Hockey League fan from as early as I can remember are the indelible memories of so many players from the various teams of the Original Six.
…[read more]Hounds install new AC
Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League have filled the coaching vacancy on their staff that was created by the recent departure of Jordan Smith to the pro ranks.
…[read more]Red Lake to Elliot Lake
Yet another 20-year old member of the reigning Superior International Jr. Hockey League champion Red Lake Miners is ticketed for the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]Bourret is for the Birds
Reigning Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League champion Soo Thunderbirds have signed a rookie goalie from Thunder Bay via North Bay.
…[read more]Hustle, bustle of the NOJHL
It will take a lot for the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to measure up to the drama and production of the 2021-2022 season. Having said that, there is estimation and computation that could have the NOJHL on track for similar adventure and elation in 2022-2023.
…[read more]Majors to Miners
Walker is taking over from Walker. Red Lake Miners of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League have a new head coach and general manager via the Timmins Majors of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League.
…[read more]Paper Kings roll in a goalie
Espanola Paper Kings — formerly the Espanola Express — have stayed in the neighbourhood to acquire an experienced goalie ahead of the 2022-2023 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season.
…[read more]Net of the Eagles nest
The graduation to the college ranks of 20-year old goalies Gabe Rosek and Ryan Gilmore has left the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League with a combination of fledgling puck stoppers.
…[read more]Soo Eagles v. Kam River
It looms as an inter league prelude to the 2022-2023 regular season. As in, Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and Kam River Fighting Walleye of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League are slated to face off in a three game set on Labour Day weekend.
…[read more]Smith moves up a rung
Sault Ste. Marie product Jordan Smith will carry on with his ascent up the hockey coaching ladder at the next par of the game. The 36-year old Smith, who has advanced from head coach in the Superior International Jr. Hockey League and the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to associate coach in the Ontario Hockey League, is inching one step closer to the National Hockey League.
…[read more]Rock lands another Miner
Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has traded for yet another high performance skater from the reigning Superior International Jr. Hockey League champion Red Lake Miners, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]New GM in Espanola
As the Espanola Express has become the Espanola Paper Kings, the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League team also has a new general manager.
…[read more]New moniker in Espanola
Out with the Express. In with the Paper Kings. Espanola’s Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League team has a new name.
…[read more]Sault Ste. Marie to Sudbury
Two players from the 2021-2022 Northern Ontario Hockey Association Under 16 AA champion Soo Jr. Greyhounds have signed with the Sudbury Nickel Capitals of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League for the 2022-2023 season.
…[read more]To the fore of a looming season
Symmetry was somewhat suggestive among the top four teams in the Superior International Jr. Hockey League over the course of the 2021-2022 regular season. Kam River Fighting Walleye, Red Lake Miners, Dryden Ice Dogs and Thunder Bay North Stars all finished above the .500 mark with respective winning percentages of .818, .797, .622 and .561. Projections for the looming 2022-2023 season are not as clearly expressed.
…[read more]Cubs get a Wolves draft pick
North Bay product Marshall McCharles will continue his hockey development close to home. A 6-foot-1, 180 pound forward and 2022 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft pick of the Sudbury Wolves, McCharles has signed with the Sudbury Cubs of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Player to coach in Dryden
Few are those in the junior A hockey world who get to head half way across Canada from their home to help coach the team that they once played for. But that is the extraordinary adventure that awaits Jake Gushue as the new assistant coach of the Dryden Ice Dogs of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Building up the Express
A second half swoon cost the Espanola Express a playoff position in 2021-2022. Espanola finished six points back of the Elliot Lake Red Wings for the fifth playoff spot in the West Division of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]North winds of junior hockey
There are a mingle of 19 teams that compete within the ranks of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and the Superior International Jr. Hockey League. In true north form, 11 are based in northeastern Ontario, six are situated in northwestern Ontario towns, one operates in northern Michigan and another is stationed in the north region of Wisconsin. All are working towards the looming 2022-2023 season with ranging measures of outlook and probability.
…[read more]Miners to the Rock
This can be classified as a blockbuster deal. Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has acquired a high performance duo of 2002 birth year forwards from the reigning Superior International Jr. Hockey League champion Red Lake Miners in a cash exchange, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]Red Lake to Sweden
Geoff Walker is headed to Sweden to take over as head coach of Vannas HC, which is a Division 1 program. The 34-year old Walker becomes a pro coach after piloting the Red Lake Miners of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League to the 2022 playoff championship.
…[read more]Soo T-Birds to Soo Eagles
Call it a cross-border transaction. Soo Thunderbirds and Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have made a player exchange.
…[read more]Here are the U18 Jr. Hounds
Soo Jr. Greyhounds have confirmed the names of 18 players who have been offered positions on the 2022-2023 edition of the reigning Great North Under 18 Hockey League regular season and playoff champions.
…[read more]Dryden to Cochrane
Hulking defenseman Tie Jacobs is back in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League after part of a season in the Superior International Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Rock on at the Cottage Cup
Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has been invited to be a part of a pre season tournament involving teams from the Ontario Jr. Hockey League and Central Canada Hockey League.
…[read more]Brothers of the Walleye
There will be another Vanska playing for the Kam River Fighting Walleye of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League come the 2022-2023 season.
…[read more]Raftis has managed well
Sam McMaster and Sherry Bassin are the only general managers in the 50-year Ontario Hockey League history of the Soo Greyhounds to win a championship. And even though he has yet to manage the Greyhounds to an OHL crown, current GM Kyle Raftis has overseen his share of winning as the Soo’s hockey boss.
…[read more]Newfoundland to Cochrane
Cochrane Crunch of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has reached out all the way to Canada’s east coast to sign a high scoring skater.
…[read more]Kam River to Kirkland Lake
Dealing from strength at both the blue line position and potential overage players, the Kam River Fighting Walleye of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League has traded a 2002 birth year defenseman to the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Simmering story lines
Once the 2022 calendar flips to September it will only be eight days into the month before the first puck is played and the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League regular season is underway. And a glance ahead has a choice number of readable story lines looming.
…[read more]Back in the Walleye net
Kam River Fighting Walleye had as good a goalie tandem as there was in the Superior International Jr. Hockey League en route to a first place finish in the 2021-2022 regular season.
…[read more]Dunbar gets NHL look
Sault Ste. Marie product Ty Dunbar received a look-see at the recent National Hockey League summer development camp of the Colorado Avalanche.
…[read more]Porco off to Italy
Sault Ste. Marie product Nick Porco, who played four full seasons in the Ontario Hockey League as a speedy winger, has signed with Asiago HC of the International Central European Hockey League.
…[read more]Birds nest at Sault College
Yet another Soo Thunderbirds grad will be a part of the men’s hockey program at Sault College when the Cougars take to the ice for the 2022-2023 season.
…[read more]