All posts by Randy Russon
Deforge lands on the Rock
A hometown standout is remaining at home in Timmins to play hockey this season.
A skilled, smart, front line skater, Landon Deforge is moving up from the Timmins Majors of the Great North Midget Hockey League to the Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
And both Deforge’s former coach with the Majors and his new coach with the Rock have plenty good to say about the 5-foot-8, 160 pound pivot who has a 2003 birth date.
…[read more]New bench boss for Rayside
The reigning West Division pace setters from the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have hired a new head coach.
Vagelli Sakellaris replaces Dan Cuomo as bench boss of the Rayside Balfour Canadians.
Cuomo, who held the position for the past two seasons, has opted to remain overseas in the Holland region of Netherlands with his family because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
…[read more]Small market sizzle
Their combined population is less than 10,000 residents.
Located along rugged highways between the much bigger places of Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury, the small market towns that house the Blind River Beavers and Espanola Express are separated by a mere one hour drive.
And looking ahead to the 2020-2021 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season, Blind River and Espanola seem set up to be formidable foes.
Which would be a boost for the Beavers-Express rivalry that has favoured Blind River over Espanola in the standings since the Express entered the NOJHL as a first year franchise in 2015.
…[read more]RBC picks up points in Perala
Productive forward Owen Perala has joined the Rayside Balfour Canadians via future considerations trade with the Cochrane Crunch.
The 6-foot-4, 195 pound forward has already played two full seasons in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for Cochrane.
Hailing from the northwestern Ontario town of Nipigon, Perala netted 21 goals, 28 assists, 49 points in 55 games for Cochrane during the 2019-2020 campaign.
…[read more]NOJHL season will start …
No one has the direct answer to the start date question.
No one can say with any certainty when the relatively free COVID-19 zones that encompass the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League will be cleared to play.
But — and the word ‘but’ is a big word, more so than ever, perhaps, during these times of pandemic — there is a general feeling out there that if all goes well, the NOJHL will be playing games by early to mid November.
…[read more]Blind River to Espanola
One of the most talented young skaters in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has been traded.
Espanola Express has obtained highly skilled, 2003 birth year forward Devon Savignac from the Blind River Beavers in a cash exchange.
The 5-foot-10, 175 pound Savignac had asked to be traded from Blind River so he could remain at his family’s home in the Sudbury area during the season.
…[read more]Birds knock on Wood
Caleb Wood is crossing back over the International Bridge from the Soo Eagles to the Soo Thunderbirds in a Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League exchange.
Hockey News North has confirmed that the 2000 birth year forward has been dealt from the Michigan-based Eagles to the Ontario-based Thunderbirds for future considerations.
Hailing from Soo, Ontario, Wood has played the past two NOJHL seasons with the Eagles.
…[read more]Confirmations for Express
A returning defenseman and a rookie forward have signed to play for the Espanola Express.
Jason Rapcewicz, who is the owner, president and general manager of the small market Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League team, told Hockey News North that holdover defenseman William Whelton and freshman forward Isaac Westlake have signed with the Express.
Whelton and Westlake have youth on their side as both have 2003 birth dates.
…[read more]Bird house has a local look
The team that will sport the nifty orange, blue and white colours of the Soo Thunderbirds for the 2020-2021 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season is only about half picked.
But of those who have signed up as confirmed skaters for the Thunderbirds for the hopefully anticipated NOJHL season, seven are local residents.
Add in a five member coaching staff with deep roots to the Sault Ste. Marie hockey scene and the Bird house will have a nice local look to it for the upcoming campaign.
…[read more]Incoming on the Express
Two seasoned scouts — both based in Sault Ste. Marie — and a coach with major junior experience represent a trio of newcomers who have hopped aboard the Espanola Express during the summer.
Brad Boyer and Chad Vresk have brought their scouting skills and command to the Express while Brent Hughes has taken over as the head coach in Espanola with proficiency gained from three straight winning seasons as an assistant coach with the Cape Breton Eagles of the Quebec Major Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Capy back with the Eagles
A good old coach is nosing his way back into the Eagles nest.
Jim Capy is returning to the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, this time as an assistant under head coach Doug Laprade.
Capy was the head coach of the Eagles for three full seasons from 2015 until 2018 before a mutual parting of ways with the team.
…[read more]Toms is for the T-Birds
One way or another, Connor Toms will be remaining at home to play junior hockey this season.
If the 16-year old defenseman does not make the roster of the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League, he will man the blue line for the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
Thunderbirds general manager Trev Zachary has confirmed the signing of the medium sized defender, who was a third round pick, 44th overall, by the Greyhounds at the 2020 OHL priority selections draft.
…[read more]Mason Chitaroni has Plan B
It is the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League that Mason Chitaroni wants to play for this season.
That is because Chitaroni is a plum prospect of the Knights, who took the 5-foot-10, 150-pound defender in the fifth round, 99th overall, at this year’s OHL priority selections draft from the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Midget Hockey League.
But if Chitaroni doesn’t make the Knights as a 16-year old, he has a Plan B in place with the Blind River Beavers of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]RBC has head coach vacancy
The top team from the West Division of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is in the market for a new bench boss.
Rayside Balfour Canadians, who set the pace on the West side of the NOJHL in 2019-2020, are looking at candidates to take over from Dan Cuomo, who has decided to remain with his family in the Holland region of the Netherlands.
With the 65-year old Cuomo at the helm, Rayside registered a record of 40-11-5 for 85 points during the 2019-2020 regular season before the COVID-19 pandemic halted play just before the start of the divisional semi-final playoffs.
…[read more]First T.J. Aceti award winner
Cash Rowswell has been selected as the first ever winner of the T.J. Aceti Goalie Award.
Young Rowswell was presented with the award today at an emotional, albeit informal backyard gathering.
A goalie who competed at the pee wee major AA level within the Sault Major Hockey Association during the 2019-2020 season, the 13-year old Rowswell was the unanimous choice by a four person committee as the winner of the T.J. Aceti Goalie Award from a group of eight other local puck stoppers.
…[read more]New commander in Cochrane
Memorial Cup champion and National Hockey League draft pick Tom Nickolau is taking the reins of the Cochrane Crunch of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
The 54-year old Nickolau has purchased the Cochrane franchise from previous owners Ryan Leonard and Katherine Leonard.
Nickolau, who was a member of the 1986 Ontario Hockey League and Memorial Cup champion Guelph Platers, also holds the distinction of being an NHL draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings.
…[read more]New coach on the Express
There will be a fresh face manning the bench for the Espanola Express come the 2020-2021 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season.
Well traveled and experienced as a coach and a player at high levels of the game, 38-year old Brent Hughes will take over from Dave Clancy as the new head coach in Espanola.
Among his coaching gigs, Hughes spent three seasons as an assistant with the Cape Breton Eagles of the Quebec Major Jr. Hockey League from 2016 until 2019.
…[read more]Kingston on the cusp
An off season of change in leadership relative to the rebuilding of the Kingston Frontenacs has taken on a major contractor to do two jobs.
The Ontario Hockey League team has given coach Paul McFarland added responsibility as its new general manager. As the new GM, McFarland replaces Darren Keily, who was fired last month.
Just over two months before surprisingly releasing Keily, who had been with the organization for 12 years, the Frontenacs fired head coach Kurtis Foster after two seasons on the job to make way for the return of McFarland, who had been an assistant in the National Hockey League the past three years. Before leaving for the NHL, McFarland had three straight winning seasons as the bench boss in Kingston.
…[read more]New gig for John Parco
A successful three season run at the helm of the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has turned into a new challenge for high end coach John Parco.
The soon to be 49 year old Sault Ste. Marie product has signed a two-year contract with the Italian Ice Hockey Federation.
In his new role, Parco will be the director of hockey development for the Italian Federation.
…[read more]Birds have 10 in the nest
Soo Thunderbirds general manager Trevor Zachary has confirmed the signed commitments of 10 players ahead of the 2020-2021 season.
Included in the group of 10 are confirmations from six local skaters — four returnees and two newcomers — who intend to wear the blue, orange and white jerseys of the Thunderbirds for the next Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season.
The returning local veterans are forwards Avery Rebek, Cooper Smyl, Brock Santa Maria and Kurtis Rogers.
Local newcomers to the Bird house are forwards Michael Chaffay and Ty Zachary.
…[read more]Colts could be Barrie good
Horse power is poised to make some noise in and around Barrie.
And a couple of northern Ontario boys represent a faction of high end skaters who figure to make the Barrie Colts an Eastern Conference contender come the 2020-2021 Ontario Hockey League season.
Left winger Nick Porco, a Sault Ste. Marie product, and pride of Powassan defenseman Connor Punnett are two players who went to Barrie in separate exchanges with the Saginaw Spirit during the 2019-2020 season.
…[read more]Family advisors of choice
They are known as family advisors and/or player agents. And when I am asked by parents of hockey players — which is rather often — as to who I would recommend as a family advisor, I give them the names of three management groups that I have had good and lengthy dealings with.
…[read more]What’s with the handshakes?
I fully expected the Toronto Maple Leafs to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets in the fifth-and-deciding game of their preliminary round, National Hockey League playoff series.
After all, the Leafs had stunned Columbus in Game 4 with an improbable 4-3 overtime win after rallying from a 3-0 deficit with less than four minutes to play in the third period.
But what I didn’t expect — aside from the Leafs coming up flat in a 3-0 loss in Game 5 — was that players from both teams would remove their gloves and shake hands following the decisive match.
…[read more]Eagles change camp dates
From one week to another and from once facility to another.
Originally slated for August 12-14 at Big Bear Arena in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have moved their main training camp dates and location.
Instead, the Eagles will now hold their main camp a week later, from August 21-23, at Lake Superior State University’s Norris Center facility.
…[read more]Fronts zero in on new GM
Kingston Frontenacs figure to have a new general manager in place towards the end of August.
Frontenacs president Doug Springer told the Kingston Whig Standard that the Ontario Hockey League team has narrowed down a list of candidates to take over from Darren Keily as GM.
Springer said he hopes to have a new GM in place within three weeks.
Keily was surprisingly fired by Springer earlier this month after having helped to guide the Frontenacs through two rebuilding seasons.
…[read more]New Liskeard to Powassan
On to the next level for this dandy duo.
A pair of top performers from the New Liskeard Cubs of the Great North Midget Hockey League have signed with the Powassan Voodoos of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
They are forwards Ben White and Jackson Buffam.
White and Buffam were New Liskeard’s top two point producers during the 2019-2020 season. They were also sixth and seventh, respectively, on the Great North scoring chart.
…[read more]Rayside signs rookie goalie
Rayside Balfour Canadians of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have stayed local with the signing of 2003 birth year goalie Jake Marois.
As a member of the fourth place Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves, the 6-foot, 175 pound Marois was the top goalie in the Great North Midget Hockey League in 2019-2020 with a 2.16 goals against average in 1,280 minutes of action.
Marois also played in the Great North in 2018-2019.
His work in the Great North loop was enough for Marois to earn an invitation to attend the upcoming Ontario Hockey League camp of the London Knights as a free agent.
…[read more]OHL return to play reaction
It spells cautious optimism and hope, albeit with some lingering uncertainty.
It is a date that players, coaches, fans — and anyone with any sort of association to the Ontario Hockey League — can focus on and look forward to.
And while there is still so much to do as the COVID-19 pandemic remains in our midst, the recent announcement by the OHL that it plans to begin the 2020-2021 regular season on December 1 has at least partially pulled the major junior league from the state of relative dormancy it has been in since the 2019-2020 season was shut down in mid March of this year.
For players like 19-year old forward Nick Porco, a Sault Ste. Marie native and member of the OHL’s Barrie Colts, it is something to work towards.
…[read more]OHL has its D-day plan
A conditional plan is in place.
That is, Ontario Hockey League commissioner David Branch has confirmed a return to play for all 20 teams.
Planned start date is December 1, 2020, subject to ensuring that the players, fans, staff and community are able to play and attend games safely, said Branch.
Training camps for all 20 teams are expected to begin around the middle of November.
…[read more]NOJHL playing waiting game
There is no panic coming from Robert Mazzuca.
No panic in his voice. No panic in his plans. No panic in his actions.
Instead, the 10th year commissioner of the 11-team Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is playing the waiting game relative to when the 2020-2021 season might begin.
Meanwhile, the veteran NOJHL boss remains optimistic that the junior league — which includes 10 teams from northeastern Ontario and one northern Michigan based squad — will play at some point this season.
…[read more]Imports commit to Kingston
This adds up as a commitment coup for the Kingston Frontenacs.
That is, forwards Martin Chromiak and Vitali Pinchuk have both committed to return to Kingston for the upcoming Ontario Hockey League season.
Both players were selected by Kingston during the 2019 Canadian Hockey League import draft and are coming off their rookie season with the Frontenacs.
After back-to-back losing seasons in which it won just 33 of 130 regular season games, Kingston is positioned to be an Eastern Conference contender in 2020-2021.
…[read more]Sticks to the Lumberjacks
Overachieving defenseman Keaston (Sticks) Blais has signed with the Hearst Lumberjacks of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
An ever-improving, hard-working, right-hand shooting defender with a late October, 2002 birth date, Blais has spent the past two seasons with the Timmins Majors of the Great North Midget Hockey League.
A character individual who hails from the northeastern Ontario town of Iroquois Falls, Blais greatly advanced his game over two seasons with the Timmins midgets under the watchful eye of no-nonsense Majors coach Brandon Perry.
…[read more]A good coach is a good coach
Junior hockey and the way it operates and carries on can be cyclical, trendy and copycat.
And while some may say or feel that junior hockey is a young man’s game when it comes to the art of coaching, that is simply not the case.
For example, as the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League both boast exceptional coaches who are in their 30s and 40s, so too do they feature high end bench bosses who are in their 50s and 60s.
In other words, when it comes to the NOJHL and OHL as two junior hockey leagues of illustration, a good coach is a good coach, regardless of age.
…[read more]These are the T-Birds to date
There are multiple Birds flying into the junior hockey nest.
Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have commitments from more than 10 players ahead of the 2020-2021 season.
Included in the double digit list are confirmations from six local skaters — four returnees and two newcomers — that they will don the blue, orange and white jerseys of the Thunderbirds for the upcoming campaign
…[read more]Lafleur to Carleton Place
The best team in the Central Canada Hockey League from the 2019-2020 season has added a crackerjack coach to its staff.
Hockey News North has confirmed that Marc Lafleur has joined the staff of the Carleton Place Canadians as an assistant coach under owner, general manager and head coach Jason Clarke.
The 45-year old Lafleur and the Hearst Lumberjacks recently parted ways, just over a year after he led what was a second-year franchise to the 2018-2019 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League championship.
…[read more]Return to play proposals
Junior hockey leagues throughout Ontario have been working on various proposals relative to a return to play at some point in the 2020-2021 season.
Under the Canadian Jr. Hockey League umbrella there are four junior A leagues that are based in Ontario. They are the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, the Central Canada Hockey League, the Ontario Jr. Hockey League and the Superior International Jr. Hockey League.
The province is also home to the Ontario Hockey League, which is part of the major junior level, Canadian Hockey League.
…[read more]Kerfuffle in Kingston
This one ranks as a stunner.
After 12 years with the Kingston Frontenacs — first as assistant coach, then as assistant general manager, then as director of hockey operations, and most recently as general manager — Darren Keily was unceremoniously let go by the Ontario Hockey League team earlier this week.
The surprise announcement by Kingston owner Doug Springer was shocking for a number of reasons including the fact that Keily had just guided the Frontenacs through two trying seasons of rebuild and had them poised to become an Eastern Conference threat come the 2020-2021 season.
…[read more]Soo Thunderbirds have ice!
It is an optimistic sign. Not a definitive one, perhaps.
But there is definitely a Bird sighting on the horizon, as in a planned, first flap of the wings.
To be sure, we see Birds on ice in the foreseeable future.
As in a tryout camp for the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Two more for Espanola
Score a couple more commitments for the Espanola Express ahead of the 2020-2021 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season.
…[read more]Super scouts hop the Express
Sault Ste. Marie residents Brad Boyer and Chad Vresk have joined the scouting staff of the Espanola Express of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]All aboard the Express train
One by one, from here and there, passengers are boarding the Express.
The number of players — returning and incoming — who have committed to the Espanola Express of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for the upcoming season is now in double digits.
Rather impressively, Espanola president and general manager Jason Rapcewicz currently has commitments from 10 players to be on the Express train to the Spanish River town once the 2020-2021 season begins.
Rapcewicz and the Express are out to build on a 2019-2020 season in which Espanola made the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-2016 term.
…[read more]Coach Lafleur a free agent
One of the very best Junior A hockey coaches in Ontario is on the market.
Marc Lafleur and the Hearst Lumberjacks have parted ways, just over a year after he led what was a second-year franchise to the 2018-2019 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League championship.
The soon-to-be 45-year old Lafleur, who is a Hearst product, also had prior championship success as an NOJHL coach and general manager with the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners.
…[read more]Cross border hockey issues
Let us hope and pray that junior hockey will be played at some point during the 2020-2021 season. However, for example, what happens if the junior hockey season gets the go ahead to begin play but the Canada-United States border remains indefinitely closed?
…[read more]Eng on the Express
It was a straight up one for one trade that delivered the Espanola Express a new passenger ahead of the 2020-2021 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season.
And Express president and general manager Jason Rapcewicz has an idea of what 2001 birth year center James Eng will bring to Espanola for the coming season.
Hailing from Mississauga, Ontario, the 5-foot-11, 170 pound Eng netted six goals, 15 assists, 21 points in 56 games for the French River Rapids as an NOJHL rookie in 2019-2020.
…[read more]Oldham is for the Birds
There is a new occupant in the Bird house.
That is, Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have added a productive forward to their lineup ahead of the 2020-2021 season.
Russell Oldham, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound front line skater, has landed in the Bird nest via the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
Of note, Oldham is also a 2018 Ontario Hockey League under-18 draft pick of the Flint Firebirds.
…[read more]Eagles tryout camp is soon
Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League will be holding their main tryout camp in less than a month.
Eagles general manager Bruno Bragagnolo has confirmed the mid August main camp dates and details.
The Eagles are one of 11 teams in the NOJHL and its lone American entry.
…[read more]Heading down the highway
Sault Ste. Marie product Cole Ambeault is changing Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League teams.
The 2001 birth year forward is heading down Highway 17 from the Blind River Beavers to the Rayside Balfour Canadians in a cash exchange between the NOJHL rivals.
Ambeault is making the move for school reasons, being that he is planning on going to school at Cambrian College in Sudbury in the fall.
…[read more]Return of the Rock stars
Rock and roll with a band of four.
Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has a firm, formidable foundation to build on ahead of the 2020-2021 season.
Hockey News North has confirmed that four Rock stars — goalie Ty Masternak and forwards Derek Seguin, Josh Dickson and Gabby Kioki — have committed to return to Timmins for another season.
Seguin, of note, is a local product and team captain.
…[read more]