All posts by Randy Russon
Hounds add overage goalie
Looking to replace the graduated Matthew Villalta with a veteran goalie, Soo Greyhounds have obtained overage puck-stopper Christian Propp from the North Bay Battalion.
…[read more]Good vibes in the NOJHL
It is no longer a junior league of last resorts. The Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League continues to attract, keep, and develop players for higher levels. It also features a bevy of good coaches and has solid ownership in the majority of its locales.
…[read more]Soo T-Birds on the market
Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League could be under new operation and executive management ahead of the 2019-2020 season.
…[read more]Porco poised to be an NHL pick
He is seen as being somewhat of a wild card ahead of the upcoming National Hockey League draft. Depending on who one talks to, Saginaw Spirit winger Nick Porco could be drafted anywhere between rounds three and five of the June 21-22 NHL process.
…[read more]Into school and hockey
After three solid seasons as an energetic, two-way forward with the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, Jake Palmerio is fresh from his freshman term with the Concordia University Falcons of the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association.
…[read more]NL coach likes Soo goalie
New Liskeard Cubs head coach Steve Polyblank likes both the ability and commitment of Sault Ste. Marie product Zachary Prusky. Not only did Prusky stand out at the Cubs recent spring tryout camp but the 2003 birth year goalie is willing to move 325 miles from his Soo home to play at the Great North Midget Hockey League level in New Liskeard.
…[read more]NL Cubs sign Soo goalie
Looking to add a goalie ahead of the 2019-2020 season, New Liskeard Cubs of the Great North Midget Hockey League have signed a rookie puck-stopper from Sault Ste. Marie.
…[read more]More Eagles off to school
Make that two more players from the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League who have secured Division 3, National Collegiate Athletic Association commitments ahead of the 2019-2020 season.
…[read more]Old Centennial back in the O
Lee Jinman, who scored 134 points during his rookie season with the erstwhile North Bay Centennials, is back in the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Takeaways from an OHL season
The book has closed on the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League season. But ahead of the 2019-2020 campaign, there will be summer stories relative to player signings and trades and activity within the coaching ranks. Before that, however, we glance at six takeaways from the 2018-2019 term.
Read morePW Major AA Reps picked
More than 60 players with 2007 and 2008 birth dates attended a series of recent tryouts for the Soo Pee Wee Major AA Reps. The roster of players picked to play for the Sault Major Hockey Association squad has been obtained by Hockey News North.
…[read more]CHL’s best rookie is a Wolf
Standout Sudbury Wolves skater Quinton Byfield has followed up on being named Ontario Hockey League rookie of the year by being voted as the best freshman in the entire Canadian Hockey League.
…[read more]Wins but no championships
Somewhere at some point, the Soo Greyhounds must have offended the hockey gods. The Greyhounds have had seven straight winning seasons — averaging 45 victories a year during that span — but do not have a single Ontario Hockey League championship to show for it.
…[read more]New coaches in like Flint?
Flint Firebirds could be closing in on the hiring of their new associate coach and assistant coach ahead of the 2019-2020 Ontario Hockey League season.
…[read more]Holmes is for the Hounds
First came the selection. Then came the signing. Soo Greyhounds have inked their first-round pick from the 2019 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Kressler kids a few miles apart
Neither Braeden Kressler or his older sister Bryanna will be living at home with their mom and dad come the fall. But as Braeden is slated to be playing hockey in Flint and with Bryanna about to enter her junior year as a softball standout at Wayne State University, the siblings won’t be far apart.
…[read more]New coach in Kirkland Lake
Trevor Ritchie has been hired as the new head coach of the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
…[read more]School is in for Mulligan
Workhorse defenseman Ryan Mulligan has parlayed a strong season with the Blind River Beavers of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League into a National Collegiate Athletic Association commitment.
…[read more]Job openings in Flint
Head coach Eric Wellwood will have two new coaching sidekicks to work alongside when the 2019-2020 season gets underway for the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Following up in Flint
It was a fast forward to the future in Flint as the Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League held their orientation camp.
…[read more]Pee Wee Major AA tryouts
Coached by Frank Porco, the Soo Pee Wee Major AA rep hockey team will be holding its tryout camp next week, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]Theriault going to the Dogs
Better late than never. Three years after being drafted by the Niagara IceDogs, Sault Ste. Marie product Lucas Theriault has signed on with the Ontario Hockey League team.
…[read more]What’s up in Saginaw?
Fresh from a 2018-2019 season in which the Saginaw Spirit set a franchise record for most points and then advanced to the Western Conference playoff finals for the first time ever, there is some disconnect being linked to the Ontario Hockey League team.
…[read more]Trades tilted Storm surge
George Burnett has been a rather-successful coach over an Ontario Hockey League bench career that began in 1989. But it was the 57-year old Burnett’s work as the general manager (and coach) of the Guelph Storm that led it to a stunning OHL championship of this spring.
…[read more]Back coaching in the NOJHL
Veteran coach Corey Bricknell is returning to the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. French River Rapids of the NOJHL have hired the 43-year old Bricknell as their new bench boss.
…[read more]Camp calls for Soo Eagles
Flying ahead of the 2019-2020 season, Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have an upcoming tryout camp on the slate.
…[read more]Guelph takes OHL by Storm
The comeback kids are the improbable champions of the Ontario Hockey League. Against all odds, the Guelph Storm will represent the OHL at the upcoming Memorial Cup tournament.
…[read more]Heading out to camp in Flint
First-round pick Brennan Othmann and a host of prospects from the past two drafts — including a pair from the Great North Midget Hockey League — will be among the 30 fresh faces in Flint next weekend as the Firebirds hold their orientation camp.
…[read more]Sault Major picks AA coaches
The four coaches who will head the AA teams within the Sault Major Hockey Association for the 2019-2020 season have been selected.
…[read more]All signed up in Saginaw
First-round draft pick Connor Punnett has wasted little time in signing with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Status quo in Blind River
Fresh from three straight winning seasons in the West Division of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, the Blind River Beavers are maintaining stability at the executive, management and coaching levels.
What a goalie!
Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen played a starring role in the major Ontario Hockey League turnaround that the Sudbury Wolves fashioned during the 2018-2019 season.
…[read more]Doc Vaughan passes away
The legendary founder and inaugural owner of the erstwhile Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League has passed away at the age of 81.
…[read more]NOJHL team dealt a blow
The future of the Elliot Lake Wildcats of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is murky in the aftermath of a City Council meeting from Monday.
…[read more]67’s will take time with Matier
Ottawa 67’s are not just in a one-year mode of championship contention in the Ontario Hockey League. With a team of veterans slated to return in 2019-2020 — including five defensemen — Ottawa will be in position to properly develop first-round draft pick Jack Matier as the 67’s again pursue a title next season.
…[read more]OHL rookie sensations
Import defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok, an early-season, waiver-wire acquisition by the Flint Firebirds from the London Knights, has been named an Ontario Hockey League first-team, all-star rookie for the 2018-2019 season.
…[read more]Nicholls is a Majors addition
2003 birth year goalie Evan Nicholls is moving on from the Soo Minor Thunderbirds to the Timmins Majors of the Great North Midget Hockey League, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]Looking ahead to next season
It is an annual refrain heard throughout the nation at all levels of the game. One hockey season ends and talk summarily begins about the next one.
…[read more]Clancy & crew on board
Veteran Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League bench boss Dave Clancy has hopped aboard the Espanola Express via a new two-year contract extension, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]Hearst has the fan support
It figures to be like a home game for the Hearst Lumberjacks tonight when the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League champions face off against the Oakville Blades of the Ontario Jr. Hockey League in the Dudley Hewitt Cup title tilt.
…[read more]No doubt about Kyle Dubas
For the third straight spring with Mike Babcock making $6.25 million a season to coach them, the Toronto Maple Leafs have lost in the first round of the National Hockey League playoffs.
…[read more]Guelph storms back again
Seven times in these Ontario Hockey League playoffs, the Guelph Storm has played an elimination game. And all seven times — lucky seven, perhaps? — it has been a perfect Storm.
…[read more]Going to Game 7
No. 4 seed Guelph Storm has forced a seventh-and-deciding game with no. 2 seed Saginaw Spirit in the Western Conference final of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs.
…[read more]Eagles and their camp
Coming off a third-place finish in the West Division of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League followed by a six-game, semi-final playoff series to end the 2018-2019 season, the Soo Eagles will get a head start on the 2019-2020 campaign with an upcoming camp.
…[read more]Parco suspension clarified
Factions loyal to John Parco and the Soo Thunderbirds have been critical of Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League commissioner Robert Mazzuca for a suspension that sidelined the Soo coach for Games 6 and 7 of the championship series against the Hearst Lumberjacks.
…[read more]Birds of high flight
Having the best record during the 2018-2019 regular season did not carry over to winning the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League playoff championship for the Soo Thunderbirds.
…[read more]RV is ACHA MVP
Scoring machine forward Ryan Vendramin of the Sault College Cougars has capped a championship season with a major individual honour. The 23-year old captain of the Cougars has been named most valuable in the Division 3, American Collegiate Hockey Association ranks.
…[read more]From Hearst to first
What a difference one season can make. A year ago, the Hearst Lumberjacks used seven different goalies en route to a fifth-place finish during the regular season and a quick ouster in the preliminary round of the playoffs.
…[read more]