All posts by Randy Russon
Majors have net worth
Any hockey team at any level can forge a path of success by having a dependable, winning goalie. Based on that, the Timmins Majors midgets have a head start on the 2018-2019 season. …[read more]
Cirella feels the Heat
Joe Cirella has become the third member of the Soo Greyhounds coaching staff to leave the Ontario Hockey League team since the end of the 2017-2018 season, Hockey News North has confirmed. …[read more]
Pro job for Bobby Jones
Career coach Bobby Jones has moved a step closer to a National Hockey League job. Jones, who hails from the Sault Ste. Marie area beach town of Haviland Bay, has joined the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League as an assistant coach. …[read more]
Hockey writer’s wish list
As a self-employed individual who makes a living by selling advertising and writing about hockey, it can be assumed that I am consumed by the sport. …[read more]
6 Firebirds with NHL ties
Boasting a roster of some of the best young talent in the Ontario Hockey League, Flint Firebirds seem poised to return to the Western Conference playoffs in 2018-2019 after missing out on the post season in 2017-2018. …[read more]
NOJHL to CFL
Donnie Bruni, a former Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League goalie with the Blind River Beavers, is moving up in the Canadian Football League business world. …[read more]
Majors golf tournament
Timmins Majors of the Great North Midget Hockey League will be holding their second annual golf tournament on Sunday, July 29. …[read more]
Sault College stability
As Sault College has been granted official status as members of the Michigan Collegiate Hockey Conference that plays within the American Collegiate Hockey Association, the Cougars are in the process of putting together their roster ahead of the 2018-2019 season. …[read more]
Rapids sign Wolves pick
Speedy centre Ryan Smith, an 11th round pick of the Sudbury Wolves at the 2018 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft, has signed with the French River Rapids of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. …[read more]
Russian goalie has Spirit
Looking to solidify its net worth with the graduation of overage backstop Evan Cormier, Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League selected Russian-born goalie Ivan Prosvetov with the 13th overall pick at today’s Canadian Hockey League import draft. …[read more]
Thunderbirds to Cougars
Mark Tassone is moving on from three successful seasons with the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to play for the Sault College Cougars of the American Collegiate Hockey Association. …[read more]
New direction in Great North
Consummate volunteer Albert Corradini is moving up from his long-time position as general manager of the Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves to take over as commissioner of the Great North Midget Hockey League. …[read more]
New gig for Bronson Kovacs
Sault Ste. Marie’s Bronson Kovacs has signed a new professional hockey contract with DEAC, which plays out of Debrecen, Hungary. The signing will become official on Friday of this week, Hockey News North has confirmed. …[read more]
OHF honours NOJHL boss
Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League commissioner Robert Mazzuca has been recognized by the Ontario Hockey Federation for his volunteer service. …[read more]
Building blocks of Flint
After posting a winning record and making the playoffs with a veteran-laden team in 2016-2017, Flint Firebirds rebuilt the engine in 2017-2018 and missed the post season with a young group of players. …[read more]
Summer hockey talk
If you are a hot bed hockey fan or, in this case, one who writes about the sport, the time of year does not seem to matter. That is, whether it is hockey season or hockey off-season, the hockey talk does not stop. …[read more]
Wild about this kid
Saginaw Spirit forward Damien Giroux, who hails from the Sudbury area town of Hanmer, is now a National Hockey League prospect of the Minnesota Wild. …[read more]
NY Islanders show Spirit
New York Islanders snagged forward Blade Jenkins from the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League in the fifth round of today’s National Hockey League entry draft. …[read more]
Seven up for the OHL
Seven players from the Ontario Hockey League, including two from both the Soo Greyhounds and London Knights, were among the 31 skaters who were chosen in the first round of the 2018 National Hockey League draft. …[read more]
Reaching for the Stars
Ty Dellandrea has become the first player in the three-year Ontario Hockey League history of the Flint Firebirds to be selected in the first round of the National Hockey League draft. …[read more]
Rowe to Sault College
Sault College Cougars of the Division 3, American Collegiate Hockey Association have confirmed the commitment of local product Austin Rowe ahead of the 2018-2019 season. …[read more]
Culina to Carolina camp
Sault Ste. Marie product Mario Culina is headed to the National Hockey League rookie camp of the Carolina Hurricanes, Hockey News North has learned. …[read more]
Bob Gainey, for Petes sake
A storied Ontario Hockey League franchise has gone back to its celebrated past to bring a Hall of Fame, Stanley Cup champion home to Peterborough. …[read more]
OHL coach ascension
As the Ontario Hockey League develops players for the professional ranks, so too is it a training ground for coaches. …[read more]
Back for a second season
Skilled centre Jason Uhl has committed to the Sault College Cougars of the Division 3, American Collegiate Hockey Association for a second season. …[read more]
A walk on the Wilde side
It is a story, complete with headline, that I have been waiting to write for quite a while: Bode takes a walk on the Wilde side to Saginaw. …[read more]
Love the NOJHL rivalries
Geographically, the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League map extends over 400 miles from Sault Ste. Marie in the west end to Cochrane on the east side. In between, there are rivalries aplenty along the rugged highways of the Canadian Shield. …[read more]
Flying with the Eagles
Soo Eagles have defined the state of being active since the 2017-2018 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season ended for them in the seventh and deciding game of the West Division semi-finals. …[read more]
Saginaw gamble pays off
Center Cole Perfetti has opted for the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League over the University of Michigan Wolverines, a prestigious Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association school, Hockey News North has confirmed. …[read more]
KL knocks on Wood
Ryan Wood will be returning to the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for a second season as coach and general manager, Hockey News North has confirmed. …[read more]
T-Birds to St. Catharines
High scoring forwards Nick Smith and Noah Solinger are poised to move on from the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to the St. Catharines Falcons of the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League, Hockey News North has confirmed. …[read more]
T-Birds sign local trio
Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have signed three players, team officials have confirmed. …[read more]
Eagles score hat trick
Soo Eagles have already scored three times on their arch-rival Soo Thunderbirds and the 2018-2019 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season has yet to begin. …[read more]
Eagles sign Soo trio
Michigan Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have inked three forwards from the Canadian side of the International Bridge at Sault Ste. Marie. …[read more]
Bannister exit is timely
Season by season by season, three of them in total, Soo Greyhounds climbed the Ontario Hockey League ladder under head coach Drew Bannister. …[read more]
Majors to Rock
Timmins to Timmins. Riley Brousseau 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. …[read more]
RBC banks new asset
Rayside-Balfour Canadians of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have signed right winger Eric Eschweiler away from the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League. …[read more]
Who will coach Hounds?
Drew Bannister has moved up to the minor pro level after three successful seasons as head coach of the Soo Greyhounds. With the bench boss position with the Ontario Hockey League Greyhounds vacant, Soo general manager Kyle Raftis is in position to choose from what should be a choice crop of potential replacements. …[read more]
Express makes right turn
Espanola Express has made the right move with the hiring of Dave Clancy as head coach, the president and general manager of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League team told Hockey News North. …[read more]
Clancy hops the Express
Veteran coach, general manager and scout Dave Clancy is returning to the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League as the new bench boss of the Espanola Express, Hockey News North has confirmed. …[read more]
Hunter hits the Rapids
French River Rapids of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have signed 2002 birth year forward Hunter Brazier from the Sudbury Wolves of the Great North Midget Hockey League, Hockey News North has confirmed. …[read more]
A future hint in Flint
A hint of future promise has signed on with the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League. First-rounder Evan Vierling, who was the second overall pick at this year’s OHL priority selections draft, has officially committed to Flint. …[read more]
Refs didn’t decide series
Those who don’t wear blinders seem to have accepted the fact that, over what was a six-game series, the Hamilton Bulldogs were better than the Soo Greyhounds and were deserving winners of the 2018 Ontario Hockey League championship. …[read more]
Several Rayside signings
Rayside-Balfour Canadians of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have ushered in the month of June by securing a number of new player signings ahead of the 2018-2019 season. …[read more]
Holmes staying home
Austin Holmes, who led the Timmins Majors of the Great North Midget Hockey League in scoring for the 2017-2018 season, has opted to remain at home and play for the Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League in 2018-2019. …[read more]
More Bulldogs, Hounds
A repeat performance of sorts? Maybe yes, maybe no. But at the very least, the two teams that met in this spring’s Ontario Hockey League championship series are positioned to be contenders again next season. …[read more]
Wolves have historian
Sudbury Wolves have a lengthy Ontario Hockey League history that dates back to 1972. And now, the Wolves have their very own historian. …[read more]
Fulcher is top goalie
Hamilton Bulldogs puck-stopper Kaden Fulcher has won the Hap Emms Memorial Trophy as the top goalie at the 2018 Memorial Cup tournament. …[read more]