All posts by Randy Russon
Hounds, Spits, Spirit et al
Let us go here and there and around the Ontario Hockey League with stops in Sault Ste. Marie, Windsor and Saginaw.
…[read more]Noel Nordh heads north
Better late than never. Two years after being picked by the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League in the first round of the 2022 Canadian Hockey League import draft, 6 foot 2, 200 pound forward Noel Nordh is headed this way.
…[read more]Soo Eagles in nice flight
A slow start to the season has since turned into more of a surge for the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Three straight for U16 Wolves
Sudbury Under 16 Wolves have climbed to the .500 mark. After beginning the ’24-25 Great North Under 18 Hockey League season with three straight losses the U16 Wolves have since reeled off a trio triumphs.
…[read more]Cubs romp over the Rock
Make that 10 straight victories for the Sudbury Cubs. The Cubs retained their spot atop the standings of the 12 team Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League on Thursday with a convincing 5-1 win over the visiting Timmins Rock.
…[read more]Big change in Kam River
First year head coach Dwight Lee and the Kam River Fighting Walleye of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League have parted ways after just 10 games.
…[read more]Leamington via Thessalon
Brendan Cooke, a signed Ontario Hockey League prospect of the Flint Firebirds, is continuing his development with the Leamington Flyers and has his first goal as a member of the Ontario Jr. Hockey League team.
…[read more]Fort Frances to Timmins
From the Superior International Jr. Hockey League to the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. Timmins Rock of the NOJHL has obtained 2004 birth year forward Clark Scaddan from the Fort Frances Lakers of the SIJHL in a cash exchange.
…[read more]Early on in the Great North
Three U18 teams are leading the pack with five wins each as the ’24-25 regular season schedule is into mid October in the Great North Under 18 Hockey League. But it is an under 16 level team that scored a recent upset win over one of the pace setters.
…[read more]Capt. Caulfield of the Eagles
Soo Eagles have rebounded from a sluggish start to the ’24-25 regular season to move up to the middle of the standings among the 12 teams of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. Leading by example, captain Lucas Caulfield is one of the offensive forces for the Eagles with seven goals, three assists, 10 points in nine games.
…[read more]Day after Day in Flint
Being a workhorse goalie is part of the routine for Nathan Day of the Flint Firebirds. Day has been in the net for every minute of Flint’s five games to begin the ’24-25 Ontario Hockey League season.
…[read more]Local lad in net in Halton
Goalie Cam Ingram, who hails from the Sault Ste. Marie area farming town of Echo Bay, is spending the ’24-25 season with the Halton Hurricanes of the AAA Under 18 Ontario Minor Hockey Association. The 6 foot, 185 pound Ingram, who has a November 7, 2008 birth date, was picked by the Windsor Spitfires in the 13th round of the 2024 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Romaniuk to the QMJHL
Scoring sensation Brant Romaniuk is moving up from the Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Maritimes Jr. Hockey League, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]Relative balance in SI
Five of the eight teams in the Superior International Jr. Hockey League are above the .500 mark in the early going of the ’24-25 season.
…[read more]In the Nik of time
It only took three games for Sault Ste. Marie stalwart Nik Rossetto to score his first goal in the Ontario Hockey League as a member of the Brantford Bulldogs.
…[read more]NOJHL and its Game Day
Commissioner Rob Mazzuca has been known to stress that one of the first and foremost goals of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is the development and promotion of its players.
…[read more]Rapids on a modest rise
They began the regular season with a 9-1 loss to the perennial powerhouse Timmins Rock. But in the three games since, the surging French River Rapids have gained points in each outing and thus have a 1-1-2 record heading into this week’s Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League Showcase Tournament.
…[read more]One for the EL Vikings
They went on the road on Saturday night and worked overtime. And they won. Elliot Lake Vikings orchestrated a comeback triumph over the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners for their first victory of the ’24-25 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season.
…[read more]Capt. Carlisle of the Hounds
Overage defenseman Caeden Carlisle will wear the captain’s jersey for the Soo Greyhounds for the ’24-25 Ontario Hockey League season.
…[read more]Signoretti lights it up
Welcome to another edition of the Lucas Signoretti scoring show. The pint sized puck hound clicked for two goals and added three assists on Thursday as the Sudbury Cubs cuffed the Espanola Paper Kings by an 11-1 margin.
…[read more]Rock atop NOJHL block
Timmins Rock is the only team among the 12 of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to have a perfect record through the first couple of weeks of the ’24-25 regular season.
…[read more]Motor City to Hound Town
Keep an eye on this guy. Free agent pick up Erik Muxlow has the makings of being a noteworthy addition to the present and future of the Soo Greyhounds.
…[read more]Hounds in a rebuild house
Real time in the Ontario Hockey League — as in the ’24-25 regular season — is set for this week. In Sault Ste. Marie, first action for the Greyhounds is on Friday night when the Red and White plays host to the reigning Memorial Cup champion Saginaw Spirit at GFL Memorial Gardens.
…[read more]Oh brother! Halletts in Kap
They more than paid their dues through the AA level under 15, under 16 and under 18 programs within the ranks of the Sault Major Hockey Association. And being cut time and time again by various AAA teams in the Sault failed to deter twin brothers Nick Hallett and Logan Hallett from reaching their goals.
…[read more]Ontario side of Soo Eagles
Under the no nonsense leadership of long time president and general manager Bruno Bragagnolo the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League are a model franchise that is based in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. And while Bragagnolo and the majority of the players and volunteers are American citizens, the Eagles also have a significant Canadian presence from across the International Bridge in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
…[read more]Watch out for Steelheads
The Ontario Hockey League is back in Brampton this season after an absence of more than 10 years. The Steelheads have relocated from Mississauga to Brampton, which is a distance of a mere six miles. And after an 84 point season in ’23-24 — which was good for fourth place in the Eastern Conference, just five points out of first — the Steelheads are a prime time contender for OHL glory in ’24-25.
…[read more]Beavers, Rock both 2-0
Two teams are off to tidy 2-0 starts following the first week of ’24-25 regular season play in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Take a hike, Ryder Cali
Soo Greyhounds have dealt no show forward Ryder Cali to the North Bay Battalion for a collection of future Ontario Hockey League priority selection draft picks.
…[read more]T-Birds go back 25 years
The modern version of the Soo Thunderbirds first hit the ice as initiate members of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League back in 1999.
…[read more]OHL teams of intrigue
The countdown is on. Opening face-off to the ’24-25 Ontario Hockey League regular season is set for September 25 when the reigning Memorial Cup champion Saginaw Spirit plays host to the Windsor Spitfires.
…[read more]Captain ‘T’ in Timmins
Two years after making the Timmins Rock as an unheralded walk-on defenseman from Maple Ridge, B.C., Tenzin Nyman is now the captain of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League team.
…[read more]NOJHL lined up for ’24-25
Now united as one division of 12 teams — there is no more East and West — regular season play in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is set for opening puck drop on September 12. What will follow is a regular season slate of 50 games for all 12 teams, the top eight of which will qualify for the playoffs.
…[read more]Erik Muxlow is a Hound
Free agent forward Erik Muxlow has signed with the Soo Greyhounds after being initially bypassed at the 2023 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Hounds add a third goalie
The Greyhounds have another goalie under team control. Reid Thomas, who was picked by the Soo in the 15th and final round of the 2023 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft, has been signed to a scholarship and development package.
…[read more]Cooke in the Flint kitchen
One of the youngest players from the 2023 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft has signed with the Flint Firebirds. Forward Brendan Cooke, who has a December 22, 2007 birth date, was an eighth round pick by Flint from the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League. He spent the ’23-24 season in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League with the Blind River Beavers where he connected for 13 goals, 16 assists, 29 points in 55 games.
…[read more]Road hockey rascals
A time honoured tradition continues to be played out by at least some of today’s youth. A group of Sault Ste. Marie youngsters recently got together for a day of road hockey on Coulson Ave. in the city’s mid town. And they even took time to pose for a photo for Hockey News North.
…[read more]Eagles are ready to fly
Soo Eagles have prepped for the ’24-25 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League regular season with a trio of exhibition matches.
…[read more]25 Hounds still in camp
The Greyhounds have reduced their training camp roster to 25 players ahead of the Ontario Hockey League exhibition season. Five overage players are still around. OHL teams can only dress three overage players in a given game.
…[read more]NOJHL gets ready to go
Opening face-off is drawing near. Now lined up as one division of 12 teams — there is no more East and West — regular season play in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is set to start on September 12.
…[read more]U18 Wolves sign Sault boy
One door closes, another one opens. Cut by his hometown Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League, Madden Glavota has rebounded to secure a position with the rival Sudbury U18 Wolves.
…[read more]LSSU makes offer to local lad
Lake Superior State University Lakers have made a non binding, verbal offer to high scoring Soo Thunderbirds forward Jacob Smith. The Lakers are a Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association program based in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
…[read more]Four from the Wild West
August is leaning towards September. Up first are training camps. Then exhibition games. Followed by a schedule of names, games, checkers and chess; not to mention all of the intrigue and anxiety that goes with debatably being the best development league on the hockey planet.
…[read more]New NOJHL season looms
The junior hockey clock is ticking towards September 12. In less than three weeks, regular season play begins in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. The NOJHL is once again a 12 team league though there are some changes of note as to how they will line up.
…[read more]Thunderbirds to Walleye
Adam Kukko is headed back home to the Thunder Bay area. The 2005 birth year defenseman has been acquired by the Kam River Fighting Walleye of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League from the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League in a cash exchange.
…[read more]Firebirds wheel and deal
Trade winds have blown through Flint. The Firebirds have been busy in the player exchange game ahead of next week’s training camp opening and the subsequent ’24-25 Ontario Hockey League season.
…[read more]Sault crew for EPK, ELV
They are among the true blue hockey people who have the game in their blood — and who are getting ready for another season of duty. And these three well known, albeit low key, Sault Ste. Marie residents keep their lifelong hockey fix active by working for out of town junior teams.
…[read more]State of the Hounds ‘D’
The graduation of standout import defensemen Kirill Kudryavtsev and Arttu Karki has created space and opportunity for returnees Caeden Carlisle, Andrew Gibson, Spencer Evans and Brodie McConnell-Barker to have enhanced roles on the blue line of the Soo Greyhounds come the ’24-25 Ontario Hockey League season.
…[read more]Winds of change in SIJHL
It has been a summer breeze of significant change throughout the Superior International Jr. Hockey League ahead of the looming ’24-25 season.
…[read more]