All posts by Randy Russon
New hire for Sudbury Wolves
Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League have hired Rob Papineau for the newly-created position of vice-president of hockey operations. …[read more]
67’s set roster at 23
Third-year Ottawa 67’s coach-general manager Jeff Brown has narrowed the roster of his Ontario Hockey League team to 23 players after what he termed “three days of intense battles” that started training camp preparatory to the 2016-2017 season. …[read more]
Q & A with NOJHL commish
Questions and answers with HockeyNewsNorth.com and Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League commissioner Robert Mazzuca. …[read more]
Another Red Wing with Spirit
As second-year general manager Dave Drinkill carefully positions the Saginaw Spirit to climb the Western Conference ladder, the front office of the 15-year old Ontario Hockey League team has added another Stanley Cup champion. …[read more]
Firebirds GM in driver’s seat
Montreal Canadiens draft pick Will Bitten and two of his teammates may have requested a trade out of Flint but it is Firebirds general manager George Burnett who holds the keys to any deal. …[read more]
No-show Bitten wants a trade
Will Bitten did not report to the opening of the Flint Firebirds training camp today and the 1998 birth-year centre has asked for a trade, specifically to the Ottawa 67’s, HockeyNewsNorth.com has learned. …[read more]
Learning from the master
It seems only fitting that a rookie Ontario Hockey League coach would spend eight years being developed and mentored by the dean of all OHL coaches. …[read more]
Hounds coach cites familiarity
The head coach has expectations for the Soo Greyhounds in 2016-2017 that are designed to surpass what the Ontario Hockey League team achieved in 2015-2016. …[read more]
Pucci not yet at full strength
Having injured his knee earlier this summer, Sault Ste. Marie product Frankie Pucci will not be ready to participate in all drills when training camp opens for the Soo Greyhounds next week. …[read more]
Big guy back with Soo Eagles
Having weighed a few options, power forward Chris Murphy has opted to return to the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for the 2016-2017 campaign. …[read more]
Jimmy D shows his Spirit
When Little Caesars pizza baron Mike Ilitch bought the Detroit Red Wings back in 1982, one of his first moves was to hire Jimmy Devellano as general manager of what was then a downtrodden National Hockey League franchise. …[read more]
Wolves deal veteran goalie
Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League have traded 1997 birth-year goalie Troy Timpano to the Erie Otters for considerations well into the future — a second-round draft pick in 2021, a third-round pick in 2020 and a 10th-round pick in 2018. …[read more]
Eagle eyes are on first place
Soo Eagles co-coach/general manager Bruno Bragagnolo has set a lofty goal for the 2016-2017 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season. …[read more]
Hounds have the foot soldiers
They boast veteran forwards who can score — National Hockey League draft picks such as Zachary Senyshyn, Blake Speers, Boris Katchouk, Tim Gettinger and Jack Kopacka plus overage Bobby MacIntyre — but it’s the foot soldiers who may ultimately impact the success of the Soo Greyhounds in 2016-2017. …[read more]
Will Casey to Soo Eagles
Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have added a forward from the national under-18 champion Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed. …[read more]
Memories of Oshawa Generals
Think of the Oshawa Generals and a venerable history comes to the mind of a writer who has been covering the Ontario Hockey League for more than 40 years. …[read more]
Flint now at three overagers
Having dealt goalie Brent Moran to the North Bay Battalion on Monday, the Flint Firebirds have three overage players slated to report to their training camp on August 29. …[read more]
OHL rights of NOJHL goalie dealt
Garrett Forrest, a 1997 birth-year goalie who starred for the Powassan Voodoos of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League in 2015-2016, has had his Ontario Hockey League rights transferred from the North Bay Battalion to the Flint Firebirds. …[read more]
Wolves add Blues prospect
Sudbury Wolves and Owen Sound Attack have finalized an Ontario Hockey League trade that features two veteran forwards who are also National Hockey League draft picks. …[read more]
Lars fills a Voit in Blind River
Blind River Beavers of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have signed 1998 birth-year defenseman Lars Voit, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed. …[read more]
Ottawa 67’s overage shuffle
Ottawa 67’s coach-general manager Jeff Brown has made three trades thus far this Ontario Hockey League off-season and all three have involved overage players. …[read more]
Express adds American scorer
Espanola Express of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has signed American-born, 1996 birth-year forward Nathan Viberg. …[read more]
Latest on Gustav Bouramman
Soo Greyhounds coach Drew Bannister talked to Gustav Bouramman via telephone today amid confirmation that the 1997 birth-year defenseman has been offered a contract to play pro hockey in his native Sweden for the 2016-2017 season. …[read more]
The changing game of hockey
Man oh man have there been changes. If only I could count the number of ways that hockey has changed in the more than 40 years that I have been writing and talking about the sport. …[read more]
Two sides to the Soo Eagles
They are based on the Michigan side of the St. Mary’s River and the majority of their players are American but there’s also a Canadian contingent aboard the Soo Eagles. …[read more]
Rapids flowing in French River
Busy at his day job in sales at Nickel Belt Camping, Jessy Landry has nonetheless found the time as president and general manager of the French River Rapids to put together the team that will soon begin its second season in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. …[read more]
Eagles ink big defenseman
Veteran defenseman Matt Meininger is headed to the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to suit up for the Soo Eagles. …[read more]
OHL trade front quiet, for now
There has been no trade activity in the Ontario Hockey League since June 30 but that could change next week when management of member teams are together. …[read more]
New job for Kevin Cain
One of the good guys in the game, Kevin Cain has a long association with hockey, particularly the junior level, where his stellar record of championship success speaks for itself. …[read more]
Express adds big piece of Rock
As it preps for its second season as members of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, the Espanola Express has gained a premiere player via trade with the Timmins Rock. …[read more]
Busy Beavers
The faces of the franchise have changed from the players on the ice to the men making the decisions, all part of a master plan designed to make the Blind River Beavers competitive again. …[read more]
Waterloo to Voodoo-ville
Powassan Voodoos of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have added some goal-scoring gain with the cash-exchange acquisition of forward Gary Mantz from the Waterloo Siskins of the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League. …[read more]
Rayside signs Peterborough pick
Chad Denault, a third-round selection of the Peterborough Petes at the 2016 Ontario Hockey League draft, has signed with the Rayside-Balfour Canadians of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. …[read more]
Win-win for Espanola Express
Let us call this a win-win situation for Tom McCarthy, Jason Rapcewicz and all those associated with the Espanola Express of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. …[read more]
Raaymakers to the rescue?
In many corners throughout the Ontario Hockey League, the Soo Greyhounds are seen as a legitimate contender within the Western Conference. …[read more]
Hounds have new bench help
After a lengthy process, Ryan Ward has been named the new assistant coach of the Ontario Hockey League’s Soo Greyhounds. …[read more]
Soo Eagles moving players on
No less than 10 players who finished the 2015-2016 season with the Soo Eagles will be moving on from the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League team to start the 2016-2017 campaign at a higher level. …[read more]
Crunch adds Cross
Cochrane Crunch of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has added well-traveled, 1996 birth-year forward Braeden Cross, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed. …[read more]
Beavers sign pair of Americans
Two American-born skaters from Illinois have signed with the Blind River Beavers of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed. …[read more]
Coaching shift in NOJHL West
Three of the six teams in the West Division of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League will have new head coaches in place when the 2016-2017 regular season begins in about five weeks. …[read more]
Jamie Henderson has a new job
Jamie Henderson, who helped the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to three championships in a five-year span — first as assistant coach, then as assistant general manager and then as general manager — has secured another high-level position in the sport. …[read more]
Sudbury Wolves have been sold
Pending the approval of the Ontario Hockey League and the City of Greater Sudbury, the Sudbury Wolves have been sold, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed. …[read more]
New coach in Elliot Lake
Years of junior hockey coaching experience is what gave Corey Bricknell the edge in being hired as the new bench boss of the Elliot Lake Wildcats. …[read more]
OHL Rangers hire Jason Fortier
Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League have hired Sault Ste. Marie native Jason Fortier to replace Daniel Tkaczuk as associate coach, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed. …[read more]
Soo Eagles forward to RPI
Sam Rappaport is moving on from the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for prestigious Rensselaer Polytenchic Institute, a Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association school. …[read more]
NHL scouts fond of Hounds
Soo Greyhounds continue to draft and develop players who get the attention of the National Hockey League’s Central Scouting staff. …[read more]
NHL has eyes on two Firebirds
Flint Firebirds may have missed the Ontario Hockey League playoffs in 2015-2016 but their two 1999 birth-year players have both caught the attention of the National Hockey League’s Central Scouting department. …[read more]
Pressure is on Wolves coach
By all accounts, Sudbury Wolves head coach David Matsos is a thoughtful, intelligent man. Ergo, it is suspected that Matsos is smart enough to know that the pressure is on to get the Wolves back into the Ontario Hockey League playoffs after a two-year hiatus. …[read more]