All posts by Randy Russon
Big Jake joins the Soo Eagles
Hulking right winger Jake Hernandez has committed to the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for the 2015-2016 season, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed. …[read more]
Veteran defender joins Wolves
Sudbury Wolves have bolstered their blueline with the acquisition of overage defenceman Patrick Murphy from the Erie Otters. …[read more]
Mazzuca has changed with the game
During his Ontario Hockey League playing days as a high-scoring, menacing defenceman, Rob Mazzuca was known as a tough customer who put up points and carried his stick high. …[read more]
London to Flint via Thunder Bay
Flint Firebirds — formerly the Plymouth Whalers — have finalized an Ontario Hockey League trade with the London Knights. …[read more]
Flyers in familiar formation
Alpena Flyers of the U.S. Premier Hockey League have commitments from nine players ahead of their main tryout camp that is slated for August 17-20. …[read more]
T-Bird midgets add to schedule
The reigning Great North Midget Hockey League champion Soo Thunderbirds have super-sized their 28-game, regular-season schedule with a busy non-conference slate for the 2015-2016 campaign. …[read more]
Blind River has to wait on Pollard
It will be 15 games into the 2015-2016 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League regular season before recently-acquired defenceman Matt Pollard can make his debut for the Blind River Beavers. …[read more]
Birds sign Michigan Soo goalie
Brandon Gordon, a 1997 birth-year goalie from the Michigan Soo, is crossing the St. Mary’s River to play for the reigning Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League champion Soo Thunderbirds. …[read more]
Through the looking glass
Some of what I see in the north country as I look ahead to the 2015-2016 season in the U.S. Premier Hockey League and the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League: …[read more]
Barton bolsters Beavers blueline
During his Ontario Hockey League playing days with the Kitchener Rangers, new Blind River Beavers coach-general manager Brad Barton was a rugged defenceman who gamely guarded the front of the net. …[read more]
Homegrown Powassan plum
Powassan Voodoos of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have acquired the rights to their first-ever hometown player. …[read more]
Thunder in Smooth Rock Falls
Cochrane Crunch head honcho Ryan Leonard has added to his junior hockey property with a new team in Smooth Rock Falls. …[read more]
David Maciuk, family advisor
He has been around the game a long time, dating back to before he played in the Ontario Hockey League with the Soo Greyhounds during the 1973-1974 season. …[read more]
Peace, harmony and the NOJHL
It is late July, all teams are undefeated and tied for first place and no one has a single gripe with the commissioner. …[read more]
Soo Eagles add to player nest
Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have added a fourth player who skated for the Batchewana Attack of the now-dormant Canadian International Hockey League in 2014-2015. …[read more]
Eskis on ice in heat of summer
There was ice in New Liskeard on a hot, humid weekend as Iroquois Falls Eskis of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League held an evaluation camp. …[read more]
Coulee Region Chill to Ferris State
Joe Rutkowski has a future commitment to play at the Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association level, the family advisor for the Coulee Region Chill defenceman has confirmed. …[read more]
Motor City Hawks name captain
A re-named team that has changed leagues has chosen a captain to lead the way in 2015-2016. …[read more]
Marble forces Perry back to junior
The emergence of Tyler Marble as the no. 1 goalie for the Colorado College Tigers has forced Detroit Red Wings draft pick Chase Perry to return to junior hockey with the Wenatchee Wild for the 2015-2016 season. …[read more]
Anticipation of NOJHL season
“We can never know about the days to come but we think about them anyway.” — from the song Anticipation by Carly Simon. …[read more]
Blind River v. Elliot Lake rivalry
It is a rivalry first experienced when the kid here was broadcasting games in the old International Jr. B Hockey League for Blind River-Elliot Lake radio stations CJNR and CKNR in the mid-1970s. …[read more]
Mazzuca’s return made official
What HockeyNewsNorth.com posted on Monday became official today — Robert Mazzuca is returning as commissioner of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League without ever having really left the position. …[read more]
New to the French River Rapids
Make that 11 players who have now signed with the French River Rapids of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. …[read more]
Champagne expected to sparkle
Powassan Voodoos have acquired North Bay native Eric Champagne in a Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League exchange with the Rayside-Balfour Canadians. …[read more]
Soo Eagles sign local forward
Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have signed homegrown forward Chris Skinner, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed. …[read more]
Bronson Kovacs signs pro contract
Sault Ste. Marie native Bronson Kovacs has inked his first professional hockey contract. …[read more]
Forrest of the Voodoos
Powassan Voodoos of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have signed an erstwhile Ontario Hockey League draft pick of the North Bay Battalion. …[read more]
NOJHL conference call
Led by chairman of the board Scott Marshall, Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League governors are slated to hold a conference call tonight to vote on re-hiring Robert Mazzuca as commissioner. …[read more]
Mazzuca to return as commish
In what would be a dramatic turn of events, Robert Mazzuca is poised to return as commissioner of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. …[read more]
TC Hounds ownership re-structure
Traverse City Hounds of the U.S. Premier Hockey League have added to their ownership group. …[read more]
Soo Eagles add a speedster
Speed demon forward Brad Hofelich has committed to the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed. …[read more]
Nadeau’s next stop is Iroquois Falls
Well-traveled junior Zack Nadeau is packing his bags for Iroquois Falls. …[read more]
Crunch the numbers
Cochrane Crunch of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League already has commitments from 19 players for the 2015-2016 season ahead of its main camp, which is slated for August 20-21. …[read more]
Soo Eagles sign Jake Palmerio
Soo Eagles have reached across the St. Mary’s River to sign 1997 birth-year forward Jake Palmerio, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed. …[read more]
Multiple commitments to Soo Eagles
Homegrown forward Landon Hubbard heads an early list of players who have committed to the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for the 2015-2016 season, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed. …[read more]
Soo midgets to Thunder Bay Jr. A
Two players who starred for the Soo Thunderbirds of the Great North Midget Hockey League in 2014-2015 have signed with the Thunder Bay North Stars of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed. …[read more]
Plum NOJHL prospects
As the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has become flush with 12 teams, the number of plum prospects being harvested should also increase. …[read more]
Bannister returns to his OHL roots
Drew Bannister is back to where it all began for him in the Ontario Hockey League. …[read more]
A new gig for Tim Clayden
Tim Clayden, who owned and managed multiple championship and high-performance teams in both the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and the Ontario Jr. Hockey League before founding the now-dormant Canadian International Hockey League, has a new gig. …[read more]
MVP re-commits to Powassan
Scoring sensation Steven Harland is returning to the Powassan Voodoos of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for a second season. …[read more]
Here’s to the underdog
As a basketball coach and as a hockey writer, my favourite players have always been those who worked hard just to make the team. …[read more]
NOJHL notes, votes, anecdotes
Here and there and in and around the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League: …[read more]
Fresh start for Gamelin, Gauthier
Chase Gamelin and Will Gauthier are moving far from their Sault Ste. Marie hometown to continue playing in the North American Hockey League in 2015-2016. …[read more]
Hot, hazy, humid…hockey
This is July and it is hot, hazy and humid away from the rink. But are we ever really away from the rink? …[read more]
Berehowsky is back up north
Sudbury Wolves — who finished last in the 20-team Ontario Hockey League in 2014-2015 — have a new associate coach in place to work alongside headmaster David Matsos. …[read more]
Rayside rookie has a Ton of potential
He stood tall — even if he is rather small — among the top skaters in the Great North Midget Hockey League during the 2014-2015 season. …[read more]
Ken Appleby reprises Kevin Hodson
Ken Appleby, who backstopped the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League to the 2015 Memorial Cup championship only to again be bypassed at the recent National Hockey League draft, is in good company. …[read more]
New chapter in Iroquois Falls
The team is taking on a new identity — the Iroquois Falls Eskis of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League are putting the pieces in place. …[read more]