All posts by Randy Russon
Who will coach the Greyhounds?
The search for the next head coach of the Ontario Hockey League’s Soo Greyhounds has brought in about 40 applications to date. …[read more]
Several French River Rapids signings
French River Rapids of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League hosted a barbecue at the Noelville Community Centre on Wednesday and drew an estimated gathering of about 125 supporters. …[read more]
Will Mazzuca stay or will he go?
They will converge in Sault Ste. Marie for parts of three days beginning on Thursday. …[read more]
Blind River board member resigns
Long-time Blind River Beavers board member Linda Lamorie has resigned her position with the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League team, HockeyNewsNorth.com has learned. …[read more]
Net gain for Powassan Voodoos
Powassan Voodoos general manager Chris Dawson has confirmed the acquisition of former Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League rookie-of-the-year goalie Joel Horodziejczyk. …[read more]
Adrian College ends Chase for Matson
Hard-working, hard-skating centre Chase Matson has parlayed a two-year North American Hockey League career into a commitment to play for the Adrian College Bulldogs, one of the top Division 3 National Collegiate Athletic Association programs in the United States. …[read more]
Big tournaments await T-Bird midgets
His team won the Great North Midget Hockey League championship in 2014-2015 — and Soo Thunderbirds coach Jim Capy is already at work prepping for the 2015-2016 campaign. …[read more]
Several Rayside-Balfour signings
Utilizing the venue of one of its sponsors, the Rayside-Balfour Canadians inked seven players to Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League cards on Saturday. …[read more]
As the NOJHL world turns
Less than a week ahead of its annual general meeting, slated to begin in Sault Ste. Marie on June 18, there is an unsettling buzz that is humming from within the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. …[read more]
Henderson to operate Soo T-Birds
Newly-appointed general manager Jamie Henderson will take over as the franchise operator for the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League champion Soo Thunderbirds, HockeyNewsNorth.com has learned. …[read more]
T-Bird owner talks about team’s future
Rumours have been rampant that the reigning Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League champion Soo Thunderbirds are on the verge of ceasing operations for the 2015-2016 season. …[read more]
French River Rapids open tryout
The new French River Rapids of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have confirmed dates and location for their first-ever open tryout camp. …[read more]
Cochrane Crunch signs local goalie
Cochrane product Kurtis David will be returning home to play for the Crunch of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League this 2015-2016 season, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed. …[read more]
Jim Newell joins the Crunch bunch
Cochrane Crunch of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has a new assistant coach in place for the 2015-2016 season. …[read more]
Kevin Cain has a new NOJHL gig
Two weeks after stepping down as general manager of the reigning Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League champion Soo Thunderbirds, Kevin Cain has a new gig. …[read more]
USA Hockey approves Soo Eagles
It’s official.
Michigan-based Soo Eagles have received approval from governing-body USA Hockey to re-join the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League as an expansion team for the 2015-2016 season, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed. …[read more]
High-end coaches with a Soo side
Two coaches with a Sault Ste. Marie background are moving up a level and a third is poised to advance in the ranks. They are: …[read more]
LSSU has plans for Owen Headrick
He has been a star defencemen during two seasons with the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. …[read more]
Good to go in the NO
It is early June and the warmth of the sun has taken away the ice in the rinks.
Having said that, teams in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League are open for business. …[read more]
Fighting Irish to Adrian College
A pair of graduating forwards from the Detroit Fighting Irish of the erstwhile Midwest Jr. Hockey League — now the U.S. Premier Hockey League — will move on to play with the Adrian College Bulldogs of the American Collegiate Hockey Association in 2015-2016. …[read more]
Moe is ready to go in French River
Under the guidance of esteemed coach Moe Mantha, the French River Rapids of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League will hold their first-ever open tryout camp on July 3-4-5. …[read more]
Wolves stay with Matsos
An interim gig has turned into a full-time promotion for David Matsos. …[read more]
A deal with the Devils
He is a big, strong kid with northeastern Ontario roots who can skate and score and do so much more. …[read more]
Randy Blake hops on the Express
The new Espanola Express has added a trusted, seasoned veteran to its Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League staff. …[read more]
Staying home in Iroquois Falls
As was first reported by HockeyNewsNorth.com, second-year skaters Josh Dejulio and Kezmin Madden will play for their hometown Iroquois Falls Eskimos in 2015-2016 rather than join the Timmins Rock. …[read more]
Wings don’t need Babcock to win
So, as we know, there is joy in the so-called hockey empire. …[read more]
Here’s to an NOJHL showcase
It has expanded to become a 12-team league with a firm grasp on a northern region that extends from Kirkland Lake to Sault Ste. Marie and towns in between. …[read more]
Around the NOJHL
Change is the operative word around the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League these days. …[read more]
How does the NOJHL compare?
It’s a question relative to the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League that I am often asked by parents, players and others.
How does the NOJHL compare to the North American Hockey League? …[read more]
A bunch of Crunch commitments
Riding the sled of a first winter in Cochrane from which the Crunch posted a 29-21-2 regular-season record and made it all the way to the playoff finals against the eventual-champion Soo Thunderbirds, coach-general manager Ryan Leonard has confirmed several player commitments for the 2015-2016 campaign. …[read more]
NOJHL coaches who were 1st-rounders
There is an impressive link among coaches in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League who were first-round draft picks as players. …[read more]
Rayside’s historic roots
There are two specific names and one franchise that spring to mind to someone with some sense of Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League history. …[read more]
Truths and rumours
The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? What’s the fun in that? Let’s spice the truth by sprinkling in a few rumours. …[read more]
As the NOJHL grows…
It was not that long ago — 2007 to be exact — that membership in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League stood at a mere six teams.
Eight years later, the NOJHL has doubled in size and is poised to be a 12-team league when the first pucks drop on the 2015-2016 season in less than four months. …[read more]
French River Rapids colours, logo
French River Rapids, who will begin play as a Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League expansion team in 2015-2016, have unveiled their team colours and logo. …[read more]
Two divisions or three?
As the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is poised to expand to 12 teams — the Espanola Express and Michigan Soo Eagles are awaiting governing-body approval — division alignment will become a priority item. …[read more]
Eskimos get a pair of locals
Second-year skaters Josh Dejulio and Kezmin Madden will play for the hometown Iroquois Falls Eskimos in 2015-2016 rather than join the Timmins Rock, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed. …[read more]
New coach in Blind River
Seeking to emerge from the depths of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, the Blind River Beavers have hired a former Ontario Hockey League first-round draft pick as their new coach and general manager. …[read more]
Just back from Hockeytown
Hi all.
In case you were wondering where I have been the past few days — I did receive a number of messages asking why no fresh material had been posted — I was on the road in Hockeytown. …[read more]
Hounds can go on another run
The 2014-2015 season has been lost when really, it should have been won.
But there is 2015-2016 to look forward to and the Soo Greyhounds do have plenty of potential in place. …[read more]
Town approves Espanola Express
The Town of Espanola has unanimously voted to accept the return of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to its community for the 2015-2016 season, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed. …[read more]
Here ‘n there
Around the rinks in early May: …[read more]
At the crossroads in Blind River
Over a five-year period, from 2006 until 2011, the Blind River Beavers were a program of consistency with five straight winning records that averaged 26 victories per campaign.
Since then, though, the Beavers have been the worst team in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League with an awful record of 31-160-15 over the past four seasons. …[read more]
Northeast nook of a growing NOJHL
They are four hockey towns in a northeast nook of the region, separated by less than two hours of rugged roads.
Timmins Rock, Iroquois Falls Eskimos, Cochrane Crunch and Kirkland Lake Gold Miners figure to be fierce foes when the first pucks drop on the 2015-2016 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season in about four months. …[read more]
Here’s to you, Bronson Kovacs
Sault Ste. Marie native Bronson Kovacs has ended his four-year, National Collegiate Athletic Association career with the Hobart College Statesmen in splendid style. …[read more]
An interview with my inner self
The hockey writer in me spends a lot of time talking to myself.
I ask myself a lot of questions and I answer them truthfully. …[read more]
Paul Gagne development camp
Paul Gagne, the former Ontario Hockey League and National Hockey League first-rounder and five-time Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League coach-of-the-year, will once again be overseeing a summer development camp. …[read more]
Hall-of-Famer with NOJHL ties
Long-time, distinguished referee Dan McCourt is headed for the Sudbury Sports Hall of Fame.
The 60-year old McCourt, who is currently the officiating manager for the National Hockey League, also works with the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League as a senior supervisor of officials. …[read more]