All posts by Randy Russon
Spirit win was no surprise
The best team won the single game showdown between two powerhouse Ontario Hockey League squads and the right to hoist the time honoured Memorial Cup. Saginaw Spirit was able to withstand a frantic comeback by the London Knights with a dramatic goal of its own as the seconds ticked away in the third period of what was an absolute thriller on the theatre.
…[read more]Vikings assemble for battle
Jef Jarmovitch has had time on his side as he prepares for his second season as the owner and president of the Elliot Lake Vikings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Bulldogs are big on Rossetto
As Hockey News North was first to report, this looms as a potential steal of a third round draft pick. As in, Sault Ste. Marie product Nik Rossetto has officially signed with the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Ahead of a new NOJHL season
June 1 marks the official start to the 2024-2025 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season. Among other new business, player signings and transactions can be confirmed and finalized. And the league will settle its regular season schedule and revamped playoff format for the ’24-25 campaign at its annual general meeting.
…[read more]Firebirds re-up assistants
Much valued assistant coaches Reijo Ruotsalainen and Saverio Posa will return to the coaching staff of the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League for the 2024-2025 season.
…[read more]Mazzuca sits in CJHL chair
The Canadian Jr. Hockey League has confirmed its executive committee for the 2024-2025 season. And Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League commissioner Rob Mazzuca has been acclaimed as CJHL chair of the board for another season.
…[read more]Knight train keeps rolling
This is not a one Knight stand. For the record, the London Knights have not had a losing season in more than 20 years, a feat that is unmatched among the member teams in the Ontario Hockey League. This is a junior hockey dynasty. This is a junior hockey powerhouse. This is a junior hockey franchise that is the envy of many.
…[read more]OHL’s best at Memorial Cup
It is fitting that the top two teams in the Ontario Hockey League during the 2023-2024 regular season will both compete for this year’s Memorial Cup championship.
…[read more]New coach for EL Vikings
Hopefully this is a breath of fresh air for Elliot Lake. That is, there is a new head coach and general manager on board with the Elliot Lake Vikings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]In and out of the Eagles nest
It has been a hectic off season to date for Bruno Bragagnolo, who is the president and general manager of the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Eagles d-man off to Marian
A sixth player from the 2023-2024 edition of the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has a school commitment for the 2024-2025 season. Defenseman Lane Janssen is headed to Marian University in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Marian is a Division 3, National Collegiate Athletic Association program.
…[read more]Rossetto opts for the OHL
This looms as a potential steal of a third round draft pick. That is, Sault Ste. Marie product Nik Rossetto is poised to sign with the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League, Hockey News North has learned.
…[read more]Miller time for Soo Eagles
Joey Miller, who played in more than 190 games for the Soo Thunderbirds as a high scoring forward and later became an assistant coach with the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League team, has himself a new gig.
…[read more]Fox of the Eagles to school
Three full seasons with the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has turned into a National Collegiate Athletic Association school commitment for 2003 birth year defenseman Coby Fox.
…[read more]Rebek to coach Soo Eagles
He was the first choice of president and general manager Bruno Bragagnolo to become the new head coach of the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. So, suffice to say that Bragagnolo got what he wanted in Jeremy Rebek.
…[read more]On to the OHL finals
There will be two Ontario Hockey League teams that will compete at the 2024 Memorial Cup championship tournament later this month in Saginaw, Michigan. One will be the host Saginaw Spirit. The other will be either the London Knights or Oshawa Generals.
…[read more]OHL orientation camps
There is little or no break from the game. As recent examples of that, there are multiple teams in the Ontario Hockey League who are hosting summer orientation camps for many of their younger drafted and free agent prospects ahead of future off season sessions.
…[read more]OHL, NOJHL coach vacancies
There are prime head coaching opportunities available in both the Ontario Hockey League and Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Adding on in Elliot Lake
What goes around has come around for John Buchanan. Having briefly served as general manager of the erstwhile, rag-tag Elliot Lake Red Wings in 2021, Buchanan is back in town as the assistant GM for the since rebranded Elliot Lake Vikings.
…[read more]Seven up in the Flint net
The net seems set in Flint for the foreseeable future. Edmonton Oilers draft pick Nathan Day and his seasoned presence tops the list of seven goalies who the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League have on their present protected list of puck stoppers.
…[read more]U18 Hounds have 13 so far
Head coach Jeremy Stevenson of the Soo U18 Jr. Greyhounds has picked the majority of his roster ahead of the 2024-2025 Great North Under 18 Hockey League season.
…[read more]SIJHL commissioner is out
A ‘help wanted’ sign has been posted on the commissioner’s door of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League. Darrin Nicholas, who has served as SIJHL commissioner since 2020, is no longer on the job effective immediately.
…[read more]Sudbury Cubs at the top
Sudbury Cubs of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League are led by a pledged, philanthropic proprietor in Mark Burgess whose decades-long commitment to the game as the former owner of the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League is without question.
…[read more]Top pick has Flint all fired up
Flint Firebirds have signed the player who was the undivided choice of the scouting staff to be their first round pick at the recent 2024 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Spitfires build depth in net
Windsor Spitfires — who missed the Ontario Hockey League playoffs this season after back to back first place finishes atop the Western Conference — have assembled a cargo of goalies to choose from as part of their present and future flight plan.
…[read more]Blind River to Sault College
Two high end graduates of one of the top programs in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have committed to the Sault College Cougars of the American Collegiate Hockey Association ahead of the 2024-2025 season.
…[read more]Cubs are NOJHL champs
Sudbury Cubs are the big bears of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. Under the committed ownership of Mark Burgess and his chief lieutenant Blaine Smith, the Cubs have brought a junior hockey championship to Greater Sudbury.
…[read more]Showdown: Spirit v. Knights
A featured attraction on the Ontario Hockey League playoff scene has the London Knights and Saginaw Spirit set to face off in a Western Conference showdown between two teams that both won 50 games during the regular season.
…[read more]Soo Eagles off to school
Four members from the 2023-2024 edition of the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have school commitments effective the 2024-2025 season.
…[read more]Mangone shows his Spirit
He was bypassed through all 15 rounds of the 2020 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft. But a year later, he became a first round pick of the Saginaw Spirit at the 2021 OHL under 18 supplemental draft.
…[read more]7 UP! Greyhounds v. Spirit
It is a rivalry that is becoming as terse and testy as any in the Ontario Hockey League. And now the Saginaw Spirit and Soo Greyhounds are set to face off in the seventh and deciding game of their Western Conference semi-final series.
…[read more]Leader of U16 Wolves pack
Forever and a day assistant coach Clayton Bertrand now has a head coach gig for the 2024-2025 season. Bertrand is set to take the helm of the Sudbury Under 16 Wolves of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League.
…[read more]Hounds are high on Elliott
Sault Ste. Marie product James Elliott looms as a potential plum of a draft pick by his hometown Soo Greyhounds. To be sure, Greyhounds general manager Kyle Raftis is high on Elliott, a small size forward who the Soo snagged in the seventh round of the recent 2024 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]NOJHL finals tied at one
Powassan Voodoos will play host to the Sudbury Cubs on Sunday afternoon and Monday evening with the best of seven Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League championship series tied at a game apiece.
…[read more]Soo Eagles to Soo Indians
Doug Laprade has got himself a new head coaching gig ahead of the 2024-2025 season. But the 55 year old bench boss will not be leaving Sault Ste. Marie.
…[read more]Paper Kings assisted Spitfires
Hulking defenseman Conor Walton is being projected for continued progress as a 2006 birth year performer for the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. Notably, prior to his rookie OHL season with Windsor in 2023-2024, Walton developed over a full schedule with the Espanola Paper Kings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League in 2022-2023.
…[read more]U13 AA Hounds at OHF
Two weeks after leaving Timmins with silver medals from the Under 13 AA Northern Ontario Hockey Association Tournament of Champions, the Soo Jr. Greyhounds are back in the same northeastern Ontario town this weekend for the Ontario Hockey Federation finals.
…[read more]Major success in Timmins
It was, to be sure, a season of Major accomplishments for the Great North Under 18 Hockey League program in the northeastern Ontario town of Timmins.
…[read more]Major scorer to Saginaw
The leading scorer in the Great North Under 18 Hockey League has been selected by the Saginaw Spirit in the second round of the 2024 Ontario Hockey League under 18 supplemental draft.
…[read more]Nadon goes to North Bay
Goalie Carter Nadon of the Sudbury U18 Wolves of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League has been taken by the North Bay Battalion in the first round of the 2024 Ontario Hockey League under 18 supplemental draft.
…[read more]Goalie goes 1st to Spitfires
Windsor Spitfires added to their depth at the goalie position by taking Michael Newlove with the first overall pick at the 2024 Ontario Hockey League under 18 supplemental draft.
…[read more]On to the NOJHL finals
And now there are two. It will be the Sudbury Cubs from the West Division and the Powassan Voodoos representing the East Division in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League championship series.
…[read more]Kucher kid is in like Flint
Carter Kucher has spent the past two seasons more than 400 miles away from his Sault Ste. Marie home developing with teams in the Greater Toronto Hockey League.
…[read more]North Channel to OHL Spitfires
There are feel good stories aplenty in the hockey world. And this just could be another one in the making. It deals with a young goalie who started out playing hockey in the little farm town of Echo Bay — located 30 miles or so outside of Sault Ste. Marie — for a house league team called the North Channel Lightning.
…[read more]Sault ties to the OHL draft
They played here. They played there. Regardless of where they performed during the 2023-2024 season, eleven players with 2008 birth dates from Sault Ste. Marie came away with a notable presence at the recently completed Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]MacDonald to the Wolves
Sudbury Wolves have taken forward Danny MacDonald from the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League in the 15th round of the 2024 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Liam Watson to North Bay
North Bay Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League has picked defenseman Liam Watson of the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League in the 13th round of the 2024 priority selections draft.
…[read more]Cam Ingram to Windsor
Goalie Cam Ingram, who hails from the Sault Ste. Marie area town of Echo Bay, has become the Ontario Hockey League property of the Windsor Spitfires.
…[read more]