Sault High salutes its seniors


By
February 14, 2022

Sault High Blue Devils closed out the home segment of the 2021-2022 regular season schedule on the weekend with a pair of victories including a 5-4 win over the Traverse City Titans on Senior Night.

…[read more]

U14 Hounds are ranked 10th


By
February 4, 2022

Coach Terry Chitaroni and the under 14 AAA Soo Jr. Greyhounds have an overall record of 20-4-3 as they head into the 2022 segment of the minor hockey season.

…[read more]

Ice time on the outdoor rink


By
January 21, 2022

It is a Sault Ste. Marie gem in the Canal District — a covered outdoor rink, complete with artificial ice and dressing rooms in an adjacent nearby building that also features the Blockhouse Pub.

…[read more]

CCHL will play a full slate


By
January 21, 2022

Commissioner Kevin Abrams and the Board of Governors of the Central Canada Hockey League have confirmed that the 2021-2022 regular season will resume with practice and training on January 31.

…[read more]

Mario Culina back in the pros


By
January 5, 2022

Mario Culina

Sault Ste. Marie product Mario Culina has left the hockey program at Brock University to sign with the Fort Wayne Komets of the minor pro ECHL, Hockey News North has confirmed. A former standout goalie in the Ontario Hockey League, the 24-year old Culina previously played in the ECHL during the 2018-2019 season before going to school.

…[read more]

Calem shows his local Spirit


By
December 20, 2021

Calem Mangone is home in Sault Ste. Marie for the Christmas holiday break. And the rookie right wing sensation with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League helped to spread some holiday cheer to an under 11 team in the Soo.

…[read more]

Bailey Brkin gets AHL call


By
December 17, 2021

Bailey Brkin

Utica Comets of the American Hockey League — the top farm club of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League — have confirmed that they have signed goalie Bailey Brkin to a tryout contract. The 22-year old Brkin is a former standout with the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League.

…[read more]

Brkin is workin’ as a pro


By
December 16, 2021

He ended his junior career in style after moving from the Western Hockey League to the Ontario Hockey League and the Soo Greyhounds. And now at age 22, goalie Bailey Brkin is off to a good start in his first season of professional hockey.

…[read more]

Old scout still loves the game


By
December 15, 2021

He is 70 years old and a cheerful, delightful fellow with plenty of colourful stories to tell from a lifetime in amateur hockey. And besides that, good guy Charly Murray still has much to offer in terms of time, experience, knowledge and a genuine love for the game, especially at the under 18, junior and college levels.

…[read more]

U14 Hounds are top dogs


By
December 6, 2021

A team from Sault Ste. Marie has emerged as champions in their age division from among the 19 entries that took to the ice for the recent Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs AAA Classic Hockey Tournament.

…[read more]

U10 Hounds rule Sudbury


By
December 6, 2021

Head coach Craig Kennedy and his under 10 Soo Jr. Greyhounds will represent northern Ontario at next month’s Silver Sticks International Hockey Tournament.

…[read more]

Hectic week for Sault High


By
December 1, 2021

It is a three game slate of activity for the Sault High Blue Devils this week with one road tilt and two home matches.

…[read more]

Hounds shine at Silver Sticks


By
November 30, 2021

Coached by former Ontario Hockey League standout Craig Kennedy, the Soo Jr. Greyhounds under 12 boys made some history at the recent Whitby Silver Sticks AAA hockey tournament.

…[read more]

Stick-handling in the rinks


By
November 30, 2021

I am not going to dwell on the recent head scratching, mind boggling, and downright maddening decisions made by the brain trust at Algoma Public Health as to which local hockey groups and teams can only practice while others that APH refers to as “elite” teams are allowed to continue to play.

…[read more]

Silver lining for U13 girls


By
November 26, 2021

Soo Jr. Greyhounds under 13 BB level girls now have silver medals to show off thanks to their recent performance at an out of town tournament.

…[read more]

Success beyond the game


By
November 24, 2021

He got to live the hockey dream at the local level before playing in the university and minor pro ranks and — ultimately — on the international stage. And now, good guy John Glavota is firmly established in his hometown of Sault Ste. Marie as a top producing real estate agent.

…[read more]

Sault High skates into ’21-22


By
November 17, 2021

Blue Devils. At Big Bear. On the Eagle. First pucks of the 2021-2022 hockey season will drop for the Sault High Blue Devils this weekend.

…[read more]

NB Trappers strike gold


By
November 15, 2021

What a weekend it was for the North Bay Trappers. Venerable coach Guy Blanchard and the Trappers capped an unbeaten weekend with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Toronto Young Nationals to capture the gold medal in the under 16 AAA division at the Kitchener Blueline Hockey Tournament.

…[read more]

Sault College is playing games


By
November 11, 2021

They were celebrated national champions in their first season as the only Canadian men’s team in the entire American Collegiate Hockey Association. And the Sault College Cougars were poised for a title run at a second straight championship when COVID-19 abruptly ended the hockey season just before the national tournament in the spring of 2020.

…[read more]

All about Ryan Vendramin


By
November 6, 2021

Good kids generally come from good families. And this is a good kid from a good family. A young man who went from celebrated hockey star and academic standout at Sault College to a rookie police officer who was seriously injured in the line of duty, Ryan Vendramin was given due recognition on a night in his honour.

…[read more]

Vendramin recognition night


By
November 2, 2021

Scoring machine Ryan Vendramin will be honoured by the Sault College Cougars on Friday night when the men begin the 2021-2022 season with a home game against Trine University. Game time is 7:30 at Rankin Arena with opening ceremonies slated to begin at 7:00.

…[read more]

JDM, Maciuk, make it happen


By
October 21, 2021

David Maciuk

David Maciuk has been involved in hockey since he was a youngster growing up in Sault Ste. Marie in the mid 1950s and later playing for the Soo Greyhounds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and then the Ontario Hockey League.

Now living in Chicago and the president and founder of JDM Sports Management, Maciuk has grown his firm into one of North America’s top advisory agencies with over 100 Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association commitments during the past four years alone.

…[read more]

Eagle to air Blue Devils


By
October 20, 2021

Local radio station Eagle 95.1 will broadcast all games of the Sault High Blue Devils hockey team for the 2021-2022 season, Hockey News North has confirmed. The games can also be heard live on line via http://www.eagleradio951.com

…[read more]

Hockey North Show ’21-22


By
October 5, 2021

Tonight from 5-6 p.m. marks the debut of the Hockey North Show on Eagle Radio 95.1 http://eagleradio951.com for the 2021-2022 season.

…[read more]

The inimitable Paul Leonard


By
September 25, 2021

Paul Leonard Sr.

Another legendary broadcaster has ascended to the ‘Sky Studio’ of the local radio-television industry.

In his 84th year, Paul Leonard Sr. passed away on September 23, 2021.

It was he who gave me my first media job back in October of 1975.

…[read more]

I am in Malala land


By
September 21, 2021

Malala

Hi folks, I will be away from the desk until the weekend. I am in southwestern Ontario, visiting my first grand child, a precious baby girl, Malala. I will be back writing again on Saturday of this week, God willing. Meantime, I am in Malala land.

…[read more]

Thunder Bay via Sault College


By
September 20, 2021

Sault College Cougars scout Charly Murray. (photo by Bob Davies)

This has the makings of being a feel good hockey story.

That is, goalie Trennis Riley has latched on with the Thunder Bay North Stars of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League thanks to the efforts of scout Charly Murray and manager Mark Hebert of the Sault College Cougars varsity men’s team.

…[read more]

Here are the U15 AA Hounds


By
September 20, 2021

Head coach Jerry Lortie has confirmed the roster for the under 15 AA Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Sault Major Hockey Association.

Players and their positions are as follows.

…[read more]

Hockey north watch tower


By
September 14, 2021

We have teams, players and coaches to keep collective eyes on as junior hockey in the north puts its sticks on the 2021-2022 season.

…[read more]

Cougars have a north look


By
September 6, 2021

Skaters with recent experience in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and Superior International Jr. Hockey League are among those who have signed up to play for the 2021-2022 edition of the Sault College Cougars.

The only Canadian men’s team in the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s Division 2 ranks, Sault College has lined up a regular season schedule that is slated to begin on October 23.

…[read more]

RIP, Donny Gagnon


By
August 26, 2021

Don Gagnon

Sault Ste. Marie’s hockey circle has lost an exemplary member. Don Gagnon passed away recently following health complications.

…[read more]

Tony O was a proud Soo boy


By
August 15, 2021

The legendary Tony O.

You didn’t have to be from Sault Ste. Marie to know who Tony Esposito was.

But if you knew hockey, you knew who Esposito was. And if you knew hockey, you knew that Esposito was from Sault Ste. Marie.

…[read more]

Days of Sault sportscasters


By
July 10, 2021

I have been writing sports — mostly hockey — day in and week out since February of 1982.

Before that, starting in October of 1975, I was a sportscaster, first in radio, then in both radio and television.

There were a lot of us sportscasters in Sault Ste. Marie and throughout northern Ontario back then.

…[read more]

Caufield was well schooled


By
June 27, 2021

Cole Caufield

He is one of hockey’s newest sensations, a 20 year old mighty mite who has already become a folk hero of sorts for the under dog Montreal Canadiens and their improbable Stanley Cup run of 2021.

…[read more]

Hockey North Show X 2


By
June 22, 2021

Two special editions of the Hockey North Show on radio station Eagle 95.1 http://eagleradio951.com will air as a way of “catching up” on what has been a busy junior hockey off season. The special edition, half hour shows will air this afternoon at 3:00 p.m. and next Tuesday, June 29 at 3:00 p.m.

…[read more]

Feel good Habs have Soo link


By
June 13, 2021

The father and grandfather of Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield were both born in Sault Ste. Marie. (photo by Canadian Press)

Regardless of what happens through the rest of the Stanley Cup playoffs the Montreal Canadiens will have had a successful National Hockey League season.

And as a bonus to Canadiens fans in Sault Ste. Marie, there is a link to the Soo from this Montreal team.

…[read more]

Espanola to Vermilion County


By
June 2, 2021

Brent Hughes

Vermilion County Bobcats of the Southern Professional Hockey League have officially confirmed the former bench boss of the Espanola Express of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League as the first head coach in franchise history.

Brent Hughes leaves Espanola and the NOJHL after coaching the Express to a 5-4-3 record in 12 games during the abbreviated 2020-2021 season.

…[read more]

Ritchie opts for Sault College


By
June 2, 2021

Jordan Ritchie, in action for the Espanola Express. (photo by Bob Davies)

Sault Ste. Marie product Jordan Ritchie is planning to forgo his final season of Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League eligibility. The 2001 birth year defenseman will stay in the game but also go to school.

…[read more]

New recruit to Sault College


By
May 31, 2021

Keaston Blais

He played two full seasons as a steady defender with the Timmins Majors of the Great North Midget Hockey League. And he suited up for 16 games as a rookie for the Cochrane Crunch during the abbreviated 2020-2021 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season.

With that behind him, 2002 birth year defenseman Keaston (Sticks) Blais now has his sights set on attending Sault College in the fall and playing for the hockey Cougars.

…[read more]

Big M, Duff, Leafs, Habs, Dad


By
May 20, 2021

It may be the most talked about opening round playoff series in many years.

Original Six, National Hockey League fabled foes, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens are facing off in a best of seven playoff for the first time since 1979.

…[read more]

Cougars knock on Wood


By
May 9, 2021

Caleb Wood

Graduated Soo Thunderbirds forward Caleb Wood is moving on to skate for the Sault College Cougars of the Division 2, American Collegiate Hockey Association for the planned 2021-2022 season.

…[read more]

May days of junior hockey


By
May 3, 2021

Justin Mauro has played three seasons for the Blind River Beavers and has two years of junior eligibility remaining.

Junior A level hockey leagues across Canada are closed for registry business until June 1.

Which, as an example, means that teams in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League can’t officially announce any new player transactions until June 1.

But, as they should be, NOJHL coaches and general managers will no doubt be busy throughout the month of May working on potential player recruitment and trades ahead of June 1.

…[read more]

SMHA coaches for ’21-22


By
April 28, 2021

Hockey News North has confirmed a number of the coaches who will lead Sault Major Hockey Association teams for the 2021-2022 season. The list of coaches is as follows.

…[read more]

Love the all Canadian division


By
April 25, 2021

Sault boy Kyle Dubas of the Toronto Maple Leafs

I have often wished that the National Hockey League would re-align and have an Original Six division of the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers.

And while that has not happened — and likely never will — restrictions on travel relative to COVID-19 has created, temporarily at least, the formation of an all Canadian division of Montreal, Toronto, the Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks and Ottawa Senators.

I am loving the set up.

…[read more]

Hockey North Show will return


By
April 21, 2021

Currently on hiatus relative to the Ontario government’s stay at home order, the Hockey North Show will return to radio station Eagle 95.1 once its host site, Reggie’s Place Downtown, re-opens for business. The stay at home order is slated to be lifted during the third week of May.

…[read more]

Leafs still not on my wish list


By
April 15, 2021

The 1967 Stanley Cup champion Toronto Maple Leafs

In my little town, I grew up believing that God and the Montreal Canadiens were good and non Catholic girls and the Toronto Maple Leafs were bad.

But some of that has changed for me from then to now.

While I still believe that God is good, I no longer depict the Montreal Canadiens in a religious way. And while all girls — not just Catholics — are good, the Toronto Maple Leafs um, you know, still haven’t made it to my list of top favourites.

…[read more]

Summer tournament hockey


By
April 1, 2021

Dependent on factors related to COVID-19 and a return to more controllable numbers, summer tournament hockey may be more prevalent this year given the low total of games that were played at the junior and under 18 levels during the 2020-2021 season.

…[read more]

Oh, so close for Sault High


By
March 20, 2021

Close but no cigar. All in all, though, it was a passing grade for a Sault High Blue Devils hockey team that extended a short season into two rounds of the playoffs.

…[read more]

Devils season is over


By
March 19, 2021

A last-minute goal lifted the Alpena Wildcats to a 3-2 win over the Sault High Blue Devils in Michigan high school hockey Region 18 semi-final action from Thursday.

…[read more]

The file on Bobby Jones


By
March 18, 2021

Bobby Jones, with D.J. Smith and Bob Boughner, behind the bench of the Windsor Spitfires.

There are not many who have an association to the Ontario Hockey League that can match the longevity of Bobby Jones.

Not only did Jones play in 240 OHL games from 1985 to 1990 as a dependable defenseman with the Soo Greyhounds but he coached in the league from 1995 through 2018 with six different teams and won a pair of Memorial Cup championships behind the bench of the Windsor Spitfires.

Jones has always been a favourite of mine. And not just because of the hockey and that he is a good kid from a good family but that he happened to go to the same elementary school in Sault Ste. Marie — St. Mark — that I, my two kids, and my younger sister did.

…[read more]

High school semis tonight


By
March 18, 2021

Michigan high school hockey will determine its Region 18 finalists tonight from a pair of semi-final matches at Tawas Bay Ice Arena.

Sault High Blue Devils will face off against the Alpena Wildcats in a 5 p.m. game ahead of a second semi-final contest between the Cheboygan Chiefs and Gaylord Blue Devils.

…[read more]

Blue Devils skate to semis


By
March 17, 2021

Sault High Blue Devils have advanced to a semi-final match on the Michigan high school hockey Region 18 playoff scene.

…[read more]

Playoff date for Sault High


By
March 16, 2021

Win and they play on. Lose and they return home.

Sault High Blue Devils are downstate in Tawas tonight for a Michigan high school hockey, Region 18 quarter final playoff match against the host Braves.

…[read more]

Making the best of pandemic


By
March 16, 2021

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article was prepared for Hockey News North by Michelle Guzzo, secretary of the Sault Major Hockey Association.

…[read more]

Blue Devils get even


By
March 13, 2021

Next up, the regional playoffs.

A resounding 7-2 road victory over the Petoskey Northmen today lifted the Sault High Blue Devils to the .500 mark and a record of 5-5-0 to end the abbreviated regular season.

…[read more]

Sault High class of 2021


By
March 13, 2021

Playoffs are looming.

But before that, Sault High Blue Devils, with a record of 4-5-0, conclude an abbreviated regular season today with a 12:30 p.m. road tilt against the Petoskey Northmen.

…[read more]

Stevenson still in the game


By
March 11, 2021

Jeremy Stevenson

His hockey playing career ended a dozen years ago at age 34. But now, at 46 years of age and at his playing size and weight of 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, Jeremy Stevenson still looks fit and trim enough to be patrolling the left wing.

A first round pick of the Cornwall Royals in 1990 who would finish his Ontario Hockey League career with the Soo Greyhounds, Stevenson defied the odds to play in 228 National Hockey League games after being an 11th round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 1994.

…[read more]

Sault High surges to .500


By
March 7, 2021

Two straight home ice wins have lifted the Sault High Blue Devils to an even mark with the Michigan high school hockey season approaching playoff time.

…[read more]

Home win for Sault High


By
March 6, 2021

Freshman goalie Camden Labadie made 31 saves to backstop the Sault High Blue Devils to a 2-1 victory over the visiting Petoskey Northmen.

Friday night’s win for the Blue Devils improves their record on the Michigan high school hockey season to 3-4.

…[read more]

Sault High home at last


By
March 2, 2021

Following five straight road tilts, Sault High Blue Devils will finally be at home this weekend.

The friendly ice of Big Bear Arena awaits the Blue Devils in the aftermath of their latest away game, which was a narrow 3-2 loss to the Alpena Wildcats tonight.

…[read more]

A winning story


By
February 23, 2021

Hockey News North has received the following press release relative to a school based fitness curriculum that includes National Hockey League star Nick Foligno.

…[read more]

Sault High is all even


By
February 21, 2021

A road victory at Big Rapids has lifted the Sault High Blue Devils to the .500 mark through four games of the recently started Michigan high school hockey season.

…[read more]

Eskymos 5, Blue Devils 4


By
February 18, 2021

Sault High Blue Devils have yet to pass a road test in the early going of the Michigan high school hockey schedule.

The Blue Devils came up just short on Wednesday, dropping a 5-4 decision to the Escanaba Eskymos.

Sault High will have another road test on Saturday afternoon when it travels to Big Rapids for a 2 p.m. start.

…[read more]

On the road and on the air


By
February 17, 2021

Sault High Blue Devils will continue a 10-game regular season slate tonight with a road match.

The Blue Devils are in Escanaba to play the Eskymos in what will be the third outing of the COVID-19 delayed, 2020-2021 season for Sault High.

…[read more]

Sault High slate is set


By
February 15, 2021

A 10-game regular season to be followed by the playoffs is what has been set up for the Sault High Blue Devils.

Having now played two games in a 2020-2021 regular season that finally began on February 10 relative to COVID-19, Sault High has three more matches slated for this month and another five in March.

Playoffs will then begin on March 15 as part of a state format in which all high school hockey teams in Michigan qualify for the post season.

…[read more]

Devils night goes to Gaylord


By
February 14, 2021

The battle of the Blue Devils went to Gaylord. Playing at home, Gaylord Blue Devils hissed past the Sault High Blue Devils 7-3 in Michigan high school hockey action from Saturday night.

…[read more]

Battle of the Blue Devils


By
February 13, 2021

Brewer Koleszar

The chilly confines of the Otsego County Sportsplex will serve as the frozen stage for a Michigan high school hockey showdown tonight when the Gaylord Blue Devils play host to the Sault High Blue Devils.

Sault High, which began the 2020-2021 season earlier this week with a 2-1 win over the Cheboygan Chiefs, will face off against a Gaylord squad which will be playing its third game in four nights, having blanked the Cadillac Vikings 4-0 before dropping a 6-4 decision to the Midland Chemics.

…[read more]

Michigan Sault hockey hub


By
February 11, 2021

There are four high profile hockey teams that are based in the small town of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, which has a population of less than 14,000 full-time residents.

They include the Lake Superior State University Lakers, the Soo Eagles juniors, the under 18 Soo Indians, and the Sault High Blue Devils.

And following clearance from the state of Michigan, high school hockey has finally been able to begin the 2020-2021 regular season. Thus, the return to play of the Sault High squad.

…[read more]

Sault High hockey set to go


By
February 10, 2021

High school hockey in the state of Michigan has been cleared to begin the 2020-2021 season.

Tim Ellis

And the Sault High Blue Devils will begin play tonight against the visiting Cheboygan Chiefs with a 7:00 match at Big Bear Arena.

All Sault High games will be broadcast live on local radio station Eagle 95.1 http://EagleRadio951.com with Tim Ellis calling the play by play and his brother, Clayt Ellis, providing the colour commentary.

Four other games are on the slate for Sault High this month and they are as follows.

…[read more]

Telling it like it is


By
February 9, 2021

If I had a dime for every time I spoke my mind and got in trouble for it, I would have at least a couple hundred thousand extra dollars in my bank account.

Just like if a player could speak his mind about a coach and not have to worry about being labelled as a trouble maker and either be released or traded.

Or if a coach could reasonably criticize a referee without fear of reprisal from not only the ref himself but from the league in the form of a fine or suspension.

…[read more]

Tales of an old hockey writer


By
February 5, 2021

It has been a few years in the making.

And now, my book, Tales Of An Old Hockey Writer, is slated to be published and ready for release at some point in 2021.

The book will date back to the mid 1970s when I first became a paid member of the media after a mediocre departure from Sault College where I really liked English classes with Neil Carter and learned a few things in Broadcast Journalism from Tom Iley.

…[read more]

Final playoff push for Kovacs


By
February 1, 2021

Bronson Kovacs

Sault Ste. Marie product Bronson Kovacs has had his wish granted to join a playoff contender in the Erste Liga pro hockey loop.

The 30-year old defenseman has been transferred to MAC Budapest from the Dunaújvárosi Acélbikák Steel Bulls.

Kovacs noted that as this is his sixth and final season of playing pro in Hungary, “I was granted my release so I could sign with a contender for my last playoff push.”

…[read more]

Nick Porco with Texas Stars


By
January 27, 2021

Nick Porco

As the Ontario Hockey League remains in limbo as to when or if the 2020-2021 season will begin, junior age players from the various teams are, in the meantime, getting opportunities to play pro.

One such prospect is Nick Porco, a 19-year old left winger from Sault Ste. Marie who is a member of the OHL’s Barrie Colts and a National Hockey League draft pick of the Dallas Stars.

…[read more]

Jack Kopacka packs his bags


By
January 27, 2021

Former Soo Greyhounds winger Jack Kopacka has had his National Hockey League rights transferred.

The 6-foot-2, 200 pound Kopacka, who had three productive seasons with the Greyhounds after being an eighth round pick at the 2016 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft, is now the NHL property of the Ottawa Senators following a trade today with the San Jose Sharks.

…[read more]