Espanola to Vermilion County
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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]High school semis tonight
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
High school hockey in the state of Michigan has been cleared to begin the 2020-2021 season.
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
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
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
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
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
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]NHL staffs plentiful Soo crew
There is more to the current Sault Ste. Marie connection to the National Hockey League than the many players who are either from the Soo or who played for the Ontario Hockey League Greyhounds.
A lot more.
As a matter of fact, there are in excess of 20 guys with a link to the Soo who are part of NHL staffs as coaches, general managers and scouts.
…[read more]RIP, George Wood
We have lost another good one.
Just 53 years old, George Wood passed away suddenly on Sunday, leaving behind a loving family including parents, wife, sons and many others.
Quietly active in the community as a business owner and low-key hockey parent, George typified a good, simple, humble guy — someone who was happy just to talk about his family, fish, hunt and have a beer.
…[read more]SIJHL reacts to lock down
The commissioner of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League did not mince words in addressing the Ontario government’s latest lock down and state of emergency edict.
SIJHL commissioner Darrin Nicholas has issued a terse statement on behalf of the northwestern Ontario based league.
…[read more]At home on a back yard rink
No access to indoor arenas due to the current shutdown relative to COVID-19 hasn’t kept the Rossetto hockey family of the Sault off the ice.
To be sure, this could well define the classic ‘love of the game’ phrase.
…[read more]Noah Zeppa to Renfrew
At last, the wait and see game is over for Noah Zeppa.
A Sault Ste. Marie native, the 5-foot-11, 170 pound goalie with a December, 2002 birth date has signed with the Renfrew Wolves of the Central Canada Hockey League.
Zeppa will report to Renfrew in early January.
…[read more]Pee Wee Penguins on ice
Minor hockey may not be the same as it plays and practices in modified form relative to COVID-19.
But there are still many happy faces to be found.
…[read more]Christmas and the Canadiens
It was 1958, when I was six years old — and still believed in Santa Claus — that I have my first memory of Christmas and hockey.
I had asked Santa Claus for a Montreal Canadiens jersey for Christmas and I remember my Dad and Mom telling me that they would try to make sure that I got one.
Puzzled, I said to my Dad that I thought it was up to Santa Claus whether I got the Canadiens jersey or not.
…[read more]RIP, Andy Mantha
A true gentleman and a hockey legend from his playing days of many years ago with the Soo Greyhounds, Andy Mantha has passed away at age 94.
After retirement from the game, Andy would become a long-time fixture on Greyhound hockey broadcasts as a commentator alongside legendary CKCY Radio play by play man Harry Wolfe.
…[read more]Good old days of Jr. B hockey
There were rabid rivalries with games that were high scoring and penalty filled as part of a rough and tumble junior B league with teams in towns that highlighted local and area hockey players.
Games were played in cold rinks where fans braved the chills of winter to hoot and root for the home team and boo and hiss the visitors.
Before there was the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, there was the International Jr. B Hockey League with teams such as the Blind River Beavers, Chapleau Huskies, Elliot Lake Vikings, Marquette Americans, Soo Indians, Soo Thunderbirds, Thessalon Flyers and Wawa Travellers.
…[read more]Denny digs the NOJHL gig
He has played the game at its highest level, suiting up for more than 500 National Hockey League games in what was an inspiring, improbable rise to the top.
He was later an assistant and head coach of eight seasons in the Ontario Hockey League for the same team that he played for, the Soo Greyhounds.
And now, 50-year old Denny Lambert is combining a career as a police officer with being the first year head coach of the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Cross-river return for Szabo
After skating for several seasons on the Ontario side of the St. Mary’s River at Sault Ste. Marie — including the past two in the Great North Under 18 Hockey League — Dylan Szabo has returned home to play for the AAA Soo Indians of the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association.
A 2003 birth year forward who is well known for his hustle and work ethic, the 5-foot-11, 175 pound Szabo developed his game over the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 terms playing for coach Jamie Henderson and the Soo Jr. Greyhounds.
…[read more]Catch the ace for SMHA
Mike Creedon, who is the first year president of the Sault Major Hockey Association, hopes to make the game more affordable to more players, especially at the elite level.
…[read more]