Lambert has come full circle
Denny Lambert skated in the Ontario Hockey League for three seasons before eventually making it to the National Hockey League where he toughed it out for more than 500 games as a battling left winger. But the 53-year old Lambert, who recently stepped in to take over as head coach of the AAA Under 18 Soo Jr. Greyhounds, says it was his time with the program as a player in the Great North Under 18 Hockey League that went a long way to shape him for what was ahead.
…[read more]Spitfires are sputtering
Windsor Spitfires are in a nosedive that requires imminent attention. Since scoring a big victory over the Western Conference-leading Kitchener Rangers, the Spitfires have dropped five straight games and are now in last place among the 20 teams of the Ontario Hockey League with a record of 4-13-1.
…[read more]Retentions of Windsor Arena
Sault Ste. Marie is home. Windsor is my acquired home, initially through Croatian family on my mother’s side. As a journalist who has been writing about hockey for a living since 1975, my main passion is now with the various minor and junior teams of northern Ontario. But the Windsor Spitfiires of the Ontario Hockey League and its Windsor Arena home of 1975 to 2008 remain high on my chosen and close to one’s heart list of all time fondness and partiality.
…[read more]Sault Ste. Marie Spitfires
Recently acquired defenseman Connor Toms has become the latest in a long line of players from Sault Ste. Marie who have suited up for the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League over the years. Indeed, the number of Sault boys who have become Spitfires is rather notable.
…[read more]Spitfires are high on Toms
WINDSOR — Connor Toms has a good opportunity to go from being a fringe defenseman with the Soo Greyhounds to a stabilizing presence with the Windsor Spitfires. The 19-year old Sault Ste. Marie product is now a seasoned member of a rookie laden Spitfires blue line brigade after being obtained from the Greyhounds for a 12th round pick at the 2025 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Red Wings radio legend
Paul Woods was certainly no slouch as a hockey player. He captained the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League and once scored 119 points in a season. And before Steve Yzerman came along, Woods was the youngest captain in the National Hockey League history of the storied Detroit Red Wings. But it is as a Red Wings radio broadcaster that Woods has become an unlikely legend.
…[read more]Prime prospect Chitaroni
He has moved up from the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League to the Sudbury Cubs of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. And he is doing so as a coveted prospect of the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Soo boys make their points
First pucks have dropped on the 2023-2024 Ontario Hockey League regular season. And several skaters with a link to Sault Ste. Marie picked up points in their respective team’s season opening games.
…[read more]Captain of the Firebirds
Northern Ontario product Zacharie Giroux will wear the ‘C’ on his jersey this season as the new captain of the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Spirit extends GM and coach
Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League has extended the contracts of general manager Dave Drinkill and head coach Chris Lazary through the 2026-2027 season.
…[read more]Notes from the OHL West
It was just a short time ago that the Soo Greyhounds were not only finishing atop the five team West Division of the Ontario Hockey League with regularity but were annual contenders among the 10 members of the Western Conference.
…[read more]Favourite Windsor Spitfires
As previously noted, my adopted home town has always been Windsor. I have first cousins who were born there. My uncle owned a bar there for decades. I have a son who is a criminal lawyer in Windsor. And next to the thousand or so Ontario Hockey League games that I have watched in Sault Ste. Marie over the years, I have probably taken in a couple of hundred more in Windsor.
…[read more]Fellinger signs with Flint
Talk about a quick, improbable ascent to the Ontario Hockey League. That is, 2007 birth year defenseman Rylan Fellinger has signed with the Flint Firebirds after being a distant 13th round pick at the 2023 OHL priority selections draft from the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League.
…[read more]Vikings at Hounds camp
There are a good number of players who are signed to play in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for this season who are attending Ontario Hockey League training camps either as draft picks or as free agent invitees.
…[read more]Hudson Martin to the Cubs
Sudbury Cubs of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have added a second player with a 2007 birth date who was picked by the Sudbury Wolves at the 2023 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Ertel family hockey tree
The name Ertel is a familiar one within the history books of the Ontario Hockey League. Long after his playing days, Bob Ertel coached and managed the Kitchener Rangers before being the general manager of the old North Bay Centennials. His son, Tyler Ertel, who was recently hired as the new assistant coach of the Soo Greyhounds, had a lengthy playing career as a high scoring OHL forward.
…[read more]Paper Kings have a Booth
Espanola Paper Kings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League have renewed their affiliation agreement for a second season. And one player who is slated to develop with the Paper Kings this season is 2007 birth year forward Grant Booth.
…[read more]Sudbury Cubs get Chitaroni
He was the first of 11 players from the Great North Under 18 Hockey League to be picked at the 2023 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft. Subsequently, 2007 birth year forward Hudson Chitaroni is slated to develop with the Sudbury Cubs of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League this season.
…[read more]My good, old buddy Max
As you might imagine, I have met a number of memorable, noteworthy people through hockey in a media career that officially began in 1975 when I first received a pay cheque for being a sports caster and sports writer. Relative to the Ontario Hockey League alone, I have met and had an association with countless colourful individuals. And one of the most engaging and personable people I have ever met is Wayne Maxner.
…[read more]New coach in Kam River
He is well seasoned as a former player. He has earned his stripes as an assistant coach. And as a bonus, Jesse Messier is a well educated, Canadian university graduate.
…[read more]Dawson to Powassan
A championship skater from the Great North Under 18 Hockey League who is also an Ontario Hockey League draft pick will suit up for the Powassan Voodoos of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League this coming season.
…[read more]Flint inks another draft pick
Flint Firebirds have signed a fourth prospect from the 2023 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft. Right hand shot defenseman Jack D’Arcy has committed to the Firebirds. D’Arcy was Flint’s sixth round pick at the ’23 draft.
…[read more]NOJHL to NHL draft picks
Teammates with the Soo Thunderbirds during the 2021-2022 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season, Andrew Gibson and Cooper Foster have since become National Hockey League draft picks.
…[read more]Fueled up in Flint
Flint Firebirds have been a model of steadiness and stability over the past two Ontario Hockey League seasons. Flint has registered respective regular season records of 42-21-5 and 35-28-5 and won two of its four playoff series over the past two OHL campaigns. The Firebirds have playoff series wins over the Owen Sound Attack and Soo Greyhounds. And the two playoff sets that Flint has lost have both been seventh and deciding game setbacks to higher seeded teams, namely the Windsor Spitfires in 2022 and the Saginaw Spirit in 2023.
…[read more]Kam River signs OHL draft pick
Homegrown goalie Travis VanderZwaag has signed with the reigning champion Kam River Fighting Walleye of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Local lads are for the Birds
Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have signed a pair of Ontario Hockey League draft picks who played for the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League in 2022-2023.
…[read more]Gagnon has defied the odds
Naysayers be damned. Sean Gagnon has confronted, withstood and overcome the odds that were stacked against him more than once.
…[read more]Memorial Cup & French River
This looks good — really good — on both the French River Rapids and the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. As in, this is the second successive season that a former French River player is with a major junior team that is competing in the Memorial Cup tournament.
…[read more]Soo boys catch the Spirit
Defenseman Candon O’Neill and forward Callum McAuley from the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League were among the 20 prospects who attended the recent development camp of the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Sault boys in key NHL roles
Six Sault Ste. Marie products hold prominent positions on five of the eight National Hockey League teams that are still active in this year’s National Hockey League playoffs.
…[read more]Hamilton to Brantford for good?
It is being termed as a temporary three-year relocation for the Hamilton Bulldogs when they move 25 or so miles along Highway 403 to Brantford effective the 2023-2024 Ontario Hockey League season. But could the Bulldogs remain in Brantford for good?
…[read more]Jr. Hounds picked in U18 draft
A pair of 2006 birth year players from the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League were picked at today’s Ontario Hockey League supplemental draft for players who were bypassed a year ago.
…[read more]Maguire and Marson
Only one 2007 birth year goalie from the Great North Under 18 Hockey League was picked at the 2023 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft as Nathan Maguire went from the Soo Jr. Greyhounds to the Flint Firebirds in the seventh round. And while he was not drafted, it says here that goalie Nick Marson of the Sudbury U16 Nickel Capitals also deserved to be selected.
…[read more]Great North to the OHL
A pool of players from the Great North Under 18 Hockey League were plucked at the 2023 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Ellis to Kingston
Defenseman Cole Ellis of the Timmins Majors of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League has become an Ontario Hockey League draft pick.
…[read more]Fellinger to Flint
Defenseman Rylan Fellinger of the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League has become an Ontario Hockey League draft pick.
…[read more]O’Neill to Saginaw
Smart, steady defenseman Candon O’Neill of the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League has become an Ontario Hockey League draft pick.
…[read more]Campbell to Erie
Pint sized forward Max Campbell of the Sudbury Under 16 Nickel Capitals of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League has become an Ontario Hockey League draft pick.
…[read more]Jones McDonald to Oshawa
Forward Deven Jones McDonald of the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League has become an Ontario Hockey League draft pick.
…[read more]Cooke to Flint
High scoring forward Brendan Cooke of the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League has become an Ontario Hockey League draft pick.
…[read more]Gallivan to North Bay
Defenseman Declan Gallivan of the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League has become an Ontario Hockey League draft pick.
…[read more]Dubowsky to Barrie
Hard working winger Cole Dubowsky of the Sudbury Under 16 Nickel Capitals of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League has become an Ontario Hockey League draft pick.
…[read more]Maguire to Flint
Goalie Nathan Maguire of the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League has become an Ontario Hockey League draft pick.
…[read more]Valade to Mississauga
Sudbury Under 16 Nickel Capitals defenseman Alexandre Valade has become an Ontario Hockey League draft pick.
…[read more]Chitaroni to Wolves
Like father, like son. Forward Hudson Chitaroni of the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League has been picked by the Sudbury Wolves in the third round of the 2023 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Our best of the North
This is our final list. There are 15 players with 2007 birth dates from the Great North Under 18 Hockey League who Hockey News North feels have the best chance to be selected at this weekend’s 2023 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]OHL thoughts and dots
A plethora of points to ponder relative to personnel and performance in the Ontario Hockey League:
…[read more]EL Wings & Barrie Colts
Elliot Lake Red Wings recently completed their second season as members of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. And as an aim of the franchise is to try to develop and advance players for the Major Junior, American Collegiate Hockey Association and National Collegiate Athletic Association ranks, Elliot Lake owner Paul Noad has established a new non-exclusive arrangement to collaborate with the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]The book on Nick Marson
He looms as a long shot to be picked at this month’s Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft. But in doing due diligence on Nick Marson, it shows that the 15-year old goalie had more than a high-end season for the lowly Sudbury Under 16 Nickel Capitals of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League.
…[read more]