Hounds’ new goalie coach
Matt Smith is following in some big foot steps as the new goalie coach for the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League.
As in, the previous four goalie coaches for the Greyhounds are now with pro hockey teams.
…[read more]Drumm is one up on Gretzky
As an underage 15-year old during the 1976-1977 Ontario Hockey League season, Wayne Gretzky played in three games for the Peterborough Petes before the Soo Greyhounds took him with the third overall pick of the 1977 OHL draft.
But not even the Great One can top fellow forward Brian Drumm when it comes to being the youngest player to ever skate in an OHL game. That is, Drumm first suited up for the Oshawa Generals as a 14-year old local affiliate during the 1971-1972 season.
…[read more]Hounds ink Russian defender
Kirill Kudryavtsev has officially signed with the Soo Greyhounds after the Ontario Hockey League team took the 2004 birth year defenseman in the first round, sixth overall, at the 2021 Canadian Hockey League import draft.
A native of Yaroslavl, Russia, he spent the 2020-2021 season with Loko Yaroslavl in Russia’s top junior hockey league and produced two goals, five assists, seven points in 20 games.
…[read more]Lussier lands in Flint
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan native Cole Lussier has been hired by the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League as their new video coach and administrative assistant.
The 24-year old Lussier was a top forward with the under 16 Soo Thunder and under 18 Soo Indians before moving on to play at the junior level in both the Central Canada Hockey League and North American Hockey League.
…[read more]Erie presence in Blind River
Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League are sending one of their top prospects to develop with the Blind River Beavers of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for the 2021-2022 season.
…[read more]Hounds of summer into fall
There is anxious anticipation ahead of the 2021-2022 Ontario Hockey League season. More so given that the entire 2020-2021 season was wiped out due to the coronavirus.
Now, with a return to a good degree of normalcy seemingly on the horizon, OHL teams such as the Soo Greyhounds have been spending the summer tending to internal and external business preparatory to the upcoming season.
…[read more]A steal for the Habs?
Playing on the worst team in the Ontario Hockey League did not help the stock of North Bay Battalion goalie Joe Vrbetic for the 2021 National Hockey League draft.
Vrbetic, a former Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League star with the Powassan Voodoos, faced baptism by fire for the Battalion during the most recent OHL season in playing for a North Bay team that posted an awful record of 17-41-4.
…[read more]Slick has more Spirit
One of the very best play by play announcers in the Ontario Hockey League has been given a promotion by his employer.
Saginaw Spirit president and managing partner Craig Goslin has confirmed the appointment of Joey Battaino as vice president of communications and broadcasting.
…[read more]Tough guys of the north
My roots are in northern Ontario. And as I am proud to be a northerner, I make no apologies for, when it comes to hockey, being partial to players who hail from the north.
Which brings me to compile my personal Top 10 list of the toughest customers from northern Ontario to play in the Ontario Hockey League during what I will call the rough and tumble decades of the 1970s and 1980s.
…[read more]It’s all about the Show
Hockey dreams have turned into one aspect of reality for a number of youngsters with northern Ontario roots and associations.
As 30 players from 18 different Ontario Hockey League teams were selected at the recent 2021 National Hockey League draft, a number of them have a connection to the Great North Under 18 Hockey League and the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Birds ink Hounds pick
Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have signed a prospect of the Soo Greyhounds from the 2021 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
He is 6-foot-2, 195 pound, 2005 birth year defenseman Andrew Gibson. Hailing from the Windsor area town of LaSalle, Gibson was a fourth round pick of the Greyhounds at this year’s draft.
…[read more]Flint promotes Sault scout
Mike Oliverio has been named head scout of the Flint Firebirds.
The 54-year old Sault Ste. Marie resident has served as a long-time regional scout for the Ontario Hockey League franchise dating back to when the Firebirds were known as the Plymouth Whalers.
…[read more]Hay says hey to Flint
Flint Firebirds have now signed two of their top picks from the 2021 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
The most recent commitment to Flint is forward Ethan Hay, who was the Firebirds third round pick from the AAA Waterloo Wolves.
…[read more]Caufield was well schooled
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]Flint’s new coaching troika
A trio of incoming coaches has been hired by the Flint Firebirds since owner Rolf Nilsen brought in 66-year old Terry Christensen on May 7 to be the president of hockey operations for the Ontario Hockey League team.
…[read more]Soo boys have twice the Spirit
They both carry intangibles relative to character, relentless work ethic and perseverance.
Three years apart in age, Sault Ste. Marie products Camaryn Baber and Calem Mangone are poised to become first-time teammates in 2021-2022 as part of the latest contending edition of the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Flint inks first rounder
Any concerns that the new look Flint Firebirds would have difficulty signing their first round pick from the 2021 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft have been addressed.
…[read more]Saginaw signs Soo skater
Wow. That didn’t take long.
A mere week after taking Calem Mangone with the second overall pick of the first round of the 2021 Ontario Hockey League under 18 draft, the Saginaw Spirit has signed the Sault Ste. Marie product to a standard player contract.
…[read more]New to the Flint Firebirds
Another week, another coaching addition.
Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League have tapped Kris Sparre as their associate coach for the 2021-2022 season.
Sparre is the third new coach to be hired in Flint since owner Rolf Nilsen brought Terry Christensen on board as president of hockey operations on May 7.
…[read more]High on Mangone, Barone
What a difference a year can make.
After being looked over and bypassed through the entire 15 round, 2020 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft, two blossoming players from the Soo Jr. Greyhounds evolved to become top six picks at the three round, 2021 OHL under-18 draft.
And not only does their coach from the Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League have glowing words for Soo boys Calem Mangone and Adam Barone but so too do the general managers who made them OHL draft picks in 2021 after they were disregarded in 2020.
…[read more]Jr. Hounds are U18 picks
Better late than never. After being bypassed at the 15 round, 2020 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft, two players from the Soo Jr. Greyhounds were high picks at today’s 2021 OHL under-18 draft.
…[read more]Saginaw to Flint
This should add even more fuel to the Interstate 75 highway rivalry between the Flint Firebirds and Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League.
That is, after one season as associate coach with Saginaw in 2019-2020, Jared Nightingale is taking a short trip a few exits down I-75 to become an assistant coach in Flint.
…[read more]Ex-OHL star in Espanola
Joey Talbot, a former high scoring right winger with the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League and part of their 1999 Memorial Cup championship team, has joined the Espanola Express of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League as an assistant coach/skills development coach.
The 41-year old Talbot later had a productive pro career, including four standout seasons with the legendary Sheffield Steelers of the British Elite Ice Hockey League.
…[read more]Fellinger falls to Hounds
Wawa, Ontario native Austin Fellinger has become the Ontario Hockey League property of the Soo Greyhounds.
…[read more]OHL still high on Soo boys
For the third year in succession a player from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. has been picked within the first three rounds of the Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Toms signs with Hounds
It is the next step in development.
Local lad Connor Toms is moving up from the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]New coach for Flint
A new bench boss is in place for the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League.
Ted Dent has been named head coach of the Firebirds.
The 51-year old Dent replaces Eric Wellwood, who recently resigned his position with the Michigan-based OHL team.
…[read more]Raffi Torres to Elliot Lake
A former star winger who was an impact player in the Ontario Hockey League before going on to play in more than 700 National Hockey League games will assist the new Elliot Lake Red Wings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League as a mentor.
…[read more]Branch resigns as Flint GM
A widely respected person who led the Flint Firebirds to their best season in franchise history has stepped down as general manager of the Ontario Hockey League team.
Affable Barclay Branch, who orchestrated a three year rebuild in Flint that resulted in a 40-21-2 record for the Firebirds during a 2019-2020 season that was shortened by COVID-19, confirmed his resignation today to Hockey News North.
…[read more]1986 Memorial Cup champs
It was 35 years ago this weekend that the Guelph Platers won the coveted Memorial Cup championship as the best team in Canadian major junior hockey.
Suffice to say that the Platers took the Ontario Hockey League by surprise during the 1985-1986 season.
The Platers had missed the playoffs in each of their first three seasons in the OHL. Starting out as an expansion team in 1982, the Platers posted successive records of 7-63-0, 20-46-4 and 21-40-5.
…[read more]Hounds missed on Matier
This one lies squarely on Soo Greyhounds general manager Kyle Raftis.
That is, the Greyhounds had a chance to choose local product and future world class gold medal winner Jack Matier in the first round of the 2019 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft only to — for whatever reason — opt for another defenseman.
…[read more]Rat puke and Wolves
They had their share of good players and character individuals, including two standouts who became high draft picks to the National Hockey League and 11 others who would go on to play at the minor pro and/or European pro levels.
But for whatever reason, the Sudbury Wolves of 1983-1984 would finish in last place overall with a record of 19-50-1 in what was a 15-team Ontario Hockey League back then.
And it didn’t help that the underachieving Wolves of 1983-1984 were coached by a rude, crude dude who would routinely tell his players “you are all rat puke” when he was dissatisfied with their play.
…[read more]Loss of an OHL season
Could the Ontario Hockey League have done more to start the 2020-2021 season back in November when COVID-19 cases were relatively low?
Did the OHL do wrong to its players when continuing to insist it was “not interested in playing games without fans in attendance” like other leagues were doing?
…[read more]Eight player trade of ’83-84
Free traders Joe Drago of the Sudbury Wolves and Larry Mavety of the Belleville Bulls were never shy when it came to dealing players.
And the rival Ontario Hockey League general managers — Drago and Mavety were also good friends — more than proved that point early in the 1983-1984 season when they combined to make a massive eight player trade that featured three northern boys.
…[read more]Jack Matier a world class kid
He has been chosen to play on the world hockey stage.
Sault Ste. Marie product Jack Matier is slated to skate for Team Canada at this month’s 2021 International Ice Hockey Federation under-18 world championship tournament.
…[read more]Hounds ’79-85 reunion
Friends of Terry Crisp and Sam McMaster are planning a Soo Greyhounds reunion for Saturday, July 17 of this year. The reunion is for those who had an association with the Ontario Hockey League team from 1979 to 1985.
Crisp coached the Greyhounds from 1979 to 1985. McMaster worked alongside Crisp as the Greyhounds general manager from 1980 to 1985.
…[read more]Here’s looking at Hounds
Major question mark between the pipes aside, Soo Greyhounds figure to be a formidable force once the games begin on the pandemic affected version of a 2020-2021 Ontario Hockey League season.
With seasoned skill and developed depth on the forward lines and at the defense position, the Greyhounds are set up for success in whatever form or length the anticipated, abbreviated OHL season takes.
…[read more]OHL return to play sketch
It has been just over a year since there was game action in the Ontario Hockey League.
As COVID-19 put a halt to the 2019-2020 season a year ago this month, the OHL is poised to finally return to the ice for a shortened version of a 2020-2021 campaign.
A normal OHL regular season is 68 games for each of its 20 teams. But there is very little that is normal in this age of hockey as it relates to COVID-19.
…[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]NOJHL boss was OHL star
These days, Rob Mazzuca is well known as the likeable, respectable commissioner of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
With deep northern Ontario roots, Mazzuca — who has been the league’s commander in chief since 2011 — has brought a thorough, thoughtful, professional approach to his position and to the NOJHL itself.
…[read more]Soo via Kingston
Even the best of teams can only have so many star players.
In fact, it is the best of teams who make good use of the grinders.
And it was during the Ontario Hockey League glory years of Sam McMaster as general manager and Terry Crisp as coach that the powerhouse Soo Greyhounds twice made trades with the lowly Kingston Canadians in which they exchanged high scoring forwards for fibrous left wingers.
…[read more]Moving out of the dog house
As the 1984-1985 championship campaign ended a spectacular five year run for the Soo Greyhounds under the coach and general manager duo of Terry Crisp and Sam McMaster, the next five seasons would be all downhill for the Red and White.
But as the Greyhounds went from the penthouse in 1984-1985 to the outhouse in 1985-1986, a pair of right wingers escaped the dog house via trade and finished their Ontario Hockey League careers with a flourish.
…[read more]Statement from David Branch
Ontario Hockey League commissioner David Branch has issued the following statement relative to return to play discussions for the 2020-2021 season.
…[read more]OHL boss is optimistic
The 18 teams of the Quebec Major Jr. Hockey League have already combined to play well over 150 games thus far into the COVID-19 affected, 2020-2021 regular season.
Meanwhile, the 22-member Western Hockey League is slated to begin play on February 26 with games involving its Alberta-based teams.
Over to the Ontario Hockey League — where COVID-19 cases continue to drop province wide — no firm start date has been determined for its 20 teams, three of which are American-based. But commissioner David Branch is optimistic that the OHL, which along with the QMJHL and WHL are under the umbrella of the Canadian Hockey League, will play hockey this season.
…[read more]Express route for OHL picks
Nestled on the Spanish River, about 35 miles west of Sudbury and 145 miles east of Sault Ste. Marie — and just south of the junction of Highway 6 and Highway 17 — lies the little junior A hockey town of Espanola.
As the town is home to just under 5,000 residents, it also houses the Espanola Express of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. And quite notably, the Express has become a route of choice for no less than nine Ontario Hockey League priority selection draft picks ranging in age from 16 to 18.
…[read more]Stars still high on Porco
Almost two years after taking Nick Porco in the fifth round of the 2019 National Hockey League draft, the Dallas Stars still like what they have in the 19-year old winger from Sault Ste. Marie.
Joe McDonnell, who is the director of amateur scouting for the Stars and the person responsible for picking Porco, made that quite clear when talking to Hockey News North.
…[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]Knights before Hunters
Given their sustained success as co-owners and as general manager and head coach, it sometimes seems as though the dynamic duo of Dale Hunter and Mark Hunter have always operated the London Knights.
But the Knights had an illustrious — if not as prolific — presence in the Ontario Hockey League long before the Hunter boys arrived in London back in 2000.
In short, there were Knights before there were Hunters.
…[read more]