Getting ready to Attack
They represent the new Jr. A hockey team in Sault Ste. Marie.
Members of the new, eight-team, Ontario-based, Canadian International Hockey League, the Batchewana Attack will play out of Rankin Arena effective the upcoming 2014-2015 season.
Experienced hands will guide the Attack led by bench boss Denny Lambert, the former Soo Greyhounds left winger who later coached the Ontario Hockey League team for eight seasons (three as head coach) following a National Hockey League playing career that spanned more than 500 games.
Overseeing the Batchewana hockey department are David Maciuk as president-director of hockey operations and Dennis Bolton as general manager.
Maciuk played for the Greyhounds in the early years of their OHL existence before advancing to the minor-pro level in Chicago where he later coached within the Chicago Young Americans program for multiple seasons.
Bolton holds the distinction of playing in the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers and at the collegiate level with the Lake Superior State Lakers. Since retiring from a career in the justice system, Bolton has spent the past six seasons as an associate coach in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
Suffice to say that the Attack is in good hands in the player development-player personnel department.
The team has also aligned itself with reputable local residents in the medical and education areas as seasoned physician Dr. Kevin Caruso and long-time high school teacher Remi Gentes will be giving of their time to the Attack.
Player-wise, the new Batchewana entry has commitments from 13 players — six forwards, five defencemen, two goalies — ahead of its main tryout camp which is slated for early September.
Following is a glimpse at the 13 committed players.
FORWARDS
Jacob Palmerio. A 1997 birth year, Palmerio played for the Soo Thunder minor midgets in 2012-2013 before advancing to the Nickel City Sons major midgets in 2013-2014. Selected to play for Team NOHA at the 2014 OHA Cup tournament, the small-but-speedy Palmerio holds the distinction of being the first player to sign with Batchewana.
Jason Uhl. Another graduate of the Soo Thunder minor midgets, Uhl opted to play high school hockey for the St. Mary’s Knights in 2013-2014 and made the league’s first all-star team. A 1997 birth year, Uhl is listed at 6-feet, 175 pounds.
Robert Delury. Born in 1995, the hard-nosed Delury has junior experience with the New York Apple Core of the Empire Jr. Hockey League.
Nate Harris. A goal-scoring machine from Glenbrook North High in Chicago, Harris, who was born in 1996, lit the lamp 44 times in 63 games in 2013-2014.
RJ Marshall. Another mighty mite with speed, the 1995 birth year had 13 goals in 38 games with the Cincinnati Swords of the North American 3 Hockey League in 2013-2014.
Brian Stack. A 1995 birth year, Stack comes to the Attack from the Soo Indians major midgets where he developed as a shutdown player under no-nonsense coach Patrick Carricato in 2013-2014.
DEFENCEMEN
Cade Nolan. From Garden River First Nation comes Nolan, a 1996 birth year who also played under Coach Carricato with the Soo Indians major midgets in 2013-2014. A character kid and good teammate, Nolan was one of the Indians top blueliners by the end of 2013-2014.
Nick Trecroce. A 1996 birth year who is small but skilled and scrappy, Trecroce had a good 2013-2014 season with the Blind River Beavers of the NOJHL after the OHL Sudbury Wolves had drafted him from the erstwhile Soo North Stars major midgets in 2012.
Shane Zorzit. A 1997 birth year with good size, Zorzit moved up from the Soo Thunder minor midgets to the Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves major midgets in 2013-2014.
Adam Baggs. Born in 1998, the big blueliner was selected by the Niagara Ice Dogs from the Soo Thunder minor midgets at the 2014 OHL draft. Baggs had a strong showing at a recent tryout camp of the Soo Eagles of the North American Hockey League.
Johan Kling. A 1995 birth year, the 6-foot-1, 200 pound Kling hails from Sweden and is a product of the IFK Ore semi-pro program.
GOALIES
Stefan Demetz. Big at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, Demetz is from Italy and has played the past three seasons with the National Sports Academy in Lake Placid, NY.
Jack Hickey. Small-but quick, Hickey is a 1995 birth year from the Chicago Young Americans.
PHOTO: Batchewana Attack coach Denny Lambert (right) with forward Jacob Palmerio at the CIHL team’s inaugural press conference that was held recently. (Photo by Theresa DeSimone Leask.)
Nolan and Stack are 2 Players who shall I say “stepped it up” for the Indians as last season wore on. As a defenseman Nolan seemed to struggle with confidance issues at first however in the games that I watched near the end of the season he was on the ice in the crusial times of the game. Stack did not get the points that some of the other vets did but he was a player who did seam to have the trust of Coach Carracato.
This is a good start for the “Attack” . . . and let me say that the dessisions that young men such as Palmario, Uhl, Zorzi & the Baggs kid made as a choice over the Thunderbirds are smart dessisions. I say this as some one who was told that the Thunderbirds wood have signed Palmario, Uhl, Zorzi & Baggs to play for the Midget team and not the Junior team. So I say good choices were made!!!!!
While noting that the “Attack” have good men in place to Coach (Denny) and to manage (Dave & Dennis) I wood suggest that the “Attack” hire a Scout to make certan that the local boys are watched that there developmint is monitored. I wood strongly suggest that the “Attack” extend an invite to a veteran Scout in “Charly Murray” who has the contacts and the trained eyes to weed out the chiff from the chaff!
Lots a credibility among Coaches in the league with 3 ex NHLers: Lambert, Tom McCarthy and Denis Maruk which is great as a recruting tool.
Another Good Article Randy nice to give the update on this Team and hoping to read more on the other Teams as you been doing.