Plaudits for Marson and Bell
A goalie and a forward from Sault Ste. Marie who are playing for the Sudbury U16 Nickel Capitals of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League have earned words of praise from their highly regarded head coach.
U16 Nickel Capitals bench boss Jordan Cheechoo, who won the coach of the year award in the Great North loop for the 2021-2022 season, told Hockey News North that goalie Nick Marson and forward Coulson Bell “have both fit in so well with our team.”
Marson and Bell, who both have 2007 birth dates, left their homes in Sault Ste. Marie for Sudbury to play for the U16 Nickel Capitals this season after being cut by the Soo Jr. Greyhounds. And Cheechoo, as their coach, couldn’t be more thrilled to have Marson and Bell in Sudbury playing for the U16 Nickel Capitals.
“It has been great having Nick and Coulson join us this season,” Cheechoo relayed to Hockey News North. “I was excited to see them for the first time at our training camp. They made our team and they have both fit in so well with us.”
Cheechoo had separate words of acclaim and approval for both players.
“Nick has been very consistent in net for us and his work ethic in practice has been transferring over to the games,” Cheechoo said of Marson, who does not turn 15 years old until December 16.
“And Coulson has brought a physical element to the team that was much needed. He also has an incredible shot which we have been encouraging him to use more in games,” said Cheechoo of Bell.
In regular season play in the Great North to date, Marson has a record of 4-0-1 with a 2.55 goals against average while Bell has two goals, one assist, three points in nine games while playing with a fibrous edge. The youthful U16 Nickel Capitals are in second place in the eight team Great North with a record of 7-3-1 and trail only the league leading Jr. Greyhounds of the Soo, who are unbeaten with a 9-0-0 mark.
Besides Marson and Bell, other high end performers for the U16 Nickel Capitals include a forward group led by scoring sensation Max Campbell along with teammates Cole Dubowsky, Keynan Kydd and Anthony Bertrand and defenseman Alexandre Valade.
The U16 Nickel Capitals and a host of other 2007 birth year prospects from the Great North — including the league leading Jr. Greyhounds — are being closely watched and evaluated by the reputable, time honoured Blaine Smith, who is the northern Ontario scout for OHL Central Scouting.
Meantime, the U16 Nickel Capitals are being well developed and coached by the 34-year old Cheechoo. Originally from Moose Factory, Ont., Cheechoo himself is a graduate of the Nickel Capitals program. He went on to play in 240 career games as a hard working right winger with Sudbury teams in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and had stints in both the Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Major Jr. Hockey League.
Of note, both the Nickel Capitals and the North Bay Trappers ice under 16 and under 18 teams in the Great North while the Soo is represented by just its under 18 squad.
The U16 Nickel Capitals are currently in Whitby, Ont. taking part in the prestigious International Silver Stick Tournament.
