Mid October in the NOJHL
Let us go here and there and just about everywhere a month into the ’25-26 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League regular season.
SEVEN UP: Parity is evident in the early going of the NOJHL schedule as no less than seven of the 11 teams are above the .500 mark — Hearst Lumberjacks, Powassan Voodoos, Espanola Paper Kings, Soo Thunderbirds, TImmins Rock, Sudbury Cubs and Iroquois Falls Storm.
FOUR DEEP: Having said that, there is very little to choose from among the bottom four teams of the NOJHL — Kirkland Lake Gold Miners, Blind River Beavers, Soo Eagles and French River Rapids. And it says here to not count any of them out of the eighth and final playoff spot and finishing higher in the standings. Hey, we are only in the middle of October, right? There are still many months to go. And without question, Blind River, the Eagles and French River all have well established coaches who have experienced forms of NOJHL success over time.
NET WORTH: Among the many goalies who are playing way better than average thus far are Nathan Maguire of the Soo Thunderbirds, 2009 birth year rookies Ayden Mullen of the Timmins Rock and Cole Vreugdenhil of the Powassan Voodoos and the Espanola Paper Kings dandy duo of Jack Helkie and Logan Vale.
YOUNG BLOOD: As it has for a number of years now, the NOJHL continues to be a good landing spot for developing Ontario Hockey League draft picks. Of the many who are developing in fine form this season are a skilled trio of 2009 birth year forwards who were taken at the 2025 OHL priority selections draft from the Northern Ontario Hockey Association — Adam Pszeniczny of the Soo Thunderbirds, Owen Smith of the Espanola Paper Kings and Ty Dubreuil of the Sudbury Cubs. In ’24-25, Pszeniczny skated for the Soo Under 16 Jr. Greyhounds opposite Smith and Dubreuil, who were both teammates with the North Bay Under 16 Trappers. All three subsequently became 2025 OHL draft picks — Pszeniczny (eighth round) by the Owen Sound Attack, Smith (11th round) by the North Bay Battalion and Dubreuil (14th round) by the Windsor Spitfires.