Jack is back in Espanola net
Goalie Jack Helkie is set to return to the Espanola Paper Kings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for a second season, as Hockey News North was first to report. And Paper Kings goalie coach Bill Vanderleest is happy to have his 2006 birth year pupil back in the Espanola net.
The venerable Vanderleest, who is about to enter his third season as the goalie coach in Espanola after spending the previous several years in a similar role with the Soo Eagles of the NOJHL, noted the potential in Helkie.
“I am happy to see Jack back with us for the upcoming season,” Vanderleest relayed to Hockey News North. “As a very young goalie he showed a lot of potential in his play last season that we can build on for this coming season.
“He works hard to improve every practice. In addition to that, Jack is well liked by his teammates and a leader in the dressing room,” Vanderleest added in further praise of Helkie.
The 6 foot 3 Helkie, who hails from Aurora, Ontario, had a record of 7-10-1 in ’24-25 with a 4.64 goals against average and .880 save percentage as an NOJHL rookie with the Paper Kings.
Coached by team owner Jason Rapcewicz, the small market Paper Kings just missed the NOJHL playoffs in ’24-25 with 46 points from a record of 21-27-4. In finishing in ninth place in ’24-25, Espanola was a mere two points back of the eighth place Iroquois Falls Storm and only three points behind the seventh seed Powassan Voodoos.
