Sudbury Cubs are loading up
A well built team has become additionally reinforced. Sudbury Cubs of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have served further notice of championship intentions for this season.
The Cubs, who currently have the best overall record among the 12 teams of the NOJHL, have acquired two defenseman who have considerable major junior experience.
First up, the Cubs acquired 20-year-old homegrown defenceman Josh Kavanagh, who has played in 108 games in the OHL with the Barrie Colts and Peterborough Petes. The 6 foot, 190 pound, right hand shooting defender was originally drafted into the OHL by Peterborough in the fifth round of the 2019 OHL priority selections draft. He later played a key role for Barrie in its 13 game OHL playoff drive of last spring. He previously played in the NOJHL for the Espanola Paper Kings.
In a separate deal, Cubs general manager Dave Clancy obtained the NOJHL rights to 19 year old defenceman Mason Chitaroni. Chitaroni began the 2023-2024 season in the OHL with the Sudbury Wolves and recorded two assists and had a plus 4 rating in just three games.
The 6 foot, 180 pound Chitaroni skated in 34 games for the Acadie Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Major Jr. Hockey League last season. A former fifth round pick of the London Knights at the 2020 OHL priority selections draft, Chitaroni previously played in the NOJHL with both the Blind River Beavers and Soo Thunderbirds. Originally from Marathon, Ontario, Chitaroni played most of his AAA level minor hockey in Sault Ste. Marie.
Now, in joining the Cubs, Chitaroni will get to play with his younger brother Hudson Chitaroni, who is a high-scoring 16-year old rookie forward in the NOJHL. The younger Chitaroni is also a top prospect of the Wolves as a third round pick by Sudbury from the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League at the 2020 OHL priority selections draft.
The Cubs active roster now includes 12 OHL drafted players. And Cubs head coach Darryl Moxam is beyond thrilled to be adding Kavanagh and Chitaroni to Sudbury’s already powerful NOJHL roster.
“Adding two defencemen with the experience and character of Josh and Mason will compliment our current group and what they are trying to achieve perfectly,” noted Moxam. “They are both extremely good players on both sides of the puck and will help to provide additional leadership both on and off the ice.
“As good as they are as players, we are even more excited about what they bring as people,” Moxam continued in further praise of Kavanagh and Chitaroni. “As a staff, we have made a promise to our players that we would put character at the top of our list when looking at potential additions to our group and these two young men fit into our team culture perfectly.”
Meanwhile, Cubs owner Mark Burgess is letting it be known that his team is out to bring an NOJHL championship to Sudbury and will be looking to add more players as the season progresses.
Commenting on the prize acquisitions of Kavanagh and Chitaroni, Burgess relayed to Hockey News North that “we are not done yet.”
Just like the old Rayside Balfour days! As an opposing coach it was tough to see! What I do admire is their willingness to do what it takes to get over the top! If they weren’t the favorites already this certainly gets them there! I’m betting their not down yet!
I like their chances Sudbury is a deep team unlike Timmins this year that has struggled out of the gate and don’t have the near the depth as last years team and will go as far as their top line will bring them