Here ‘n there in the NOJHL
Fresh from a Christmas holiday break, the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is set for a resumption in play as the calendar year readies to flip from 2024 to 2025.
… Led by homegrown head coach Jeremy Rebek, the Soo Eagles will begin the 2025 portion of the NOJHL season in third place with 42 points from a record of 20-6-2. The Eagles went an impressive 12-0-1 in 13 games leading up to the Christmas break. Rebek, along with his first year coaching staff of fellow Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario residents Joe Miller, Kelsey Wilson, Donnie Bruni and Blake Speershave earned extensive praise from Eagles president and general manager Bruno Bragagnolo for the work they have done thus far in this ’24-25 NOJHL season …
… Blind River Beavers, coached by seasoned veteran — and one of the best in the business — Kyle Brick, are tied with the Eagles for third place with 42 points. But the Eagles hold two games in hand on the boys from Blind River …
… Soo Thunderbirds are struggling with a 13-16-2 record and are in seventh place among the 12 teams of the NOJHL. The Thunderbirds went just 2-7-1 in their 10 games before the Christmas holiday break. It is worth noting that the Thunderbirds have never finished with a record below the .500 mark since entering the NOJHL in 1999. That being said, the Thunderbirds are well coached by Jamie Henderson so don’t be surprised if they manage to turn it around in the New Year …
… Reigning champion Sudbury Cubs have won 13 straight games and take a record of 27-2-2 for 56 points into the 2025 segment of the season. Leading the way for Sudbury — and leading the entire NOJHL as a matter of fact — is pint size forward Lucas Signoretti. Signoretti leads the NOJHL in scoring with 34 goals, 31 assists, 65 points in 31 games … Over the course of his NOJHL career which includes time with both Sudbury and the Espanola Paper Kings, the 5 foot 6, 168 point Signoretti has 120 goals, 141 assists, 261 points in 121 regular season games. The 20 year old puck whiz also has eight goals, nine assists, 17 points in 12 career playoff outings …
… As of now, it figures to be quite the race for the eighth and final spot in the NOJHL between the Iroquois Falls Storm, French River Rapids and Espanola Paper Kings. What will decide the last playoff spot? It probably begins with coaching and French River and Espanola have two NOJHL vets back of the bench in Paul Frustaglio and Jason Rapcewicz, respectively.
… In a league with high end goalies aplenty some of the best are Dryden Riley of the Timmins Rock, Connor Dunham-Fox of the Blind River Beavers, Jace Knoerle of the Soo Eagles and Alexandre Boivin of the Hearst Lumberjacks.