Lights are on up North

It may not be a perfect junior hockey league. But is there any such thing as a perfect junior hockey league? The answer to that question is rather obvious. Just as it is obvious to a seasoned writer that the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has a lot going for it in so many ways, shapes and forms.

HEAD HONCHO: Rob Mazzuca is well known as the long serving commissioner of the NOJHL. With deep Northern Ontario roots, Mazzuca has been the league’s commander in chief since 2011 and has overseen a growth in teams from seven to its current 12. The no nonsense Mazzuca also serves as the board chair for the Canadian Jr. Hockey League.

Notably, during his playing days, Mazzuca was no slouch as a standout defenceman who was a first round pick (11th overall) of the Sudbury Wolves at the 1979 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft. Of note, Mark Hunter who is now the part owner and general manager of the wildly successful London Knights, was the first overall pick at that 1979 OHL draft. A bruising right winger, Hunter went to the erstwhile Brantford Alexanders with the No. 1 pick.

As for Mazzuca, who hails from the Greater Sudbury community of Capreol, he would play three full seasons for the Wolves from 1979 through 1982. A natural leader, Mazzuca was team captain during his final OHL season with the Wolves, which was the ’81-82 campaign. Of note, the general manager and coach of that ’81-’82 Wolves team, Joe Drago, would later become commissioner of the NOJHL.

Solidly built at 5 foot 10, 190 pounds, Mazzuca suited up for 188 regular season games for his hometown Wolves. And from his defence position — and never playing for a Wolves team that had a winning record — Mazzuca totaled 32 goals, 102 assists, 134 points while racking up 423 minutes in penalties as a smart, skilled, hard rock defender.

To be sure, Mazzuca has brought the leadership and smarts that he showed as a standout OHL player to his longstanding position as commissioner of the NOJHL. There are those who say that Mazzuca goes overboard when it comes to issuing fines and suspensions. But as Mazzuca has been known to often say: “Follow the rules and you won’t get fined or suspended.”

AMERICAN EAGLES: He may have equals. But it says here that there is no better junior A hockey operator in this day and age than the time honoured Bruno Bragagnolo of the NOJHL’s only American franchise, the Michigan-based Soo Eagles.

Bragagnolo, who has been with the Eagles since 2010 as president, general manager and a coach, not only oversees a top notch hockey operation but leads the business side while running the concession and food stand at the team’s home arena, the venerable Pullar Stadium. This guy is literally the chief cook and bottle washer for the Eagles.

Bragagnolo is also a damn good hockey guy and has helped well over 100 Eagle players get National Collegiate Athletic Association and American Collegiate Hockey Association commitments and scholarships over the years.

Also, it was during the 2010-2011 season when Bragagnolo was the head coach and general manager, that the Eagles won the NOJHL championship.

SOLID AS A ROCK: Year in and year out with Ted Gooch at the helm as the president, the Timmins Rock leads the NOJHL in attendance. Timmins is a well run, well led NOJHL franchise that is well supported and well respected.

And the Rock also has one of the league’s top hockey leaders in Brandon Perry. In three seasons prior to this one as the head coach and general manager in Timmins, Perry piloted the Rock to successive regular season records of 33-8-7, 45-8-5 and 41-15-2 and one league championship.

SMALL TOWN HEROES: The combined population of Espanola, Blind River and French River is just over 10,000 residents. Yet the three towns have become mainstay NOJHL franchises while dealing with the financial challenges of being the epitome of a small town operation.

Jason Rapcewicz leads the Espanola Paper Kings as president and head coach. Rapcewicz has good people in his circle in both hockey and non hockey capacities and he runs a good program as evidenced by the fact he and his general manager, Marc Gagnon, are able to attract high end, out of town and out of province players to Espanola year in and year out. And, mixed with considerable northern Ontario talent, Espanola is able to ice playoff teams season in and season out.

Meanwhile, in Blind River, team president Robert Morningstar leads the franchise off the ice and Kyle Brick has been the mainstay head coach and general manager of the Beavers since 2016. And get this — since Brick has been the hockey boss in Blind River, the Beavers have never had a losing season.

Over in French River, which is the smallest of the small NOJHL franchises, Paul Frustaglio operates a program that puts player development ahead of winning records. And Frustaglio, as the capo, general manager and head coach of the Franch River Rapids, has helped send a number of players to the major junior and United States college hockey ranks. Among Frustaglio’s finds is Phillippe Daoust, a small size forward who moved on from French River to the Quebec Maritimes Jr. Hockey League to becoming a draft pick and current prospect of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League.

VIKINGS OF VALOUR: As they prepare to move back into their home rink, Centennial Arena, which has been closed for more than 14 months because of structural issues, the Elliot Lake Vikings nonetheless have become a story in perseverance and dedication thanks to second year operator Jef Jarmovitch.

A lesser individual might have taken a leave of absence from the league when their home rink was shut down. But Jarmovitch is a stand up guy and his efforts and unyielding support have resulted in Elliot Lake never forfeiting a single game in 14 plus months despite not having use if its home rink.

Props should also be extended to the many players who have remained committed to Elliot Lake in the wake of the arena issues of the past 14 months.

CUBS OVER WOLVES: While the so-called ‘new era’ Sudbury Wolves of the OHL do not even come close to winning championships, the neighbouring Sudbury Cubs of the NOJHL are reigning league champions — and looking to repeat.

And if that offends anyone associated with the OHL Wolves, then it must be true that the truth hurts. It is what it is with the OHL Wolves. Just as it is what it is with the NOJHL Cubs.