T-Birds go back 25 years

The modern version of the Soo Thunderbirds first hit the ice as initiate members of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League back in 1999.

With the urging and encouragement of then NOJHL commissioner Joe Drago, Sault Ste. Marie businessman Sam Biasucci headed a group of fellow local investors and the Thunderbirds were among the first tenants at John Rhodes Community Centre.

Biasucci insisted that the Thunderbirds be made up of an entire roster of local products for that debut season of 1999-2000. And while a few imports would make their way to Sault Ste. Marie over the next four seasons when Jim Capy took over from Bart Jarrett as the head coach, the Thunderbirds would maintain the local content of players at about 85 to 90 percent.

From Biasucci as the original founder the Thunderbirds then went on to a succession of fellow local operators. That list of local leaders included Pat Egan and Al Jones to JoAnne Brooks and Albert Giommi to Darren Smyl. It was Smyl who rescued the franchise from folding in 2017, assuming control from a company known as the The Tech 1921 Ltd. Smyl then sold the Thunderbirds to current owners Cole Jarrett and Trevor Daley in 2021.

To be sure, former general managers and coaches such as Steve Graves, Al Jones, Kevin Cain, Trev Zachary, Bart Jarrett, Jim Capy, Toots Kovacs, Pat Carricato, Sean Gagnon, Preston Mizzi, Jordan Smith, John Parco and Denny Lambert all carried on the tradition of developing homegrown talent. Of note, Capy was instrumental and influential in helping no less than 16 of his players — many of them Sault Ste. Marie boys — to get Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association scholarships during his four seasons as head coach and general manager of the Thunderbirds.

While developing local talent has long been a priority — more so some years than others — the Thunderbirds have also had championship success as a high end NOJHL franchise. No less than five Thunderbird teams have skated to NOJHL titles — in 2009, 2012, 2015, 2016 and as recently as 2022. Notably, Thunderbird teams have never had a losing season since first becoming members of the NOJHL 25 years ago.

The current ’24-25 edition of the Thunderbirds again has a decent local flavour led by the aforementioned Cole Jarrett as both part owner and head coach. Jarrett heads an all local staff that includes general manager and associate coach Jamie Henderson, assistant coaches Laine Bertin and Micky Sartoretto, goalie coach Brian Kent and assistant general manager Cole Clouthier.

Meanwhile, of the 24 players to begin the ’24-25 NOJHL season with the Thunderbirds, 13 of them are local products. They include forwards Harley Wardell, Callum McAuley, Jacob Smith, Lucas DiBerardino, Griffen Albert, Sebastien dos Reis, Camden Cowan, Aiden Atkinson and James Elliott, defensemen Bryan Fenlon, Gage Evans and Tyler Neveau and goalie Noah Metivier.

This marks the fourth season for the current ownership group of the Thunderbirds that began with a championship campaign of ’21-22. The playoff run of 2022 was highlighted by a thrilling NOJHL final in which the Thunderbirds overcame a three games to none deficit to win the next four and stun the Hearst Lumberjacks.

The Thunderbirds made it to the NOJHL championship series again in 2023. They had a two games to one lead on Timmins before the Rock fought back to take the next three, including the series clincher in Sault Ste. Marie.

Another good run for the Thunderbirds ended in the spring of 2024 when the Soo lost to the eventual NOJHL champion Sudbury Cubs in the West Division finals.

And now, into ’24-25, the Thunderbirds are in their 25th season as members of the NOJHL.