Mauro is for the Birds
Justin Mauro’s junior A hockey career has come full circle. The 20-year old Mauro is now a member of his hometown Soo Thunderbirds after having played for four other junior A teams.
A five foot seven, 155 pound speedster with skill, the well travelled forward is back in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League with the Thunderbirds after being obtained from the Navan Grads of the Central Canada Hockey League in a cash transaction.
Mauro began his junior career in the NOJHL with the Blind River Beavers before playing for the Trenton Golden Hawks and Markham Royals of the Ontario Jr. Hockey League and then Navan of the CCHL. He was also an Ontario Hockey League draft pick of the Erie Otters back in 2018.
Mauro played in 112 NOJHL games over parts of three seasons in Blind River and tallied 29 goals, 63 assists, 92 points. He then spent the 2021-2022 season in the OJHL with Trenton and had 13 goals, 17 assists, 30 points in 52 games. Then came this 2022-2023 season where Mauro had two goals, four assists, six points in 14 games with Markham and scored once in eight outings with Navan before the trade back to the NOJHL and the Thunderbirds.
“It will be fun to play in front of my family and friends now that I am in my final year of junior hockey,” Mauro said of joining the Thunderbirds. “I remember Blind River versus the Soo was always a competitive and exciting game for me to be in. I am looking forward to being a part of that matchup again.”
Thunderbirds general manager and assistant coach Jamie Henderson, who coached Mauro in the Great North Under 18 Hockey League back during the 2017-2018 season, likes what the now 20-year old forward will add to the local NOJHL team.
“It is always great to have a player return home and we are excited to add Justin to our lineup,” said Henderson. “Justin has enjoyed a tremendous junior career thus far and will certainly add a lot of skill and speed to our lineup.”
Good to see Justin back.