NOJHL czar was OHL star


By
January 31, 2025

He is tried, tested and true to his northern Ontario roots. Over time, he has gone from star player in the major junior ranks to a long serving commissioner of a reputable junior A hockey league. And Rob Mazzuca has done so by staying close to home.

To be sure, Mazzuca is well known as the time tested commissioner of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. How long? Well, Mazzuca has been the league’s commander in chief since 2011.

And 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 Brantford Alexanders with the No. 1 pick, just ahead of defenceman Dirk Rueter, who was drafted second overall by the Soo Greyhounds.

Rob Mazzuca and Joe Drago, during their days with the OHL Sudbury Wolves. Both would go on to become commissioners of the NOJHL.

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 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 who feared absolutely no one.

Mazzuca graduated from the Wolves following the ’81-82 OHL season to attend university and play hockey in Atlantic Canada. But in a shrewd move, Sam McMaster, who was general manager of the Soo Greyhounds at the time, added Mazzuca as a free agent late in the ’82-’83 season, following the completion of the university schedule.

As an overage player, Mazzuca got into seven regular season games with the Greyhounds and tallied three goals, two assists, five points. He then suited up for 16 playoff games and netted three goals, six assists, nine points as the Greyhounds made it to the OHL finals only to be swept by crackerjack head coach Paul Theriault — a Sault Ste. Marie native no less — and the Oshawa Generals.

The next season, Mazzuca headed back out east and eventually earned his university degree, before returning to the north and enter into the financial business world — and become a husband, father and grandfather.

A fiercely proud northerner through and through, Mazzuca has often said that he is proud to have played his entire OHL career for two teams of the north — Sudbury and the Soo. Just as he says he continues to be proud to head up the NOJHL and operate the league out of its Sudbury headquarters.

To some, it will always be a northern thing.


What you think about “NOJHL czar was OHL star”

  1. Yes he wore copperals. Vern Stenlund from the Knights once told me Mazzuca looked like a banana when we wore the yellow ones. I had to agree
    I don’t know what he pays you Randy but you are too kind to him.
    His head is big enough
    Hope all is great with you and your family
    Best wishes for 2025
    Your old friend
    Joe

  2. As solid as the Commish as he was as a player, the NOJHL progression to a much watched league by scouts is testament to that.

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