Sault crew for EPK, ELV
They are among the true blue hockey people who have the game in their blood — and who are getting ready for another season of duty. And these three well known, albeit low key, Sault Ste. Marie residents keep their lifelong hockey fix active by working for out of town junior teams.
Ageless wonders Bill Vanderleest and Charly Murray are with the Espanola Paper Kings while Michael Gagnon is with the Elliot Lake Vikings. Vanderleest and Murray are in their 70s while Gagnon is in his early 40s. Espanola and Elliot Lake are nearby rivals and members of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
The tireless Vanderleest will again this coming season make regular commutes from his Sault Ste. Marie home to Espanola, where he is the goalie coach and an assistant for the Paper Kings. Murray, meanwhile, will scout players from the north region for Espanola while Gagnon will continue to do the same for Elliot Lake.
The ’24-25 NOJHL season will be Vanderleest’s second with Espanola after a decade as the goalie coach for the Soo Eagles. As for Murray, this will be his first season scouting for Espanola after decades of similar service with current NOJHL teams such as the Blind River Beavers, Soo Thunderbirds and the aforementioned Soo Eagles. Gagnon, meanwhile, is entering his second season with Elliot Lake.
They are guys who do what they do for the love of the game and for little or no financial reward. Vanderleest. Murray. Gagnon. They are junior hockey staples. And NOJHL teams like Espanola and Elliot Lake are happy to have them on board. Just ask the owners.