Several Rayside-Balfour signings
Utilizing the venue of one of its sponsors, the Rayside-Balfour Canadians inked seven players to Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League cards on Saturday.
At a matinee gathering at the Horse Tavern in the Rayside-Balfour community of Chelmsford, the Canadians used the popular establishment to announce the signing of four veterans and three rookies.
Players returning to the fold of the erstwhile Sudbury Nickel Barons — now known as the aforementioned Rayside-Balfour Canadians — include defencemen Kyle Fransen, Brett Whitehead and Ryan Mooney and forward Dan Lepage.
Fransen was born in 1995, Whitehead and Mooney both have 1998 birth dates and Lepage was born in 1996.
All were high-end players on the NOJHL squad that won 31 of 52 regular-season games in 2014-2015 before losing in the first round of the playoffs.
“We also have some more returning players that will be signed to cards in August,” Canadians coach Jason Young told HockeyNewsNorth.com.
Meanwhile, the all-new Rayside-Balfour squad has also signed three rookie skaters.
Signing up to play for the Canadians in 2015-2016 are forwards Eric Paquette and Cayse Ton and defenceman Logan Lefebvre.
All three starred in the Great North Midget Hockey League in 2014-2015 — Paquette with the Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves, Lefebvre with the Nickel City Sons and Ton with the regular-season champion New Liskeard Cubs.
Despite being one of the youngest players in the GNMHL, Ton finished fourth in the league in scoring during the 2014-2015 regular season with 33 goals, 30 assists, 63 points in 36 games. He then added 3 goals, 3 assists, 6 points in 7 playoff outings and was selected by the Owen Sound Attack in the 11th round of this year’s Ontario Hockey League draft.
Ton was born in 1999, Lefebvre in 1998 and Paquette in 1997.
Meanwhile, Coach Young noted that there are many positives associated with the team’s move to nearby Rayside-Balfour for the 2015-2016 season.
“We are really happy to be playing in the Chelmsford Arena and to bring back the franchise to the town of Rayside-Balfour. We are already receiving tremendous support from the local merchants in Rayside-Balfour and the people here are very excited for the start of the season,” said Young.
PHOTO: From left to right — Cayse Ton, Kyle Fransen, Dan Lepage, Lou Laberge (owner of the Horse Tavern), Eric Paquette, Brett Whitehead, Logan Lefebvre and Ryan Mooney.
Good article and this is good Info. as well about the team and there move to Rayside.
The rink in Chelmsford just got fixed up with a lot of rennos and I do know that there are quite a bit of Fans out there that are happy there is Junior Hockey that is returning to the old barn.
Young is a good Coach and with so many Local kids good Local players to draw from there should be the fan support in Rayside that they never got in Copper Cliff.
Hey! the “Horse Tavern” — nice clean place with good food and “cold ones’
Good article R.R.
the Ton kid will be a great signing for Rayside I predict he scores 20 Goals as a Rookie. He aint that big but he is fast and he can put the puck in the net. He kinds reminds me of Stevie Sullivan.
I had heard that Timmins wanted Ton to go play there so this is a steal for Rayside that is for sure. I cant wait to see this guy when Rayside come up here to play the Gold Miners and the other NEast Teams.
The old Crazy Horse Tavern AKA the University of Chelmsford ….. LOVE THAT PLACE!!
Peachy go Horse to sing Kerry O Kee n suck back cupple a Bud Wiser
ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Also exciting news! Rumour has it the Voodoos have acquired all star goalie Joel Hordejuk! I remember him from the 2012 Dudley Hewitt an amazing goaltender!
Nice job. Lefevre family is from Mattawa originally. Could have been a perfect fit it the team stayed. Good luck everyone!
There is a lot of talk about the Canadians coming back to Town as I have mentioned before. Great to read about these signings and that there are sponsers like the ‘Horse’ on board.
Some great signIngs. The teams that get out there and sell their programs will be the ones that benefit in the standings. Some teams that think they can sit back and wait for them to come……..with a 12 team league I would think a summer sitting on the dock is going to cost you.
Ton is a heck of a little player according to a friend from up Liskeard way.