T-Birds in very good company

By Randy Russon
November 17, 2016
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The reigning, two-time defending champion Soo Thunderbirds have company atop the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.

Not only are the Thunderbirds trailing the league-leading Powassan Voodoos in the 12-member loop but the Soo has keen competition from within the West Division.

On the West side, the Thunderbirds are neck-and-neck with the Rayside-Balfour Canadians for first place while the surging Blind River Beavers are within close range.

And while the fourth-place Soo Eagles have been hot and cold as they approach the midway point of the 2016-2017 schedule, the ever-improving Michiganders have taken three of five games from the Thunderbirds to date.

Still, the fact that the Thunderbirds are once again a contender is a credit to coach-general manager Jordan Smith and his staff.

In his first season in the dual role of coach and GM, Smith has gone outside Sault Ste. Marie to strengthen a team that still features a number of high-end local products, including leading scorers Matt Caruso, Mark Tassone, Zachary Senecal and Gage Stephney.

And while the fact that half of the Thunderbirds roster is comprised of out-of-town players may not sit well with some local observers, it’s a necessity that most NOJHL teams deal with as the league has become stronger while competing for talent with a host of similar junior level loops.

At any rate, if competition helps to enhance the level of play, the West Division of the NOJHL — in this case — is proof positive.

As previously noted, Rayside-Balfour is giving the Thunderbirds an even run for first place.

And former Thunderbirds assistant coach Kyle Brick has changed the culture in Blind River to the extent that the Beavers are a sudden contender after winning only 10 of 54 games in 2015-2016 and going winless — yes winless — in 56 outings in 2014-2015.

In his first season as head coach in Blind River, Brick has used close relationships and contacts to form a respected and credible hockey staff that includes assistant coach Dylan King, director of player personnel Craig MacDonald and senior advisor/director of scouting Charly Murray.

And to his credit, the venerable Murray, who has an association with junior hockey that spans five decades, called the Beavers revival in Blind River even before the 2016-2017 season had started.

“I think we are going to surprise a lot of people,” Murray said in early September. “I think the fans in Blind River are going to like the team that Kyle, Craig and the rest of us have put together. It’s a team that the good folks in Blind River are going to be proud of.”

True to the word of the Old Goat — as Murray is affectionately known to close friends in the hockey world — the Beavers have already won more games this season than the last two years combined and are well above the .500 mark as they approach the midway point of the 2016-2017 schedule.

While the Beavers do boast a number of players from the Sault Ste. Marie-North Shore area such as star forwards Max Khull and Caleb Serre, they have benefited from the scouting and recruiting of Brick, MacDonald, Murray et al to bring in talent from all over North America, including Toronto and Chicago.

Meanwhile, across the International Bridge in the Michigan Soo, even though the Eagles have spent much of the season below the .500 level, coaches Bruno Bragagnolo and Jim Capy have managed to coax three highly-entertaining wins in five outings from their cross-border rival Thunderbirds.

The Eagles have strengthened their goaltending with the recent addition of Kade Phipps and the team as a whole is benefitting from better defensive-zone coverage, according to Bragagnolo.

As the Thunderbirds seek a third straight NOJHL title and at least try to maintain their hold on the West Division, they have company knocking on the door.

Highly-competitive company.