News…views…around the rinks
News and views pertaining to the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League and Lake Superior State University Lakers of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
WHAT ABOUT CORDEIRO?
The NOJHL has finalized its roster for the upcoming Eastern Canada Jr. A Challenge, which will be held November 16-18 in Cornwall.
Players were selected by the Team NOJHL hockey staff led by director of operations Mike Mooney (Rayside-Balfour Canadians), assistant director of operations Kevin Cain (Soo Thunderbirds), head coach Nathan Hewitt (Elliot Lake Wildcats) and assistant coaches Jason Young (Rayside-Balfour) and Scott Wray (Powassan Voodoos.)
Team NOJHL posted its best-ever finish at last year’s tournament by making it to the semi-finals.
Joining the NOJHL in Cornwall this time around will be all-star squads from the Central Canada Hockey League, the Ontario Jr. Hockey League, the Quebec Jr. Hockey League and the Maritime Hockey League, which will be making its inaugural appearance.
I like the way the roster was constructed to not only feature veterans and rookies and those with impressive stats but to also include all-around players who combine skill and character such as forwards Jaren Bellini of the Soo and Alec MacKenzie of Elliot Lake.
But I have to wonder about the absence of Cochrane Crunch gunslinger Dustin Cordeiro, who scored 62 goals in 2014-2015 and has 20 in 18 games thus far in 2015-2016.
HOUNDING HALVERSON
Soo Greyhounds goalie Brandon Halverson was the target of a few boo birds during last spring’s Western Conference playoff upset at the hands of the Erie Otters.
And Halverson has once again become a topic of conversation for what has not been good about the Hounds thus far this OHL season.
A second-round pick of the New York Rangers at the 2014 National Hockey League draft, Halverson is off to a sluggish start to the 2015-2016 campaign with a 3-5 record, 3.87 goals against average and .880 save percentage.
And Halverson didn’t endear himself to Soo fans in his most-recent outing, a 6-0 home-ice loss to the London Knights in which the 1996 birth-year goalie was tagged for — in the words of Hounds head coach Drew Bannister — “three, maybe four, soft goals.”
LAKERS LAPSE
After scoring earlier wins this season against the Northern Michigan Wildcats and Michigan State Spartans, the Lake Superior State Lakers came up empty with a pair of maddening home-ice losses to the Alabama Huntsville Chargers last weekend.
In the series opener, the Lakers gave up a 4-2 third-period lead and lost 5-4 in overtime.
Then, in the weekend finale, the Lakers out-shot Alabama Huntsville 31-19 and despite directing 10 shots on goal on two separate power-play opportunities, lost 5-0 to the visitors.
Appearing as a guest on Monday’s Laker Hockey Show on radio station ESPN 1400, head coach Damon Whitten sounded perplexed as to how his team lost both games.
And while not singling out any one player, Whitten did mention to Laker Hockey Show host Bill Crawford that more than one upper-classmen could be in danger of losing his lineup spot.
To be sure, the Lakers remain a work in progress under second-year coach Whitten, as evidenced by the fact that the majority of the players logging regular ice time thus far this season have been freshmen and sophomores.
With an overall record of 2-6 (0-2 in the WCHA) so far, the Lakers head out on the road to play the Bowling Green Falcons this weekend.
Randy: I know in the past there were restrictions on the total number of 20 year olds you can have on your roster. As far as other 20 year olds being selected over Cordeiro, well it would be interesting to hear comments from the selection committee.
Fanman,
Kevin Cain from the selection committee will guest with me tonight on the Hockey North Show, which airs from 6-7 p.m. on ESPN 1400 Radio. stream.1400espn.net
Something Stinks here. I am not a Cochrane fan but with that many Goals the Cordeiro kid should be on the NOJHL All Star Team. Something does not ad up. The kid can score from just about any wheres on the ice.
Dear NOJHL Selection Committee:
How the F–K Corderro get left off this team???!!!
Are you guys for F——G real???!!!
you guys are forgetting that’s it’s a PROSPECTS tournament not an all star game.
20 people could pick 20 different teams, relax
Cordeiro, Stortz and all will get their shot at a D3; just not thru this avenue.
Yes, absence of Cordiero , is a head scratcher, as is Grosse on the point from Powassan, from my stand point.
But as in every all star type team ever assembled in every league, there will always be players that, at least on paper, deserve to be there.
It’s ultimately a tough decision, regarding final personnel.
Cheers