Saginaw to Flint
This should add even more fuel to the Interstate 75 highway rivalry between the Flint Firebirds and Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League.
That is, after one season as associate coach with Saginaw in 2019-2020, Jared Nightingale is taking a short trip a few exits down I-75 to become an assistant coach in Flint.
…[read more]Ex-OHL star in Espanola
Joey Talbot, a former high scoring right winger with the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League and part of their 1999 Memorial Cup championship team, has joined the Espanola Express of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League as an assistant coach/skills development coach.
The 41-year old Talbot later had a productive pro career, including four standout seasons with the legendary Sheffield Steelers of the British Elite Ice Hockey League.
…[read more]Riley is back on the Rock
Hustle bustle crowd favourite Riley Brousseau has signed up to return to the Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for the 2021-2022 season, Hockey News North has confirmed.
A local Timmins lad, the 2001 birth year forward opted to sit out the 2019-2020 NOJHL season.
…[read more]New coach in Espanola
Espanola Express of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is keeping it in house. That is, the Express has filled its vacant head coach position with a familiar name.
…[read more]Fellinger falls to Hounds
Wawa, Ontario native Austin Fellinger has become the Ontario Hockey League property of the Soo Greyhounds.
…[read more]OHL still high on Soo boys
For the third year in succession a player from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. has been picked within the first three rounds of the Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Toms signs with Hounds
It is the next step in development.
Local lad Connor Toms is moving up from the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]New coach for Flint
A new bench boss is in place for the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League.
Ted Dent has been named head coach of the Firebirds.
The 51-year old Dent replaces Eric Wellwood, who recently resigned his position with the Michigan-based OHL team.
…[read more]Victoria to Elliot Lake
Dayton Clarke will head from west to east to continue his junior hockey journey.
The Victoria, British Columbia product has signed with the new Elliot Lake Red Wings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]Espanola to Vermilion County
Vermilion County Bobcats of the Southern Professional Hockey League have officially confirmed the former bench boss of the Espanola Express of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League as the first head coach in franchise history.
Brent Hughes leaves Espanola and the NOJHL after coaching the Express to a 5-4-3 record in 12 games during the abbreviated 2020-2021 season.
…[read more]Ritchie opts for Sault College
Sault Ste. Marie product Jordan Ritchie is planning to forgo his final season of Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League eligibility. The 2001 birth year defenseman will stay in the game but also go to school.
…[read more]Rock adds homegrown lad
Brandon Perry has made a good first move as the new coach and general manager of the Timmins Rock. Perry has confirmed to Hockey News North that the Rock has obtained homegrown defenseman Cameron Dutkiewicz in a Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League trade with the Soo Thunderbirds.
…[read more]Smyl is Alberta bound
“It’s a pleasure just to be Alberta bound … I long to see my next of kin … Alberta bound … it’s good to be Alberta bound …” — from the song Alberta Bound by legendary Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot.
High performance forward Cooper Smyl is moving on from the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to the Whitecourt Wolverines of the Alberta Jr. Hockey League, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]Birds commit to rookie flock
Soo Thunderbirds general manager Jamie Henderson has confirmed the commitments of several rookie players ahead of the 2021-2022 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season.
Included in the flock are top performers from both the Soo Jr. Greyhounds and Kapuskasing Flyers of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League.
…[read more]RBC banks three locals
Rayside Balfour Canadians of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have stayed local by committing to three forwards from the Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League ahead of the 2021-2022 season.
…[read more]New recruit to Sault College
He played two full seasons as a steady defender with the Timmins Majors of the Great North Midget Hockey League. And he suited up for 16 games as a rookie for the Cochrane Crunch during the abbreviated 2020-2021 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season.
With that behind him, 2002 birth year defenseman Keaston (Sticks) Blais now has his sights set on attending Sault College in the fall and playing for the hockey Cougars.
…[read more]Fuel for the NOJHL rivalries
Combat. Competition. Conflict. Confrontation. Contention.
Five words that are synonyms for rivalry.
And it is rivalry that fuels the healthy warfare between the nearby teams that comprise the 12-member Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Standing tall in Cochrane
He is a big one. And a good one.
Michael Nickolau was a huge presence in the net for the Cochrane Crunch during the abbreviated 2020-2021 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season.
…[read more]Bosses on the job in Hearst
Given that both the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons did not end in completion relative to COVID-19, the Hearst Lumberjacks remain as the reigning champions heading into the 2021-2022 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season.
Hearst won the 2018-2019 NOJHL title when the visiting Lumberjacks upset the heavily favoured Soo Thunderbirds in the seventh and deciding game of the league championship series.
…[read more]Reopening in Elliot Lake
Junior hockey has had a presence in Elliot Lake since 1965, beginning with the old Jr. B Vikings.
And since 1997 there have been the Elliot Lake Ice, Elliot Lake Bobcats and Elliot Lake Wildcats of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. (The Bobcats were also part of the Greater Metro Jr. Hockey League.)
Now, after the Wildcats took a leave of absence from the NOJHL in 2020-2021, the franchise was recently rebranded as the Elliot Lake Red Wings with new operator, new general manager and new coaching staff in place ahead of the 2021-2022 season.
…[read more]Coaching vacancy in Espanola
Brent Hughes is moving on from the Espanola Express of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League as its head coach after one season on the job, Hockey News North has learned.
…[read more]Chairman Mazzuca, take a bow
Score one for the north.
The Canadian Jr. Hockey League has confirmed its executive committee for the 2021-2022 season and Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League commissioner Rob Mazzuca will have a commanding role.
Mazzuca has been appointed the CJHL’s chairman of the board for the upcoming campaign.
Raffi Torres to Elliot Lake
A former star winger who was an impact player in the Ontario Hockey League before going on to play in more than 700 National Hockey League games will assist the new Elliot Lake Red Wings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League as a mentor.
…[read more]Big M, Duff, Leafs, Habs, Dad
It may be the most talked about opening round playoff series in many years.
Original Six, National Hockey League fabled foes, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens are facing off in a best of seven playoff for the first time since 1979.
…[read more]Branch resigns as Flint GM
A widely respected person who led the Flint Firebirds to their best season in franchise history has stepped down as general manager of the Ontario Hockey League team.
Affable Barclay Branch, who orchestrated a three year rebuild in Flint that resulted in a 40-21-2 record for the Firebirds during a 2019-2020 season that was shortened by COVID-19, confirmed his resignation today to Hockey News North.
…[read more]Soo crew in the Bird house
It is like getting the house in order.
Seven homegrown skaters have confirmed their intention to return to the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for the 2021-2022 season.
Meanwhile, sources have told Hockey News North that the Thunderbirds have agreed in principle to acquire two more local lads via the trade route and are prepared to sign a number of players from the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League.
…[read more]Crunch adds to hockey staff
It is Crunch time up in Cochrane.
President and coach Tom Nickolau has hired a general manager and an assistant GM to bolster the staff of the Cochrane Crunch of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
The 55-year old Nickolau purchased the Cochrane franchise a year ago and steered it through 21 games of a 2020-2021 NOJHL season that was abbreviated relative to COVID-19.
…[read more]1986 Memorial Cup champs
It was 35 years ago this weekend that the Guelph Platers won the coveted Memorial Cup championship as the best team in Canadian major junior hockey.
Suffice to say that the Platers took the Ontario Hockey League by surprise during the 1985-1986 season.
The Platers had missed the playoffs in each of their first three seasons in the OHL. Starting out as an expansion team in 1982, the Platers posted successive records of 7-63-0, 20-46-4 and 21-40-5.
…[read more]Hounds missed on Matier
This one lies squarely on Soo Greyhounds general manager Kyle Raftis.
That is, the Greyhounds had a chance to choose local product and future world class gold medal winner Jack Matier in the first round of the 2019 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft only to — for whatever reason — opt for another defenseman.
…[read more]Ten of the best of the North
As we venture to take an early glance ahead of the 2021-2022 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season here is a Hockey News North look at 10 probable returnees who loom as impact players.
…[read more]North winds of change
A late spring breeze has altered the makeup of four of the 12 teams that have membership within the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
From east to west, north winds of change have blown through Timmins, Powassan, Elliot Lake and Sault Ste. Marie within the past few weeks.
Will there be more to come?
…[read more]Local lad lands in Elliot Lake
On the job ahead of the 2021-2022 season are the all new Elliot Lake Red Wings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
And sources with knowledge of the situation have told Hockey News North that the Red Wings are poised to make a home grown Elliot Lake product one of their first acquisitions.
…[read more]Rekindling the BR-EL rivalry
This is an age old tug-of-war that I am so looking forward to writing up again.
That is, the rabid, often rowdy rivalry between the gritty, nearby junior hockey towns of Blind River and Elliot Lake is poised to be rekindled.
…[read more]Cougars knock on Wood
Graduated Soo Thunderbirds forward Caleb Wood is moving on to skate for the Sault College Cougars of the Division 2, American Collegiate Hockey Association for the planned 2021-2022 season.
…[read more]Birds returning to nest
A flock of Birds is intent on once again tapping sticks on the frozen pond of Sault Ste. Marie.
That is, seven local products and a fellow northeastern Ontario lad are among the skaters who have affirmed their return to the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for the 2021-2022 season, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]Staffing the Red Wings
The hockey department of the new Elliot Lake Red Wings is taking shape. Rebranded from the erstwhile Elliot Lake Wildcats, the Red Wings are adding on to their staff in advance of the 2021-2022 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season.
…[read more]Henderson is on the jobs
His zeal and zest for the game are clear and pronounced.
Talk hockey with him and chances are the conversation will be a long-lasting, long-winded one.
And not only has Jamie Henderson signed up for another term as head coach of the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League for next season but he was recently hired as the new general manager for the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Malek is heading home
Soo Thunderbirds graduated forward Andrew Malek is returning to his home state to play Division 3, National Collegiate Athletic Association hockey for the Concordia University of Wisconsin Falcons.
…[read more]May days of junior hockey
Junior A level hockey leagues across Canada are closed for registry business until June 1.
Which, as an example, means that teams in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League can’t officially announce any new player transactions until June 1.
But, as they should be, NOJHL coaches and general managers will no doubt be busy throughout the month of May working on potential player recruitment and trades ahead of June 1.
…[read more]Smyl explains Bird exchange
Local businessman Darren Smyl said he was not looking to sell the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
But Smyl, who had rescued the Thunderbirds from the verge of folding in 2017, said once he was approached by Trevor Daley and Cole Jarrett about buying the local NOJHL team, a deal gradually came into being.
…[read more]New operators for T-Birds
Two friends with prime time backgrounds have teamed up to take over the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
Good citizens Cole Jarrett and Trevor Daley have obtained operational control of the Thunderbirds from local businessman Darren Smyl, Hockey News North has confirmed.
Smyl had presided over the Thunderbirds since 2017.
…[read more]Perry is solid as a Rock
Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has stayed local in hiring hard driven, hard working Brandon Perry as its new coach and general manager, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]KL makes a Smart move
Coach-general manager Kyle Smart is returning to the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for the 2021-2022 season.
…[read more]Tech extends Joe Shawhan
Sault Ste. Marie native Joe Shawhan has signed a three year extension to carry on as head coach of the Michigan Tech Huskies of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
…[read more]SMHA coaches for ’21-22
Hockey News North has confirmed a number of the coaches who will lead Sault Major Hockey Association teams for the 2021-2022 season. The list of coaches is as follows.
…[read more]Rat puke and Wolves
They had their share of good players and character individuals, including two standouts who became high draft picks to the National Hockey League and 11 others who would go on to play at the minor pro and/or European pro levels.
But for whatever reason, the Sudbury Wolves of 1983-1984 would finish in last place overall with a record of 19-50-1 in what was a 15-team Ontario Hockey League back then.
And it didn’t help that the underachieving Wolves of 1983-1984 were coached by a rude, crude dude who would routinely tell his players “you are all rat puke” when he was dissatisfied with their play.
…[read more]Love the all Canadian division
I have often wished that the National Hockey League would re-align and have an Original Six division of the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers.
And while that has not happened — and likely never will — restrictions on travel relative to COVID-19 has created, temporarily at least, the formation of an all Canadian division of Montreal, Toronto, the Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks and Ottawa Senators.
I am loving the set up.
…[read more]Loss of an OHL season
Could the Ontario Hockey League have done more to start the 2020-2021 season back in November when COVID-19 cases were relatively low?
Did the OHL do wrong to its players when continuing to insist it was “not interested in playing games without fans in attendance” like other leagues were doing?
…[read more]Fedorov assisting Soo Eagles
Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have added a full time skills and development coach to their staff, Hockey News North has confirmed.
He is 39-year old Fedor Fedorov, who starred in the Ontario Hockey League as a high scoring forward with the Sudbury Wolves during the 2000-2001 campaign before playing 18 games in the National Hockey League and multiple seasons in the American Hockey League prior to a nine-year career in the Russian-based Kontinental Hockey League.
…[read more]