Active, operative in NOJHL
It is aware of COVID-19 as an opponent. And that hasn’t prevented the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League from being in mindful overdrive as it and its member teams make provisions for the 2021-2022 season.
At the top, 11th year commissioner Rob Mazzuca is in his home office bunker on a regular basis, ministering what needs to be governed.
To be sure, from coaches affirming their return to new coaches being hired to due process being conducted on other business, the NOJHL and its teams are being anything but listless.
…[read more]June camp in Elliot Lake
Elliot Lake Red Wings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League are intent on getting a head start well in advance of the 2021-2022 season.
…[read more]Hockey North Show will return
Currently on hiatus relative to the Ontario government’s stay at home order, the Hockey North Show will return to radio station Eagle 95.1 once its host site, Reggie’s Place Downtown, re-opens for business. The stay at home order is slated to be lifted during the third week of May.
…[read more]Marc Lafleur to Powassan
He is a celebrated coach who has won championships with two different teams in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
And now, Marc Lafleur is returning to the NOJHL to coach, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]NOJHL prepping for ’21-22
In a sense, the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is already ahead of the game as it plans and prepares for next season.
It includes the fact that Elliot Lake has confirmed a return from its 2020-2021 leave of absence for the 2021-2022 campaign — complete with a new name, a new coach and a new general manager.
Then there are examples of verity that elite full-time coaches such as Kyle Brick of the Blind River Beavers and Brent Hughes of the Espanola Express have affirmed their return for the 2021-2022 season to Hockey News North.
…[read more]BR boss welcomes EL return
The rabid, sometimes rowdy rivalry between the nearby junior hockey towns of Blind River and Elliot Lake is poised to be rekindled.
With a new name, new management and a new coach, Elliot Lake is set to return to the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for the 2021-2022 season after having taken a leave of absence for what became an abbreviated 2020-2021 campaign.
…[read more]NOJHL rebrand in Elliot Lake
After being on leave of absence for what became an abbreviated 2020-2021 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season, Elliot Lake is poised to return for the 2021-2022 campaign with new leadership and a new name.
Formerly the Elliot Lake Wildcats, the NOJHL team has changed its name to the Elliot Lake Red Wings.
…[read more]Leafs still not on my wish list
In my little town, I grew up believing that God and the Montreal Canadiens were good and non Catholic girls and the Toronto Maple Leafs were bad.
But some of that has changed for me from then to now.
While I still believe that God is good, I no longer depict the Montreal Canadiens in a religious way. And while all girls — not just Catholics — are good, the Toronto Maple Leafs um, you know, still haven’t made it to my list of top favourites.
…[read more]Eight player trade of ’83-84
Free traders Joe Drago of the Sudbury Wolves and Larry Mavety of the Belleville Bulls were never shy when it came to dealing players.
And the rival Ontario Hockey League general managers — Drago and Mavety were also good friends — more than proved that point early in the 1983-1984 season when they combined to make a massive eight player trade that featured three northern boys.
…[read more]Northern boys of the NOJHL
Teams in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League are able to recruit players from all over Canada, not to mention the United States. But homegrown players from northern Ontario remain popular among NOJHL teams.
…[read more]Brick house in Blind River
The most productive coach in franchise history is returning to the Blind River Beavers of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for a sixth season, Hockey News North has confirmed.
Kyle Brick, who will turn 35 years of age later this month, has re-upped with the Beavers as coach and general manager for the 2021-2022 season as per team president Robert Morningstar.
…[read more]Splash on the Beaver dam
A normal regular season in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is 56 games for each of its teams.
Well, in what was an abnormal, offbeat 2020-2021 season relative to COVID-19, it nonetheless — for example — led to the Blind River Beavers being able to play 21 games against two cohort opponents.
…[read more]Brantford Alexanders: ’78-84
They were here for a good time, not a long time.
To be sure, their history is one of modest length yet the Brantford Alexanders remain an iconic Ontario Hockey League franchise mainly because of the number of high performance players who wore their red-white-and-black jersey from 1978 to 1984.
…[read more]Jack Matier a world class kid
He has been chosen to play on the world hockey stage.
Sault Ste. Marie product Jack Matier is slated to skate for Team Canada at this month’s 2021 International Ice Hockey Federation under-18 world championship tournament.
…[read more]Return ticket to Espanola
He has paid dues of advancement along the way, going from the AA levels of minor hockey in his hometown of Sault Ste. Marie to AAA status.
And as the time passages of the game tick on, Cole Delarosbil has committed to returning to the Espanola Express of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for what will be a third season, the 2021-2022 campaign.
…[read more]Summer tournament hockey
Dependent on factors related to COVID-19 and a return to more controllable numbers, summer tournament hockey may be more prevalent this year given the low total of games that were played at the junior and under 18 levels during the 2020-2021 season.
…[read more]Seguin heading to school
Graduated Timmins Rock gunslinger Derek Seguin is headed to North Bay to play Ontario university hockey for the Nipissing Lakers next season.
Seguin’s family advisor, Adrian Gedye of Pinnacle Hockey Management, confirmed the commitment of his client to Hockey News North.
…[read more]NOJHL news, views, dues
As a writer who writes up more than one team in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, here are a number of notations as we move on from the 2020-2021 abbreviation of a season to what we can have faith in at what could lie ahead at some point.
…[read more]Beavers set in net with Disano
He came through when called upon and earned the no. 1 job.
And along the way, Gavin Disano withstood baptism by fire as a young rookie goalie with the Blind River Beavers of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]T-Birds retain tidy tradition
It was a season like no other, all due to COVID-19 and the restrictions and modifications that resulted from it. Among the nine Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League teams that saw action this 2020-2021 season, the Soo Thunderbirds were more fortunate than most as they got to play in 21 games. And along the way, the Thunderbirds maintained a tidy tradition of not having had a losing record since coming into existence as a member of the modern day NOJHL in 1999.
…[read more]NOJHL scores ‘E’ for effort
It stick handled around the COVID-19 opponent with a careful game plan and by following all the rules.
And while not all teams were able to finish what they started, the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League stared down adversity and came away with an ‘E’ for effort in an abbreviated 2020-2021 season.
…[read more]NOJHL team has summer plans
The coach and general manager of the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League intends to ice a summer team that will compete in showcase tournaments, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]Soo Eagles got game
A closed international border prevented the Soo Eagles from competing within the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League this season.
But the Michigan-based Eagles — the only American team in the 12-member NOJHL — still found a way to play a number of games over the past several months.
…[read more]Hounds ’79-85 reunion
Friends of Terry Crisp and Sam McMaster are planning a Soo Greyhounds reunion for Saturday, July 17 of this year. The reunion is for those who had an association with the Ontario Hockey League team from 1979 to 1985.
Crisp coached the Greyhounds from 1979 to 1985. McMaster worked alongside Crisp as the Greyhounds general manager from 1980 to 1985.
…[read more]Local lad leads Lakers to glory
A program known for its national championship success under erstwhile coaches Frank Anzalone and Jeff Jackson is finally headed back to the big dance.
Led by the three goal spark of junior forward and local lad Ashton Calder, glory returned to the Lake Superior State Lakers in the form of a 6-3 win over the Northern Michigan Wildcats and the 2021 Western Collegiate Hockey Association championship.
…[read more]Beavers take down the Birds
COVID-19 cohort competition and a rabid rivalry is alive and well in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League series between the Blind River Beavers and Soo Thunderbirds.
Playing at home today, the Beavers took down the Thunderbirds by a decisive 8-3 score to even the marathon, season-long, cohort series between the fiery foes at seven games apiece. It was the second straight home ice win by Blind River over the Soo to cap a two games in two days, weekend matinee series.
…[read more]Soo boys spark Blind River
Devin Mauro netted the tying tally in the third period, then sealed the deal in the shootout, and fellow Sault Ste. Marie product Gavin Disano made 48 saves as Blind River Beavers edged the visiting Soo Thunderbirds 5-4 in another cohort contest between the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League rivals on Saturday night.
…[read more]Oh, so close for Sault High
Close but no cigar. All in all, though, it was a passing grade for a Sault High Blue Devils hockey team that extended a short season into two rounds of the playoffs.
…[read more]Beavers come up short
It was a spirited effort by a team that played with just two of its regular defensemen due to league suspension.
But despite numerous glorious scoring opportunities, the visiting Blind River Beavers came up short in yet another cohort match with the Soo Thunderbirds in Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League action on Thursday.
…[read more]Devils season is over
A last-minute goal lifted the Alpena Wildcats to a 3-2 win over the Sault High Blue Devils in Michigan high school hockey Region 18 semi-final action from Thursday.
…[read more]High school semis tonight
Michigan high school hockey will determine its Region 18 finalists tonight from a pair of semi-final matches at Tawas Bay Ice Arena.
Sault High Blue Devils will face off against the Alpena Wildcats in a 5 p.m. game ahead of a second semi-final contest between the Cheboygan Chiefs and Gaylord Blue Devils.
…[read more]Blue Devils skate to semis
Sault High Blue Devils have advanced to a semi-final match on the Michigan high school hockey Region 18 playoff scene.
…[read more]Playoff date for Sault High
Win and they play on. Lose and they return home.
Sault High Blue Devils are downstate in Tawas tonight for a Michigan high school hockey, Region 18 quarter final playoff match against the host Braves.
…[read more]Making the best of pandemic
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article was prepared for Hockey News North by Michelle Guzzo, secretary of the Sault Major Hockey Association.
…[read more]Crunch and Rock carry on
Three games in as many days was the workload as Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League cohort rivals Cochrane Crunch and Timmins Rock faced off on the weekend.
…[read more]NOJHL deserved better
It has followed all the rules — and then some — relative to COVID-19. Fifty three of its scheduled 58 games for this season have been played thus far and the only ones that were postponed were of the precautionary measure.
Still, the 12-member Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is down to four active teams and is poised to halt the 2020-2021 season at the end of this month when Blind River Beavers v. Soo Thunderbirds and Cochrane Crunch v. Timmins Rock finish their respective, current cohort schedule.
The NOJHL deserved better. And, as just one example, so did the up and coming Espanola Express.
…[read more]Here’s looking at Hounds
Major question mark between the pipes aside, Soo Greyhounds figure to be a formidable force once the games begin on the pandemic affected version of a 2020-2021 Ontario Hockey League season.
With seasoned skill and developed depth on the forward lines and at the defense position, the Greyhounds are set up for success in whatever form or length the anticipated, abbreviated OHL season takes.
…[read more]Blue Devils get even
Next up, the regional playoffs.
A resounding 7-2 road victory over the Petoskey Northmen today lifted the Sault High Blue Devils to the .500 mark and a record of 5-5-0 to end the abbreviated regular season.
…[read more]Sault High class of 2021
Playoffs are looming.
But before that, Sault High Blue Devils, with a record of 4-5-0, conclude an abbreviated regular season today with a 12:30 p.m. road tilt against the Petoskey Northmen.
…[read more]OHL return to play sketch
It has been just over a year since there was game action in the Ontario Hockey League.
As COVID-19 put a halt to the 2019-2020 season a year ago this month, the OHL is poised to finally return to the ice for a shortened version of a 2020-2021 campaign.
A normal OHL regular season is 68 games for each of its 20 teams. But there is very little that is normal in this age of hockey as it relates to COVID-19.
…[read more]Stevenson still in the game
His hockey playing career ended a dozen years ago at age 34. But now, at 46 years of age and at his playing size and weight of 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, Jeremy Stevenson still looks fit and trim enough to be patrolling the left wing.
A first round pick of the Cornwall Royals in 1990 who would finish his Ontario Hockey League career with the Soo Greyhounds, Stevenson defied the odds to play in 228 National Hockey League games after being an 11th round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 1994.
…[read more]Seven up for Birds, Beavers
Soo Thunderbirds and Blind River Beavers will take the COVID-19 affected Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season to a conclusive seven game series between the cohort rivals, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]Four cohorts on NOJHL slate
Cochrane Crunch and Timmins Rock have drawn up a schedule of 10 games between each other over the next 20 days.
And Blind River Beavers and Soo Thunderbirds are working on their next slate of games as cohort opponents, which will likely be next week.
…[read more]Disano stands tall for BR
At 5-foot-9, 185 pounds, Gavin Disano is on the short side when it comes to the preferences of Ontario Hockey League scouts and American college recruiters who evaluate goalies. But if a goalie can stop the puck and win games, how much does size really matter?
To be sure, Disano who is a 2003 birth year rookie with the Blind River Beavers of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, has been standing tall between the pipes.
…[read more]Beavers take broom to Birds
Staring adversity straight in the chops, Blind River Beavers pulled out a stunning 5-4 victory over the Soo Thunderbirds today to complete a weekend sweep of their Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League cohort rivals.
…[read more]Sault High surges to .500
Two straight home ice wins have lifted the Sault High Blue Devils to an even mark with the Michigan high school hockey season approaching playoff time.
…[read more]Beavers overcome T-Birds
Enough is enough.
Blind River Beavers halted a five game win-less streak against the Soo Thunderbirds today with a 4-1 victory.
Playing at home, the Beavers scored two power play goals and rode the good goal-tending of rookie Gavin Disano to end a skid in which Blind River had gone 0-4-1 over its previous five games against the Soo.
…[read more]NOJHL boss was OHL star
These days, Rob Mazzuca is well known as the likeable, respectable commissioner of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
With deep northern Ontario roots, Mazzuca — who has been the league’s commander in chief since 2011 — has brought a thorough, thoughtful, professional approach to his position and to the NOJHL itself.
…[read more]Home win for Sault High
Freshman goalie Camden Labadie made 31 saves to backstop the Sault High Blue Devils to a 2-1 victory over the visiting Petoskey Northmen.
Friday night’s win for the Blue Devils improves their record on the Michigan high school hockey season to 3-4.
…[read more]