Whiz kid Wicklander
Brantford Bulldogs have a potential steal of an Ontario Hockey League draft pick prospect in their possession in the person of forward Kaden Wicklander of the Espanola Paper Kings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]NOJHL czar was OHL star
He is tried, tested and true to his northern Ontario roots. Over time, he has gone from star player in the major junior ranks to a long serving commissioner of a reputable junior A hockey league. And Rob Mazzuca has done so by staying close to home.
…[read more]CHL grads to NCAA ranks
Adrian Gedye of Pinnacle Hockey Management is one family advisor/certified player agent whose clients are taking full advantage of the new rule that makes Canadian Hockey League players eligible to play for Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association programs effective the ’25-26 season.
…[read more]Paper Kings puck stopper
James Meredith has shrugged off a rough introduction to his rookie season in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to become a go to goalie for the Espanola Paper Kings.
…[read more]NOJHL races and faces
There are four divisions to the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. Right now, the Sudbury Cubs are in a league of their own. Then it is a hotly contested race for second place featuring the Blind River Beavers, Soo Eagles, Hearst Lumberjacks and Timmins Rock. In the middle of the pack and in contention for the sixth, seventh and eighth and final playoff spots are the Powassan Voodoos, Soo Thunderbirds, Iroquois Falls Storm, French River Rapids and Espanola Paper Kings. And in no man’s land are the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners.
…[read more]Hope for the OHL Hounds
They control their playoff destiny. Soo Greyhounds currently have occupancy of a post season position within the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Trappers v. Jr. Greyhounds
It will be a four game weekend of North Bay v. Sault Ste. Marie this Saturday and Sunday as Great North Under 18 Hockey League action highlights two U18 and two U16 teams.
…[read more]RIP, good man Dan McCourt
Along with so many others, the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is mourning the loss of Greater Sudbury product, Dan McCourt, who passed away on Monday of this week following an extended illness.
…[read more]Sudbury Cubs lead Canada
And the beat goes on. Winners of 18 games in succession, the Sudbury Cubs of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League are number one in the latest Canadian Jr. Hockey League top 20 rankings.
…[read more]A first for Charlie Schenkel
Overage goalie Charlie Schenkel returned to fine form on Friday in picking up his first win as a member of the Kingston Frontenacs.
…[read more]John Dean: stay or go?
He has been the head coach of the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League since 2018. And it can be argued that John Dean has been given the resources by general manager Kyle Raftis and team ownership to have ongoing regular season and playoff success.
…[read more]Caulfield flies with Eagles
Chicago area product Lucas Caulfield is living and loving the hockey life up north in Sault Ste. Marie. The high scoring forward is a key component and team captain for the high flying Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]U16 Trappers win two in Soo
It was certainly worth the bus trip to Sault Ste. Marie. North Bay Under 16 Trappers triggered an improbable weekend road sweep against a pair of teams ahead of them in the Great North Under 18 Hockey League standings.
…[read more]OHL trade deadline rehash
It was like a gust of a winter blizzard over the span of a few days. More than 15 deals got done just ahead of the annual Ontario Hockey League trade deadline, several of which can be termed significant.
…[read more]Overage goalie exchange
Soo Greyhounds have cashed in on overage goalie Charlie Schenkel in a big way. Not only are the Hounds adding overage goalie Nolan Lalonde from Kingston but they are also getting three future draft picks from the Frontenacs in return for Schenkel.
…[read more]Paper Kings in pursuit
They are a true north team with 13 players from across the region. They are also one of the youngest teams in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League with 15 players who were born in either 2008, 2007 or 2006. And with all of that youth, the Espanola Paper Kings are in a multiple team chase for the eighth and final playoff spot in the NOJHL.
…[read more]Matsos is back in the O
Good player. Good coach. Good guy. Add it all up and David Matsos is back in the Ontario Hockey League, this time as an assistant coach with the Sarnia Sting. The now 51-year old Matsos won a Memorial Cup as a hard working forward with the 1993 Soo Greyhounds. He later had OHL success as a championship associate coach with the 2018 Hamilton Bulldogs that followed winning ways as an assistant with the Windsor Spitfires.
…[read more]Hounds trade Gibson
Soo Greyhounds are moving towards the future. The trading of Team Canada world junior defenseman Andrew Gibson to the Oshawa Generals is a major indicator that the Greyhounds are looking more to time ahead than the present.
…[read more]Happy New Year, Evan
Garden River First Nation product Evan Headrick made his long awaited Ontario Hockey League debut for the Kitchener Rangers on New Year’s Eve. And what a baptism celebration it was.
…[read more]EL Vikings go on hiatus
Ongoing issues at their home arena dating back to well over a year have resulted in the Elliot Lake Vikings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League taking a leave of absence for the balance of the ’24-25 season.
…[read more]Here ‘n there in the NOJHL
Fresh from a Christmas holiday break, the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is set for a resumption in play as the calendar year readies to flip from 2024 to 2025.
…[read more]Firebirds at mid season
Four successive wins — including two straight over their despised arch-rival Saginaw Spirit — have lifted the Flint Firebirds to the .500 level with the Ontario Hockey League at the Christmas holiday break.
…[read more]OHL trade winds blowing
The annual January 10 trade deadline is looming. And there is no shortage of guesswork and supposition making its way in and around the Ontario Hockey League rumour mill.
…[read more]D1 deal for Tyson Doucette
Sault Ste. Marie product Tyson Doucette of the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League has committed to Colgate University for the ’25-26 season. Colgate is a Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association program.
…[read more]Bloodlines of U16 NBT trio
The top three scorers for the North Bay Under 16 Trappers of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League all have deep roots through dads who played in either the Ontario Hockey League or at the Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association level.
…[read more]Sault side to Team Canada
Sault Ste. Marie is represented in a rather well rounded manner at this year’s World Junior Hockey Championships, which start on Boxing Day and go until January 5 and are being held in Ottawa.
…[read more]Eagles lead Border Battle
The tide has turned in the long running Twin Soo Border Battle between the Soo Thunderbirds and Soo Eagles. While the Ontario based Thunderbirds won the war over the past couple of years in particular it is the Eagles of Michigan who are in command thus far this season.
…[read more]Cubs & ‘Taste of Sudbury’
First place Sudbury Cubs of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League will look to extend their winning streak to 11 games when they play host to the French Rapids on Thursday night at 7:05 at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
…[read more]Soo T-Birds in transition
Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have confirmed what Hockey News North first reported on the weekend. That is, general manager Jamie Henderson will also serve as head coach for the balance of the ’24-25 season.
…[read more]Gold for U13 AAA Hounds
Head coach Craig Kennedy and the Under 13 AAA Soo Jr. Greyhounds struck gold at the recent 32nd annual Hamilton Steel Hockey Classic.
…[read more]T-Birds changing coaches
Cole Jarrett has reportedly handed the head coach duties of the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League to his long-time sidekick, Hockey News North has been advised.
…[read more]Soo Eagles on 9-0-1 flight
Coached by Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario resident Jeremy Rebek, the Michigan Soo Eagles are flying high near the top perch of the standings in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Rock stars of the net
Not only are they two of the best goalies in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League but they are two of the younger ones. And not only that, Dryden Riley and Graham Gee both guard the net for the same team — the Timmins Rock, which is one of the top three clubs among the 12 of the NOJHL.
…[read more]Cubs help infant food bank
Sudbury Cubs of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League will be out to try to win their ninth straight game on Thursday when they play host to the Iroquois Falls Storm in a 7:05 pm. match at Countryside Sports Complex. RBC will sponsor Thursday’s game by providing prizes to fans who bring a donation to the game in support of the Pregnancy Care Centre and Infant Food Bank.
…[read more]Raftis on state of Hounds
His team is 25 games into the ’24-25 Ontario Hockey League regular season. And Soo Greyhounds general manager Kyle Raftis took the time to discuss the current condition and near future of the Red and White with Hockey News North.
…[read more]Scouting the Great North
To be sure, when it comes to scouting — and subsequently picking — players for the annual Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft there is a preference towards those from associations that include the Greater Toronto Hockey League and the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario. Which is fine, to an extent.
…[read more]A first for Wyatt Jarratt
Well, that didn’t take very long. Suiting up in his first game as an affiliate player for the Blind River Beavers of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League led to a goal by up and coming youngster Wyatt Jarratt.
…[read more]Assisting the Soo Eagles
They were born an hour apart on January 22, 1986. They have been friends since their youthful minor hockey days in Sault Ste. Marie. And Kelsey Wilson and Donnie Bruni are now together again as first year assistant coaches with the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Races for NOJHL places
Sudbury Cubs are atop the standings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League with a near flawless record of 20-2-2. But the Cubs have company in the contender department of the NOJHL that includes the Hearst Lumberjacks, Timmins Rock, Blind River Beavers and Soo Eagles.
…[read more]Hound picks in NOJHL
Recently assigned 2007 birth year goalie Reid Thomas and 2008 birth year forward James Elliott are two Ontario Hockey League draft picks of the Soo Greyhounds who are developing with rival teams in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Cubs of the goal crease
Good teams usually get good goaltending as part of the victory formula. Very good teams usually get very good goaltending as part of the victory formula.
…[read more]MID WEEK NOTEBOOK
A regular, rhythmic write-up covering the exploits of various players, teams and leagues at the rep, junior and collegiate hockey levels.
…[read more]Lights are on up North
It may not be a perfect junior hockey league. But is there any such thing as a perfect junior hockey league? The answer to that question is rather obvious. Just as it is obvious to a seasoned writer that the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has a lot going for it in so many ways, shapes and forms.
…[read more]What do Hounds do next?
The Greyhounds are seemingly not quite ready for prime time in the Knight time. In their second meeting with London this season, the Greyhounds were overpowered by the Knights, who out shot the home side by a ridiculous 43-13 margin en route to a 5-1 victory.
…[read more]MID WEEK NOTEBOOK
A regular, rhythmic write-up covering the exploits of various players, teams and leagues at the rep, junior and collegiate hockey levels.
…[read more]Newton returns to Cubs
Sudbury Cubs, already in first place among the 12 teams of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, have added another star player to their lineup.
…[read more]Vikings toughing it out
There is good news to report relative to the 14 month old Centennial Arena saga and the Elliot Lake Vikings of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Greyhounds nip Spitfires
Marco Mignosa scored in the first minute of play and tallied again just past the 8:00 mark and the visiting Soo Greyhounds never trailed in upending the Windsor Spitfires 3-1 in a mid week Ontario Hockey League match.
…[read more]Paper Kings hard at work
They have moved on through trades of a number of impact veteran players from a ’23-24 season in which they posted a franchise history best record of 34-23-1. And while the small market Espanola Paper Kings have since committed to more of a youth movement for the ’24-25 campaign they nonetheless more than held their own through the first 15 games of the current Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season.
…[read more]