Written by Gary Moskalyk
A pair of weekend exhibition games will see the Thunder Bay North Stars pare down their 39 player roster to manageable proportions by game one of the regular season. A total of 13 returning players will grace this year’s final listing if they all stick.
“Well, we got a lot of guys,” smiled head coach Rob DeGagne early in camp. “Thirty-eight guys, more guys coming tonight. There’s so much going on right now. So many teams are making moves, dropping guys, cutting guys, wanting to get rid of guys. You’re constantly on the phone or texting back and forth with other organizations just to see what’s out there.”
Thunder Bay had a 32-12-5 record last year, finishing third. They had 221 goals for, 153 against. Their powerplay clicked at 20.4% with a penalty kill checking in at 81.6%.
Like most teams, the Stars have holes to fill. SIJHL MVP Edison Weeks (27G-49A-76PTS), most-improved-player EJ Paddington (32-38-70) and ’07 forward Easton Mikus (31-29-60) are gone. For a good portion of the year they formed the league’s top-line. Defencemen Drew Caddo, Sam Skillestad and Cameron Dial, and forwards Tristen Bear and Dimitri Trahiotis are ’03’s no longer available.
Starting goalie Keenan Marks (18-9-2 3.11 GAA .908 SV%) is back between the pipes. Defencemen Max Buffone, Carter Anton, Garren Voisey and Matt Beazley are returning d-men. Tyler Jordan (28-23-51), Alex Remenda (11-15-26 20 GP), Connor Larrett (7-10-17), Keagan Jones (6-11-17), Easton Glousher (5-7-12), Cohen Tangedal (10-16-26), Beau Helmeczi (15-12-27) and Eric Sheriff (3-4-7) are potential returning forwards.
The delayed opening of the Fort William Gardens and the presence of the Lakehead University Thunderwolves OUA hockey team means eight road games will start Thunder Bay’s season. And there’s a 20-day pause in February for the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
“We got a lot of road trips right off the hammer this year,” said DeGagne. “Five weeks in a row.” The team doesn’t hit Gardens ice until October 11th.
Thunder Bay held a training camp early on in the year.
“We signed some guys out of that. . . We’re happy with the quality and the amount of guys we had. It’s going to push the guys from last year. That’s what we want,” said DeGagne.
Edmonton Oiler draft pick Ryan Fanti made a surprise training camp appearance. Fanti is now a Tampa Bay Lightning prospect plying his wares with the ECHL Orlando Solar Bears.
“It’ll maybe perk up some of these guys to show them (the ropes). Ryan didn’t have to be out here. He wants to be out here. He’ll show these young guys how to warm up, how to participate in practice. He’s a gamer.”
Missing three of the top scorers will leave a hole.
“By the time you take Mikus’ goals, Paddington’s goals and Weeks’ goals, it’s 120 goals at least right? We have to find those from somewhere. We’re expecting big years out of Tyler Jordan. He had a great year last year. Beau’s coming back (Helmeczi), Tangedal, Remenda. So we have lots of guys coming back who we expect to pick up the slack.”
The Stars have had years of no exhibition games. This year they play Kenora at home and travel to Sioux Lookout the next day. DeGagne sees it as a plus.
“Maybe we didn’t start last year as well as we could have. It’s important to get a good start,” said the veteran coach.
“It looks like a lot of the teams have a lot of returning guys. I think it’s going to be a super competitive league–the top four especially,” added DeGagne. “Kenora will be better this year. The Lumberjacks moving to Michigan, they’ll be better this year as well. Sioux Lookout, Dryden, Fort Frances will be better, Walleye will be good. Everybody’s going to be better. . . Red Lake. It’s going to be a competitive league. Excited to get going.”
Thunder Bay starts their road trip odyssey with a pair against Sioux Lookout on Friday and Saturday September 13 and 14.