NEWS

(pictured - Luca Farrace is one of Brandon Sudeyko's Players to Watch on the Toronto Jr. Canadiens this season - photo credit: Dave Powers/OJHL Images)

Another season and it is the same old South Division. The division that no one really looks at and says, the league winner is coming out of there… except since the league contracted, the South division is 2 for 2 when competing for the Buckland Cup. Can the division see a third straight champion? How will Oakville bounce back under a new coach? Will the Patriots be competitive after a tremendous run in 2014? With the season beginning shortly, the time to answer those questions will be happening sooner than later.

Mississauga Chargers
Since Joe Washkurak stepped behind the bench in Mississauga, he has turned the team in to a respectable franchise just being edged out of the playoffs in 2013, while making it to the playoffs in 2014. It was the Chargers first time in the OJHL playoffs in 7 years, and this season, you can call it 2 in a row. After relying on over age players for success last year, this season is a younger team but with solid veteran parts in the lineup. Additions like Marco Mattina and Austin Broadhurst on the blueline add tremendous experience to a solid core of players. The forwards will be explosive and a fast group, the teams 26 goals in 7 games is evidence of that. The biggest question mark will be in the net. Can Alex Lepore get the job done as the appointed number 1 goaltender in his overage season? There is depth on the blueline and Coach Washkurak will be eagerly waiting to see if he gets back Joey Molinaro and Lucas Venuto from the OHL. Both combined for 23 goals and 60 points in a combined 58 games played. With their added offensive boost, this will really be a fun team to watch and one that can really move up the division standings.

Last Season:
Regular Season: 25-26-1-1 (52 Points, 5th in Division)
Playoffs: Lost in 1st Round

Players to Watch:
Joey Molinaro (F), Tyler Cooper (D), Anthony Cirelli (F)

North York Rangers
The Rangers lost a lot from last years squad. Gone are 9 players due to graduation as well as there big 3: Corey Kalk, Liam Kerins and John Carpino. The team also has a new coach in Mark Joslin after John Dean moved on to be an assistant in the OHL. Despite the turnover in the team, they still have leadership and retuning players to carry on the recent tradition that North York estabilished a few seasons ago. Coach Joslin is almost made of the same mould as John dean was as you would often hear Joslin drown out his counter part. The goaltending was set before the preseason began and it only assured the coaching staff that Gianluca Baggetta will be able to handle the workload and be counted on heavily this season. With returning players like Matthew Whittaker, Gabriel Valenzuela and Zach Fung up front, the youth will have great leadership. The biggest question the Rangers need to answer is can they be consistent. We have seen teams get to a hot start and fizzle only to get going when it may be too late. Can North York overcome inconsistency? 

Last Season:
Regular Season: 29-18-2-4 (64 Points, 2nd in Division)
Playoffs: Lost in 2nd Round

Players to Watch:
Matthew Whittaker (F), Kyle Clarke (F)

Oakville Blades
Another year and another new coach. The General Manager of the 2014 Buckland Champions will be going behind the bench again as Mike Tarantino is coaching the younger and more skilled Oakville Blades. This season is a bit of a reload year, completing what was started last year after the Blades traded away some talent for futures, like Matthew McLeod. The Blades boast a lot of local talent with 13 players from Oakville, with 1 from Mississauga and Toronto. The addition of the Burns twins from Milton is a plus as they have the experience to help out the first year players like Christian Rajic, Jackson Bales and Josh Kosack. Like every team thus far a question mark may be between the pipes. Brendan McGlynn didn’t play much last season behind Evan Buitenhuis and then Mark Manolescu. General Manager Mike Daley brought in Daniel Mannella for some insurance in goal. As far as talent goes, the team has it, and will look to improve on their Goals For total as they were in the bottom half of the conference last season. The Blades just missed the 2014 playoffs after losing the 1 game playoff in overtime to the Jr. Canadiens, this season should see the Blades avoid that playoff game and sit comfortably in the race for the post season.  

Last Season:
Regular Season: 23-26-1-4 (51 Points, 6th in Division)
Playoffs: Missed Playoffs

Players to Watch:
Jackson Bales (F), Daniel Jelic (D)

St. Michaels’ Buzzers
The familiar names are gone, like Jake Evans, David Italiano, Jake Clements, Matt Alvaro and CJ Shugart. But what remains and what is added may be just as good. The Buzzers had a good offseason adding to the 8 returning players from last season: Marcel Fatovic from Oakville, Michael Andlauer from Milton and Mark Manolescu from Oakville. Built around them are some rookies who had strong midget seasons and who have shown well in the preseason. This wont be a high scoring team like last year, and they will probably lock down the defence a bit more to keep shots from going to the net. But as usual, St. Mikes will be right in the thick of things throughout the season, causing fits wherever they play and upsetting the unlikeliest of opponents. You may not want to call it a rebuild, but it seems like one at the moment. 

Last Season:
Regular Season: 27-19-6-1 (61 Points, 3rd in Division)
Playoffs: Lost in 1st Round

Players to Watch:
Ashur Elliot (F), Joseph Berton (F), Sam Hunter (D)

Toronto Jr. Canadiens
There may be no bigger question mark as a team then the Jr. Canadiens. When looing at contributions to a single team, TJC may have lost the most in that category, the biggest being the loss of Jake Walman on the blueline. Luckily for them, their goaltending duo of Nathan Colitto and Daniel Lopapa are returning so there is no wondering what you get in the blue paint. And a welcome surprise to most is the return of Anthony Repaci, the teams leading scorer with 35 goals and 67 points. Repaci will wear the C this season and will lead a locker room of familiar faces with several former opponents. The Jr. Canadiens added from around the league this off season, 3 from Newmarket, 1 from Georgetown and another from Lindsay. The additions will serve them well as it should separate themselves from the rest of the division. As long as Repaci can lead his team on and off the ice, they should stray far from Coach Cicchillo’s plan and should find themselves near the top of the division and conference this season.

Last Season:
Regular Season: 24-26-3-1 (52 Points, 4th in Division)
Playoffs: Lost in 1st Round

Players to Watch:
Kevin Hancock (F), Luca Farrace (D)

Toronto Patriots
Not only did the Patriots drop their Lakeshore name, they dropped their General Manager and Coach Fortier will only have 8 players from last season’s roster. A big overhaul but it is a new era for the Patriots. Fortier is building his team the way he wants and he is taking some gambles with some younger players and pulling in some veteran talent and filling the net with unknowns. In the pipes, Fortier is playing a 16 year old rookie in Emanuel Vella and 18 year old Mat Robson who played in 16 OJHL games with little success. The blueline will have Currie and Kovachis as anchors but surrounding them are 49 games of Jr A experience between 4 defenceman… all 49 belonging to James Sterne. The forward corps is easier to swallow as you still have Jacob Hayhurst, Marcus Rose and Luke Carter amongst others, but again it is about integration of rookies and the veterans helping them adjust. It will be a trying year at Westwood Arena for the Patriots and I imagine life on the road will be tough. Repeat champions? Nope. But a competitive team who will be in many 1 goal games? You bet.  

Last Season:
Regular Season: 35-12-3-3 (76 Points, 1st in Division)
Playoffs: Buckland Cup Champions

Players to Watch:
Jacob Hayhurst (F), Kody Gagnon (D), Matthew Cairns (D)

Brandon Sudeyko covers the OJHLSouth Division for In The O... and more articles by the author can be found at intheoradio.com. In The O...
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