Here 'n there on May 18 - Junior Hockey News

Published: Friday, 18 May 2012

By: Randy Russon

There are Help Wanted signs posted on the coaching doors of the Soo Thunderbirds and Port Huron Fighting Falcons. And that is just some of what is going on in the neck of the woods that is close to my home.

We're into the second half of May and "off-season" in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and North American Hockey League is but a hyphenated figure of speech

...Who will coach the NOJHL and Central Canada champion Thunderbirds next season? Two-year headmaster Preston Mizzi is under indefinite suspension from the NOJHL and interim bench boss Zoltan "Toots" Kovacs can have the Thunderbird job if he so desires. But does the full-time youth justice worker have the time to devote to the Thunderbirds? Does he want to commit to an organization that has intense, internal issues that need to be addressed? Toots is a good guy and a smart guy. He's also no one's fool.

...To be sure, Thunderbird general manager Kevin Cain has to get his next coaching hire right. He started the 2010-11 season with ex-National Hockey League defenceman Sean Gagnon and the fall-out between him and Cain was quick. In came Mizzi, an erstwhile journeyman minor-league forward, who completed the 2010-11 season but could not quite finish the 2011-12 campaign despite winning the NOJHL and Central Canada titles. As GM, the pressure is on Cain to find a coach who carries no baggage.

...Over to the NAHL, new Port Huron general manager Steve Shannon is faced with the task of having to find the right replacement for coach-of-the-year Bill Warren, who has opted not to return behind the Fighting Falcons bench for the 2012-13 season. I spent more than a half hour on the phone with Shannon on Thursday and had a very enlightening conversation with the 61-year old retired Detroit police officer. Shannon told me that he has "more than enough" qualified applicants to take over from Warren, adding that he wants to have a new coach in place prior to Port Huron's May 25-27 pre-draft camp. (The annual NAHL Draft is slated for Thursday, May 31.) Shannon, who lives in the Detroit suburb of Sterling Heights (which is about an hour's drive from Port Huron) is well-connected in the hockey game. Among others, he said has close relationships with Detroit area products and former NHL stars Kevin Hatcher and John Vanbiesbrouck. Hatcher is a Sterling Heights product. Vanbiesbrouck is president of USA Hockey's Junior Council.

ICE CHIPS

Well-travelled goalie Tyler Marble, who has a future commitment to play Division 1 hockey at Lake Superior State University, could spend the 2012-13 season in the NAHL with the Soo Eagles. Marble, a 1992 birth year, played parts of two NAHL seasons with the erstwhile Traverse City North Stars before spending the 2011-12 campaign with first the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Jr. Hockey League and then the Wellington Dukes of the Ontario Jr. Hockey League...Eagle players who were with the NOJHL team in 2011-12 who could go with them to the NAHL in 2012-13 include forwards Gavin Burbach, Josh Borgen and Dallas McLaughlin, defencemen Johnny Dora and Tyler Sehovic. Goalie Chris Truehl is also more-than-capable of being a first-stringer in the NAHL but the Eagles do have other strong candidates between the pipes including the earlier-mentioned Marble as well a pair of holdovers from the erstwhile Traverse City franchise in Kyle Laslo and Zach Nagelvoort...Several players from the NOJHL Soo Thunderbirds caught the eyes of scouts from other junior leagues at this month's Royal Bank Cup national tournament that was held in Humboldt, Sask. Among the players who could leave the Thunderbirds and the NOJHL for an NAHL team effective the 2012-13 season are three defencemen: 1992 birth dates Dylan Connolly and Corey Jackson and 1994 blue chipper Josh Hicks.

Author: Randy Russon

Russon brings a a lifetime of media experience to the JuniorHockey.com staff.

View all articles by Randy Russon

Email Randy Russon

Discuss:

posted May. 18th, 2012 - 11:02am

JR Ruiz says:

I'm confident that whoever Coach Braganolo chooses for his netminder, that they will be up for the task. He has a keen eye for goalies!

posted May. 18th, 2012 - 2:55pm

Tony Prito says:

Rumors flying about goal-tender movemint in the North Division i.e. the "Soo Eagles"...
K-Zoo trading with the Soo for Goalie Kyle Lasslo; Tyler Marble definatly signing with the new Soo team; Soo trades Chris Truhl to Jamestown.

posted May. 18th, 2012 - 3:11pm

Jack Dodd says:

Leading candidates to be the Coach for Port Huron are: Tony Curtale who is old aqauntance of Steve Shannon and Todd Watson former of Plymouth and Saginaw OHL.

posted May. 18th, 2012 - 6:11pm

JR Ruiz says:

Tony out of Texas...say it ain't so!

posted May. 18th, 2012 - 6:24pm

Stephen Heisler says:

You heard it here first sports fans...

posted May. 19th, 2012 - 7:20am

Randy Russon says:

FYI, re: Tony Curtale and the rumour of him going to Port Huron as coach of the Fighting Falcons. Read e-mail exchange below between Port Huron GM Steve Shannon and me.

----- Original Message -----
From: steveshannon@comcast.net
To: Randy Russon
Sent: Friday, May 18, 2012 10:14 PM
Subject: Re: Tony Curtale

Randy,

For the record, Tony and I know one another, and NO he never made an Inquire about the position. Our conversation was over old times and he welcoming to the league and wishing me good luck in my quest.

Steve Shannon

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Randy Russon" <randyrusson@shaw.ca<
To: "Port Huron Fighting Falcons" <steveshannon@comcast.net<
Sent: Friday, May 18, 2012 8:07:50 PM
Subject: Tony Curtale

Steve, on or off the record: Are you hiring Tony Curtale to coach the Fighting Falcons? -- Regards, Randy.

posted May. 19th, 2012 - 7:22am

Randy Russon says:

re: NAHL trade talk.

Soo Eagles have placed four players from last season's Traverse City team on the trade wire, including 1992 birth year goalie Kyle Laslo.

RR

posted May. 19th, 2012 - 10:33am

Tony Prito says:

Well if Lasslo is on the trade wire you can bet that K-Zoo will go after him. Fakler is hot for a goalie with McLean going D-1.

posted May. 19th, 2012 - 2:51pm

Stephen Heisler says:

Kleinhans could be unlocked in time for the 2012-2013 season...

posted May. 19th, 2012 - 3:33pm

Randy Russon says:

Steve,
John Kleinhans is a 1991 birth year. Junior career is over.

Don't have a Facebook account?

Log in with your JuniorHockey.com account »

New visitors: Click here to create your JuniorHockey.com account »

( we'll bring you back here when you're finished! )

Back to Junior Hockey News

* Article disclaimer: This site may contain advice, opinions and statements from various authors and information providers. Views expressed in this article reflect the personal opinion of the author, Randy Russon, and not necessarily the views of JuniorHockey.com. JuniorHockey.com does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement or other info provided in the article, or from any other member of this site.