NEWS

(Pictured - Aurora Tigers` netminder Andy Munroe is one of Rino Mattucci`s Players to Watch in 2014-15 - Photo Credit: Brian Watts/OJHL Images)

Welcome back OJHL fans! We are about to start of the 2014-15 OJHL season, and we at In the O… are happy to be back in business! Looking forward to another exciting season in the OJ!

This season appears to have the same questions as last year: Can the Tigers reclaim their North throne? Can the Panthers take another step in their rebuild? Will Stouffville’s roster revamp and Lindsay’s fresh start provide better results? Can the Newmarket Hurricanes avoid falling into a tailspin?

Like last season, we’ll try to answer those questions. A quick look at each team, their players, and changes made during the off-season.

Aurora Tigers
Last season, the Tigers main concern was their offence. They finished 3rd in league scoring with 220 goals, which would suggest that offence isn’t going to be an issue this year. It shouldn’t, but don’t forget the Tigers are replacing 12 players from the League runner-ups a season ago. Their main focus this season will have be their clear No. 1 goaltender in 20-year old Andy Munroe, as the departure of the league’s top statistical netminder Kevin Entmaa, now a member of the Jr. B Caledonia Corvairs, left the job open and ended the summer long speculation. The Tigers organization is oozing with confidence, but can a turnover roster continue the success of last season?

Last Season:
Regular Season: 38-12-1-2 (79 Points, 1st in North)
Playoffs: Lost in Championship Finals
Players Lost:
Robert Angiolella (Niagra D1), Tyler Boston (Guelph OHL), Adam DiBrina (Curry D3), Jake Gilmour (now with Toronto) (Niagara OHL), Calvin Higley (York CIS), Kory Kennedy (Sacred Heart D1), Taylor McCloy (Adrian D3), Mihkel Poldma (York CIS), Dylan Sikura (Northeastern D1)
Players to Watch:
G Andy Munroe, F Drake Board, F Michael Laidley, D Callum Fryer

Lindsay Muskies
Head Coach Dan West is calling it a fresh start. The second year coach entered the picture late last season after the departure of Paul Mattucci, and this time has a full off-season to evaluate his team and make the needed changes. About 11 players could be back with the team, that could bring some stability to a club that has struggled to find some in recent years. They do seem to have solved one area in terms of stability, they acquired 18-year-old goaltender Boyd DiClemente from the Whitby Fury. A Peterborough native, Boyd sported a 19-7-1 record last year with the Fury, as well as a 2.85 goals against average (GAA), and a save percentage of .902. If DiClemente can perform as well as he did last season, the Muskies have a shot at returning to the postseason.

Last Season:
Regular Season: 19-27-3-4 (45 Points, 4th in North)
Playoffs: Missed Playoffs
Players Lost: 
James Sterne (Toronto Patriots), Adrian Vendrasco (Toronto), Mathew Robson (Toronto Patriots), Davis Gadjovich (Hamilton)
Players to Watch:
G Boyd DiClemente, F Joey Vocino, F Austin Eastman, F Stefan von Engelbrechten

Newmarket Hurricanes
The Hurricanes had a real interesting season last year. They never seemed to really hit their stride, and yet they managed to hang around long enough to secure a playoff berth. This season is a rebuilding one for Head Coach/GM Brian Perrin, a rebuilding season where he had 50 players come out to open training camp! It may be a struggle for the Hurricanes who are just 2 years removed from their trip to the League Finals where they lost in 7 games to St. Michaels Buzzers, but the goal looks to be a couple years down the road when Perrin’s roster comes to fruition.

Last Season:
Reagular Season: 25-26-2-0 (52 Points, 2nd in North)
Playoffs: Lost in First Round
Players Lost: 
Trevor Petersen (York CIS)
Players to Watch:
F Cameron Nicoll, F Nik Coric, G Bo Bessette

Pickering Panthers
It seems every year we take a look at the Panthers, the biggest question is about their goaltending situation. Last year there was no clear favourite heading into the final week of camp, then Steven Dombrosky came, and he was the undisputed number one putting up a 3.37 GAA and a .902SV%, but probably more impressive numbers are his 50 games played at over 2900 Minutes! Dombrosky has since departed for Morrisville State College, and the Panthers were once again looking for a No. 1 goalie. The hole was filled a little earlier this time, as Head Coach and GM Mike Galati went out and acquired Jordan Cartney from the Fort FrancesLakers (SIJHL). What Dombrosky did last season was spectacular, but if Galati has found another goalie who can handle that kind of a workload would be something special. Final rosters are still to be determined, but the Panthers might want to make sure they have a trustworthy backup in place.

Last Season:
Regular Season: 22-25-4-2 (50 Points, 3rd in North)
Playoffs: Lost in First Round
Players Lost:
Robert Cammalleri (Curry D3), Steven Dombrosky (Morrisville D3), Mike Walker (Elmira D3)
Players to Watch:
F Dalton Lawrence, F Doug Carter, F Michael Morgan, F Michael Pezzetta, F Mark Tenuta

Stouffville Spirit
Last season, the Spirit struggled to score goals. In fact only Burlington (138) and Orangeville (122) had less goals for than the Spirit’s 147. Much of the offseason was spent adding to a maturing roster that has the potential to take the club back to the post-season, which it has missed in two consecutive years. While they will be missing a couple of their top end talent to OHL camps, the Spirit have put themselves in a position to still be able to compete should these players not return to the squad. One of their offseason additions was former Pickering forward Brodie Tutton, who led the club in points last season with 57. The team also added Alex Gimour, formerly of Aurora, another big body with a feel for the net. Both players will add size and skill to a Spirit offence that was lacking a little bit of size last year.

Last Season:
Regular Season: 19-30-1-3 (42 points, 5th in North)
Playoffs: Missed Playoffs
Players Lost: 
Jack O’Hara (Curry D3)
Players to Watch:
F Brodie Tutton, F Alex Gilmour, D Matthew Heffernan

Rino Mattucci covers the OJHL North Division for In The O... and more articles by the author can be found at intheoradio.com. In The O...
goes beyond conventional coverage of junior hockey providing unprecedented coverage of Minor Midget, OJHL, CCHL and the OHL.