The Huntsville Otters Jr. C Hockey team is just over a week away from opening another season and this weekend the team will get a glimpse of how things may fare in the north division of the Provincial Junior Hockey League.
The Otters will be taking part in an invitational tournament in Alliston before opening the season in Alliston September 15th.
There has been a coaching change since the Otters wound up with a 16 and 26 won-loss record last season. Actually there are two coaches, Brent Tomlinson and Marc Gagnon will be sharing the job. Both spent the past three seasons with the Powassan Voodoos of the NOJHL.
Their challenge going into the season is trying to harness the enthusiasm of a young team and get them playing a system that will equalize the experience factor on some of the other teams in the division. Last year Stayner and Alliston finished one two in the standings, well ahead of the rest of the divison. Huntsville was in fifth place but only four points back of third place Penetang and two behind Midland.
Nate Delarosbil is one of the returning players who likes what he sees. “It should be exciting with all the new faces,” he said following a practice at the Don Lough arena Wednesday night. “We have a new coaching staff and a whole bunch of new systems and the boys and I can’t wait to get started.”
Another forward, Cody Jones, is back for another season and agrees. “We are definitely a younger group,” he admitted, “but we are more ready and eager to play. Hopefully we can come out firing instead of the slow start like last year. The biggest thing is positive attitudes and having fun.”
Both Delarosbil and Jones say the coaching change should make a big difference and the players are impressed with what they have seen so far. “They are definitely professional and unique,” said Jones. “Last year we had ups and downs, but they have a positive approach and come with a professional manner. When they talk everyone respects them.”
“If I had to describe coach Tomlinson in one word it would be ‘professional’,“said Delarosbil. “The team is a lot more organized than last year for sure.”
For Tomlinson and Gagnon, sharing the coaching role was a comfortable decision. “We had a strong working relationship last year in Powassan, and spent a lot of time on the road together and we have that natural ability to work well together,” said Tomlinson.
“We’re just trying to bring a lot of our own philosophy and work ethic to this year’s team,” added Gagnon. “We want 23 guys who are committed, who want to learn and who want to play our system and structure and work hard at every practice and every game.”
Going into this weekend’s invitational tournament in Alliston, the coaches want to make their final choices of who will play in goal. Four hopefuls were at the team’s workout Wednesday night. “We may not be the most skilled team in the league going into the season because of our youth,” admitted Tomlinson, “but we are going to have a committed team that is going to stay focused on the systems and that will do the work for us.”
Coach Gagnon has taken on the defensive coaching role while Tomlinson is working on offense and the power play unit.
They will get a good indication of what they will be up against when the season begins September 15th, playing in this weekend’s Alliston tournament against the home town Hornets, Penetang Kings, Midland Flyers, Orillia Terriers, Schomberg Cougars, and Port Perry Mojacks.
Huntsville’s first game of the season will be in Alliston on September 15th and their first home game at the Don Lough arena is Friday September 22nd against the Stayner Siskins, the division champion last year.
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