Canucks reloading for next season
It has been a hectic off season for the Niagara Falls Canucks.
The Canucks, coming off a Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League championship and Sutherland Cup semifinal loss, have been busy filling holes left following the graduation of eight players as well as three more who have moved on to the Ontario Junior Hockey League.
“It’s been a little bit of a different year because we went further than we normally did so it went right into each other,” Canucks owner/coach Frank Pietrangelo said. “It’s been a challenge, that’s for sure.”
The Canucks lost Zachary Moore, Dillon Hill, David D’Agostino, Brandon Bastasin, Alec Vent, Mitch Mendonca, Patrick McCabe and Nicholas Prestia to graduation. Forwards Ben Evans and Ryan Smith have moved on to Wellington of the Ontario Junior Hockey League while Justin Randhawa has signed in Oakville of the OJHL.
“We lose three to five players to the junior A level so that really hasn’t been a surprise,” Pietrangelo said. “Because we had so much success this year, maybe they want some of our players.
“I think it’s the same every year. It’s just a matter of who you lose and who you bring in. We lost nine to graduation and three to junior A the year before.”
The Canucks have already signed several players to replenish the roster, many from their prospects camp.
“We had a really good prospect camp once again. Guys like Randhawa and (Andrew) Bruno and (Matthew) Riva are all good hockey players and they came from our prospect camp.
“We sign a number of them and we hope they are going to bring us the same type of player that we’ve had in the past from the camps.”
Noah Yerdon is a highly skilled forward who scored 29 goals in 28 games for Pittsburgh of the United States Premier Hockey League.
Forward Jake Adams is a Michigan native who will bring a physical presence while forward Carter Clarke played junior C in Amherstville last season. Forward Thomas Lenart, who was the leading scorer of the Hamilton Bulldogs Midget AAA team last season, has also come on board.
On defence, Niagara Falls native Josh Reilly is an Erie Otters draft choice while 17-year-old rearguard Jared Seick is another local product who played for The Hill Academy last year.
The Canucks also picked up forward Cody Wall from the Welland Junior Canadians where he collected 12 goals and 20 points in 42 games last season.
“I think a lot of these kids we’re bringing in are good hockey players,” Pietrangelo said. “There’s always an adjustment level. It’s a good league and for anybody coming in there’s always an adjustment period that goes along with it. There’s a variation. Some guys take a month, some guys take a year to get acclimated things.
“We hope these guys can fill the shoes of some of the guys we lost.”
Signed from last season’s team so far are Riva, Bruno, Eric Becker, Ryan Donovan, Griffin Green, Justin Schneider and goaltender Anthony Tremonte.
“We have to bring in another goalie regardless,” Pietrangelo said. “Whoever we bring in they’ll be battling it out. The good thing about Anthony is he’s been in the league for a number of years and he was a No. 1 in Thorold for a couple of years. He’s proven himself at his level. We’re comfortable with him but we haven’t finalized our second spot yet.”
The Canucks open camp Aug. 21. They will be hosting a series of exhibition games with St. Catharines, Thorold, Welland and Caledonia participating Aug. 23-25 at the Gale Centre.
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