Joey Payeur
Discussing the players a team still has while shrugging off the ones no longer around is familiar coachspeak.
Jordan Sinclair preferred to walk up to the elephant in the room and punch it right in the tusk.
The new head coach of the Muskie boys’ hockey team didn’t dance around the topic of not having six players from last year’s team who were eligible to return but chose to play elsewhere rather than try to help the black-and-gold repeat as OFSAA champs on home ice in March.
“Those were some of our top players, for sure,” Sinclair conceded, referring to forwards Nick Hahkala, Cooper Witherspoon, and Ethan Jourdain joining the Thunder Bay Minor Midget ‘AAA’ Kings while forwards Sully Shortreed and Jake Clendenning, along with defenceman Colton Bodnar, hooked up with the Kenora Thistles of the Manitoba Midget ‘AAA’ Hockey League.
“Obviously, they could help the team.
“I don’t know if there’s ever been this many eligible players leave at one time,” Sinclair added.
“Initially, it hits you hard,” he admitted. “But the reality is it happens and you put guys into a position to grab this opportunity and go with it, and sometimes it will surprise you.
“Last year, for various reasons, we had guys out and other guys stepped up,” he noted.
Sinclair isn’t holding a grudge against the non-returnees and suggested it all may be a blessing in disguise for the defending eight-time NorWOSSA champs.
“I wish all those kids the best,” he stressed. “But we want guys in the program that want to be here.
“If you’re thinking about playing elsewhere, how effective are you going to be?
“The guys we have here are all hungry and motivated,” Sinclair said.
Five forwards are back from last year’s title team, the most potent of those being Chase McGuire, who had 13 points in five games to lead the Muskies to the ‘B’ title at the 2016 Husky Classic two weeks ago in Winnipeg.
“I don’t think too much changes day in and day out for ‘Mac,’” said Sinclair.
“He brings it every day and he’s a leader that way, for sure.
“I don’t think that kid has ever seen 99 percent in his life. That’s just the way he goes,” Sinclair added.
“He does have offensive ability, but the bigger thing for ‘Mac’ is that he continue on that path and is a leader by example.
“He needs to be patient with the newer guys and encourage them and help them along like [former Muskies] Jarred Taylor, Tyler VanUden, and Carter Brown did with him.”
Playing and prospering in Winnipeg with McGuire were veteran Cam Gushulak and his newcomer brother, James.
“Cam’s another one of those guys who brings it every night and although he’s not overly big, he’s not afraid to get to the dirty areas of the ice,” lauded Sinclair.
“James is also not very big but he’s 100 m.p.h. every time out there.
“He’s a good skater and he doesn’t shy away, either, and has a little nasty edge to him, as well,” Sinclair noted.
Returnee Brent Jourdain is slotted with a pair of rookies in Eric Pitkanen and Landon Woods, who served notice of his offensive prowess by getting four points in the first period of what was his first-ever high school game to open the Classic.
“Woody is a bigger guy who uses his size to his advantage,” said Sinclair.
“At the tournament, he was scoring goals off of his play-making, on line rushes, driving the net, and creating off the forecheck.”
Sheldon Kelly Jr., who originally was chosen as an affiliate player but moved up to the main roster after the Muskies parted ways with Izzy Smith for undisclosed reasons, teamed with fellow rookie Brett Kenny and veteran Kendyn Faragher on another line.
Returnee Jon Busch is in the same position as Faragher—helping bring along newcomers Kaden Nelson and Mikel Ward.
Experience will be in abundance in Fort High’s blueline corps, with four “golden boys” from last season still around to shepherd the three first-timers.
Mike Drouin, Connor Tibbs, Cole Allan, and Byron Stewart will lend a hand to rookies Jace Jackson, Brandon Kocuiba, and Austin Armstrong in a group that has made Sinclair sit up and take notice early on.
“I like our size back there,” he remarked.
“There’s nothing really flashy about the group,” he noted. “It’s guys who like to stay at home and play physical, but can still skate with the puck when it’s time to go.
“They complement each other well,” he added. “One guy doesn’t have to carry the load in each pairing.”
In goal, Matt Booth goes from backing up last season’s starter, Dylan Ossachuk, to this year being the voice of wisdom alongside rookie Spencer Murphy.
“It’s always nice to have a veteran guy between the pipes, but we’re going to do our best to keep a rotation going when we can and get guys in as much as we can,” Sinclair pledged.
“‘Murph’ is capable enough that the split in games isn’t going to be 3-1 or 4-1 for Booth,” he stressed.
“I’ve never played goal but I know it can’t be easy to play one and then sit three or four.”
The quartet of affiliate players includes Jake Barker, Kaleb Woods, Cole Magill, and Connor Nelson.
It will be a reunion of sorts this weekend as the Muskies will go up against Hahkala, Witherspoon, and Jourdain when the black-and-gold head to Thunder Bay to challenge the Kings in a three-game exhibition series starting Friday and concluding Sunday.
Fort High then starts the NorWOSSA regular season Nov. 15 on the road against the Kenora Broncos.
The Muskies’ first home action comes Nov. 22-23 when the Red Lake Rams visit for a two-game series.
