This is the inaugural season for the U18AA Soo Jr. Greyhound program. 2022 – 2023 is the first time Sault Major Hockey Association has had a selected U18AA program. In years prior, Sault Major had run a U18 AA/A drafted league, but due to the success of the Soo Jr Greyhound AAA and AA programming the last few years, they recognized a membership need to develop a U18 AA hockey program.
In the 2021-22 season, every AA Soo Jr Greyhound program won their Nickel District League playoffs and/or the respective NOHA tournament of champions. Also, four out of the five AAA Soo Jr Greyhounds programs won their NOHA tournaments. With all the playoff success, Sault Major sent four teams to the All-Ontario finals last season.
18 players were selected for this year’s u18AA program by coach Mark Evans, a Saultite, who had coached in the Nickel City Sons organization for a few years, prior to moving back home to the Sault during Covid. Mark played AAA rep hockey in his youth for Sault Major before suiting up for the Blind River Beavers (2000-02) and the Soo Thunderbirds. (2003-04).
Ten of this years’ selections were chosen from the U16AA Soo Jr Greyhound program the previous year coached by Mike Gagnon. Coach Evans has eight players on his roster with at least two OHF championship tournament experiences, five of those who were OHF silver medalists at the Pee Wee Major AA 2019 championships.
The goal of this brand-new team is to give players, that still want the opportunity of rep hockey, to have a place to play instead of funnelling off to other programs. The year end goal is to win, the Nickel District League playoffs, the NOHA and then make a run for the All Ontario u18AA OHF in April.
This team also has three players affiliated in the NOJHL with the Elliot Lake Red Wings, Nick Kelly , Kiinen Saari, Grant Mathewson with more hopefully to come.
The team roster includes: Jacob Briffett (F), Tyler Caruso (F), Dominick Corbett (D), Noah Divalentin (D), Sebastian Dosreis (F), Carter Doucette (F), Chad Gendron (F), Kadin Johnston (D), Landon Jones (F), Nicholas Kelly (F), Ben Laderoute (D), Wyatt Leblanc (F), Grant Mathewson (G), Riley Orris (G), Tyler Quenneville (F), Kiinen Saari(D), Christian Sartor (D), Tyler Smokowich (F).
Coaching Staff includes: Coach Mark Evans; Assistant coaches Trevor Sepkowski, Tyler Slobodecki, Trent Sepkowski, Josh Dewling, and goalie coach Tyler Greco and manager Ryan Saari.
14 of the 18 players are eligible to return for another season.
Soo U18 AAA Greyhound coach Mark Evans told Saultsports that “It’s s big year for Sault Major with the new u18AA division! All cylinders are run full tilt . This year states the first year kids have somewhere to play if their not selected for AAA and still have the chance to move on and play Junior after their midget years. We are in first place in the division and gaining momentum aiming straight for OHF’s.”
