Junior Ontario Hockey

Two stories from Strathroy radio station 105.7 myFM website:

We're not even into summer yet but hockey is on the minds of some junior players heading into this Saturday. Not the Stanley Cup finals, but the annual Strathroy Rockets mini-camp taking place at Gemini. A full day of inner-squad games and off-ice conditioning will be on the agenda for approximately 80 Rocket hopefuls. General Manager Dan Gibson says the camp will be a very competitive one and the organization will have their eyes peeled for potential team members.

The camp is open to the public and runs all day Saturday at the Gemini Green pad from 9am to 6pm.


Player development will be one of the focus' facing the Strathroy Rockets Organization as the next season begins tomorrow with a mini-camp at Gemini. With graduating players gone, moving forward with what they have and what they can find to fill those holes will be the key. General Manager Dan Gibson says those holes will be very difficult to fill but the work to fill the roster has already begun weeks before players even take to the ice tomorrow.

Players that catch the eye of the organization tomorrow will be asked to go to the main camp in August. The mini camp is open to the public running from 9-6 at Gemini.

I thought the Rockets were a fairly young team. Do they have a lot of holes to fill? Are there several players eligible to return who are not expected back for various reasons (school, OHL, etc.)?

As of end of season the Rockets lost 3 to age and one to career. Have not heard of any others not returning however there are certainly lots of rumours that a number of the marquee players from around the league are unhappy with the number of players who have received scholarships in the recent years and how poorly our league is scouted by the NCAA. We could have another mass exodus to the BCHL, etc.

overage:
goaltender Blair Bennett
defenseman Jared Anger
forward and captain Andrew McCombe

gone for work (Ontario Hydro):
forward Brett Lashbrook

Strathroy will probably also lose Fox to the OHL. But they'll still have several stars back, I suspect.

Peterborough has their eyes on Derek Mathers too. He might be able to make the jump. I agree that Fox is likely gone to the Knights.

Biggest hole I see for the Rockets is goal tending. With Blair leaving, that is a huge loss. Also, they didn't seem to use the backup very much, so really don't know if he'd be ready to get the start or if Gibby has other plans?

Maybe they should help Parker get out of Lambton Shores - hear he wants out if he doesn't make the Sting. Good goalie there.

I only saw Garner play against Lambton Shores and he looked pretty brutal, it's no surprise they wouldn't play him against the better teams. Unless they find someone with experience goaltending could be a real weakness.

Have also heard Bodo is heading to the BCHL

I have 3 different people (all good and reliable sources) also tell me Bodo will be in BC next season. If that is true it doesn't say much for our league. He's not going there to try to get a scholarship, he already has one. He has a Mercyhurst scholarship waiting for him but must feel he will develop much faster out there - on the ice everyday, better competition, coaching, instruction, etc.

i hurd da skewl wanted him 2 go out bc

Souds like half a dozen players could be gone. Still, last year the Rockets lost seven players to overage. Many thought they would topple in the standings. Instead, they were a strong second.

From what I've heard in the past it's often the schools that push for this.

It is true that the schools will strongly suggest that a player make that change to aid his development - afterall they are investing in a free education for him and want the best player that they can get.

Also heard out of Sarnia today that the OHL Sting are wanting to affiliate with the Rockets. Anyone hear anything about that?

Posted on myFM's website:

This past weekend the next season for the Strathroy Rockets got underway with their rookie mini-camp. 80 players turned out by invitation to try and strut their stuff for Rocket brass. The team did actually sign a player for the season but not out of camp. He's a 5'10 180lb defenseman and was coming down to Strathroy anyways and since he was here, he skated in the camp. 18 year old defenseman Dylan Connolly was signed as a Rocket. Connolly is from Sault Ste Marie and played with the Thunderbirds in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League last year recording 13 points and 61 penalty minutes in 43 games. Connolly says he brings rough and tumble type of play to the Rockets line-up.

The organization had been following Connolly with the hopes of signing him for about two years. Connolly along with about 20 others from the mini camp will take part in the Rockets main camp in August.

I would hope not if I were you.

Defenseman from the Sault???? A friend or relative of the Beauchamps perhaps? The rotten apple often doesn't fall far from the despised tree.

A solid D who gets under the skin of top forwards can come in very handy...

from the Rockets' website:

The Strathroy Rockets would like to announce the addition of former Rocket Defenseman Chris Brekelmans to its Coaching Staff.

Chris is a former standout Rocket defenseman, having played with the Rockets from 1998-2002. He was an integral part of the teams run to the League Finals during the 1999-2000 season and in 2002 accepted a NCAA Division I scholarship with New York State's Clarkson University.

Chris spent four seasons with the Golden Knights, serving as the Team Captain in his final
season and is a member of the ALL-TIME Golden Knights Team. Following his career with the Golden Knights, Chris also spent 2 seasons Coaching Jr. B Hockey in the U.S.

The Brekelmans name is synonymous with Rockets hockey, as brothers Cory, Chris and Curtis played a combined total of 11 years with the Rockets compiling 51 goals, 201 assists and a staggering 1554 penalty minutes over a combined 520 games played. Their intensity and work ethic was second to none, with all three brothers being fierce competitors.

The Rockets are excited to again have the Brekelmans name associated with the team.

It's official. Bodo has signed with the Prince George Spruce Kings. This is a blow to the Rockets and our league for sure. But Strathroy always does a good recruiting job and I suspect they'll still have a good team.

Four Player Signings Announced
Thursday, 03 June 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRINCE GEORGE, BC - The Prince George Spruce Kings are excited to announce the signing of four players for the 2010-11 season. The first of a number of signings during the off-season were made after the team received commitments from Riley Spraggs (F), Faiz Khan (F), Trevor Esau (D) and Chris Bodo (F).

Spraggs, Khan and Esau were all members of the Revelstoke Grizzlies of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) winning the 2009-10 league championship, the Cyclone Taylor Cup and the Keystone Cup. Bodo comes via the Strathroy Rockets of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) where he finished the season third in league scoring with 97 points.

Riley Spraggs, who played five games with the Spruce Kings last season, is a '91 forward 5' 9" 175 lbs from Vernon, BC. In 47 regular season games, Spraggs had a record of 25 goals, 23 assists and 41 PIMs.

Faiz Khan, from Santa Clarita, California is a '90 forward 5' 9" 160 lbs. As a rookie last season, Khan led the Grizzlies in scoring with 27 goals and 41 assists in 42 games played.

Trevor Esau comes in as an 18 year old defenceman born in 1992, 6' 4" 205 lbs from Abbotsford, BC. Esau finished last season with a record of 1 goal, 6 assists and 95 PIMs in 48 games.

Chris Bodo is a 5' 9" 185 lbs '91 born forward from St. Thomas, Ontario. Playing on the right side, Bodo was the 2009-10 Strathroy Rockets regular season and playoffs scoring champion recording 49 goals and 48 assists in 50 regular season games. Bodo comes with a NCAA Division I scholarship to Mercyhurst College for the 2011-12 season.

"We are extremely happy as an organization that we were able to secure commitments from these four players," said Spruce Kings assistant general manager and director of player personnel, Mike Hawes. "Spraggs, Khan and Bodo are extremely gifted forwards with great numbers to show from last season and Esau is a key addition to our defence next year and for years down the road."

For more information, please contact the Prince George Spruce Kings at 250.564.1747.

from the Rocket website:

Rockets Acquire Veteran Defenseman

The Strathroy Rockets got a head start on the 2010-11 season, when they acquired the rights to and then signed veteran rearguard Dylan Connolly. Connolly, a native of Sault Ste Marie, played the past 2 Seasons for the Soo Thunderbirds, helping his team advance to the Dudley Hewitt Cup in each of those seasons.

The 18yr old, 5' 10" 185lb Defenseman plays a tough, physical brand of hockey and was considered one of the Thunderbirds top defensmen last season. Connolly will be attending Fanshawe College this Fall and has 2 years of Jr. B eligibility left.

Former Rocket Patrick McNeill scores twice as Hershey wins second straight Calder Cup title


2010-06-14 21:39:00

HERSHEY, Pa. - Defenceman Patrick McNeill, a Strathroy, Ontario native, scored a pair of goals and the Hershey Bears defended their American Hockey League championship with a 4-0 win over the Texas Stars on Monday.

Hershey won the Calder Cup final 4-2. Game 6 was the only game in the series won by the home team.

The Bears, the AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals, are the first team to repeat as Calder Cup champions since 1991. They have won three of the last five titles and a league-best 11 overall.

All four of Hershey's goals came from its defence corps.

Former London Knight John Carlson opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 12:29 of the first period. Karl Alzner made it 2-0 just under two minutes later.

McNeill made it 3-0 14:47 into the second period, then put the game away with a power-play goal at 14:52 of the third.

Michal Neuvirth stopped 22 shots for the shutout.

Brent Krahn stopped 31 shots for Texas.

Bears forward Chris Bourque won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the most valuable player of the Calder Cup playoffs, finishing with a league-leading 27 points (seven goals, 20 assists) in 21 games.

The 24-year-old Boston native and son of Hockey Hall of Famer Ray Bourque turned pro in 2005 and has played five seasons in Hershey, winning three Calder Cups.

Former Rocket Kyle Wilson is also a member of the championship Bears squad.

Strathroy Rockets General Manager and Director of Hockey Operations Danny Gibson was honoured at the OHA's Annual General Meeting on Saturday, June 19th at the Nottawasaga Inn near Barrie, when he received the OHA's prestigious CRYSTAL PUCK AWARD in front of over 400 team delegates.

The Crystal Puck Award is presented annually by the Ontario Hockey Association to a team representative who not only provides exemplary service and dedication to his Team and Organization, but also to the OHA and the game of hockey.

Gibson has been the Rockets GM and Dir. of Hockey Operations for the past five seasons. During his tenure with the Rockets, they have never finished lower than 4th place and won the WOHL League Championship, advancing to the Sutherland Cup Finals in 2007. All five of the Rocket teams he has built are listed in the Top Ten all-time Rockets/Blades most successful teams.

Prior to joining the Rockets, Gibson served both as an Assistant and then Associate Coach with the London Nationals, helping them to advance to the League Finals in 2003-04. Before coaching in London, he was also the Head Coach and GM with the St. Marys Lincolns for 2 seasons and has been involved in the OHA for over 16 years.

Gibson is a life long Strathroy resident, who's father Bernie was one of the founding members of the Strathroy Blades in 1975. His wife Robin and daughters Brooke and Payton share in this honour and award as Danny is recognized for his tremendous contribution to Jr Hockey in Ontario.

Marcie
I can tell you that Connolly is not a Relative nor is he a Family friend of Beauchamps
and to say the Rotten apple doen't fall far from the despised tree is rude and way off base do you even know the kid or the family ??
That's a good way to make a player and his family feel welcome

Hockeyfan1111
Well said

The Rockets have signed standout defenseman last season with the Elgin Middlesex Chiefs AAA Minor Midget Team, Jordan McNaughton. McNaughton is a smooth skating, puck moving defensman that will help the Rockets offensive push from the back end.

Jordan McNaughton
56GP / 10G / 36A / 46PTS / 20PIM

I hear the Rockets have signed another Player from the Soo Thunderbirds JRA team
His name is Kurtis Travalini he had 45pts in 46 games 12 pim should be a real good addition for the team

Go Rockets Go