Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League 2015-2016 Preview
Wheatley and Blenheim squared off in Great Lakes preseason action, preparing for the 2015-2016 season – Photo by Kelsey Vermeersch/ CKSN.ca
Blenheim Blades
The Blades were one of the most active Great Lakes teams in the offseason. The team brought back former league Rookie of the Year Drew Marlatt after a season of Junior B, and also added fellow Junior B veteran Nick Delyzer from Lambton Shores. They’ll attempt to replace the offense of the departed trio of Tyler Boughner, Dylan Muzzatti,and Derek Muzzatti.
A full season from Zach Horvath, and Matt Clark in Blades’ uniforms should help as well.
The blueline lost overage captain Ben Pataki, but gained Owen Bateman, who had been playing Junior C up North, a more than capable replacement, and a character dressing room addition.
Speaking of dressing rooms, the Blades have a new coach as Ken Shine joins Bob McNear as an associate coach. Coming from a messy situation, and mixed reviews in Wallaceburg, Shine will be out to prove that his new team can win. After multiple seasons of underperforming, the veteran Blades are out to prove they can come together as a team when it counts.
In net, the Blades will again rely on Klinton Kenney and Eric Stewardson in net.
Blenheim will open their season Sunday, September 13 at home against Amherstburg.
Wallaceburg Lakers
A new head coach in experienced Marc Swayze. Swayze will provide stability, and push his players to perform every night. The question will be, as it has been for several seasons recently, will the Lakers be talented enough to compete.
All it will take is Wallaceburg keeping a few players, rather than selling them off for nothing, like they did last season with Matt Clark, a move that is still baffling, and will haunt them this year. If this team is ever going to turn around, they have to keep their best players, and refuse to give releases, or make trades without legitimate return.
For the first time in a long time, they have a legitimate number one defensive pairing in Jacob Theoret and newly acquired Wade Esselment.
Up front, a lot will be put on Trevor Waller. The team will struggle to score all season, with no veteran additions. They do have high hopes for rookie George Wood of Bracebridge.
Soon, players will come to realize there is opportunity to play and develop in Wallaceburg, until that day comes however, struggles in the ‘Burg will continue.
Dresden Kings,
The Kings are very deep up front. Dillon Liberty, Will Tetzlaff, Derek Daly, Derrick Van Every, Macks Holmes, Taylor Sisson, Kyle Dawson and the list goes on. Losing Ross Krieger will sting, but they should be able to fill those gaps from within. They also added veteran Eric Rivard who had a great season in Lambeth last year, and took Brock Daugherty from Wallaceburg. This, is a deep forward corps.
The question marks start on the back end. Expect a veteran forward, or two, to play some significant minutes on the blueline at some point this season, likely immediately. The Chatham Maroons’ complete lack of talent and depth on the blueline will hurt Dresden. John Montgomery is back, as is Steve Funk, and 16-year-old rookie Brady Hogg will be counted on early; but this group will need to play as a cohesive unit to be effective.
In net, the Kings said goodbye to veteran local Scott Tricker, and traded for Joel Sowinski from Wallaceburg. This is a lateral move at best, and they’ll have an inexperienced backup behind him unless something changes.
The Kings will be exciting to watch with plenty of offense from all over the ice, but team defense will need to be a focus for success.
Wheatley Sharks
The Sharks have their share of veterans in the mix with Brett Bowman and Calyn Kir, Frank Ciacelli, and Lucas Raffoul, but the Wheatley Sharks for the most part, will be young, and inexperienced.
That doesn’t however mean they’ll be weak. They put together a good showing in the preseason, and could surprise people. Likely however, the season will come with bumps.
New ownership is good news for the now Wheatley Omstead Sharks, providing the franchise with stability.
Players will be making a name for themselves all season here, and Wheatley’s real challenge will be holding onto their young players to allow the core to develop together.