Chatham Maroons Look to Hold First
Brayden Hopkins faces off against Leamington – Photo by Helen Heath
A far cry from the team that finished at the bottom of the Western Conference last season, the Chatham Maroons this year, are led by a combination of veteran leadership and young prospects, while being backed by a steady blueline and all-star goaltending.
Captain Sean Myers sits second on the team in scoring with 18 goals and 20 assists in 28 games, while Michael Verboom has 13 goals and 27 assists, to lead the team with 40 points through 35 games. The duo were last seasons top scorers.
Brayden Hopkins has been a strong addition to this seasons roster, picking up 31 points through 35 games, to sit atop the team’s rookie scoring.
The returns of Brennan Feasey and Alex Morgan from the OHL also boosted the Chatham lineup in the season’s first half.
Jake Flegel, who joined the Maroons via Cobourg’s Junior A program, has been a rock on the blueline for Chatham. The hulking 6’5″ defender has 9 goals and 20 assists, for 29 points in 30 games from Chatham’s blueline.
In net, offseason acquisition Darien Ekblad has been sensational. The November goalie of the month, has a 20-5-2-1 record, with a 2.93 GAA and a .913 save percentage.
Chatham faces the St. Thomas Stars, Thursday, January 3 at 7pm in St. Thomas. The Maroons will return home January 6 to host Strathroy. Chatham currently has a 5 point cushion on first place in the Western Conference over Leamington, sitting with a 24-8-3 record.