Without a doubt, the quietest week of the year in the realm of local sports sits right between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

It wasn’t always that way.

I recall many a Holiday Season break spent largely at Carmichael Arena – though I was likely over at Bell Grove as well – volunteering hours on end towards scorekeeping the Silver Stick Hockey Tournament.

But with the shifting of that tradition to early December, time has been freed up to continue a pastime that I think I first started with the launch of SudburySports.com in 2004 – spending relatively relaxing time (at least, this is relaxing to me) searching the internet for pro hockey and university rosters, looking for locals who may have quietly moved along, or coming across a “Where are they Now” of former Wolves.

Certainly, the former category is more likely to produce names of athletes who actually honed their minor hockey skills in the nickel city. Now in his second year with the Toronto Varsity Blues, long-time SMHA forward Billy Moskal continues to lead the team in scoring (5G-10A in 16 games), with Owen Robinson, a one-time Wolf and graduate of the NOJHL (Blind River Beavers) just a few slots behind, with Emmett Serensits also patrolling the Blues blue-line.

In Ottawa, the Gee Gees can still boast Bradley Chenier (who covers both groupings as a Nickel City Hockey graduate who enjoyed the chance to play for his hometown OHL team), along with defenceman Peter Stratis.

With seven goals in twelve games, Daniel Walker is just one goal shy of equalling his production from 2021-2022 with the Waterloo Warriors, while rugged local blueliner Jordan Spadafore sits second along d-men in scoring with the Nipissing Lakers (five assists in 15 games in his second year in North Bay).

Coming off a trip to the Memorial Cup with the Hamilton Bulldogs, Giordano Biondi has settled in nicely with the Guelph Gryphons in his rookie campaign in the OUA (4G-3A), while teammate Anthony Tabak tops the scoring parade at the home of the Aggies (6G-8A).

Others who have played beneath the howlin’ wolf at the old barn on Elgin and are now continuing at the post-secondary level include Nolan Hutcheson (5G-3A), Owen Lalonde (1G-7a) and goaltender Christian Purboo, all at Queen’s, and Shane Bulitka (2G-6A), Drew Wawrow (1G-2A) and Brett Jacklin (0G-3A), all at Western.

Owen Gilhula (2G-5A) has landed on his feet with the York Lions, with Sooite Lucas Theriault (3G-4A) also at the GTA school, with plenty of family ties to the Sudbury area.

At the pro ranks, some folks are certainly well aware that Damien Giroux is now in his third season with the Iowa Wild (AHL), while others may have even caught wind that local goalie Tyler Beskorowany, who had essentially hung up the skates (and the pads and the blocker and trapper) after an outstanding season with the Belfast Giants last year has been lured back to Germany for the second half of the 2022-2023 campaign.

Far less would be aware that the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL are home to not only towering Sudbury defenceman Bray Crowder, but also former local OHLer Cody Caron and one-time Wolves’ draft pick Justin Vaive.

Stefan Leblanc currently dons the uniform of the Florida Everblades while Daniel Maggio has made a return to the Fort Wayne Komets, the very team with whom Sudburian Mike Lekun enjoyed a 32 goal season while the Komets played in the old International Hockey League (IHL).

Owen Headrick (SSM native whose sister played a season with the Lady Wolves) is with the Idaho Steelheads, Danny Katic (from Timmins) is with the Norfolk Admirals and one-time Laurentian Voyageur Brent Pederson has found a home with the Savannah Ghost Pirates this year (and who wouldn’t want to add that team to their jersey collection).

A member of the Wolves D-corps for the 2017-2018 season, Kyle Rhodes has now signed on with the Wichita Thunder while Dylan Fitze, a teammate of Pederson at L.U., is enjoying the lovely scenery surrounding his current hockey stop with the Utah Grizzlies.

The Southern Professional Hockey League is certainly not attracting local talent at the level is was when the likes of Serge Dubé and long-time Sudbury coach Oscar Clouthier made their way to Texas. Nonetheless, it’s still interesting to come across names such as Doug Blaisdell (Wolves in 2017-2018; now with the Birmingham Bulls) and Zach Wilkie (played with both Wolves and Voyageurs; now with the Peoria Rivermen).

Finally, the pipeline to the East Coast (AUS hockey) seems to have slowed a little, though the UPEI Panthers still enjoy a good measure of Sudbury flavour with Cole Candella, Troy Lajeunesse and twins Drake and Darian Pilon all now residing on the island.