
Returning a very solid core of young hockey talent that lay claim to a Regional Silver Stick title last year but were eliminated in semi-final play at the International tournament, the Sudbury U11 "AA" Wolves entered the 2024-2025 campaign with a clear-cut idea of where progress needed to happen.
Based on the results to date, clearly, the plan has merit.
Sure, the offensive arsenal of the team was on full display in Sarnia a few weeks ago as the Sudbury Minor Hockey Association reps trounced both the Foothills Flyers from Colorado (10-0) and the Kensington Valley Rebels from Michigan (7-0) to open their tournament.
But when push came to shove on championship Sunday, it was two-way hockey that would prevail as the U11 AA Wolves bested both the Lake County Vipers (Illinois) and the London Jr Knights by the identical score of 2-0, capturing gold.
“We were a great team on offense but we wanted to tighten up on defense, from our blueline in,” noted forward Alex Brujic, a gifted scorer who is reunited again this season with linemates Nico Brujic (cousin) and hard-working winger Nathan Arnold.
“We try and box out from the ringette line into the crease,” Brujic added. “We don’t like giving up a ton of chances and we try and step up on them before they can shoot.”
After eliminating Lake County Sunday morning on a game-winning strike from Harrison Trebb, an empty-net insurance marker from Hudson Gray and a 12-save shutout performance from Jack Laporte-Alexander, the Wolves were pitted against a London team that had doubled the locals 4-2 the previous day.
A scoreless opening frame of the final gave way to the creativity of Gray for a second time this day.
“I had dropped my stick but picked it back up really quick and split the “D” and scored,” recalled the youngster who was named Game MVP. “I just figured I would try it; I wasn’t even thinking.”
Early in the third, Nathan Arnold increased the Sudbury lead to 2-0 – and it was time to put to the test all of those lessons on understanding exactly how to protect a lead in a tight contest.
“We would get to the red line, dump it in and have lots of quick changes,” said Gray.
Sounds like he and his teammates were definitely paying attention.
“Instead of pressing for more goals, we wanted to dump the puck in more, chip it in and forecheck on them,” added Alex Brujic. “We succeeded in doing that. We didn’t give up many prime scoring chances. Even if we give up one or two, Seb (goaltender Sebastien Boyer – 16-save shutout) is so good that he can stop those.”
“He’s really tight on his gaps, with the corners – and he’s always focused. He just knows how to make saves.”
Also benefitting from some familiarity with his linemates in the form of Jaxon Wicklander and Luke Pavacic, Hudson Gray suggested that his team was likely positioned even better for a run at the International title this time around than they were last January, beaten 4-1 by the Toronto East Ender Ticats in the semis.
“I think we got even better this year,” said Gray. “We got better at setting up on the power play and setting up five on five.”
And at the other end of the rink, these youngsters are wise beyond their years in terms of understanding exactly how one can create pressure in an environment where body checking is not yet allowed.
“You can angle them out towards the outside harsh marks and then you can push their stick out so that the puck separates from the guy,” noted Alex Brujic, a very well-spoken grade five student at Ecole St Dominique in New Sudbury. “You might get called some time, because it depends on the refs – but that’s legal in hockey.”
Perhaps the final lesson, and one to which they were undoubtedly reminded by the time they hit the final four, was the lesson of 2024. “Our loss last year helped us not to underestimate teams (this year),” said Brujic. “Last year, we underestimated two teams – and we lost.”
This year, the pathway to victory was clear for one and all involved with the Sudbury U11 AA Wolves.
Team roster: Arlo Angus, Brodie Robichaud, Zack Zanatta, Hudson Yasko, Huxley Leclair, Jaxson Andryechen, Bennet Gertz, Harrison Trebb, Nico Brujic, Sebastien Boyer, Luca Apolloni, Jack Laporte-Alexander, Nathan Arnold, Alex Brujic, Jaxon Wicklander, Hudson Gray and Luke Pavacic.
Team staff: Damir Brujic (head coach), assistant coaches Jonathan Arnold, Steve Brujic, Jeff Wicklander, Kyle Gray, trainer/assistant coach Robbie Gertz and team manager Erica Gertz.
Ice Chip: the International Silver Stick gold medal for Jaxon Wicklander marks the third of three siblings to enjoy this honour – definitely something of a minor hockey rarity – with older brother Kaeden and older sister Ava both having celebrated this championship previously.