The NOHL (Northern Ontario AAA Hockey League) Showcase is expanding – and in as much as overall competitiveness is a positive, it’s clearly for the better.

There’s no denying that some of the top-end talent from the north are making their way south each and every year. But what’s left is now a circuit that featured no less than 15 games contested at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex this past weekend that were decided by two goals or less.

That – and the addition of a Thunder Bay Kings entry at age brackets from U13 up to U15 meant that the event was going to have a slightly different look from years gone bye, where highly lopsided affairs that benefitted neither team were all too often the norm.

There was but one game that reached double digits and even teams who might not have hit the win column undoubtedly have something to build upon.

Outscored 36-11 in posting a 1-5 record as host team to the All-Ontario U13 AAA Championships last spring, the now U14 Sudbury AAA Wolves remain in search of their first win of the season.

But with scores of 3-2 (vs Thunder Bay), 3-2 (North Bay), 5-3 (Thunder Bay) and 3-0 (Soo Greyhounds), one senses that once these youngsters learn to clear that hurdle, their victories will many. Certainly one reason for optimism is the return to Sudbury of skilled forward Matteo Rocca to the fold, the well-spoken youngster having suited up with the OHL silver medal winning crew from North Bay in 2024-2025 after kicking off his AAA career with the Wolves.

“We just have to learn to push through and have that mindset that you are the best team,” said Rocca, drawing on his observations as a member of a very strong Trappers squad one year ago. “I think this team has great passion for the game.”

It’s a sentiment he also noted when chatting about new incoming bench boss Curtis Gilbert, the man entrusted with helping to show gradual advancement with the spirited youngsters. “Coach is always coming into the room with passion and joy,” said Rocca. “That’s something you want from your coach.”

“It trickles down, like a domino. It’s great to have a coach that will pump you up and give you energy.”

With one weekend of play in the books, Thunder Bay (3-1-1) is showing the way in this U14 grouping, though the Soo Greyhounds remain undefeated at 3-0-0.

As for coaches would emanate energy, few would argue against the inclusion of Trevor Blanchard in this category. Still, for as much as the former OHLer has coached at virtually every level imaginable, the return to the U13 ranks with the AAA Wolves is a bit of a different look for the 42 year-old father of two.

“These kids are still at that level where they are sponges; they just soak everything in,” said Blanchard, his team capping off a busy 3-2-0 stretch with a 2-1 win over the Sault, as Karson Ferguson and Tyler Suomu found the back of the net for the Wolves. “Being with the younger kids is something that I haven’t done in a little bit.”

“These are great kids – and they work their butts off. We’re just scratching the surface of what’s to come.”

Coming off a very successful season at the U12 AAA ranks, the core of this team is just beginning to understand exactly how the game morphs as you work your way through the age brackets and the gap from top to bottom talent narrows with every passing year.

“We’re shifting the way some of these kids are used to playing,” said Blanchard. “As you get older, the individual efforts are few and far between. You have to play more of a team game. They buying in and they’re learning – but it’s a work in progress.”

The open borders concept adds a few different layers of interest to what used to be largely uniform cores of talent who would face each other in northern Ontario each and every winter.

Members of the Sudbury U12 Wolves in 2024-2025, forwards Ally Hebert and Reed Robichaud are now with the North Bay U13 Trappers, facing off against a whole slew of former teammates on Saturday.

“It’s a rivalry and it’s rough and tough out there, so it’s pretty fun,” said Robichaud, an 11 year old grade seven student at St Charles College. “I am a little more motivated because I want to beat them."

Robichaud sniped a goal against his former team, taking a pretty cross-crease pass from Hebert as part of a 3-1 North Bay win. “We played together for a year and we’re really good together,” said Robichaud of the Sudbury connection. “I like our effort and our skills.”

The Sudbury U15 AAA Wolves are also adjusting to an altered roster, with no less than five of their players now on the ice in the GTHL and surrounding areas. Sitting at 2-1-0 following a 2-1 win on Saturday versus North Bay (Van Sakellaris and Padraig Courtney with the goals), the Wolves dropped their final two outings to the Greyhounds (7-4) and Thunder Bay (3-1), leaving the locals trailing both teams in the early going standings.

The U12 AAA Division feature an abbreviated bracket as the North Bay Trappers and Soo Greyhounds played to a 3-3 draw in game one before the latter swept the final two encounters by scores of 5-1 and 6-2.

The Sudbury U12 AAA Wolves were in Brantford, settling for silver at the 99ers Pre-Seaon Rumble, with only the host team getting the better of the northern crew. Sudbury opened with a pair of wins on Friday, doubling the Oakville Rangers 4-2 and edging the Central Ontario Wolves 3-2.

It was a split of close affairs on Saturday as Brantford trimmed Sudbury 2-1 mid-afternoon with the Wolves rebounding later in the evening to clip the Ajax Pickering Raiders 4-3. That was enough to earn a ticket to Sudbury semi-final play as the SMHA reps bested the Guelph Jr Gryphons 4-1 before again coming up short opposite the 99ers, beaten 7-2 in the final.