The Greater Sudbury Cubs kick-off their 2024-25 season on September 5th and 7th with two exhibition games against the Blind River Beavers at the Blind River Community Centre.
This is the first time these two teams will meet since Game 5 of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s West Division Final when Greater Sudbury took the best-of-seven series 4-1 and moved on to play for the NOJHL championship against the Powassan Voodoos.
INS AND OUTS
The Cubs, like most NOJHL teams, said goodbye to their 2023-24 season graduating class of six, as forwards Oliver Smith, Cameron Walker, and Ethan Larmand, along with defencemen Josh Kavanagh, Chris Innes, and Cole Quevillon, will see their talents on the ice be taken in numerous directions.
The team also saw forward Marshall McCharles depart in a trade with the Espanola Paperkings that returned forward Lucas Signoretti to the Cubs. McCharles was then traded to King Rebellion in the OJHL. Other notable departures included defencemen Hudson Martin, and Brock Houser, along with goaltender Noah Metivier – who signed with his hometown Sault Ste. Marie Thunderbirds.
Of course, this means the defending NOJHL champions have had to fill some significant offensive holes and build up a depleted defensive roster that features only five listed D-men at the time of this writing, all while trying to solidify a number one goaltending spot… PHEW!
Luckily, Greater Sudbury had already announced the additions of forwards Lucas Antonioni, Mason Walker, Eidan Macartney, Mateo Signoretti, and Tannen Iserhoff, which should round out the forward group as the season gets underway.
Mason Chitaroni and Kyle Navarro have been the only defencemen announced as having either rejoined or newly joined the team.
Goaltender Matthew Vahramian has also been announced as returning to the Cubs for his first full season with the team after being acquired from the Elliot Lake Vikings via trade last season.
BEAVERS QUIET IN OFFSEASON
The Bind River Beavers have built themselves a dam-good roster of returning core for the 2024-25 season, with forwards Daniel Vasic and Wyatt Gibson listed on the team’s official roster page, while defenceman Joseph Rotilio and goaltender Noah Tegelaar are featured as well.
However, with only 11 active players listed ahead of their exhibition games against the Cubs, expect a handful of roster additions and new names joining the Beavers ahead of the regular season.
Puck drop for Exhibition Game One between the Cubs and Beavers is set for 7:00 PM on September 5th in Sudbury, while Game Two is scheduled to get underway at 6:30 PM on September 7th in Blind River.