After enduring a challenging season, in which some suggested the team might not even take the ice at the major peewee AAA level, the Sudbury Minor Bantam AAA Wolves are much more optimistic the second time around.
Coach Kyle Doherty and company bore the brunt of the newly-introduced Nickel City Sons AAA peewee squad one year ago. With the bulk of the 2008-09 Minor Peewee Wolves belonging to the Sons, Doherty welcomed a large handful of newcomers to minor hockey's most elite level of play.
Though they would take their lumps early, the Wolves improved, with countless players garnering the benefit of constantly facing superior opponents. With 10 returning players and the welcome addition of some who toiled at the peewee AA level last year, the Minor Bantam Wolves are looking forward to the 2010-2011 campaign.
No one is suggesting this team has suddenly become world beaters. But with a tournament slate that includes trips to Detroit, Chicago and Toronto, focusing on simply trying to remain respectable, while battling some of the top 1997-born talent from across North America, will constitute the challenge at hand for the eager young teens.
Doherty, along with assistant coaches Josh Slobodian, Nick Staneckyj and Neil MacDonald finalized their roster Monday evening, and the following 17 players earned a spot on this year's edition of the Minor Bantam AAA Wolves: Riley Chum, Joel Lemay, Chiwetin Blacksmith, Owen Fransen, Eric Paquette, Nathan Scruton, Ty Beauchamp, Cole Braney, Curtis Schryer, Tylar Read, Alex Savard, Duncan Stewart, Talong McGregor, Cameron Marshall, Kyle Guillot and goaltenders Mathieu Kingsley and Brayden Lachance.
The Wolves kick off tournament play in mid-September, attending the fifth annual Honeybaked/Compuware Invitational from Sept. 17 to 19, before staying in province to attend the Hamilton Reps Tim Hortons International tournament on Thanksgiving weekend.
