It may well be the first year in which the Sudbury Minor Peewee AAA Wolves are dealing with a split group, but the coaching staff doesn't appear too concerned. With a solid core of top-end players, coach Steve Lauzon and company are more than comfortable with the troops they will be taking to war this year.

The advent of the Nickel City Sons Minor Peewee Elite squad means the regional talent-base is fractured, for the first time, as it is at all Major levels of play as well (peewee, bantam and midget). Yet a quick gander at the lineup for the 1999-born SMHA talent-base draws attention to some of the top youngsters in this age group.

Coach Lauzon, a former tough-as-nails NOJHL graduate who has cut his coaching teeth extensively within the northeastern house league and AA ranks, as well as working as an assistant coach with the Northern Wolves for one season, will be joined behind the bench by Steve Dombek (assistant coach), Jarrod Copland (goalie coach) and trainer Dan Smith, with manager Marnee Campbell Lauzon looking after the off-ice details.

The Minor Peewee Wolves have garnered a strong core of players from the Copper Cliff Redmen program, mixing in a variety of youngsters from all across the region. The team opens tournament play on Sept. 24, travelling to London for the Jr. Knights Early Bird Tournament, with Sudbury competing in a division with the Huron Perth Lakers, Waterloo Wolves and Whitby Wildcats in the 16-team event.

The final roster for the 2010-2011 edition of the Minor Peewee Wolves includes goaltenders Marcello Pascheto and Brandon Soucy, as well as skaters Alex Paquette, Parker Dickinson, Tanner Webkamigad, Gregory Trudeau-Paquet, Callum Roque, Devun St. Pierre, Anthony Dombek, Hunter Lammi, Waasnoode Nashkawa, Alex Smith, Nick Anderson, Vincent Bonhomme, Glenn Therrien, Camilo Rodrigue Melo and Noah Stargratt.