One of the biggest fish available in the leadup to the OJHL trade deadline, 20-year-old power forward Josh Currie, said it was an easy decision to move north for a chance to win with the Haliburton County Huskies.
Acquired Jan. 8 from the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs, Currie adds another dimension to an already stacked Huskies roster. After playing three seasons of major junior, the big-bodied winger brings a wealth of experience to the hometown team’s forward line.
Currie has made a blistering start, registering nine points in seven games – including a pair of assists in his first start Jan. 9, a 3-2 road win over bitter rivals the Cobourg Cougars.
“His hockey IQ is off the charts. He hadn’t even practiced with the team before that game against Cobourg, but he was finding guys all over the ice,” Ramsay told The Highlander following Currie’s debut. “He’s a big, big addition for our team.”
Born and raised in Pickering, Currie grew up playing minor hockey with his hometown Panthers. He was always one of the biggest and most skilled players in his age group, and so, once he turned 13 and was allowed to hit, he transferred to the Toronto Red Wings of the Greater Toronto Hockey League.
Currie stood out playing in the city, catching the eye of scouts looking for the next big thing.
He took inspiration from the likes of Detroit Red Wings legend Pavel Datsyuk and Washington Capitals sniper Alex Ovechkin, although his favourite player during his formative years might surprise a few people.
“I loved watching Wade Belak. He was always fighting and was the first to stand up for his teammates. That really stuck with me,” Currie said.
In 2015, he was a part of the Toronto Nationals team that won the Telus Cup – Canada’s premiere midget AAA championship.
Currie was a sixth-round selection of the North Bay Battalion in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection, playing 84 games with the team across two seasons. After being traded to the Windsor Spitfires during the 2021/22 season, he came within a whisker of having his name etched onto the Ross Robertson Cup, awarded to the OHL champions. The Spitfires lost the championship series 4-3 to the Hamilton Bulldogs.
Currie played 19 games with the Frontenacs this season before joining the Huskies.
“I knew guys like Christian Stevens, Ty Collins, Isaac Sooklal and Zack Terry quite well, so that’s helped with the transition,” Currie said. “I love, too, that we run a major junior schedule up here. It’s just like what I was used to playing in the OHL. We’re at the rink everyday practicing, working out, watching tape.
“This is a close group, and it helps that we’re all focused on the same goal. We want to win a championship this year. We want to go to the Centennial Cup. Can we do it? I think so,” Currie said.
