After a disappointing first-round exit from the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) playoffs last spring, Haliburton County Huskies head coach and general manager Ryan Ramsay has spent the early part of his summer trying to build a winner in the Highlands.
Preparations for a fourth season in Haliburton County are well underway. While Ramsay said he’s proud of what his teams have accomplished in recent years, establishing the Huskies as a force in the league’s East Conference and making three consecutive post-season appearances, he believes the franchise is capable of more.
“We aren’t here just to make up the numbers, our goal every season is to win a championship,” Ramsay said.
With long-time stalwarts such as Patrick Saini, Lucas Stevenson, Jack Staniland and Lucas Marshall, along with star players Ian Phillips and Matt Milic, all moving on, it’ll be a year of big change for the blue and white.
Ramsay confirmed forwards Ty Petrou, Alex Bradshaw, Noah Lodoen, Gavin McGahey-Smith, Isaac Larmand and Adam Smeeton, defencemen Raine Nadeau and Ethan Wright, and goaltender Brett Fullerton will all return for the 2024/25 season.
The team has also added six new faces via free agency – forwards Chase Del Colombo, Jake Salvatore, Kaiden Thatcher, Ryan Gosse and Carter Nadon, and defenceman Cole Brooks. Ramsay also brought two players in via trade, acquiring winger Tyler Oletic and blueliner Carson Littlejohn from the Aurora Tigers for Izayah Luddington and Antonio Cerqua.
“I think everyone we’ve added is ready to play junior hockey, which is nice. These guys have all come in ready to go,” Ramsay said, noting he entered his young charges in a pair of early pre-season tournaments in Toronto in June. “We did pretty well – we were one of the youngest teams but held our own.
“Some of the new guys we’ve brought in have serious speed, which will really help us with transitions and getting down the ice,” he added.
There will be a familiar face back behind the bench – Jordan Bailey is returning as associate coach after a season with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens. Bailey previously spent two seasons with the Huskies between 2021 and 2023 and will replace the outgoing Matt Comand. Owen Flood is back as an assistant coach, with Justin Rogers serving as assistant general manager.
Players will report for full pre-season training Aug. 20. There will be a visit to expansion side King Rebellion Aug. 23 and a home and home exhibition series with the Lindsay Muskies – on the road Aug. 25 and in Minden Aug. 27. The new season kicks off mid-September.
Billets needed
While Ramsay is hard at work recruiting players over the summer, he’s equally busy trying to find them somewhere to live.
The Huskies bench boss said the team needs to add four or five billet families to its roster before players report in approximately six weeks. Billets receive a $600 monthly stipend, two season tickets with priority seating, and packages of meat from a local butcher twice throughout the season.
To qualify, families must live in Haliburton County and be about a 30-minute drive from the Minden arena. They will supply players with a bedroom, access to laundry facilities, and provide some meals. The team is responsible for providing transportation to and from the rink, Ramsay said.
“It’s hard to run a program without a stable billeting system. How do we recruit guys and ask them to come up to Haliburton County if there’s no one here who can house them? It makes things very difficult,” Ramsay said. “Finding billet families is just as important as finding players. These are driven, high-level athletes. They don’t party, they’re serious about playing hockey.”
He believes billeting is a great option for families looking for a role model for their children and seniors wanting some company.
Anyone interested can contact Jess Jackson at huskieshousing@hotmail.com.
