With the new Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) season just nine days away, Haliburton County Huskies head coach and general manager Ryan Ramsay can’t wait to bring Canada’s favourite pastime back to life in the Highlands.
Players reported to S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena for team meetings and practice Aug. 20, spending the past week getting to know one another off the ice, and learn the Huskies’ systems and style of play.
Ramsay said it’s a young team again to start the season, with only a handful of returning players.
First line forward Ty Petrou will aim to build on last season, when he finished second in team scoring with 57 points in 52 games, while fellow forwards Alex Bradshaw, Adam Smeeton, Isaac Larmand and Noah Lodoen are also back. The blueline will see the return of Raine Nadeau and Ethan Wright, with Brett Fullerton reprising his role between the pipes.
The Huskies have also added 19-yearold forward Tyler Oletic and 18-year-old defenceman Carson Littlejohn, who played last season with the Aurora Tigers; six-foottwo-inch blueliner Lukas Moore, who played in 29 games for the Lindsay Muskies in 2023/24; and 20-year-old left shot forward Deandres De Jesus, who registered 30 points in 56 games with the Caledon Admirals last year.
Nathan Poole, who spent the past three years playing with the Kingston Frontenacs in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and was an alternate captain last season, has also signed. He registered 31 points in 144 OHL games.
“Speed and hard work have been our MO (usual habits) since we moved to Haliburton County. Our identity is leaning into physical play, being hard to play against. That’s how we approached recruitment this summer,” Ramsay said. “I’m excited, we’ve got some fast kids this year.”
Ramsay got to see his team in action for the first time Aug. 21, albeit in a losing 5-2 effort to expansion franchise King Rebellion. The Huskies followed that up with a 2-2 tie with the Lindsay Muskies Aug. 25.
De Jesus scored the Huskies first on the powerplay in King, assisted by Littlejohn and Petrou, with Moore notching the second, assisted by De Jesus and Littlejohn.
Against Lindsay, Poole was a constant menace. He opened the scoring just 1:25 into the first frame, assisted by De Jesus and Petrou, and was a scoring threat throughout. Larmand tied the game with seven minutes remaining in the third to force overtime. The Huskies dominated the extra frame, forcing several big saves from Muskies netminder Robby DiMaria and ringing the iron three times. They couldn’t find the breakthrough, though.
“I like what I’m seeing, the guys are meshing. I saw a big, positive difference on systems between the two games,” Ramsay said. “We have tweaked some stuff from last year, so getting all the guys on the same page is the focus now. You can’t do that in a week, but there are encouraging signs.”
There’s been no decision over who will replace Patrick Saini as team captain, Ramsay confirmed.
“We’re waiting to see what everyone does, how players respond in the room,” he said.
After working hard to get Poole signed, Ramsay said he’s looking forward to seeing him in action once he’s fully up to speed. The 20-year-old has been dealing with an injury for most of the summer.
With OHL teams beginning their training camps over the next week or so, Ramsay said there will be more additions once players know where they stand. The Huskies still have a few overage positions to fill.
The team had its final exhibition game Aug. 27, routing the Muskies 7-4 in Minden. Bradshaw helped himself to a pair of goals with Petrou, Poole, Smeeton, Lodoen, and Wright also on the scoresheet.
The regular season begins Sept. 7 against the Leamington Flyers. Puck drop in Minden is scheduled for 4 p.m.
