BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
Over the past 26 years, the Big Nickel AAA
International Hockey Tournament has been the early bird proving
ground of many elite hockey players.
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The 28th annual Major AAA Hockey
Tournament will be held Nov 3-6. Organizers include
(back) Scott Overton, Bruce Killah, Randy Pascal, Peter
Merritt, Barry McCrory; (front) Glenn Warren and
tourney chair Gerry McCrory. Sudbury is well
represented with the Sudbury Laker Wolves (peewee),
Sudbury Bantam Wolves, Sudbury Nickel Capitals Wolves
(midget), Valley East Cobras (midget) and the Rayside
Balfour Junior Sabrecats (midget) all competing for
championships. |
From the likes of former Sudbury Wolves'
stars Bobby Chaumont and Zack Stortini to current NHLers such
as Todd Bertuzzi and Jason Spezza, the tournament has brought
in the best of the best and given them a stage to showcase
their vast talents.
The 26th annual version of the tournament
promises another heap of fantastic minor hockey action with 60
of the best minor hockey teams from across Canada and the
United States. More than 70 teams applied for the event.
The tournament features midget, bantam and
peewee level teams. The action takes place from Nov. 3 to
6.
Greater Sudbury is well represented with the
Sudbury Laker Wolves (peewee), Sudbury Bantam Wolves, Sudbury
Nickel Capitals Wolves (midget), Valley East Cobras (midget)
and the Rayside Balfour Junior Sabrecats (midget) all competing
for championships.
"Our local teams...are all doing well this
season and they will all be right in the top of things this
year," said Barry McCrory, Big Nickel board of director
member.
One local team, the Onaping Falls Huskies
bantam squad will not be participating as they missed the
application deadline.
"The Onaping Falls situation was touchy and
we feel bad about it," said McCrory. "We had 72 teams apply for
the tournament and two teams, one
being Onaping Falls, that didn't apply in
time. We hope they will be back next year."
Fans attending the tournament will see plenty
of quality hockey at all venues, which includes Countryside
Arena, Chelmsford Arena, Tom Davies Community Centre,
Carmichael Arena, McClelland Arena and Cambrian Arena.
Championship finals all take place Sunday,
Nov. 6 at Countryside Arena, starting at 2 pm with the peewees;
4 pm for the bantams; and 6 pm for the midgets.
"Fans are going to see excellent hockey from
some really strong teams and some of the best AAA hockey in
Ontario this year," said McCrory.
The tournament serves local players and
hockey teams well.
"It's a great tournament because it gives
local players an opportunity to see how good they are against
all the top players in the province," said Wolves head coach
and GM Mike Foligno. "We're going to see the cream of the crop
for those age levels right here in Sudbury and that's nice to
see in the north. It's also an opportunity for OHL managers and
coaches to scout these players for the first time. The
tournament is a good way to measure where they are at and
identify the top players from each group. Then we can follow
them through the year."
Foligno's son, Marcus, will be competing in
the tournament for the Wolves bantam squad.
One team anxious to rip into the competition
is the Nickel Capitals, which have been enjoying all kinds of
success in the Great North Midget League, and sit in second
place in the standings with a 9-3 record.
"We're rolling along pretty good," said
Capitals head coach Steve Boyd. "This tournament is a bench
mark for us to see how we can compete with the rest of the
province. We want to see what we can do against some of the big
teams from down south that are loaded with 16 and 17 year olds.
I have seven 15 year olds who I think can compete well with
those big teams."
Sudbury hasn't won a championship, at any
level, since 1991, when the Sudbury BPT Wolves claimed the
bantam title.
