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Wolves purchase Northern Wolves, sponsor AAA SMHA teams

A junior hockey franchise that looked like it was on life support, has got a brand new lease on life and a bright future after Sudbury Wolves president Mark Burgess announced the club has purchased the Sudbury Northern Wolves of the Northern Ontario

A junior hockey franchise that looked like it was on life support, has got a brand new lease on life and a bright future after Sudbury Wolves president Mark Burgess announced the club has purchased the Sudbury Northern Wolves of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL).

The Wolves also announced the Ontario Hockey League franchise will be the exclusive sponsor of the AAA program of the Sudbury Minor Hockey Association (SMHA).

The purchase of the Northern Wolves was approved Saturday by the NOJHL.

Burgess said he felt the time was right for the Wolves organization to step forward and invest in Junior A hockey for the benefit of local youth.

"The Sudbury Northern Wolves have been very helpful to the Sudbury Wolves by developing players like Bobby Chaumont, Kevin Beech, Mike Mills and Jeff Christison, to name a few," said Burgess, in a news release.

"I felt the time was right for our organization to support the Tier II Junior A level in an effort to ensure NOJHL hockey remains alive and well in the Sudbury area. We have a vested interest in the game of hockey in the Sudbury area and with the NOJHL."

The Wolves will now sponsor all of the SMHA's five AAA clubs from minor peewee to major midgets. The OHL franchise will provide Sudbury Wolves jerseys and the coaching staff led by head coach Mike Foligno will provide mentorship programs to the AAA teams during the season.

There are many OHL teams who sponsor minor hockey programs and Burgess said he felt it was important for the Wolves to support AAA teams so when they travel out-of-town for tournaments, the Wolves logo and name will serve to identify where these teams come from on a consistent basis.

Wolves' vice-president Blaine Smith will set up the Northern Wolves organization and the sponsorship program with the SMHA. Smith has work for the Wolves in various jobs for 20 years and was the former executive director of the SMHA from 1981-86.

The Northern Wolves are expecting to continue to play out of the McClelland Arena in Copper Cliff this coming season.

Burgess said he will be meeting with city officials to try and arrange a deal to bring the Northern Wolves to the Sudbury Arena in the near future.

Burgess said he believes fans will support an NOJHL team playing out of the much larger Sudbury Arena.

Smith said he's looking forward to the challenge of making the Northern Wolves a contender in the NOJHL.

"It would have been disastrous if the Northern Wolves would have folded this season," he said.

The Northern Wolves will not only provide an opportunity for many young players to continue to compete at a high level, but will allow the Wolves to develop players not quite ready for major junior action, said Smith.







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