Nick Paul is the Ottawa Senators’ nominee for the Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy awarded to the player that shows perseverance and dedication to hockey. 

Each of the NHL’s 31 teams has one nominee for the award voted on by each club’s chapter of the Professional Hockey Writer’s Association. 

Paul has been steadily playing for the Senators this season following years of bouncing between the pros and the minors. 

His 20 points (5g, 15a) this season ties his career-high with three games remaining. 

The Mississauga-native was on the first Battalion team after the club relocated from Brampton in 2013. He amassed 140 points (75g, 65a) in 191 OHL games and was an alternate captain in North Bay for his final season. Paul also represented Team Canada at the 2015 World Junior Hockey Championship where he scored three goals in seven games as part of a gold medal-winning team. 

Paul was selected 101st overall in the fourth round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars but was soon traded to Ottawa in the deal involving Jason Spezza. 

The forward bounced between the AHL and NHL over the next five years before earning a full-time roster spot with Ottawa this season, earning the role of an alternate captain on the young squad. 

Paul credits meditation techniques to his career turnaround that has allowed him to become a regular player in the NHL more than seven years after he was drafted. 

The Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy gets narrowed down to three finalists before a winner is selected at season’s end.

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There have been changes to this year’s OHL schedule.

Following a league-wide general managers meeting on Wednesday, the league has elected to push back the start date of the 2020-21 season.

The original plan was to have training camps begin on November 15 with the regular season beginning on December 1.

The league has now chosen to push the start of training camp to January 23, with the season beginning on February 4.

“The league has done a good job at being a leader throughout this difficult time and I think we’ve been informed very well,” said North Bay Battalion GM, Adam Dennis on the schedule change.

In addition to the date changes, the league announced that it will play a 40-game regular season, with only eight teams making the playoffs, instead of eight from each conference.

“Knowing what it’s going to be, we can start training for it,” Dennis commented on the new playoff format. “What becomes really important is having a shorter training camp and then a shorter schedule, the start to our year is going to be crucial.”

During the regular season, teams will be playing against others in their close geographic area. In the case of the Battalion, it would likely mean numerous matchups against the Sudbury Wolves, Soo Greyhounds and Barrie Colts. Dennis says that he’s not getting caught up in the dynamics of the schedule.

“I would say that we’re at the point that beggars can’t be choosers,” he said. “We’re excited to play whoever.”

The league says that it is still working on addressing cross-border travel for the three American franchises (Flint, Saginaw, Erie).

Dennis confirmed that international players can be brought in on January 8 following federal government protocols on quarantining. The Battalion will have to bring in Matvei Guskov, Matvei Petrov from Russia and Avery Winslow from the United States.

Last season, the Battalion finished four points back of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot before the pandemic cancelled the remainder of the year.

Under the new schedule, OHL playoffs will begin on May 11 with the Memorial Cup scheduled for June 17 in either Sault Ste. Marie or Oshawa.

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A day after the Ontario University Athletics pulled the plug on fall sports; the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) has done the same.

Officials say the decision means varsity sports for the fall term is cancelled for the OCAA’s 27 schools, which includes Canadore College. Sports affected include baseball, softball, rugby, rugby sevens, outdoor soccer, golf, and cross country running.

"In collaboration with our members, extensive contingency planning, and aligned with current fall academic delivery models, this is a difficult, but necessary decision in order to protect the health and well-being of all of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff," said OCAA President, Nathan McFadden. "The safety of the entire OCAA membership and our participants is our top priority, but we understand and share the deep disappointment this especially causes for our 4,000 student-athletes.

“We will get through this, and when we resume competition, the viability of the OCAA will be more important than ever before in uniting both our campuses and communities together in sport," McFadden added.

Officials add sports slated to begin in the winter 2021 term are scheduled to take place on a reduced schedule. Those sports include basketball, volleyball, badminton, curling, and indoor soccer. The OCAA says they will continue to monitor the evolving situation on an ongoing basis and will make decisions based on public health and safety in regards to the well-being of our student-athletes and membership as a whole.

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Although the 2020 OHL Priority Selection starts tomorrow, the first three picks are always announced the day prior.

With the North Bay Battalion holding the rights to the first selection, the team has selected defenceman Ty Nelson. Nelson spent the last season playing with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens in the Greater Toronto Minor Midget League. There, he put up 32 points in 33 games, including 11 goals.

“I want to that my mother, father, and sister for all their dedication, love and hard work that they have put into me, I wouldn’t be where I am today without them,” Nelson said. “I also want to thank all my coaches, trainers and teachers that I have had over the years. They have helped to shape me into the person and player I am today.”

“It’s an honour to be drafted by an amazing organization like North Bay,” he continued. “To the City of North Bay, and the Battalion fans, I can’t wait to get started.”

“Ty’s a dynamic defenceman,” Director of Scouting, Charles Abbott said. “He’s got all the tools you would want in a top pick. He can play in all situations. What really attracted us to him was his x-factors, his leadership qualities and we really fell in love with how he played the game throughout the year.”

“Getting to know Ty and his family, we know that we are bringing in a top-class person into our dressing room,” General Manager Adam Dennis added. “He’s somebody that our young group that we have built upon can grasp at and add to our young core.”

For Nelson, his dream to was one day be drafted into the OHL.

“It’s an honour,” Nelson explained. “Being selected in the first round is a big accomplishment, but first overall by an accomplished organization like North Bay. I can’t wait to start.” 

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• The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) is the latest sporting venture to feel the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The league has advised teams, including the North Bay Battalion, on some new practices to avoid spreading germs with others, including:

• Access to dressing rooms and member team facilities be limited to players, coaches and support staff only
• Media access to be held in designated areas outside dressing rooms
• Elimination of handshakes between teammates, opponents, officials
• No sharing of water bottles or towels on benches or penalty box areas
• Avoiding direct contact with fans, including high-fives, handshakes, and autographing of items

With the OHL draft coming up in less than a month, COVID-19 presents a challenge to Battalion General Manager, Adam Dennis.

“We basically follow their [the league’s] directive,” Dennis explained. “Unfortunately there is going to be a lot of things that we want to do in terms of community outreach, in terms of recruiting and showing off our building that we won’t be able to do.”

“Things like the fist-bumps coming out [with the fans], unfortunately, we are going to have to cease those until we get further direction from the league,” he continued. “It’s obviously something we take seriously and we want to make sure the safety of our players is at the forefront.”

“It’s nice that they’re going to be looking out for us,” said Shane Bulitka, one of the veteran players. “Nothing changes, guys are going to have to practice good hygiene and good habits.”

In the NHL, teams like the San Jose Sharks and Philadelphia Flyers have been facing a reality of playing games without fans in attendance as both areas have been advised against holding events with more than 1,000 people. While not quite there yet, the OHL could follow suit.

“It definitely would change the atmosphere of the game but the goal is still the same,” Bulitka said. “We have to come ready to play.”

“It doesn’t change the blue lines, the red lines, the nets, the ice is still cold,” Dennis agreed. “Outside of the atmosphere, I don’t think it changes much for the hockey players. It has happened before, and for a bulk of our guys, we’re a young team, so they didn’t have many fans in the seats last year anyways.”

As someone who played in the league, Dennis says some of the precautions were already in place before COVID-19.

“One player gets the flu, you don’t want seven players getting the flu,” he said. “There are things you have to put in place right from the forefront. There are things we have that we have locked up tighter based on suggestions from the league and we will continue to do so as we get updated.”

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The Little Native Hockey League (LNHL) is set to drop the puck on the 49th annual tournament on March 15.

Although played in Mississauga, the tournament is hosted by a different band each year. This year’s tournament has been put together by the Nipissing First Nation (NFN).

“It’s a lot of work,” NFN Chief Scott McLeod said. “Our volunteers and our staff have been really busy, but it’s exciting at the same time.”

One wrinkle that NFN has had to deal with this year, as opposed to other years, is the outbreak of the coronavirus. Nine teams from the James Bay area (five from Kashechewan, three from Attawapiskat and one from Fort Albany) have announced they are staying home. However, McLeod says the tournament will continue as planned.

There are "rumours going around that the LNHL might be cancelled but that is not the case,” McLeod
explained. “We’re working in step with the Mississauga health unit to make sure we are on top of the current situations and are taking all the precautions that we need to do.”

“We’re just looking forward to a really great time with our kids and providing the best LNHL tournament to date,” he added.

The tournament itself has humble beginnings with 200 players in 1971, to over 200 teams this year. Current Powassan Voodoos players Gregory Trudeau-Paquet from Wikwemikong First Nation, Brett Shawana from NFN, and Noah Brant from the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory all once participated in the event and wished all participants good luck in a video released by the team.

“If anybody has been to an LNHL tournament, they understand the magnitude,” of such an event, he explained. “It is the largest Indigenous sports tournament in perhaps the world, if not then in Canada. For our Indigenous youth, to them, it’s bigger than Christmas for some of them.”

McLeod says the outpouring of support has been huge.

“We get a lot of support from our friends and neighbours in the area that know just how big this is and what it means to Indigenous communities,” he said. “In this day of reconciliation and moving towards better relationships, the LNHL is a real poster child for that kind of attitude and relationship.”

If anyone is wondering which team McLeod is cheering for, he says “go Nipissing Warriors, go.”

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The Senior Men’s and Women’s provincial curling finals continue this weekend in Sturgeon Falls.

Draws run all day Saturday starting at 9:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The finals scheduled for Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. at the Sturgeon Falls Curling Club.

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As a staple of the Men’s Nipissing Lakers hockey team, the women have stepped up to host their own Military Appreciation Game.

“We’re really looking forward to it,” Katie Heppner, a third-year defender said. “We’re super excited about this opportunity to be able to raise money for the Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC).”

“We often go watch the guy’s game and we’re always wondering ‘when are we going to get this opportunity?’” she continued.

“It’s a great opportunity for the women’s team and we are really excited we have the opportunity to play in this game,” head coach Darren Turcotte said. “We’ve never really cut corners when it comes to detail, so when we found out we were playing the game, we did a lot of little things that will hopefully make the game exciting.”

“We have a relationship with the military because we have done team-building with them in Petawawa,” Turcotte continued. “We are extremely fortunate to have had that opportunity and this is a great chance for us to give back to them.”

[caption id="attachment_34545" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Lakers head coach Darren Turcotte talks to the gathering at Memorial Gardens. (Kortney Kenney MyWestNipissingNow.com staff)[/caption]

The team, much like the men’s, will don military-themed jerseys to be auctioned off during the game. The design mimics the snow camo used by Canadian Forces. Until the women skate out, however, only the team and coaches have seen the jerseys.

Colonel Mark Lachapelle, the commander of 22 Wing, CFB North Bay, is excited to see the jerseys in action.

“I grew up as a hockey player and I have played in the area for some time,” he explained. “Putting on the uniform for your country, it’s kind of the same feeling. You have pride in your team and the greater good of what you are doing for the community. Having the opportunity to show up to work every day and know you are protecting your community and doing all you can to serve Canadians is truly special.”

“Ladies hockey has come a long way and we continually see the vast improvements in the program for them,” Lachapelle explained. “It gives an opportunity for the younger generation to see this game and maybe spark an interest in a game that is really important to Canada and the military.”

Lachapelle adds the contribution of women in the armed forces has a huge impact across the country.

“The Canadian Armed Forces really values, no matter your gender, what your contribution to the team is,” Lachapelle said. “We think of it as a team and family atmosphere and the gender differences bring that diversity and different thought processes to operations around the world.”

Members of the military will be on hand to take in the matchup between the Lakers and Waterloo Warriors at 7:30 p.m.

[caption id="attachment_34546" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Colonel Mark Lachapelle, the commander of 22 Wing, CFB North Bay addresses the media. (Kortney Kenney MyWestNipissingNow.com staff)[/caption]

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The North Bay Battalion has shaken things up off the ice.

Stan Butler has been reassigned from the head coach and director of hockey operations position to special advisor to owner Scott Abbott.

Skills coach Ryan Oulahen has taken over as the interim coach.

"I've wanted to coach in the OHL and, from the time I was a player, it's the Battalion that I've wanted to coach," Oulahen said. "I'm looking forward very much to getting started."

Oulahen was a one-time player and captain of the team when it was based in Brampton. Oulahen also served as assistant coach for five seasons, ending in 2015/16 when he left to take over the head coaching duties in Flint with the Firebirds.

Those aren’t the only moves however as assistant coach Adam Dennis has taken over as the team's general manager.

"The objective is to develop the roster of talented young players we have here and to add more in OHL Priority Selections to come, as we work to getting the Battalion back in contention for a championship," Dennis said.

In addition, Bill Houlder, a part-time assistant coach has been promoted to full-time assistant coach and Scott Wray continues in his position as full-time assistant coach.

Butler had served the team as the only head coach since the Troops inception in 1998/99 in Brampton. He holds a 667-737-52 in 1,456 games with the Battalion franchise, 199-189-48 since the team moved to North Bay.

He ranks fourth all-time in OHL wins with 737, behind Brian Kilrea, Bert Templeton and Dale Hunter, and third in games coached with 1,588, behind Kilrea and Templeton. Butler’s OHL record is 737-786-65 between the Troops and the Oshawa Generals.

This season, North Bay is last in the OHL with a 5-23-0-0 record.

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