2025-26 NOJHL team preview: Powassan Voodoos
Undoubtedly looking to return to their winning ways in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League this season, the Powassan Voodoos will attempt to bounce back after a disappointing finish to their 2024-25 campaign.
Feeling their late-season struggles was more of a blip on the radar, Powassan will strive for a resurgence of their past on-ice excellence that includes a league championship in 2017 and a run to the finals in 2024.
After eight full and highly successful seasons that saw the Voodoos rack up 334 wins, or nearly 42 triumphs per year, in that span, they have every intention of achieving such success once again after finishing three games under .500 in their most-recent run.
With multiple NOJHL award-recipient general manager Chris Dawson and 2022-23 league coach of the year Peter Goulet at the helm, the Voodoos remain in good stead.
Here’s a look at some of those Powassan has high hopes for as they aim to return to prominence as one of the elite teams in the NOJHL.
Head coach: Peter Goulet
Home opener: Friday, September 12 vs. Soo Thunderbirds
7 p.m. – Powassan Sportsplex
KEY RETURNEES
Justin Rousseau, Forward
DOB: 05/11/2005
Hometown: Verner, Ont.
The returning Rousseau, who is one of the premier faceoff men in the NOJHL, tied for the Voodoos’ scoring lead last season with 42 points in 49 outings. His 30 assists also topped the team. He paced all skaters on the squad in points on the power play with 15. Was earlier named the 10th captain in franchise history.
Coaches’ comments: “Justin has been a warrior for our team. He has been one of our best face-off men and has also scored some big goals for us over the past two seasons. In 2022-23, Justin was captain of the North Bay Trappers U18 team and led his team to a Great North U18 championship and was the league's MVP that season.”
Caden Dubreuil, Forward
DOB: 08/30/2006
Hometown: Sudbury, Ont.
Finishing third in offensive production for the squad, Dubreuil is back for his third full season with the club. He established personal single-season highs in goals; assists; points; power play markers; shorthanded tallies and game-winning efforts with 20; 17; 37; 5; 3 and 2 respectively. Also supplied seven multi-point efforts, six of which were Powassan victories.
GM’s comments: "He's a hard-working power forward that played the most minutes of any forward last season. The 2006 Sudbury area product can play centre and wing. He has a tremendous release and is relentless on the forecheck.”
Marcus Krats, Defence
DOB: 01/25/2025
Hometown: Labrador City, N.L.
Was a solid contributor on the backend for Voodoos in his first season in the league. Krats led all blueliners on the squad in goals with eight, five of which came on the power play. His 26 points overall also paced the D-corps as did his dozen man advantage points.
GM’s comments: “Marcus is an elite skater, who has a great combination of size, speed and skill. Krats is a great power play quarterback and is effective at joining the rush on counter attacks."
NEW TO THE SQUAD
Jesse Lefebvre, Forward
DOB: 01/05/2006
Hometown: Sturgeon Falls, Ont.
The craftly forward returns to the NOJHL after spending 2023-24 with the French River Rapids where he collected 37 points on 13 tallies and 24 helpers. Skated in the CCHL with the Renfrew Wolves last season where he scored nine times and aided on seven others.
Coaches’ comments: “He's an energy guy. He plays with passion. He plays like Brad Marchand; he is in people's faces; he's a little agitator but to go with that, he has got a great skillset like Marchand does."
Braeden Begley, Defence
DOB: 02/07/2007
Hometown: Barrie, Ont.
The 18-year-old D-man from Barrie, Ont., joins Powassan after skating in St. Louis at both Chaminade Prep School as well as the elite CarShield U18 AAA program. In a combined 82 games, Begley picked up 35 points from the back end.
Coaches’ comments: “A Canadian player with a 2007 birth year, who played in the U.S. He was a Niagara IceDogs OHL camp invite. Braeden is the full package. He is a big right-shot D-man who plays with an edge and defends well. He has solid offensive instincts. He makes a good first pass and has a great shot."
Dylan Rousselle, Defence
DOB: 12/04/2008
Hometown: Blind River, Ont.
Rousselle had a solid 2024-25 season in the Great North U18 League with the Soo Jr. Greyhounds. There he finished second overall in scoring among defencemen with 43 points in just 32 games. His 29 assists tied for top spot be blueliners. 15 of his points came on the man advantage, which placed him just one off the leaders among D-men while his 13 extra-man helpers led the GNU18L.
Coaches’ comments: "As a 2008 birth year, Rousselle was a North Bay Battalion camp invite, and is a graduate of U18 AAA Soo Jr. Greyhounds program. He is a tremendous young D-man with a ton of talent. He reminds me of a defenceman I coached with the Nepean Raiders (CCHL), Ryan Johnston. This is big shoes to fill for a young defenceman, but the comparisons of the two are very similar."
