Opener set for Friday
The curtain rises on the North Bay Battalion’s 11th season of Ontario Hockey League play when the Peterborough Petes visit Memorial Gardens at 7 p.m. Friday.
The Battalion has almost a full complement of players available, as Mike McIvor, Ethan Procyszyn, Anthony Romani and Dalyn Wakely have been returned from National Hockey League training camps.
With McIvor, the No. 1 goaltender, back from a free-agent invitation to the Anaheim Ducks’ rookie and main camps, Carter Nadon has rejoined the junior A Haliburton County Huskies. Charlie Larocque, who shone in preseason action, is McIvor’s crease partner.
Coach Ryan Oulahen, asked Wednesday of his impressions of Larocque’s performance, noted his “calm presence, really good hockey sense,” and that he “reads the play, plays the puck really well.”
“He’s had a very, very strong camp and exhibition season here for us. It looks like the depth of the goaltending situation’s going to be very strong.”
Oulahen noted that all those who attended NHL camps received high marks while there, for their comportment both on and off the ice.
“Everybody came back with really good praise about them from their NHL teams.”
The Battalion has 25 on the roster, including rookie defenceman Declan Gallivan, who’s at home in Sault Ste. Marie after missing the exhibition season with an illness. The number is made up of 14 forwards, nine defencemen and the two goaltenders.
Centre Wakely, left winger Owen Van Steensel, centre Andrew LeBlanc and defenceman Jacob LeBlanc all are overagers, born in 2004. OHL clubs may carry four until Jan. 9 but may dress only three in any given game.
Oulahen said the club is considering candidates to succeed the graduated Liam Arnsby as captain and that a decision may not be made for some time. Centre Arnsby, the eighth captain in the Battalion’s North Bay era dating to 2013, served for three seasons.
In a pregame ceremony, the Battalion will raise the Central Division championship banner earned in 2023-24 with a won-lost-extended record of 39-20-9 for 87 points. It was the third consecutive season in which the Troops finished atop the division.
Oulahen said he expects the Battalion to acquit itself well in the new campaign.
“I think sneakily we can be a team that’s going to be competitive every single night, and we’re going to expect to be in every single hockey game.”
That said, he suggested that the Petes pose a legitimate threat.
“Systematically, they’re a top opponent to play. They’re really well coached. They’re always on the right side of the puck. They’re one of those stingier defensive-style teams in the league, so that’s something we’re going to have to deal with, for sure.”
The season and home opener is sponsored by Royal LePage. The Battalion completes weekend action when it visits the Barrie Colts on Saturday night.
