The final cuts have been made and the roster for the 2021/2022 U18 ‘AAA’ Kenora Thistles has been announced.
The 20-person squad features seven players from the Thunder Bay region, which is more than any other area of the northwest.
Brady Butvin, Gunner Paradis and Jett Mintenko are all listed as from Thunder Bay, Colton McLeod and Zac Mahoney from Nipigon, Branden Boress from Red Rock and Jarod Lemieux from Murillo.
Head coach Scott Parsons tells us that it’s nice to have players from all over.
“I feel like we’re truly a northwestern Ontario team now. We have players from Nipigon to Kenora, Dryden, Fort Frances…we’re pretty well covered all over (the region).”
Talking more about the squad, he says that the team has a good mix of both skill and size.
“We’re a little bit smaller on defence than we were last year, but I feel like our mobility on the back end is going to help us a lot. I really like our forward group this year. I feel like we have really good depth throughout all four lines.”
Parsons adds that their top-end offensive skill will make a big difference on the scoresheet.
Seven of the players were on the team last year. They are Reid Zurkan, Peter Zilkalns, Carson Maffey, Nickolas Fagnilli, Dylan Marino, Boress and Kadin King.
Two players, Zurkan and Zilkalns, are entering their third full season with the U18 Thistles.
While King did suit up for three games during the 2019/20220 season, this year marks his second as a full-time member of the team.
Zurkan will serve as team captain, with Boress, Mintenko and Fagnilli serving as alternates.
The season starts on Saturday with a game against the Brandon Wheat Kings.