A new hockey season is upon us.
The six-team Superior International Junior Hockey League is first to hit the ice. Thunder Bay North Stars have put their fortunes in the hands of former Thunderwolves assistant coach Jeremy Adduono.
There's a change in the league lineup this year as well with the expansion English River Miners playing out of Ear Falls.
The league also held a special memorial game in Marathon in honour of four Pic River residents who were killed in a tragic accident last winter.
With nearly 500 in attendance, the league president remarked that he would like to see a team back on the north shore in the future.
And the Lakehead University Thunderwolves continue to get ready for the new season. New coach Bill McDonald is the person in charge of turning things around for a team that has had coaching turmoil, and two early playoff exits the last two seasons.
He has had some holes to fill with the departure of starting goaltender Alex Dupuis, and high-scoring forward Matt Caria.
We get to see the new-look team in pre-season non-conference action the first weekend of October against Prince Edward Island. Even though its doesn't count in the regular season standings, everyone in attendance will be watching with great anticipation.
