THUNDER BAY – Not making the playoffs is not in the Lakehead Thunderwolves playbook for 2022-23.
After missing the OUA men’s hockey post-season last winter, the team is on a mission to start the club’s return to contention, a given in the Thunderwolves mid-2000s heydays, but anything but a certainty in recent years.
Defenceman Kyle Auger, who weighed whether to enter the working world and leave university hockey behind, said the T-Wolves are hungry and used the bitter disappointment of last season’s early conclusion to motivate themselves over the summer.
“It’s been a disappointing few years, especially since I’ve been here,” said Auger, prior to taking to the Tournament Centre ice on Wednesday night for a captain’s practice, six days ahead of the official opening of training camp.
“We barely made the playoffs one year and last year we didn’t make it. I think the mindset is different this year. We’re working harder. We’re working smarter and we’ve got an older team now, so we’ve got something to prove and we’re all very excited about it.”
Lakehead finished dead last in the OUA west in 2021-22, winding up at 6-9-1 in a season that began with eight straight home games and then more than three months on the road.
Of course there was also the inevitable COVID-19 interruption, but that could hardly be blamed for how the team performed on the ice, particularly in the defensive end.
The Thunderwolves allowed nearly five goals a game, easily the worst record in the entire OUA, but the good news is the team was decent offensively, its 54 goals the sixth most in the 19-team circuit. So that’s something to build on.
Sophomore forward Tyler Ho was one of the bright spots up front, scoring six times and adding nine assists in 16 games, putting himself inside the top 20 in the OUA in points.
The Surrey, B.C. native, who spent parts of four seasons in the Western Hockey League, said the team’s offensive output is something to build on.
“Last year was definitely a learning experience. Obviously we didn’t make the playoffs last year. The big thing this year is we have a lot of returning players and we know what we have to do and we’ll be ready for the season.”
Coach Andrew Wilkins has had a busy off-season, signing forwards Josh Van Unen, Kishaun Gervais, Olivier Pouliot and Keighan Gerrie, a former offensive whiz with the Thunder Bay North Stars. Defenceman Zach Fortin, most recently the captain of the Kam River Fighting Walleye, and goaltender Christian Cicigoi, who will compete with returnees Brock Aiken and Max Wright for playing time between the pipes, were also highly prized recruits.
Losing isn’t the Thunderwolves way, Wilkins said, which is why he spent the off-season looking to fill as many cracks in the team’s armour as he could.
“Anytime your season ends on a loss is tough. Not making the playoffs is totally unacceptable. It’s why our program needs to move forward, push for more and make an impact in our schedule within the OUA West, while pushing for a long run and a championship,” he said.
“I’m happy with the guys we brought in. We expect them to step right in and help out the guys that we had last year. We’ll be deeper at all positions and I’m excited.”
Lakehead opens non-conference play on Oct. 7 at home against Guelph and the regular season on Oct. 21 at the Gardens against the York Lions.
