Matt Caria’s status with the Lakehead Thunderwolves remains up in the air.
Bill McDonald, the hockey team’s newly named coach, said he hasn’t heard from the Sault Ste. Marie forward since taking over the reins.
Caria, a native of Sault Ste. Marie, no longer appears on the club's online roster.
“I haven’t even talked to Matt yet,” McDonald said. “When I was announced to come here as a coach we had a press conference and he wasn’t there. I imagine sooner or later he’ll give me a call and we’ll talk and take it from there.”
Neither McDonald nor staff in the Thunderwolves office could explain why Caria’s name was removed from the roster.
“I have no idea,” McDonald said.
“Obviously he’s a really good player. I haven’t seen him. But with that being said, we haven’t spoken one word.”
Caria’s career at Lakehead has been star-crossed. A superb playmaker who has averaged more than an assist a game in three seasons with the Thunderwolves, he’s also run afoul of both team and league officials.
He was suspended by the Wolves before the 2011-12 season, along with a group of players, got a two-game ban in 2012 for uttering a racial slur at a Western Mustangs player and missed the Wolves final playoff game last year after the OUA tossed him for two games following a check to the head.
Caria is also suspected of being one of the ringleaders behind the departure of ousted Thunderwolves coach Joel Scherban, who was fired four games into the 2012-13 campaign.
McDonald said he’s not too concerned that Caria, who has spent time at NHL training camps in the past, has yet to reach out this offseason.
“Not really. We don’t drop the puck until October. It’s up to Matt, and I haven’t seen Matt. I’ve never seen him play. I understand he’s really, really good. We just haven’t touched base. But all I want is guys to come here and they’re going to play my way,” McDonald said.
“There’s not going to be too many individuals, and that’s the way it’s going to be.”
In a week that saw the Wolves lose second-year forwards Luke Judson and Mike MacDonald, one to the pros and one to his girlfriend’s desire to move back to Sudbury, McDonald said there is good news for the Thunderwolves faithful.
Forward Trevor Gamache, who tied for third on the team with 11 goals last season, has had a change of heart and will be back in the line-up in the fall.
Still, should Caria not return, the Wolves will be minus four of their top six scorers from a year ago, plus No. 1 goalie Alex Dupuis, who is exploring options in the professional ranks and informed team officials he likely won’t be back next season.
“It probably gives a couple of other kids that maybe didn’t get a lot of ice time last year a chance to get more ice time. I can tell you one thing. They’ve got a great place to play here,” McDonald said.
“They’ve probably got the greatest fans in Canada and we’re going to have a bunch of hardworking team guys.”
Claw marks: McDonald said he hasn’t landed any recruits yet, but he has made offers to a pair of OHL players. Sources have told tbnewswatch.com Belleville defenceman Stephen Silas and Kingston forward Cody Alcock have paid visits to Thunder Bay. McDonald also said he’s been talking to a Western Hockey League goaltender.
