There's a topic in the Unofficial NOJHL Forum about the city of Elliot Lake and Junior A Hockey. I posted something about how instead of persuing a Jr A hockey team, that Elliot Lake should persue a team in the GNML (provided a team from the Sudbury area would fold). Here's my take:

"Elliot Lake will not get a Junior A team so long as Blind River has the Beavers. I'm sorry to say, but Blind River would be stupid not to vetto a Jr A team in Uranium City. Elliot Lake & Blind River have a combined population of about 15,000 people. That would not work well for drawing players... The best bet for Elliot Lake for having a hockey team would be to go after a team in the Great North Midget League. I know 10 years ago, the Elliot Contractors were in existence and then folded up. Elliot Lake should really consider acquiring a team in that league provided a few things occur:

One of the Sudbury teams folds. Valley East almost closed shop this past season. If one the Sudbury teams folds, that could open up a spot for Elliot Lake. It would also make trips to Sault Ste Marie a lot more economically sound for most teams in that league.

A Midget AAA team in Elliot Lake = :

Player development within the North Shore
Possible extra drawing pool for the Jr A Beavers
Exciting Hockey in Elliot Lake
More ecomonically sound trips for most GNML teams"

What do you guys think?

theres no, I mean "no" AAA players in Elliot Lake. It is a retirement city and theres no way Sudbury kids would travel to play AAA hockey.

I know Elliot Lake is a Retirement City. My suggestion would be to draw players along the North Shore of Lake Huron to play in Elliot Lake. Some of the players from Sudbury teams are from communities between Sudbury & Sault Ste Marie.

Chris I think your totally right but I don't think a AAA team would work.I am in the process of trying to start a junior B team in E.L.. As long as there will be 5 teams involved in the North of superior junior B league next year. the league took a leave of absence to try and locate more teams rumour has it that there is teams interested in Wawa,Thessalon,Elliot Lake,Sturgeun Falls,Capreol.if this league goes it will be good for the small town and probably help with affilliation to some junior A teams.There is no reason why hockey should end for AA midgets and high School kids at 16-17 they are still young most kids are done high school at 17 now what are they to do quit playing. There is no more college hockey in the north the Soo folded up and Cambrian to with the rest of the league. if there is just a week-end league fri and saturdays and like a 28 game schedule the kids can go home for the weekend if they were at school say sudbury the soo or north bay they can still play hockey for there team and give a town something to get excited for and probably practice once a week. The beavers this past year had 38 kids at there open camp all were from the area as far as sudbury the island and the lake and only 4 kids were even brought back so what do these 17 year olds do now they can't go to bars. so they usually get in trouble lets keep them busy and something to look forward to if they were cut from junior a teams.Hey if the E.L had this team B.R would benefit they can affialate like they did last year with Thessalon and they would be able to have a full bench when there short. the league would also allow additional year of junior to 21 if the player played the last season of junior in the league.

Lenny, would you happen to know if the NSHL would be getting a League Website if the league gets off the ground in 2005-06? Do you know which groups/individuals who will be operating the teams in Capreol, Elliot Lake, Sturgeon Falls, Thessalon & Wawa? Another question I have is why did the NSHL fold and how come there wasn't any press release or notification to the public outside of Marathon, Terrace Bay, Thessalon & Wawa?

If you want to email me, my email address is shark_fire_781@yahoo.com

Thanks, Chris North.

Hey Chris I love the dedication you have to the northern hockey circle its great if its not G.N.M.L its NOJHL. Well Chris the league has taken only a year of absense wawa still registered a team to keep the league a live.Jane griffith is trying to do the most she and her organization can to get more teams.There has been many of us trying to contact other hockey circles to get this league off the ground properly there has not been talk to web site ext.. its about just trying to get the people from other towns to step up with a registration or propsal for the N.O.H.A.The league had to take a leave as Terrace Bay didn't want to be part of such a small league.and marathon wanted a season to organize things better and find away to attract more players.Thessalon where i was head coach till christmas the team had a good future till i had to pay for the kids meals for a weekend trip to terrace Bay and sign for hotels and drive the team in rented budget vans because we had no bus or money left in the account so I went to the NOHA to let them know I had just payed for the teams cost more less for the week end and that the owner sent me frozen food to feed kids on the road so the owner found out that I had contacted someone and he fired me. The older kids quit and i met with them and let them know that it wasn't fare that they quit because the younger guys that were only 15 wouldn't be able to play anywhere so my assistants went back and so did the kids I didn't think it was fare to these kids we had money no one knew where it was going eventually the team folded in the middle of play-offs due to the fact that they had no money for the road trip.The NOHA is doing investigation or did and the owner can't be part of minor hockey in the C.H.A.