A head coach at an Ivy League school in the U.S. says the Junior B showcase weekend continues to improve.
Mike Schafer is heading into his 21st season behind the bench at Cornell University. A native of Durham, Ontario, near Owen Sound, Schafer says he's found plenty of talented hockey players in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.
"We presently have a kid from the Elmira Sugar Kings on our roster, you know we've had kids from London, Tyler Roeszler from the Chatham area, Chris and Cam Abbott from the Sarnia area," says Schafer. "Over the years, in the business, it goes in ebbs and flows with the amount of kids that have come down." He adds that the weekend event makes it easier on the budget and staff to see prospects to track throughout the year.
Schafer says the timing of the Showcase Weekend works for NCAA, CIS, OHL, and NHL scouts as well because their regular seasons haven't started.
The GOJHL has kicked-off the season with all 27 teams in one facility the past several years, as it did this past weekend at the London Fairgrounds, to give players the best possible exposure to continue their hockey careers.
