Following a long run of success interrupted by COVID-19, the Mount Forest Patriots are once again looking to compete for hardware.
A third place finish in the Pollock Division last year has GM Rob Nixon excited for the upcoming season, with a solid cast of returning contributors and new signings that he hopes will lead the next Patriots revolution. The hunger for success still burns brightly in a town that won 3 successive titles in a row, with a potential 4th wiped out by the pandemic, before last year being eliminated in the second round, courtesy of a sweep at the hands of eventual champs Mitchell. Now, the Patriots look to reset after an offseason retool that will hopefully bear fruit right away.
Like any junior team around them, the Pats will be without some of last year's core. That includes leading scorer Chris Prucha (42 points) who also led the team in goals with 22. Replacing him will likely have to come by committee, as 20 goal men in the league are hard to come by. He was traded to Stayner to be closer to home for his last year. Darcy Winkler, the team's second leading scorer (36 points), is also gone as he ages out of junior. Losing your top two scorers is definitely a challenge, but the hope is younger players on a team with plenty of rookies last year can step up. Veteran and winner Hayden Coulter, who was a Patriot through and through, is also gone due to age. He tied for 4th in team scoring with 25 points last year, but bigger than that will be the loss of his leadership and veteran defensive savvy. His special teams play was always top notch, and that well roundedness will be tough to replace. Ben Demoe, who was also an OA, is gone after an impressive 20 points in 20 games. Veteran defender, and the team's best D man last year, Derek Cornfield (17 points), is also aged out. This Pats team will be taken over almost totally by new young blood. The pressure test will be on.
Offensively, it's by no means doom and gloom for the Pats. Caleb Cribbin, Riley's little brother, will return and become the de facto weapon, much like his brother back in the day, for Mount Forest. Caleb had 27 points in 24 games last year and is likely a definite 30-plus pointer for the upcoming season. He will be the number one power play option and that unit will run through his talented hands. Benjamin Tenhag returns, as well, and he will surely improve on last year's 19 point effort as he moves into a top line role, likely to be a beneficiary of slick feeds from Cribbin. Matt Weiler will also be back in the mix and will also be given loads of opportunities to improve on a solid 12 point effort last year. A big addition is Elijah Brahaney, who will come in as an OA from the North Kawartha Knights. Brahaney is attending school in the area, and the Pats will benefit immensely from acquiring his rights, as he put up 35 points in 28 games last year. Look for him to become an offensive star leading a young team. He and Cribbin could make a lot of magic on the power play.
GM Nixon thinks that Jared Rowe can become a consistent goalscoring threat after potting 7 last year in 27 games as a rookie. With more ice, Nixon feels they may have a 15-plus sniper on the team. Nixon also touted the feistiness and gritty game of youngster Reid Caswell, who will be given every shot to build on his 3 points in limited minutes. Nixon called Caswell the "Darcy Tucker" of the team, a player who can by equal measures inspire team mates and drive opponents mad with constant physical presence. Caswell in particular loves to muck it up along the walls, and he will do his best to make opposing defenders think twice about going into a corner first for a puck. Dylan Szymanowski, who AP'ed for the team last year, is someone GM Nixon is excited about, as well.
Speaking of defenders, Mount Forest will be pleased to welcome back Riley Torrie, who will captain the team. He provided 11 points on the back end last year, but Torrie's game is all about brute shutdown force, as he will be one of the better defensive walls that opposition forwards will have to fight to get through. His commitment to laying his body on the line, especially on the PK, will be a welcome returning factor. It's highly likely that again, this D core will be taken over by younger players, some of whom were rookies last year, including the likes of Adam Murray and Carter Ryan, who will both be given more responsibility if they're on the Pat's back end.
If rookie Aaron McGuirk, who had 8 points last year, is also in the mix, he could become a consistent power play weapon with a sneaky good shot that finds holes through defenders. McGuirk was voted as the team's Rookie of the Year last season, which speaks volumes about what the organization feels about his skills. But this group will largely be led by a younger cast who will look to make a mark in the league. Griffin St. Pierre, an AP player last year, could also be given a lengthy look to be part of the D core.
Over the course of the last era of consistent winning in Mount Forest, a lot of great goalies have been in the mix. Matt Oullette. Aidan Quish, Gleb Poliakov, go down the list. Last year's most consistent tandem, Josh Peters and Michael Brassor, are both gone, but the Pats went out and targeted an OA goalie who will give them a ton of stability after playing a lot at higher levels. Vance Meyer played Jr. A in the NOJHL in Timmins in 2019-20, before Jr. B stops in Elmira and Ayr, where last year he went 10-8-1 with a 2.97 GAA and .911 save percentage to go with one shutout. Meyer also played one game for the Jr. A Toronto Jr. Canadiens in the OJHL, a game he won. His veteran experience will transition nicely into Jr. C and give the very young D core plenty of self assurance and ability to not panic if a mistake is made. Backing him up will be Dylan Szymanowski's brother, Tristan, a Grey-Bruce Highlanders product who played for the Jr. C Schomberg Cougars last year. He posted a 12-5 record with a 3.30 GAA and .851 save percentage with 1 shutout. He will get plenty of chances to show he is the goalie of the future this season, as he's only 18.
Back on the bench this year, Head Coach John Antonopoulos brings a winning mentality and culture to the room, supplemented by former Patriot Jack Birkett, who roams the bench as an Assistant Coach, alongside the ever reliable and savvy Mike Orr and Bobby Kirby. The Pats have an excellent bench for the young players to lean on, and the coaching solidity always keeps the team in the mix. Led as always by GM Nixon pushing the buttons, this team, though younger, will be a scrappy contest every night for opponents.
For a full-length interview with Mount Forest Patriots GM Rob Nixon, click here:
[audio mp3="https://blackburnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/NIXON-MOUNT-FOREST.mp3"][/audio]
