The coaches and support staff for the two Ontario Junior Hockey League teams participating in this month’s 2023 Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge in Trenton have been named.
Reigning OJHL Coach of the Year Vince Bellissimo (Toronto Patriots) and Shawn Snider (Georgetown Raiders) are co-coaches of Team OJHL Hawerchuk. The OJHL’s 2023 Trainer of the Year, Jen Mark (Pickering Panthers), will serve as athletic therapist. Bill McConnell (Pickering) is the squad’s equipment manager.
The team is named in honour of the late Dale Hawerchuk, who coached for four seasons in the OJHL. Drafted first overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 1981, the future Hockey Hall of Famer recorded 518 goals and 1,409 points in 1,188 regular-season NHL games – he added 30 more goals and 99 assists in 97 playoff games.
Andrew Campoli, head coach of the defending OJHL champion Collingwood Blues, and Ryan Ramsay (Haliburton County Huskies) are co-coaches of Team OJHL Oates. Richard Judges (Collingwood), the OJHL’s 2023 Equipment Manager of the Year, will work with the Oates squad. Dana Flatt (Georgetown Raiders) is the athletic therapist.
Adam Oates scored 59 goals and added 110 assists in 40 games during his second season of junior hockey in Markham. He scored 341 goals and recorded 1079 assists in his 1337-game career in the NHL and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
“The OJHL had many qualified applicants reach out to be part of the ECC,” said Chris Vanstone, the league's Vice-President of Hockey Operations. “It is always great to see our fantastic coaches and support staff volunteer their time in helping out at this great event.”
The Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge will be played at the Duncan McDonald Memorial Community Gardens in Trenton Nov. 13-15.
The event is one of the premier Jr. A hockey events in the country and provides tremendous exposure for the top prospects of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL), Quebec Junior Hockey League (QJHL) and the Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL).
Two all star teams from each of the five leagues will play in front of scouts from all over the hockey world – including the NHL, NCAA, CHL and U SPORTS.
Play begins Nov. 13 when OJHL Oates plays MHL South at 9 a.m. and then NOJHL West faces off against OJHL Hawerchuk at 10:40 a.m.
The event begins at 9 a.m. each day. The final games on Nov. 13 and 14 begin at 8:40 p.m. Nov. 15’s schedule includes semifinals at 3:40 p.m. and 5:20 p.m. and the championship game at 7 p.m.
A total of 23 games will be played using a modified two-period format in round-robin, quarter-final, semifinal and championship games.
Teams will be awarded three points for a win in regulation time, two points for an overtime victory and one point for an overtime or shootout loss.
For all the ECC action, including scores, standings and top scorers, go to ojhl.ca or download the new OJHL app at the Apple Store or Google Play.
The tournament serves as a player identification event for the coaching staff for Team Canada East in player selection for the team’s annual training camp and subsequent entry into the World Junior A Challenge, Dec. 10-17 in Truro, N.S.
The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), in partnership with the Trenton Golden Hawks, are presenting the 2023 Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge. The Bay of Quinte Tourism and City of Quinte West have both supported the event financially and through their marketing departments.
Tickets are $10 per day or $25 for a three-day pass. ‘Late day’ passes are $5 after 5 p.m.
Tickets are available online via: tickets.trentongoldenhawks.ca
The Eastern Canada Cup was last held in 2018 in Trenton. The ECCASC tournament format will feature 10 all-star teams, two each from the five eastern Canadian Jr. A leagues.
The rosters for the 2023 Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge will be announced next week.