SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA RELEASE
Release Date: Friday, Sept. 20, 2013
SIJHL team preview: Minnesota Iron Rangers
THUNDER BAY – As year number two in the Superior International Junior Hockey League for the Minnesota Iron Rangers gears up to begin, the club will look to build upon a 2012-13 campaign that saw them finish fifth overall a year ago.
Under SIJHL co-coach of the year recipient Chris Walby, the Iron Rangers will look to get out of the gate quickly with a four-game home stand to commence the 2013-14 season starting Tuesday when they welcome the Thunder Bay North Stars to Hoyt Lakes Arena in a 7 p.m. start.
Now being run under a local investment group that was put together in the off-season, the Hoyt Lakes, Minn.-based club, looks to be stable both on and off the ice.
One of the key returning players, who is back for his final year of junior A hockey is captain Trevor Hoth.
The Stoughton, Wis., product averaged nearly a point-per-game last season picking up 41 in 44 outings, including 21 tallies.
“ Trevor is a strong, tough player with strong leadership skills and a scoring touch,” stated Walby.
Another forward the squad will upon is veteran Jonathon Losurdo.
“Jonathon is a stout, two-way forward with exceptional speed and skill,” stated the Minnesota bench boss, who also serves as general manager. “He had 14 goals and 22 assists for 36 points in 51 regular season games last year.”
Defensively, Austin Frank is another one of the Iron Rangers’ captains, who the team looks for to stabilize the back-end.
“Austin is a big, strong, shutdown defenseman with a sound offensive skill set, said Walby while commenting on the 20-year-old D-man who picked up 25 points last season.
Among the new faces joining the squad are a trio of forwards in Jason Reynolds, Matt O’Dea and Thomas Fazio that Minnesota will count on to make their mark in the SIJHL.
“Reynolds, a 1995 birth-year, plays both offense and defense with explosive speed, while O’Dea, a ‘ 94, ” played both forward and defense and at an extremely high level,” said Walby.
“As for Fazio, he’s a 1995 birth-year forward with incredible vision and playmaking ability.”
Overall Walby likes the make-up of his squad entering the 2013-14 campaign.
“I am very excited to welcome back seven veterans from last year’s team, who after a memorable inaugural season last year, bring valuable leadership and experience to this year’s team, as well as a scoring punch,” he mentioned when adding six out of the seven veteran players were in the team’s top ten scoring in 2012-13.
“I also couldn’t be more pleased with this year’s recruiting class of players. They are talented, skilled and have a will to work for their success. When you blend that same type of character found in the returning players with these new players, we look pretty good.”
Along with their first four at home, Minnesota will also be the home side in eight of their first nine overall with an Oct. 4 visit to Fort Frances as their only road game in that opening set of contests.