October 1, 2022
By: Gary Moskalyk
After a pair of 5th place finishes in the SIJHL, the Wisconsin Lumberjacks are looking to move up the ladder. Head coach Doug Lein has added eight rookies on the roster.
Wisconsin fashioned a 16-25-2 record in the 2021-22 season, dropping three straight to Thunder Bay in the playoffs.
As with all teams in the SIJHL, Wisconsin lost a few graduating players. Rookie-of-the-year Brock Weimer provided 28 goals and 34 assists in 37 games. Jake McCall averaged just short of a point-per-game . He was second to Kam River’s Zach Fortin in defenceman-of-the-year voting and has signed on as an assistant coach this year with a season of eligibility left.
The good news is the Lumberjacks had very few 20-year-olds on their roster last year, cutting their losses going into this one.
Kyler Lowden, 20, returns in net. In 29 games le went 12-14-1, with a 4.50 goals against average and .895 save percentage. He’s expected to carry the freight again this year. Rookies Keegan Strong and Emmett Doherty round out the goaltending duties. Strong is the second Alaskan on the roster, joining defenceman Axel Wyatt from the Frontier State.
Forward Salvatore Poggiali brings his considerable scoring swagger–56 points in 43 games including 21 goals–back to the fold. The durable Poggiali was named Scholastic Athlete of the Year in the SIJHL.
“Last year we went through it. It was a rollercoaster of a year. I think last year set up a real good foundation for this year. I think the guys who are here want to be here. We’ve got a pretty good culture. Things are looking up around here.”
Poggiali is one of seven 20-year-olds on the 2022-23 roster.
Wisconsin embarked on a Western Canada swing through hockey country. They took on the Okotoks Oilers (28-28-4 in the AJHL), Brooks Bandits (56-6-2, rated #1 in the entire CJHL and Centennial Cup Champions), Kindersley Klippers (24-32-2, SJHL), Melville Millionaires (17-30-10, SJHL), and Dauphin Kings (41-12-1, MJHL).
“As far as the win column goes it was obviously not in our favour,” said Poggiali. “As far as us developing as a team we spent an ungodly amount of time together. We got to play against the best guys in the country and we kept up with a lot of them. Scoreboard doesn’t reflect that sometimes but it was a great trip and it helped us out a lot.”
A quick look on Facebook confirms the Lumberjacks did a whole lot of team bonding that will only bode well in the SIJHL.
“I will remember it forever. I know a lot of other guys will remember going that far West and having a great time,” said Poggiali.
Zach Carson looks to anchor the defence corps, offensively at least. The Hermantown, MN native racked up 9 goals and 22 assists in 41 games, adding 82 penalty minutes to the resume. Dylan Juoppi and Axel Wyatt add a veteran presence while rookies Ryan Kayser and Benjamin Ornelas-Fries round out the blue liners.
Kayser, 18, out of Highland Ranch, CO, produced 16 points in 14 games at his last stop at Valor Christian High.
Ryder McMillen had 16 goals and 34 assists in 41 contests for the ‘Jacks to finish third behind Weimer and Poggiali in team scoring. Returnees Jacob Rezac, Connor Hacker and Brandon McDonald logged 43, 43, and 39 games respectively.
Michael Hendry, Hayden Staley, Dillon Phillips and Sam Ingram are rookies up front. Caden Sutter, 19, Kaden Postal, 18, played just seven and nine games with Wisconsin last year. Sutter had a pair of goals and three points, while Postal had two markers and five assists.
“A couple more pieces need to fall into place here. Things are in motion,” said Poggiali, as Lein and crew work the phones. “Things are really going to fall into place here and I think we’re going to do something special.”
Wisconsin opens their 54-game regular season hosting the SIJHL champion Red Lake Miners in Spooner, WI on Sep. 23/24.