NOJHL by the Numbers: A 5-year window

SUDBURY, Ont. – The past five seasons has provided plenty of on-ice excellence in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.

The NOJHL has compiled some totals from this five-year window that highlights some of its elite skaters, goaltenders and clubs during this span.

POINT PRODUCTION: In terms of offensive production during the past half-decade, the totals racked up by Blind River Beavers captain Caleb Serre in 2019-20 was the most achieved in the five-year run by any single player.

His 113 points were 13 more than Brayden Stortz recorded for the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners when he hit the century mark back in 2015-16.

That same year, Hunter Atchison provided 99 for the Cochrane Crunch and was also a 50-goal man.

Collecting 51 tallies in 2015-16 was Logan Fredericks, who skated for Kirkland Lake, and had the league’s highest single-season goal total the past five years, along with the fourth-best point total with 89.

Here are the Top 20 single-season point leaders in the NOJHL the past five campaigns:

RANK FIRST LAST TEAM GP G A PTS SEASON
1 Caleb Serre Blind River 55 47 66 113 2019-20
2 Brayden Stortz Kirkland Lake 54 38 62 100 2015-16
3 Hunter Atchison Cochrane 53 50 49 99 2015-16
4 Logan Fredericks Kirkland Lake 53 51 38 89 2015-16
5 Parker Bowman Powassan 54 38 50 88 2019-20
T-6 Kyle Herbster Cochrane 55 36 50 86 2017-18
T-6 Dustin Cordeiro Cochrane 54 39 47 86 2015-16
T-8 Nick Techel Soo Eagles 56 29 56 85 2017-18
T-8 Tyler Peters Powassan 52 42 43 85 2015-16
10 Gregory Trudeau-Paquet Powassan 46 32 52 84 2019-20
11 Braeden Cross Cochrane 54 37 45 82 2016-17
12 Zachary Kercz Timmins 53 26 55 81 2015-16
13 Cole Hepler Elliot Lake 46 38 41 79 2015-16
T-14 Tyson Gilmour Powassan 55 25 53 78 2017-18
T-14 Yianni Liarakos Blind River 54 39 39 78 2016-17
T-14 Shadow Reuben Iroquois Falls 55 33 45 78 2016-17
T-14 Ryan Erickson Rayside-Balfour 47 25 53 78 2015-16
T-18 Lucas Theriault Soo Thunderbirds 51 40 36 76 2018-19
T-18 Noah Boman Soo Thunderbirds 50 24 52 76 2018-19
T-20 Jake Desando Hearst 55 30 45 75 2018-19
T-20 Andy Baker Powassan 53 45 30 75 2016-17
T-20 Tristan Salesse Timmins 43 34 41 75 2015-16

SOLID BETWEEN THE PIPES: Goaltenders have also played a pivotal part in the success of their respective clubs in the league since 2015-16.

The lowest goals-against average in any of the previous five years was set during 2019-20 when Tyler Masternak of the Timmins Rock sported a stingy 1.66 goals-against average.

As for Masternak again, his eight shutouts posted this season was the most in game action in a single year and is also a NOJHL record.

Meanwhile, first-year Powassan Voodoos phenom Owen Say was tops in terms of save percentage in the time frame with a stingy .941 mark to pace all league stoppers.

Say’s 31 victories for the Voodoos on the year were the highest of any goaltender during the run and was one more than former Powassan stopper Nate McDonald’s 30 back in 2016-17.

The following are those NOJHL netminders who have registered a goals-against average of 2.50, or lower, since the start of the 2015-16 season:

RANK FIRST LAST TEAM GP W L OT/T/SL AVG. SV% SO SEASON
1 Tyler Masternak Timmins 32 24 6 2 1.66 .932 8 2019-20
2 Vance Meyer Timmins 23 16 5 1 1.80 .919 4 2019-20
3 Owen Say Powassan 36 31 2 0 1.90 .941 3 2019-20
4 Tyler Mazzocato Kirkland Lake 22 16 2 1 2.12 .923 1 2015-16
T-5 Nate McDonald Powassan 37 30 4 2 2.16 .923 3 2016-17
T-5 Aidan Doak Blind River 21 12 7 0 2.16 .940 3 2016-17
7 Doug Newhouse Soo Thunderbirds 19 16 1 1 2.26 .915 3 2016-17
T-8 Carter McPhail Soo Eagles 40 22 15 1 2.27 .930 4 2017-18
T-8 Aaron Mackay Elliot Lake 32 21 5 1 2.27 .922 2 2015-16
10 Brandon Gordon Soo Thunderbirds 36 21 11 2 2.31 .926 2 2017-18
11 MacKenzie Savard Rayside-Balfour 19 12 6 1 2.34 .936 3 2017-18
T-12 Garrett Forrest Powassan 38 24 10 1 2.37 .934 5 2015-16
T-12 Dawson Rodin Kirkland Lake 34 16 10 5 2.37 .927 4 2018-19
14 Eric Schuch Soo Thunderbirds 22 15 5 2 2.41 .926 2 2017-18
15 Brandon Gordon Soo Thunderbirds 38 26 10 0 2.44 .907 5 2016-17
T-16 Nicholas Tallarico Hearst 42 24 10 6 2.49 .921 3 2018-19
T-16 Sebastien Plamondon Rayside-Balfour 26 15 7 2 2.49 .921 3 2018-19
18 Gregory Brassard Kirkland Lake 31 17 6 1 2.50 .916 2 2018-19

TEAM TOTALS: During the five years, and a total of 278 games played for each of the majority of the NOJHL’s member clubs over this sequence, the Powassan Voodoos boast the most wins during the time period with 209.

The Soo Thunderbirds are next with 200, followed by the Cochrane Crunch (171), the Rayside-Balfour Canadians (164) and the Timmins Rock (159).

SHOOTS AND SCORES: This five-year window has seen the Voodoos notch the most goals overall with 1,318.

After them, the Crunch have put 1,154 into the back of the net while the Thunderbirds (1,113); the Canadians (1,096); the Rock (1,087) and Eagles (1,019) have all surpassed the 1000-tally plateau.

KEEPING THEM OUT: Looking at league teams that have played the full five years, the organizations that has allowed the fewest goals-against in the time period are the Soo Thunderbirds.

They have only given up 672 along the way while Powassan sits second in this category at 742.

BALANCED SUCCESS: While there will be no winner of the NOJHL’s Copeland Cup – McNamara playoff championship this go around, the league has seen four different communities hoist the trophy in the allotted time frame.

Hearst, Cochrane, Powassan and the Soo Thunderbirds have all won it all since 2015-16.

The following is the NOJHL-produced record of each club the past five seasons and where they finished in overall league standings:

Team: Blind River Beavers            
Season GP W L T/OT/SL PTS GF GA OVERALL FINISH
2019-20 56 37 15 4 78 223 158 4th
2018-19 56 35 24 7 57 201 185 7th
2017-18 56 33 19 4 70 195 155 6th
2016-17 56 32 20 4 68 214 162 5th
2015-16 54 10 40 4 24 139 326 11th
Totals 278 147 118 23   972 986  
                 
Team: Cochrane Crunch            
Season GP W L T/OT/SL PTS GF GA OVERALL FINISH
2019-20 56 26 25 5 57 166 189 8th
2018-19 56 31 20 5 67 200 186 Tie-6th
2017-18 56 36 17 3 75 233 165 4th (NOJHL Champions)
2016-17 56 38 13 5 81 257 175 3rd
2015-16 54 40 10 4 84 298 169 2nd
Totals 278 171 85 22   1154 884  
                 
Team: Elliot Lake Wildcats            
Season GP W L T/OT/SL PTS GF GA OVERALL FINISH
2019-20 56 7 46 3 17 115 333 12th
2018-19 56 21 32 3 45 152 224 10th
2017-18 56 25 27 4 54 172 204 8th
2016-17 56 23 26 7 53 157 174 9th
2015-16 54 35 12 7 77 232 142 5th
Totals 278 111 143 24   828 1077  
                 
Team: Espanola Express            
Season GP W L T/OT/SL PTS GF GA OVERALL FINISH
2019-20 56 17 34 5 39 167 247 10th
2018-19 56 10 43 3 23 145 291 12th
2017-18 56 2 52 2 6 114 344 12th
2016-17 56 9 45 2 20 139 297 11th
2015-16 54 12 39 3 27 132 243 10th
Totals 278 50 213 15   697 1422  
                 
Team: French River Rapids            
Season GP W L T/OT/SL PTS GF GA OVERALL FINISH
2019-20 56 13 38 5 31 136 250 11th
2018-19 56 14 39 3 31 155 244 11th
2017-18 56 13 38 5 31 164 287 11th
2016-17 56 3 51 2 8 128 376 12th
2015-16 54 2 49 3 7 124 347 12th
Totals 278 45 215 18   707 1504  
                 
Team: Hearst Lumberjacks            
Season GP W L T/OT/SL PTS GF GA OVERALL FINISH
2019-20 56 31 18 7 69 202 177 5th
2018-19 56 33 16 7 73 210 159 2nd (NOJHL Champions)
2017-18 56 23 30 3 49 215 226 9th
Totals 168 87 64 17   627
562
2016-17* 56 16 36 4 36 203 282 10th
2015-16* 54 15 39 0 30 163 310 9th
Totals
* – franchise located in Iroquois Falls (Eskis) for 2015-16 & 2016-17 seasons
Team: Kirkland Lake Gold Miners          
Season GP W L T/OT/SL PTS GF GA OVERALL FINISH
2019-20 56 18 32 6 42 154 228 9th
2018-19 56 33 17 6 72 194 156 3rd
2017-18 56 24 21 11 59 163 180 7th
2016-17 56 28 21 7 63 232 190 6th
2015-16 54 39 12 3 81 247 135 4th
Totals 278 142 103 33   990 889  
                 
Team: Powassan Voodoos            
Season GP W L T/OT/SL PTS GF GA OVERALL FINISH
2019-20 56 45 9 2 92 264 141 1st   
2018-19 56 33 19 4 70 206 172 4th
2017-18 56 45 7 4 94 299 171 1st
2016-17 56 46 7 3 95 271 121 1st (NOJHL Champions)
2015-16 54 40 10 4 84 278 137 Tie-2nd
Totals 278 209 52 17   1318 742  
                 
Team: Rayside-Balfour Canadians          
Season GP W L T/OT/SL PTS GF GA OVERALL FINISH
2019-20 56 40 11 5 85 260 163 3rd
2018-19 56 31 20 5 67 194 169 Tie-6th
2017-18 56 37 14 5 79 222 139 2nd
2016-17 56 28 24 4 60 191 200 7th
2015-16 54 28 25 1 57 229 208 7th
Totals 278 164 94 20   1096 879  
                 
Team: Soo Eagles              
Season GP W L T/OT/SL PTS GF GA OVERALL FINISH
2019-20 56 30 21 5 65 185 171 7th
2018-19 56 28 24 4 60 208 185 8th
2017-18 56 35 20 1 71 222 147 5th
2016-17 56 27 26 3 57 222 204 8th
2015-16 54 22 30 2 46 182 197 8th
Totals 278 142 121 15   1019 904  
                 
Team: Soo Thunderbirds            
Season GP W L T/OT/SL PTS GF GA OVERALL FINISH
2019-20 56 30 19 7 67 220 166 6th
2018-19 56 44 11 1 89 221 145 1st
2017-18 56 36 16 4 76 195 134 3rd
2016-17 56 43 11 2 88 232 134 2nd
2015-16 54 47 6 1 95 245 93 1st (NOJHL Champions)
Totals 278 200 63 15   1113 672  
                 
Team: Timmins Rock            
Season GP W L T/OT/SL PTS GF GA OVERALL FINISH
2019-20 56 42 11 3 87 231 100 2nd
2018-19 56 33 20 3 69 186 156 5th
2017-18 56 19 31 6 44 142 184 10th
2016-17 56 36 16 4 76 271 202 4th
2015-16 54 29 24 1 59 257 219 6th
Totals 278 159 102 17   1087 861

With files from David Harrison, NOJHL Historian