Ohio had a tough season last year, finishing with a 17-15-5 record. It dealt with everything from heartbreaking losses in overtime, to numerous canceled and delayed series. Coach Mauron believes that the Bobcats can become a championship team through filling gaps in their roster and assessing what they can gain through recruiting.
The first thing Ohio looked to bring to the table was new talent for the forward position. They certainly found that, recruiting a total of seven new players.
Some notable recruits include Jack Glen, who previously played for the Vernon Vipers, a junior team in Canada. In his three years with the team, he scored 10 goals and tallied 13 assists. He also was heavily involved in the community, which ticked a box for Coach Mauron. He isn’t just looking for great hockey players, he wants them to be great people as well.
Forwards Hollander Thompson and Luc Reeve both played for the Aurora Tigers, another junior team in Canada, before committing to Ohio. Thompson scored 16 goals in his two seasons with the Tigers, while his teammate Reeve scored 31 goals.
Jaden Pashe came from the Portage Terriers, where he put up an impressive 20 points in 51 games. Finally, Ohio gained Laker Aldridge, who is committed to Michigan State to play D1 hockey, but will also be joining Ohio in the American Collegiate Hockey Association. Mauron believes he will be an exciting player to watch, along with all of his other newest recruits.
Mauron was also looking to find a left-handed defensemen and a competitive goalie. Lucas Renzoni is that defenseman, coming to Ohio after serving as the team captain for the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners. Goalies Justin Damon and Garrett Alderman have respective save percentages of .893 and .921 from their last seasons on junior teams, so they should be able to provide the competition that Mauron is looking for.
Coach Mauron has brought in a solid new class of guys, who will hopefully help elevate Ohio into a championship program.