Gloucester Rangers News
Rangers Executive and Board for 2010-2011 Season
The Rangers AGM held on May 25 brought a few changes to the Rangers Executive and Board for the 2010-11 season. Congratulations to Jenn Primeau who was acclaimed in the role of Chair, Ron Leslie who was acclaimed as Treasurer and Christine Castleman who was elected as Vice Chair, Administration. As they move on to new challenges, a big thank you goes out to Heather DeChamplain, Lucky Benning and Jennifer Landry for their hard work and dedication!
Message from the Rangers Chair – May 2010
It is with great enthusiasm that I take on the position of Chair of the Gloucester Rangers. For some of you I may be the new ‘face’ of the Rangers but for others who have gotten to know me over the years this is another role in the organization I have taken on. The Rangers have been my second ‘family” for more than six years now (maybe it is seven… lose track when you are very involved!) and along the way I have held a lot of different positions… tournament director, public relations, hockey operations and now Chair. In addition to my work with the Rangers, I have also been involved in AAA hockey with the Ottawa Jr. 67’s and as the Pee Wee House league Convener in Leitrim. It has been quite a journey and along the way I have been building what I believe is a solid foundation of ‘hockey’ insight and knowledge.
Rangers seeking proposals for equipment clothing suppliers for the 2010-11 season
Rangers are currently seeking proposals for equipment and clothing suppliers for the 2010-11 season. Those interested in submitting a proposal should contact the Director of Equipment no later than June 15, 2010 (hyperlink to title with following email: stephane.fleury@mbna.com)
Three Gloucester Rangers players drafted in the CHL Tier 1 Draft
Congratulations to 3 players from our 2009-2010 Gloucester Rangers Minor Midget AA team who were drafted May 19th 2010 in the CHL Tier 1 Draft (formerly known as the CJHL draft). The players are as follows:
Chad Millett, 5th Round, Gloucester Rangers
Nicholas Leguerrier, 6th Round, Nepean Raiders
Alexandre Boivin, 6th Round, Gloucester Rangers
In addition, 4 former Rangers who played with the Ottawa 67's AAA last season were also drafted:
Elias Ghantous, 2nd Round, Carleton Place Canadians
Jean Dupuy, 2nd Round, Hawkesbury Hawks
Jamie Molinski, 3rd Round, Smith Falls Bears
Scott McIlroy, 3rd Round, Ottawa Jr Senators
Gloucester Jr A Rangers to host CHL Tier 1 Annual Draft
The Gloucester Jr A Rangers will be hosting the CHL Tier 1 (formerly known as the CJHL) annual draft which will be held at the Earl Armstrong Arena at 6:00 pm on May 19th. Come on out for the evening and support our talented group of hockey players.
Click here for the invitation letter from Paul Jennings, President, Gloucester Rangers Jr A Hockey Club.
Seven former Rangers selected in OHL draft!
Congratulations to the 7 former Gloucester Rangers players, now playing AAA hockey for the Ottawa Jr. 67's, who were selected in the OHL Priority Selection draft which took place on Saturday, May 1st:
Alex Gudbranson, 1st Round (10th overall), Kingston Frontenacs
Zachary Leslie, 4th Round, Guelph Storm
Adam Lloyd, 5th Round, Brampton Battalian
Nathan Pancel, 5th Round, Sudbury Wolves
Daniel Walsh, 6th Round, Ottawa 67s
Gian Marco Demeis, 10th Round, Ottawa 67s
Jean Dupuy, 13th Round, Kingston Frontenacs
"Want to be a Hockey Referee in District 9?"
I would like to invite anyone 14 years or older who is registered as a hockey player in the GHA (District 9) that is interested in becoming a Referee to attend a one hour tryout. This tryout will be held on SATURDAY June 19th 2010 from 11am - 11:50am at Orleans Arena Complex.
Everyone must be registered in advance by clicking on the "New Officials" link located on the front page of our D9RA website.
The cost is $10 cash and payable before you step on the ice. The main portion of the tryout process will be an on ice skating assessment so please ensure you come prepared to skate, as to be an official you need to be a very good skater.
Along with your skates a helmet is mandatory and you should also ensure you wear appropriate clothing and avoid shorts and jeans. You do not need to have full Referee gear but of course you may wear shin and elbow pads if you wish. We will issue tryout pinnies with a number so we can assess each candidate during the tryout. We will also administer a quick 10 question quiz on some basic hockey rules and a short interview after the ice session to assess your communication skills.
I look forward to seeing many District 9 players that want to become involved as referees at this tryout. The process we are using will be the only way in District 9 that you can be selected to possibly become an official for this coming 2010-2011 season. Within a week after the tryout I will advise everyone attending the tryout who we have selected to be eligible to attend the Referee clinics with the ODHA in September and become a qualified official this season with the D9RA (District 9 Referee Association).
Thanks and have a great summer.
David McCarthy
District 9 Referee-in-Chief
D9RA President
D9ric@rogers.com
613-720-1493
Major Pee Wee AA take silver medal at 2010 All Ontario Pee Wee AAA Provincial Championships!
A silver lining to an awesome year... after finishing second overall in the round robin against the top 6 rated teams from across Ontario, the Rangers ended up the semi finals against Kingston Frontenacs. In an emotion and hard fought game, the Rangers pulled out a 2 to1 victory to advance to the final against rivals Toronto Marlies... In the final game, the Marlies got the gold but the Rangers WON the silver... outstanding season for the players and coaching staff.
We are so proud of you!
Major Bantam AA Captures League Championship!
The Gloucester Rangers Major Bantam AAs were titled the 2009-2010 Ontario East League Champions. It was a hard fought 7 game championship series where the Rangers and Rideau St. Lawrence engaged in a tight-checking final affair at the Kemptville Centre on Saturday, April 3, 2010. The Rangers took the title when they outplayed RSL with a 6-3 win.
Playoffs for the Rangers started with a physical match against Seaway where the Ranger won the series in 5 games. Semi-finals were against 1st place Kanata where teamwork and outstanding goaltending allowed the Rangers to win the series in 4 games.
Championship playoffs were against RSL. Solid play by both teams resulted in a tied series and the need for a 7th game decision. Pure determination, team work, physical play and unparallel goaltending by the Rangers resulted in a 6-3 win and the title of 2009-2010 Ontario East League
Champions. Rob Hudson, Head Coach of the Major Bantam AAs, commends his team for their efforts as when you work that hard, never give up, and believe in yourselves, good things happen.
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of the Gloucester Hockey Association is scheduled for May 27, 2010.
The following positions are up for election and the GHA is seeking nominations for:
- District Chair (2 year term) - Must have served on the GHA Board of Directors in the last 3 years - - Vice President House Vice President Administration
Nominations must be received at least 30 days in advance of the AGM.
Please see the nomination form and additional details on the GHA website.
Ottawa Jr. 67's AAA town-hall meeting for Major Peewee
The Ottawa Jr. 67's AAA Hockey Club will be hosting a town-hall meeting for Major Peewee players from District B (Bytown) and District 9 (Gloucester excluding Metcalfe) who will be eligible to play for the Jr. 67's Minor Bantam AAA in the 2010/11 season.
Place: Jim Durrell Arena (Ellwood Hall)
Date: Wed April 21st, 2010
Time: 7:00-9:00 PM
The meeting will be a chance for players and parents to learn about the Jr.67's AAA Hockey Club and its programs. There will be a draw for 2 free Jr. 67's AAA tryouts fee’s for Major Peewee players who are in attendance with their parent(s).
Daniel Alfredsson in a Rangers jersey??!!
Yep... it is true!
Back in early December Jordan Benning who plays on the Major PeeWee AA suffered a serious back injury. When Ottawa Senators Captain Daniel Alfredsson learned of Jordan's story he reached out to him. Thankfully Jordan is on the mend now but and he was very touched by the Captain's actions so when Alfie got hurt last month, Jordan wanted to show him his appreciation and offer him well wishes by giving him a Gloucester Rangers #11 jersey with an Alfredsson name bar on the back.
The Senators organization contacted Jordan and invited him and the entire Major PeeWee AA team to attend their game vs the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, February 4. Jordan had the chance to present the jersey in person to Alfie on Thursday night after the Senators game versus the Vancouver Canucks. What an experience for Jordan!
A big thank you goes out to Daniel Alfredsson and the Ottawa Senators organization for making Thursday a night to remember for Jordan and his teammates!
Click this link to see the Ottawa Citizen coverage of the story on Canada.com
Announcement - ODMHA Unanimously Approves AAA Hockey
The Ottawa District Minor Hockey Association (ODMHA) has voted to make AAA hockey a permanent part of the hockey landscape in the Ottawa area. The Rangers will be looking at the implications of this decision on our programs for the future and look forward to continuing our grow our partnerships with the Cyclones and Ottawa Jr 67s AAA associations.
The motion put forward to the voting membership on Saturday, January 30th read as follows
"Commencing the 2010 - 2011 season the ODMHA top tier of hockey will be considered that of "AAA" at those levels presently approved for the current pilot project ending June 2010."
The vote, by the ODMHA Minor Council which includes representatives from minor hockey associations across the Ottawa area, was unanimous. The move puts the Ottawa area on an equal footing with the rest of Canada, which has already adopted AAA as a top tier of minor hockey. Over the coming months, the ODMHA will revise its operating procedures to incorporate the new AAA league into a permanent structure, establishing policies on affiliations, governance of AAA zones, and other issues that must be addressed.
Mario Lemieux Skates With Gloucester Ranger's Make-A-Wish Patient
Ranger Minor PW A player and cancer recovery patient Michael Saikali gets the opportunity to skate with Mario Lemieux through the Make-A-Wish Foundation!
Michael with Mario Lemieux
The Make a Wish Foundation, had been working diligently to make Michael's wish come true. His wish was to meet the Stanley Cup Champions Pittsburgh Penguins and Mario Lemieux. Mario and Michael have 3 things in common: 1- They love hockey, 2-They are bilingual and 3- They both had to battle Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
Michael gets his jersey signed by Sidney Crosby
Micheal with Jordan Staal and Matt Cooke
On Friday January 15th, a year and 2 days since Michael received an inspiring letter and autographed picture from Mario, 2 representatives from Innovapost, the corporate sponsor for Michael's wish, presented Michael with his wish and then some. They made Michael's wish their 'Signature Wish'. He received an official Pittsburgh Jersey with 'SAIKALI' and '98' on the back, a Penguins Scoreboard light fixture, and his wish to meet the Pens and Mario in Pittsburgh. The Saikali Family left on January 27th at 3:45 am by LIMO to catch a 6 a.m. flight.
On the ice with Mario Lemieux
See the full story on the Pittsburgh Penguin's website.
Congratulations to the Gloucester Rangers Major Peewee team on winning the Ontario Winter Games Qualifying Tournament.
The victory entitles the Rangers to represent the ODMHA at the Winter Games in Muskoka, March 4th to 7th, 2010. <see details here>
"AAA" Special Meetings
This is the third and final year of the "AAA" pilot project and to ensure all levels of hockey have adequate time to prepare for the upcoming season there will be two special meetings held. The first meeting will be, January 16th, from 1300 to 1500 (1:00 pm to 3:00 pm), in the ground floor conference room at the Hockey Office. This meeting will be open to all District Chairs, Association Presidents, members of any / all hockey associations and general public for a short Power Point presentation by the "AAA" Steering Committee and an open question and answer session to
explain; where the project started; where it stands to date; and if successful in becoming a full fledged league within the ODMHA where it may be leading.
The second meeting is set for 2 weeks later (January 30th, same time & place) and will be a Special General Meeting (all voting members of the ODMHA - Executive, Minor Council, District Chairs and Association / League Presidents with voting authority). The two week time frame will allow the Presidents and District Chairs to discuss the information presented and at the second meeting vote on whether the pilot ends and "AAA" is endorsed as a full time league or in the case of negative vote how can we move forward in an alternate direction. This early vote will allow planning to continue in a meaningful fashion for next season. Any other outstanding issues will
be dealt with at the regular spring AGM.
The Gloucester Rangers wish a speedy recovery to Jordan Benning of the Major Pee Wee AA team
Jordan suffered a serious back injury over the weekend in a tournament in Hamilton. Jordan is expected to make a full recovery in about 6 months and we wish him all the best during his healing period.
For the full story on Jordan, please see the feature in the Ottawa Citizen from Tuesday, December 8, 2009.
This unfortunate incident overshadowed what should have been a great weekend of the Pee Wee AA team as they went on to win the Hamilton Jr Bulldogs Tournament.
Gloucester Rangers Fundraiser Game for Cancer Research
The Gloucester Rangers Minor Atom A White and Minor Atom A Green teams will be playing a game in support of cancer research on December 3rd.
2009 IIHF World Junior Championship exceeds all expectations - $80.5-million economic impact across Ontario, close to $700,000 directed to Ottawa minor hockey
OTTAWA - The host organizing committee for the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship, Hockey Canada and the Ottawa District Hockey Association announced today that minor hockey would continue to benefit from the success of last winter’s 11-day event with $697,000 committed to the ODHA and the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship Legacy Fund.
"WEST” AND “EAST” OTTAWA CHRISTMAS BREAK MINI-CAMPS - December 28th and 29th, 2009
Endeavor Sports Group will be holded two mini-camps over the Christmas Break. These camps are open to Novice, Atom, Peewee and Bantam players.
LIVE AUCTION - Sunday October 18th, 2009
Three will be a live auction held on Sunday October the 18th to support the Major Peewee AA Gloucester Rangers.
Visit the Major Peewee AA home page to see more details.
Gloucester Rangers Teams start the Season Victorious!
September 14-2009
Three Gloucester Rangers Teams started their seasons this past weekend with tournament victories. The Minor Peewee AA & Major Peewee AA teams were both victorious at the Kanata Blazers AAA Shootout.The Minor Midget AA team was victorious at the Richmond Hill Stars AA Early Bird Tournament.
Congratualtions to all three teams for a great start!
Visit the Minor Peewee AA photo album to see some pics from the tournament.
Former Gloucester Ranger drafted by Anaheim Ducks
August 17-2009
Former Gloucester Ranger, Scott Valentine, was drafted into the NHL by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the 6th round of this year's entry draft. Scott, who was selected 166th overall, played all his Minor Atom to Minor Midget years with the Gloucester Rangers. Scott then moved on to play in the CJHL with Hawkesbury and is currently with the Oshawa Generals in the OHL.
Congratualtions Scott!
Ottawa Senators Draft Former Ranger
June-28-2009
Corey Cowick was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the 6th round of the recent 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Corey is a former Ranger having played from Minor Atom to Minor Midget. He played in the CJHL with the Orleans Blues (now Gloucester Rangers) before moving on to the OHL with the Oshawa Generals and Ottawa 67s.
Congratualtions Corey!
Ranger Volunteers win ODHA/ODMHA Awards.
June-28-2009
At the ODHA/ODMHA Annual General Meeting on June 20 three awards/bursaries were presented that recognize the commitment and dedication of specific individuals directly connected to the Gloucester Rangers.
Paul Eberley, who was the Head Coach of our Gloucester Rangers Minor Midget AA team in 2008/09 and will be our Major Midget AA coach for 2009/10 season, received the Jim Farelli Memorial Scholarship. This memorial scholarship is given annually to a Junior or Minor coach in the ODHA/ODMHA whose qualities best represent those of Jim himself; namely dedication to the game and a proven ability to coach elite athletes.
Nick Mazany-Wright, a player on the Gloucester Rangers 2008/09 Major Midget AA team received a $1000 bursary sponsored by B.F. Lorenzetti and Associates Inc. This bursary goes to a hockey player about to enter or already enrolled in a post-secondary institution. The player should be Midget or Junior hockey level and also combine a high level of playing ability with a strong scholastic record.
Jennifer Primeau, Vice Chair Hockey Operations for the Gloucester Rangers for the 2008/09 season, received the ODMHA District 9 Volunteer of the Year award. Jennifer has been actively involved as volunteer with the Gloucester Rangers for approx six years, even though she hasn't had a player playing with the Rangers for the last three years. She also sits on the Boards for the Ottawa Junior 67's AAA and the Leitrim Minor Hockey Association. Congratulations to all three recipients - definitely well deserved!
Gloucester Jr. Rangers and CIS Hockey
If you are looking for high calibre hockey at a great price check out the games being played at the Carleton Ice House, Ottawa U Arena and Armstrong Arena by our two local CIS teams and CJHL team. The Carleton Ravens and Ottawa GeeGees Varsity teams offer up some great hockey action and prove that high calibre hockey and education go together quite well. You can check out team schedules, ticket prices and all the latest info on these teams by visiting their websites below.
Carleton Ravens
Ottawa GeeGees
Orleans Online Newspaper
Periodically stories related to the Gloucester Rangers appear in Orleans Online, a multi-faceted website serving the residents of Ottawa's thriving East Urban Community.
Check in once in a while to support this great source of local news and sports.