OHL Hockey in North Bay next season?(updated)

The city of North Bay has confirmed that the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League have expressed interest in playing an exhibition game this summer at Memorial Gardens.

Jerry Knox, the city's managing director of community services says he was contacted by the OHL club back in early May.

“We indicated we would be very interested as this would complement the fabulous Hockeyville initiative as well as give the City an opportunity to demonstrate our support for our own OHL club,” Knox said in an email to BayToday.ca.

Knox says they plan to meet with Wolves officials to discuss the idea.

As for the Wolves they appear to be optimistic they can work something out with their one-time OHL rival.

“Hopefully we’ll have something in place sooner than later,” said Blaine Smith, the Vice President of Hockey Operations for the Sudbury Wolves about agreeing to an exhibition game in North Bay.

“We’d like to offer autograph sessions and even show our support for North Bay to get an OHL team back,” added Smith.

The Wolves may be looking to play more than one contest outside of Sudbury, perhaps even a regular season game due to the 1.2 million dollars worth of renovations taking place at the Sudbury arena which will see the OHL facility add 12 corporate suites, 950 club seats, a new concession and a new score clock.

The Wolves are already looking at playing a few exhibition games at other Sudbury area facilities, like Countryside and Walden arena during the renovations.