I’ve had the fortune of being a part of the Country 600 CKAT broadcast for two seasons of North Bay Battalion hockey, and now to finish up my first season writing up the games with Bay Today. Naturally when most things come to pass, one likes to reflect on memories created from a certain experience and the end of an OHL season is no different.
Here are some moments that stand out for me:
The Battalion season started with cautious optimism, the team had missed the playoffs for the first time since moving to North Bay the year prior, and new additions such as Brandon Coe, Luke Burghardt and Luke Moncada gave fans reasons for excitement. No one knew that in Coe, we would be getting a player with massive potential or a master playmaker in Burghardt, or a shut down forward in Moncada, but that’s exactly what each player brought to the team.
Of course, Burghardt started the season with 6 goals in 3 games and was the talk of the town. What a trade by Stan Butler! It was early, but it already looked like he had fleeced the Guelph Storm by sending Zach Poirier and Mark Shoemaker for Burghardt and Moncada.
However, tough times would face the team. Due to some shaky goaltending and lack of offensive punch, the Troops would face 8 and 6 game losing streaks. In the midst of what seemed like the sky was falling, North Bay native Brady Lyle requested a trade.
When Lyle was eventually traded, it ended up being a blockbuster. Christian Propp, who had been traded to the Owen Sound Attack earlier in the day by the Barrie Colts, was on his way to North Bay to stabilize the goaltending situation, with Lyle heading the other way. The next day, we learned that Nick King was coming from Owen Sound as well to help the defensive side of things.
I remember walking into Memorial Gardens on the day of Propp’s debut with the Battalion and the buzz that was in the air rivaled that of the buzz around the team the first few years. Well, we know how that went. 5 minutes into his debut, Propp gets run over and out with an injury, and Julian Sime came in to shut the door on the Windsor Spitfires. Propp would sit out another month before we could see what he really brought to the table, but it was well worth the wait.
Over the course of the season, we as fans and media had to say goodbye to some familiar faces in Brett McKenzie and Cam Dineen. I think it’s fair to say that North Bay will watch Owen Sound and Sarnia in their playoff quests, but the players acquired for them helped the team turn a corner.
Matthew Struthers came over in the McKenzie trade and immediately took off, finding great chemistry with Justin Brazeau and Burghardt. Braden Henderson in the Dineen trade who became one of the more consistent defenceman in the playoffs. Last but not least, Jake Henderson came over from Kitchener and the team started to ascend, tying a franchise record for consecutive wins at 6 since moving to North Bay.
Unfortunately, a couple of months later, the season would end with a triple-overtime loss to the Kingston Frontenacs in game 5 of their first-round matchup. The game would be the longest played in Battalion franchise history and a game more than many “experts” predicted.
At least three players won’t be here next season to try and push the Troops further. Overagers Jesse Saban, a stable stay at home presence on the back end and veteran leader, Jake Henderson, a player who only played half the year with the Battalion, but endeared himself to the city of North Bay. The third player not returning is Captain Riley Bruce. Bruce was the final tie to the Eastern Conference Champions of the first season in the gateway city, and an excellent ambassador of the game of hockey in North Bay. Never again will Memorial Gardens hear “Bruuuuuce” chants after a big hit or fight or heroic goal, but the leadership he leaves behind is strong and North Bay will always call him one of our own.
Next year, fans can look forward to a more developed Christian Propp, who continues to work toward being one of the best goaltenders the league has to offer, watching Justin Brazeau reach for greater success, and cheering on Adam McMaster and Brandon Coe and others as they continue to grow and develop their games.
The North Bay Battalion have plenty more reasons to be optimistic for next season than this one. No more is it cautious optimism either, as this team put to rest most of that. The team's motto of “Never Again” turned out to be true and for that as North Bay residents, we are grateful.
See you next year Battalion, we’re already waiting.
