The Powassan Voodoos are back on the ice ready to begin their first real training camp since September of 2019.
The team and new head coach Marc Lafleur will be on the ice at the Powassan Sportsplex this weekend for the start of their training camp.
The Voodoo were the regular-season champions in 2019-20 before COVID-19 derailed their playoff run and kept the team off the ice in Powassan last season.
The club is expecting a competitive camp that includes more than a dozen players who have already attended OHL camps this past week.
"We will be a young team this year," noted Chris Dawson, the Voodoos GM.
"It will be competitive. Some of these players played together in an independent tournament down south with some positive results so everyone with the program is eager to get the full group together this weekend."
Prior to the opening of camp, the Voodoos announced the signing of Battalion prospect Carson Ricci.
The 2004 birth year defender was a first-round selection in the U18 OHL Priority Selection.
Ricci has familiarity with the area and has many relatives living in North Bay.
"As a Hockey player, with big aspirations, I am looking forward to starting my junior hockey career with the Powassan Voodoos," said Ricci.
"I am extremely excited to play for the team, and represent such a great organization. Overall, I can’t wait to play hard not only for the team but for the fans as well. Playoff hockey is the best part of the season, so I’m going to do everything I can to get there with the Voodoos. Living away from home will be an experience for me to develop as a person, being submerged in hockey, training, and school, which is a formula that will set me up to succeed. I’m looking forward to training camp, as well as meeting the players, and the coaching staff. I can’t wait to get started!"
Adam Dennis, Battalion GM, says Ricci is a good prospect that he has a lot of familiarity with as he played for the Battalion Assistant GM John Winstanley in the Toronto Jr. Canadiens AAA program.
"We felt he was a player who was deserving of being picked last year," noted Dennis.
"Just with John Winstanley (Battalion asst. GM) having coached him last year and keeping tabs on him we know how much work has gone in his off-season. He's a guy with good size, he can do a lot of things, he is pretty versatile and I really think he is going to be a good fit in Powassan."
Ricci and the rest of the Voodoos players and prospects will be on the ice at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday in Powassan.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be a limit of only 50 fans in attendance during the practice sessions.
