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Dolphins in new division

Dolphins set for travels east bound

   

 Junior hockey team now in PJHL Doherty Division

 

 September 12, 2024

 

 

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Dorchester Dolphins head coach Chris Willsie explains a drill at practice preparing for the 2024-25 PJHL season. (photo / Rob J. Ross)

  

 

By Rob J. Ross 

DORCHESTER, Ont. - There will be new places and faces for the Dorchester Dolphins this season.

In a move over summer, the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) to even it's eight divisions to eight teams each, the Dolphins were shifted from the Yeck division to the Doherty.

Left behind are decade old rivalries with local foes Thamesford Trojans and Aylmer Spitfires, along with memorable playoff encounters against the Exeter Hawks and Mt. Brydges Bulldogs.

New road trips, all east bound, will take the Dolphins to Woodstock, Paris, Tavistock, New Hamburg, Norwich, Hespeler and Wellesley.

Travelling in to this type of unknown, adds an additional challenge for the Dolphins entering their 12th season.

"Not knowing what's over there. Not knowing the landscape, the teams, their players," Dolphins' GM Mark Steele said. "You know the top scorers, but it's the tendencies of the other players, what their roles are. It'll be a learning curve for our team. It'll be a learning curve to figure out how we play too. Word is that it's a little bit stronger than what we're used to, but time will tell."

The Dolphins open the regular season at Woodstock, Friday, September 13th on Olympic size ice, before hosting the New Hamburg Firebirds Saturday.

"Our first two games are against tougher opponents," Steele said. "It'll be a true test."

New Hamburg and Woodstock finished one-two in the Doherty last season. New Hamburg won the division's playoff title and advanced to the PJHL semifinals, losing to Lakeshore, the eventual Schmalz Cup champions.

Friday remains the day for the majority of home games for the Dolphins. There are five Sundays and three Saturdays.
 

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Dorchester Dolphins go through one one one drills at practice preparing for the upcoming season in a new division. (photo / Rob J. Ross)

  

The Dolphins return several players, but there were a few who weren't keen on travelling east.

"There were players who chose not go with us," said Steele, who made trades with teams within the Yeck division. "They wanted to play closer to home. They felt the Yeck was closer to where they live in London."

Dorchester does go east for all games, but road trips to New Hamburg or Paris aren't farther than Petrolia, Parkhill or Exeter.

Six-foot four defenceman Tristan Gerth does return and the 21-year old is the Dolphins' new captain.

Experience at the junior level, including two seasons with the St. Thomas Stars, skill and attitude, made giving the C to Gerth an easy choice for the Dolphins' coaching staff.

"He brings a wealth of knowledge and lots of input," Steele said. "He's not an over talker, but he leads by example."

Defenceman Matt Sturgeon and forward Jarrett Humphries are alternate captains. A third captain will be named later.

"I have been in leadership roles many times throughout my hockey career, but it is a true honour to be named captain in my final season of junior hockey," Gerth said. "I like to keep things light and upbeat with lots of positivity, but I am more of a lead by example type of guy. What I expect from the guys is to bring lots of energy and hard work. If we do this while remaining positive, good things will happen."

Gerth understands the challenge of being in a new division and there will be work, but feels the team needs to focus on themselves first.

"A successful season in my opinion would be to get better as a team each and every week, and hopefully put ourselves in a good position heading into playoffs," said Gerth, who led the Dolphins' defence with nine goals and 20 assists last season. "I'm super pumped and ready for the season to begin."
 

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Two Dorchester Dolphins have a conversation during a break at practice preparing for the upcoming season starting September 13th. (photo / Rob J. Ross)

  

Returning players include defencemen Mavin Smith, Cole Smale and Liam Brulotte, goalie Connor Nelles and forwards Austin Connors, Dylan Dundas, Roenick Jakielaszek, Logan Corneil, David Johnston and Tyson Currah.

Dundas had 12 goals and 15 assists in 27 games last season, while Humphries put up 11 goals and 15 assists. The Dolphins will need to replace the loss of their top three scorers to graduation, Paterson Macnair, Josh Short and Nicholas Shearer.

The Dolphins continue their tradition of hometown talent on the roster, with Smith, Brulotte, Corbeil, Connors and Johnston, all hailing from Dorchester.

Thirteen of 22 players are local, including four rookies, forwards Nolan Candy and Lucas Wilson from Dorchester, Sam Willsie of Putnam and 16-year old Cole Shoup from Springfield.

"That number is unheard of in junior hockey and speaks to the talent in the Dorchester and Belmont area," said Dolphins' head coach Chris Willsie.

Behind the bench for his second season, Willsie gained experience and knowledge in his first year coaching a junior team.

"I learned to treat the first half of the season as an evaluation," Willsie said ."Put your players in all types of situations and you might be surprised. Don't want to pigeon hole a player too early into what type of player you think that he is. Let him show you over time. That way by the time playoffs roll around, all the players have played in different roles and we know what works best for the team."

Leading up to the regular season opening weekend, the Dolphins will be finalizing their roster.

"We're looking to ice a team that are hard to play against and very responsible in our own end," Willsie said. "We want to excel in our special teams and punish teams that take penalties against us by having an efficient power play."

 

Last year ended in a first round game seven overtime loss to the Exeter Hawks.

"We were taken back by the first round loss, but hopefully learn from that and know what to do this year," said Steele. "Everything went well last year season wise, but it was one of those game sevens."

The Dolphins have lost in the opening round in back to back seasons, after losing the Yeck final to North Middlesex in 2022.

"The league is getting better. It seems more kids are wanting to play C than B. The competition is going up and everybody is fighting for the same kids," said Steele.

Perhaps the Dolphins can repeat in the Doherty division, what they achieved in their first two years in the Yeck Division back in 2013 and 2014. Advance to the final, before winning the division a year later.

 

 


        rob@hometownplay.ca

 

 

 

 

 

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