Stars retool for the new campaign

   St. Thomas opens the 2018-19 GOJHL season hosting Leamington Friday

     following their best playoff run in six years

Thursday September 13, 2018

 By Rob J. Ross 

ST. THOMAS -  Following their best playoff run in six years, the St. Thomas Stars are aiming to build off the momentum created by the team advancing to the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) Western Conference final.

However head coach Darren Kelly has been spending time filling vacant spots, instead of adding a few pieces, following a higher than expected turnover of the roster.

"Hopefully we can be back in the mix of things," Kelly said. "We've changed over probably half of our team. It's not a rebuilding year. We have some core players back. For us it's retooling. We're going to lack scoring."

Stars' new logo

The Stars lost their top four point producers who combined for 86 goals. Kevin Hu, who led the team with 38 goals and 42 assists graduated from the junior B ranks, Peter Fleming is now with the OHL Barrie Colts, while Adam Keyes (Cobourg, OJHL) and Jake Desando (Hearst, NOJHL) moved on to different teams.

Fleming is one of four Stars from last season's roster now playing in the Canadian Hockey League. Defenceman Mason Millman (Saginaw, OHL), Christian Clark (St. John, QMJHL) and Ryan Bangs (London, OHL), are all playing at the nation's top junior level.

Co-captain Curtis Ferreira, who led the Stars' defence in scoring also finished his junior career last season.

"He's a big loss," Kelly said.  "For a lot of people he went unnoticed. He looked after the defence." 

The Stars will look to Jake Robinson (11 goals, 20 assists) and Thomas McLatchie (15 goals, 14 assists), for a bigger role offensively.

Also returning is goalie Anthony Hurtubise, forward Lucas Mastroianni, co-captain and defenceman Cal Horvat and defencemen Jackson Brown and Eric Langridge.

Carson Moniz returns to the Stars and will be one of the veterans the team leans on. The soon to be 20-year old from Lambeth, spent the past two seasons in the North American Hockey League (NAHL), with Amarillo and Philadelphia, amassing 11 goals and 23 assists over 63 games. Moniz played two full seasons with the Stars before his NAHL stint.

New faces include 18-year old Jordan Hurtubise, a six-foot four defenceman and younger brother to Anthony, 17-year old forward Ian Lutowicz, 16-year old defenceman Darren Beattie and 17-year old forward Brayden Smith, who played with the Aylmer Spitfires last season.

In preseason action, the Stars were 1-4-1-1. Brown led the Stars in preseason scoring with three goals and four assists.

"We played ok in the preseason. We have some talent obviously and the kids are trying to feel each other out to see what they can do with each other," said Kelly. "For us it was more to get a sense where all of our guys were. This week has been about practice. We're going over strategy, power play and PK (penalty kill) and hopefully we'll be ready for Friday."

The Stars open the 2018/19 GOJHL season, hosting the Leamington Flyers, this Friday (7:30 p.m.), at the Joe Thornton Community Centre (JTCC).

Their home opener is the first of a 10 game stretch that Kelly will assess his team in meaningful game action.

"The younger guys have to step up real quick. We have a lot of 17-year olds. Those guys have to adjust to our league," Kelly said.  "The first 10 games are about getting a sense and feel of the league, playing in all of the rinks and getting used to your teammates."

Scott Stafford is the lone returning assistant coach. Paul Gibson is now a goaltending coach with the Oshawa Generals. Craig Voakes is keeping his future bride happy, preparing for their upcoming wedding.

St. Thomas lost to the London Nationals in the Western final, after eliminating Sarnia and Leamington.