OHL Notes: New rinks and new faces

Training camps around the Ontario Hockey League are scheduled to open in the coming weeks and one team’s home opener is going to be a little later than expected.

The Niagara IceDogs are scheduled to open their new arena this season, with the first game scheduled for Oct. 2 against the Mississauga Steelheads.

That game has now been rescheduled for Jan. 13 as the IceDogs new arena in St. Catharines will not be ready in time for the game.

The IceDogs home opener will now be their Oct. 16 contest against the Belleville Bulls.

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OTTERS SIGN SEVEN

A Sault Ste. Marie native was among the seven players signed by the Erie Otters.

Frank Pucci, who was selected in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection by the Otters, spent the 2013-14 season with the Soo Indians AAA major midget team. In 52 games with the Indians, Pucci scored 24 goals and 62 points after spending the previous two seasons with the Soo Thunder.

The Otters have also signed 2013 picks T.J. Fergus, Patrick Fellows and Trent Fox as well as 2014 picks Shaun Bily, Jake Lawr and Kyle Maksimovich.

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MINOR TRADES OPEN TRADE PERIOD

The summer trade freeze was lifted early last week with fairly minor trades being announced since then.

Among them, the London Knights announced on Wednesday the acquisition of goaltender Michael Giugovaz from the Belleville Bulls in exchange for a conditional draft pick.

With Anthony Stolarz graduating, the Knights were in the market for another goaltender and stand to return overage netminder Jake Patterson as well. The team also signed free agent goaltender Tyler Parsons this summer, giving the organization some training camp competition for spots as the Knights starting goaltender.

Among the other deals, the Saginaw Spirit dealt former first round pick Jeremiah Addison to the Ottawa 67’s. In return, the Spirit receive Connor Brown and a pair of draft picks.

The 67’s and Bulls were involved in another deal that saw Ottawa deal overage candidate Brett Gustavsen to the Bulls. In return, the 67’s receive a fourth round pick (2016).

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KNIGHTS ADD TO COACHING STAFF

The London Knights have added a former player to their coaching staff.

The Knights have hired Rick Steadman to fill the spot on the spot left when the team parted ways with Jeff Paul following the 2013-14 season.

The 30-year-old Steadman will be responsible for organizing practices and overseeing skill development among other things.

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GREYHOUNDS HIRE EQUIPMENT MANAGER

The Soo Greyhounds named Michael Boyes their new equipment manager, taking over for Mac Stewart.

Stewart has move on to take the same position with the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies.

Boyes spent nine seasons as assistant equipment manager with the Oshawa Generals where he worked with his father Bryan, who served as the Generals equipment manager.

The younger Boyes has worked with Team Ontario at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, the Hockey Canada Program of Excellence Goaltending Camp as well as the Hockey Canada National U17 development camp.