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Thunderbirds camp in full swing (updated)

Thunderbirds camp in full swing By Brad Coccimiglio While both local triple-A Bantam teams are in the midst of their tryouts, the Soo Thunderbirds roster is slowly coming together as well.
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Thunderbirds camp in full swing By Brad Coccimiglio

While both local triple-A Bantam teams are in the midst of their tryouts, the Soo Thunderbirds roster is slowly coming together as well.

The team has much of their roster for the 2007-08 Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League season set and it looks as though the new-look Thunderbirds will be a swift-skating club. The team this year is relying much more on finesse than other years when they featured a mixture of finesse as well as added grit. With the likes of veteran defensemen Matt Conway and Dan Klever not returning, the emphasis has shifted to a finesse game.

“We’ve got a lot of new faces so it’s going to take them a bit to get used to the league,” said Thunderbirds coach Pat Carricato. “Once the get there I think they have the talent level to compete. I think we added a lot of speed to our team this year. We’re a quicker team. We’re not as big as we once were but I think we’re going to be an exciting team to watch.”

On the blueline, the Thunderbirds feature a pair of returnees who will be looked to as leaders on a young blueline brigade. Ben Davey and Shawn Bibeau are the only blueliners with any experience at the NOJHL level. That could put some added pressure on the Thunderbirds veteran goaltending tandem of Travis O’Brien and Ryan Dube, a pair whom Carricato has high hopes for this season.

“We are young (on the blueline) so there’s a question mark there and we know it,” said Carricato. “We’ll address it. Talking about size, we’ll miss the Lannigans, the Klevers. With the guys we added we’ve got a little more speed and skill than I think we had before. I think they need a loop through the league to get adjusted but by the end of the year I think people will be surprised how good those kids are.”

“When you talk about leadership I think it stems from the back-end and from (Dube and O’Brien),” said Carricato. “I need to know and the guys need to know that when they’re in there they’re focused. I think they can be the number one tandem in this league without question but it has to come from those guys. They’ve got to be prepared I have lots of faith they can do it but the ball is in their court and whoever runs with it gets the number one spot.”

Offensively the Thunderbirds will be expecting big things out of returnees such as Jake Reid, Nick Minardi, and Tyler Gendron. With Brett Perlini set to suit up in the United States Hockey League this season, the Thunderbirds will be looking to other veterans to step in.

The team will have some added offense as rookies Matt Amadio and Anthony Silvano each could step in and lend a helping hand offensively.

“I’m really excited,” Carricato said of the young group coming in. “I can’t wait to get started. From what I see now and what I saw of them last year I think they’re going to fit right in. I think they’re going to contribute enough for our team to be successful.”

The Thunderbirds squad this season will also have a noticeable difference when it comes to their forecheck. Though it will still be aggressive, the physical side may not be as evident as it once was.

“We’re still going to be aggressive but we’re going to use our speed to be aggressive,” said Carricato. “We want to use our speed to put pressure on the defensemen. When you’ve got a bunch of guys that can skate out there it causes the defensemen a lot of hassle.”

Carricato will be looking to the small group of returning players he does have to help make the transition easier for the rookies as they step into the NOJHL for the first time.

“We’re definitely going to be looking to (various players) for leadership in the room, on the bus and on-ice stuff. All the veterans. Even the second-year guys are guys you want leadership from. The third-year guys are some that are going to lead by example. To show the younger guys that this is what it’s all about.”


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Brad Coccimiglio

About the Author: Brad Coccimiglio

A graduate of Loyalist College’s Sports Journalism program, Brad Coccimiglio’s work has appeared in The Hockey News as well as online at FoxSports.com in addition to regular freelance work with SooToday before joining the team full time.
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