First Nation skaters create lots of buzz

By Marci Becking

WHITEFISH RIVER FN –Olympic hockey tournament participants Carey Price, T.J. Oshie, and Ted Nolan attracted the attention of a lot of First Nation fans, and Native skaters also created some buzz this season in the Northern Ontario Hockey Association’s Midget league.

First Nations players were the leading scorers for the league’s top three teams .

Anthony Pelletier, a 15-year-old forward, led the first-place Nickel Capital Wolves with 31 points. He has family ties to Whitefish River First Nation and Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve.

“Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever give up on the dream of playing in the NHL,” says Anthony, who attends Espanola High School.  “It’s just been with me for too long.  There’s not a day that goes by when I don’t think of making it there.”

Anthony’s favourite hockey player is Pavel Datsyuk, an alternate captain of the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings who was captain of this year’s Russian team at the Sochi Winter Olympics.

“He’s just so shifty when he has the puck and he has the ability to do some pretty magical offensive plays.”

Anthony played in the Little NHL for 11 years and has some advice for new players.

“If you want something, you have to work hard for it, but don’t forget to have as much fun as possible with it. Enjoy it.” 

Meanwhile second-place North Bay Trappers were led by Nathaniel McLeod’s 51 points this season. McLeod, 16, is from Nipissing First Nation.

Cameron Etherington, 16, from Moose Factory was the top scorer for the Kapuskasing Flyers with 38 points. The Flyers finished third in the regular season, but captured the league’s playoff title.

All three First Nation players, plus Moose Factory’s Jackson Gunner, were named to the NOHA All-Star AAA Midget team and will play in the March OHA tournament in Cambridge, Ontario.