North Bay Battalion drafts Chippewas of Rama First Nation goaltender
By Sam Laskaris
ORILLIA— Wade Monague’s Ontario Hockey League (OHL) aspirations are once again very much alive.
Monague, a member of Chippewas of Rama First Nation, had originally hoped to be chosen in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection draft following his successful Minor Midget AAA season with the North Central Predators.
While OHL clubs drafted seven of his teammates last year, Monague was bypassed by all 20 clubs in that draft.
“It just didn’t go my way that day,” said Monague, who lives in Orillia and is a Grade 11 student at Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School.
But that only seemed to fuel Monague’s desire to move up the hockey ladder.
“I was disappointed that day but I was just trying to build motivation for this [past] year,” he said.
During the 2019-20 campaign, Monague returned to the Predators’ organization for his Midget season.
His efforts did not go unnoticed as earlier this month he was selected by the North Bay Battalion in the second round, 21st overall, in the OHL’s Under-18 draft.
The league’s Under-18 draft does not receive as much attention as its Priority Selection, which features elite players aged 15 and 16 eligible to be drafted. But teams still deem it a useful proceeding to select some players that were for whatever reason not drafted the previous season or simply caught the attention of scouts with a further year of development.
“I feel like I improved a lot [this season],” Monague said.
The puckstopper said the Predators had more talent during his Minor Midget season, when he registered a 2.40 goals-against average (GAA) in 21 regular season appearances.
As for this season, the North Central squad had its share of struggles since a number of its key players from the previous year moved up to the OHL or joined other Junior A clubs.
With an increased workload and facing a higher number of quality shots, Monague’s GAA rose to 3.48 in 23 regular season appearances.
“We were a bit weaker but I think it made me stronger as a goalie,” Monague said of the past season.
Battalion general manager Adam Dennis was among those who were impressed with Monague, who was more involved in the action this year since the team playing in front of him was not as strong as the previous season.
“He got quite a bit of work,” Dennis said. “And hearing from his coaching staff, he took on more of a leadership role with the team this year.”
If current restrictions in place over the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are lifted, the Battalion is expected to open its training camp in mid-August.
About a half dozen netminders, including Monague, would be invited to the North Bay camp.
Four different goalies saw some action between the pipes for the Battalion this past season. All four would be eligible to return to the North Bay roster this coming season.
Though others have some OHL experience under their belts, Monague is focussing on being one of the two goalies to crack the Battalion roster for the 2020-21 campaign.
“That’s the goal for this year,” he said.
Dennis believes Monague is ready to move up from the minor hockey ranks.
“He’s ready to make the jump to junior, whether it’s in our league or in a Junior A league,” Dennis said.
If Monague does not earn a spot with the Battalion, the organization could send him to its Junior A affiliate squad, the Pembroke Lumber Kings, who compete in the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL).
The CCHL, which features 12 squads in eastern Ontario, is one of 10 Junior A leagues within the Canadian Junior Hockey League.
If Monague does not make the Battalion squad and if the organization does not assign him to its Pembroke affiliate, he would be free to sign with any other Junior A team he chooses.