Provided there’s a season, junior-A hockey is in Cochrane to stay.
The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League has approved the transfer of the Cochrane Crunch franchise from Katherine and Ryan Leonard to Tom Nickolau of Toronto.
League commissioner Robert Mazzuca says the new owner-coach-general manager has a solid hockey pedigree. He’s been in coaching and development for 20 years… and played on the 1986 Memorial Cup champion Guelph Platers.
“So he was drafted by the NHL,” Mazzuca notes. “He went on to Ryerson University, but Tom’s a hockey guy. Down to earth, hard working, quiet, he’s a real nice guy and he knows the game at the player level, which is really good.”
Mazzuca adds that Nickolau’s commitment to Cochrane is solid.
“He was up there during the period of the due diligence. He met with the mayor and some councillors, the CAO, the arena people and absolutely 100% the team is staying in Cochrane and I’ve got to thank the town for ensuring that there commitment to Tom and Tom’s commitment to the town is rock solid.”
All that remains for a season to start is the go-ahead from the NOHA, OHF and the province. Mazzuca says if fans aren’t allowed in the stands, there will be no season.