Welcome Back Eagles Fans! A Season Preview.

Article & Media by I. Schoonderbeek & N. Schoonderbeek

It feels like the 2023-24 season just ended…but welcome back Eagles fans!

That happens when your hockey team advances to the Provincial finals for the third year in a row. After another short summer of recruiting, Clarington Eagles head coach/GM Dean Baumhauer and his staff have assembled a roster they hope will again compete for the ultimate prize in Ontario Jr C hockey, the Schmalz Cup.

As with every junior hockey team, the off-season means change. Long-time fan favourites age out or move on to other endeavours. Last year’s rookies look to take on more prominent roles. And newcomers join the fray, hoping to become the next hometown hero.

Here’s a first look at the opening day roster of your 2024-25 Clarington Eagles.

In the Stands

We’re excited to announce that our dedicated Eagles fans, including David and Jack (pictured), will be back at the arena this season, passionately cheering on our team. Our beloved mascot, Edge, will also return to support the squad. Lori Glazier will be back in her role as our spirited cheerleader, ready to deliver an energetic pep talk whether we’re leading or lagging. Plus, we’re thrilled to welcome a great group of rookie fans this year! We can’t wait to see you all at the arena and share another fantastic season together.

Between the Pipes

With the departures of the popular Oliver Webster and Jude Rondina, the Eagles find themselves starting fresh in the crease for the third season in a row. Braeden Derks (2005) and Jairus Ford (2006) will assume the back-stopper roles this season. Former Clarington AAA Toro Ford played with the U18 AAA Oshawa Generals last season. Derks, who did not play last season due to injury, is also an Oshawa Generals AAA system graduate.

“Derks was a highly touted goalie prospect and has the potential to be a difference maker for us,” said Baumhauer. “He’s coming off a significant injury, so we’ll take it easy with him until around Christmas. Ford played on a team that was probably a little below average last year, which for a goalie isn’t bad. Our scouts say he held them in games they had no right even being in. Both guys are excited to play here. They’re two good young kids, and it should be a good competition in net.”

On the Blueline

Baumhauer’s defense corps was dealt a significant blow with the departures of Ryan Hall, Cole Williamson, and Ethan Schoonderbeek, who were all key contributors to Clarington’s success last season. But one of the benefits of developing a successful program is becoming a desired destination for good players. The Eagles were able to quickly reload on the blueline, bringing in Charlie Vanhaverbeke (Stouffville Spirit), Will Gourgouvelis (Toronto Jr. Canadiens), and the freshly signed Cooper Kellar (Cobourg Cougars) from the Jr A ranks.

Nolan Matheson, who elevated his game to a new level in the second half of last season, will return for his fourth season and will wear the ‘C’ this year with the departure of captain Joe Boice. Kyle Shepherd, who led all Eagles defensemen in goals last year, is back for his overage season. And Eagles 2023-24 rookie of the year Kayden Hambly is poised to build on his momentum heading into year two. Rookie Gage Ford will round out the blueline.

“We lost three of the top defensemen in the league, so we had to rebuild on the fly,” said Dean. “I like the way the blueline has shaped up considering what we lost. Vanhaverbeke, Gourgouvelis, and Kellar bring skill, experience and high hockey IQ. Hammer (Hambly) is back. He’s tough as nails, and I think he will take a big step for us this year.

Up Front

The Eagles knew they would be in for a bit of a rebuild given the composition of last year’s roster, which featured nine 2003-born players. With only five overage spots available, difficult decisions had to be made. Jack of all trades overager Kolby Poulin has now graduated from Jr hockey. Playoff stud Jordan Shaw and utility forward Owen Manarin have departed for the workforce full-time. Captain Joe Boice (Uxbridge) and speedster Leyton Aitken (Port Hope) were dealt this summer to play out their overage seasons in new towns.

The good news for Eagles fans is the top four scorers from last year are back. Assistant captain Trevor Urquhart, Kyle Smith, Adam Klaas, and Mitch Davies will once again be giving opposition defenses nightmares when they visit Rickard Arena.

“It’s great getting Urquhart and Smith back,” said Baumhauer. “And Mitch Davies is the best player on our team in my mind. He looks to have come into camp this year with a purpose. He’s capable of scoring 30 goals in this league if he just plays hockey and forgets about the noise. We don’t want him to become a different hockey player because he needs to play with an edge to be effective. It’s our job on the bench to keep him on the line.”

Third-year Eagle Trent Gaylor will be looking to take another step in his development after a much-improved sophomore season, and Baumhauer anticipates Brayden Hicks and Brock Mathieson will build on their solid rookie campaigns.

“The benefit of having the three rookies in the lineup last year (Hicks, Mathieson & Hambly) was they got not only the 42 regular season games in, but another 30 playoff games on top of that! They almost got a second full season. With some of the injuries we were dealing with, they were thrust into bigger roles than they probably should have had out of necessity. But I think they will be better for it this year.”

Looking to fill the void left by the departures, Clarington acquired a solid 200-foot player with some offensive flair in Nate Burelle from the Port Hope Panthers to bolster the forward lines.

Anyone who has watched one of Baumhauer’s teams play knows he likes to have plenty of grit in the lineup. With that philosophy in mind, Clarington also acquired Jack Davis from the Uxbridge Bruins.

Three callups from last season, Owen White, Ben Stycuk, and Logan Jackman have cracked the Eagles opening day line-up, making the most of their auditions last season and impressing the Eagles’ brass through the exhibition schedule.

Oshawa native Connor D’Angelo, a speedy skater who dressed in 41 games as a 17-year-old with the Jr A Lindsay Muskies last season, rounds out the forward group.

On the Bench and in the Room

Baumhauer will again be joined on the bench by Jamie Showers, Dave Fairey, and Neil Taylor. New to the bench is trainer Rob Jenkins who steps in for the irreplaceable Craig Wilcox. Quintyn Jordan and Rick Clark are back as equipment managers, and Dan Wilcox will again serve as the team’s goalie coach.

“I can’t say enough about ownership here. They’ve allowed us to go out and recruit good players, which isn’t easy at the Jr C level. The quote Kirk (Kemp) gave me is “winning is fun”, said Dean with a chuckle. “I think when players look at this team, they see a club that finishes at the top of the standings. They see the talent on the roster, and they hear about the great culture we’ve built in our room. It has become a place where kids want to play, so we must be doing something right.”

“We’ve been to the finals three years in a row. We know what it takes to get there, and it doesn’t get any easier,” said Dean. “I’m happy with the roster we’ve been able to put together. If guys play to their potential and some of the younger guys take a step in their development, I think there’s no reason we can’t be as good as we have been the last three years.”

The first chance for fans to see this year’s Clarington Eagles is Thursday, September 12, at Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex when the Little Britain Merchants come to town. Puck drop is 7:25. Be sure to get to the arena in time to hear guest singer Matt Saddler belt out our National Anthem!

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