Just 27 years old and a little over seven years removed from playing his final OHL game, Sudbury U18 AAA Wolves head coach Reagan O’Grady has already begun to absorb the verbiage of his role.

“Our F3 did a good job tonight in the offensive zone” / “it’s a quick turnaround and these guys need that goldfish mentality” / “when you don’t capitalize on your chances, games slip away” were all part and parcel of our post-game chat Friday following their Great North Hockey League home opener at the Gerry McCrory Sports Complex.

According to his newly-annointed team captain however, O’Grady might need to incorporate “the devil is in the details” some time very soon.

“I have never seen a coach be so specific about what he wants,” said 17 year-old blueliner Harry Yeamans, the second year U18 AAA Wolf wearing the “C” for the second time in his minor hockey career. “If you’re off by a foot or facing the wrong way in the D zone, he’ll let you know.”

“That was a big change for me.”

After falling 4-3 in overtime at home to the Soo U16 AAA Greyhounds on Friday, the local elders (the GNHL also includes the Sudbury U16 AAA Wolves) rebounded in a big way on the road, jumping out to a 5-0 first period lead against the North Bay U16 AAA Trappers and cruising to an 8-1 win on Saturday.

While we are not sure to what extent the following were “keys to victory” against the younger North Bay lads, coach O’Grady had some clear-cut ideas about what needed to improve after the game one setback.

“Our cycling game needs to come, using our bigger bodies down low,” said the young man who suited up for the Sudbury Wolves for more than 175 OHL games between 2014 and 2018. “If we can create some chaos and get their five guys running, now all of a sudden, good things are going to happen.”

Also returning for his second year with the team, speedy forward Janssen Fransen is one of those lads that O’Grady will look to make things happen in the offensive zone after posting 35 points in 34 games last year. “I learned how to play down low, grinding against some of the bigger teams which helps to produce chances in front of their net, for sure,” said Fransen.

The 17 year-old grade 12 student at Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School is making the move to center this year after playing out on the wings for most of his minor hockey career – a move to which he is granting major thumbs up. “I’ve gotten even more comfortably playing center than winger,” said Fransen.

“My defensive positioning has definitely gotten way better. I like moving a lot in the defensive zone instead of just staying on my D. I can get to pucks quick; I can use my speed on chipped pucks.”

At the end of the day, one and all involved recognize that team defense wins championships.

“Going back and looking at our first exhibition game, our D were too offensive,” said O’Grady. “We’re trying, with the last man back, trying to beta everybody up the ice instead of just head-manning it and jumping into space.”

“It’s a work in progress.”

In fact, according to Yeamans, it’s a whole lot of work – including in the area of team discipline in terms of avoiding the 13 power play opportunities they surrendered in their first two games of the year. “We struggled with it a little bit the past two games but we had to skate for it – so I think we’ll get better as the season goes by, hopefully,” he said.

All in all, coaches and players alike are optimistic based on the potential and willingness that they are seeing, right across the roster, to get this team to where it believes it can go in 2026-2027.

“I think our effort in practice is really good,” said Yeamans. “We have a lot of high intensity practices. If our whole team is going, we can be pretty good.”

And what of his role as team captain?

“The main difference this year (vs when he was captain of the U15 AAA Wolves) is that this is a whole new group,” said Yeamans. “At U15, it was the same team (as U14) and I was the captain of the same guys. Here. because we didn’t know each other too well, I had to get the boys together, figure out what each other likes, all of that stuff.”

“I think we have a lot of really good leaders in that room, a lot of really good kids,” added O’Grady. “They want to learn, they want to get better and that’s half the battle. If you show up and work every single night, you’re going to be in games.”

On Friday night, Hayden Brason-Doan scored the game-winning goal less than a minute into the three on three ten minute overtime session, lifting the Soo U16 crew to their 4-3 win. Jayden Fisher-Ruck scored twice for the winners, with Daniel McNally adding the other while Owen Angus, Ty Belanger and Logan Moran replied in a losing cause for Sudbury.

On Saturday, Cooper Niquet and Maximus King netted two goals apiece, helping to propel Sudbury to an 8-1 win over the North Bay U16 squad. Ty Belanger, Owen Angus, Lennox Therrien and Chase Baronette rounded out the scoring.

Also part of the U18 AAA Wolves this year are Warner Bain, Bryston Nixon, Tanner McPhee, Eian Koski, Brayden Baronette, Sam Whitney, Jaxin Chatwell, Hudson Teddy, JC Paquette, Kesler Koosees and Nicholas Rocca. Joining Reagan O’Grady on the team staff are assistant coaches Corey Crane, Todd Crane and Noah Gascon as well as Joel Belanger (trainer) and Pete Thibeault (manager).

The Sudbury U16 AAA Wolves also kicked off their new season, earning a split with the Soo U16 AAA Greyhounds after surprising the visitors 8-6 in the opener Saturday night. Blake Bubalo scored the first two goals of the year for coach Jason Young and company and was followed on the scoresheet by teammates Neven Brujic, Johnathan Croome, Ean Dumont, Blake Dubois, Ean Dumont (again) and Jonathan Valade.

Clearly a little miffed by the loss, an impressive U16 Sault Ste Marie entry cranked things up on Sunday afternoon, blasting the U16 AAA Wolves 10-1 at the Countryside Sports Complex.