2001-2002 ROSTER - NEW
FACES
The third and final installment concerning the 2001-2002 Markham Waxers
Junior A Hockey Club introduces the "New Faces". There have been
10 new additions to the club, 2 veteran players, 1 returning player and 7
first year players.
The new veteran additions to the club are
Pat Poretta and Nick Kemp. Pat played last year with the Pembroke Junior A
team in the Ottawa area league. He scored 21 goals and 17 assists in his 46
games with the Lumber Kings. Coming to Markham is return home of sorts for
the Newmarket resident who has been a teammate of Paul
Robinson and Mark Mitchell
in the past. Nick Kemp was acquired on Friday, August 31, from the
Huntsville Wildcats and will step in as the experienced number 1 goaltender
the Waxers have been searching for. Nick split last year between Newmarket
and Huntsville after spending the previous year with Newmarket. A draft pick
of the Erie Otters of the OHL, Nick is a three year veteran of the OPJAHL.
Defenseman Eric Kleine is back with the
Waxers after splitting the past season between the squad and the Mississauga
Reps Bantams. Eric is a graduate of the Markham Waxers minor program.
The Waxers added two other players from the
local area in forwards Travis O’Rourke and Mark Skeels. O’Rourke played
with the Markham Waxers Midgets and the MDHS Varsity Marauders last season.
Skeels toiled with the Brother Andre Cardinals and joins veterans Jesse
Boucher and Kevin Cribari
as our "B.A. Connection".
The other new faces are from various areas
and played with various teams last season. Defenseman Michael Diamond, from
Thornhill, is a 1984 born who played last season with the Vaughan Kings
Midgets. Goaltender Kevin Sit, of Woodbridge, is a 1985 goaltender who
played last year with the Toronto Young Nationals Bantams. Michael Fish, a
teammate of Kleine’s last year on the Reps Bantams, is a 1985 born right
winger who was the 10th round draft pick of the OHL Owen Sound
Attack in the 2001 Priority Selection Draft. Wingers Corey Smith and Ben
Cottreau were 5th and 7th round selections of the
Peterborough Petes. Smith, from Syracuse, New York, played last season with
the Toronto Marlboros Bantams. Cottreau, from Toronto, played with the
Wexford Bantams.
The New Faces come in differing ages and
with differing levels of experience. They will all be expected to contribute
immediately and are looked upon to complement the Waxers returning players.
The regular season is just around the corner
and the final schedule has been released. The Waxers open the season at home
on September 14 against Pickering and play 40 of their 49 games before New
Year’s Eve.
|
