‘My own people’: Hockey North Hall of Fame inducts first class

A group of northern Ontario hockey fixtures who played big roles in the regional and local hockey scene has been inducted into the Hockey North Hall of Fame.

A casual affair in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., on Thursday night honoured some hardcore hockey contributors from across northeastern Ontario, as the first-ever Hockey North Hall of Fame recognized 30 northerners for their roles in the game.

The induction ceremony was meant to highlight those who are not always front and centre for recognition but play big parts in regional and community hockey scenes – all the way back to 1975.

Recognition for those under-the-radar

The effort was organized by longtime Sault sportswriter Randy Russon of Hockey News North.

“Not a lot of under-the-radar people get recognized for their contributions over many years,” Russon said.

“It just seemed to be a lot of higher-profile people who got recognized.”

Among those recognized were coaches, players and builders of all kinds, representing leagues from across northern Ontario.

‘My own people’

Former Sault Greyhounds and Washington Capitals defenceman Chris Felix spoke about the sport’s lasting impact on his life.

“I owe my life almost to hockey besides my wife and my children,” Felix said.

“But hockey has been fantastic for me, and I had a lot of success, and I can’t say enough.”

Former NOJHL commissioner and original Sudbury Wolves owner Joe Drago highlighted what made the evening particularly meaningful.

“What is special about this induction is that it’s my own people,” Drago said.

“It’s northern Ontario, where I was born and raised and to be recognized by your own peers is really something very special.”

Media members included

Five media members also made up the first edition of the hall of fame, including one of CTV Northern Ontario’s own longtime anchors, Tony Ryma.

“When you’re bringing sports and highlights and information to people, maybe it’s the first time they’re hearing it,” Ryma said.

“It really brings community together, whether it be large or small.”

Longtime North Bay sportswriter and Powassan Voodoos general manager Chris Dawson also reflected on the broader significance of the inductees’ contributions while speaking with CTV News.

“An event like this … you see all the great people that have (been) involved and put countless hours into whether it’s coaching, running teams, buying teams,” he said.

“All these people, if it wasn’t for this group, there probably wouldn’t be very much hockey in northern Ontario right now.”

Vision for the future

The banners carrying the names of each hall of fame member are to be hung in the Machine Shop’s Steamfitters Lounge. Russon said he hopes to recognize many more in years to come.

“We’re going to put nominations out and ask people to nominate people who they feel are worthy, who have been involved in the game since 1975,” he said.

Inaugural inductees:

Following is an alphabetical list of the initial inductees from Russon with some notes on the contributions they made.

Terry Barbeau

Now in his 70’s, Barbeau continues to tutor and mentor young goalies in Sault Ste. Marie. Over endless time spent in the rinks, Barbeau has been a goalie coach for minor hockey teams on both sides of the St. Mary’s River as well as for the Soo Greyhounds and Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League and the Lake Superior State University Lakers of the Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Sam Biasucci

The modern version of the Soo Thunderbirds first hit the ice as initiate members of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League back in 1999. And it was Biasucci who headed a group of fellow local investors as the Thunderbirds were among the first tenants at John Rhodes Community Centre. Biasucci insisted that the Thunderbirds be made up of an entire roster of local products for that debut season of 1999-2000. He later owned the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL and over the years, has been a generous sponsor to minor hockey teams in the Sault. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Bruno Bragagnolo

Since the current regime of the Soo Eagles of the NOJHL led by Bragagnolo as the president and general manager took operational ownership back in 2010, the model junior hockey program has sent more than 135 players to the United States college ranks. Playing out of Pullar Stadium in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, the Eagles are annually one of the NOJHL’s attendance leaders. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Kyle Brick

Quite simply, the 39-year-old Brick is the winningest head coach in the history of the NOJHL’s Blind River Beavers. Since Brick arrived in Blind River in 2016, the Beavers have never had a single losing season under his watch while earning a reputation as a model, small market Canadian Jr. Hockey League franchise. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Mark Burgess

For more than 30 years — until selling in 2016 — Burgess and his family owned the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL. And since the sale of the OHL Wolves, Mark has stayed in the junior game as the owner of the Rayside Balfour Canadians and now, the Sudbury Cubs of the NOJHL. He is also a long time major financial supporter of minor hockey in Sudbury. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Kevin Cain

All Cain has done as a general manager and head coach in the NOJHL is win championships, beginning in his only season with the erstwhile Soo Indians in ’06-07. Following that, Cain spent six years as the GM with the Soo Thunderbirds and led them to three NOJHL championships and two Central Canada crowns. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Jim Capy

Prior to his retirement in 2021, Capy coached in the NOJHL for 15 years at the helm of the Soo Thunderbirds, Blind River Beavers, Soo Indians and Soo Eagles, while developing countless players for the college hockey ranks. He also has championships from his time as a head coach at the AAA Under 18 level and as a high school hockey bench boss in Sault Ste. Marie. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Terry Chitaroni

Originally from the Temiskaming Shores area of northeastern Ontario, Chitaroni is a former OHL standout forward — and ultimate fan favourite — with the Sudbury Wolves. Chitaroni played for the Wolves — and captained them — from 1988 to 1992. He later coached at the AAA minor hockey level in Sault Ste. Marie and helped to develop all three of his sons — Mason, Hudson and Brock — to become recent OHL draft picks. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Chris Dawson

Over many years, Dawson has assisted numerous hockey players in the north through his work with video highlights and production. He joined Village Media owned BayToday.ca back in 2004 and is its primary sports writer, covering the North Bay Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League and the Powassan Voodoos of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. He has also assisted the North Bay Trappers AAA hockey program in many capacities. (Media category)

Joe Drago

Now in his mid 80’s, the legendary Drago has spent a lifetime in the game, the majority of which has been in his hometown of Sudbury. He was the original general manager and then part owner of the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves, commissioner of the NOJHL, and chairman of the board of directors for Hockey Canada. There are not enough words to properly pay homage to what the gentlemanly Drago has meant to hockey in northern Ontario over parts of six decades. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Chris Felix

Felix, who has called Sault Ste. Marie home for many years, remains the highest scoring defenseman in the OHL franchise history of the Soo Greyhounds. He also holds the Greyhounds single season record for most points by a defenseman. It was during the ’84-85 OHL season when Felix tallied 129 points in 79 games, playoffs included. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Paul Gagne

Hailing from Iroquois Falls, Gagne holds the distinction of being a first round pick to both the OHL (by the Windsor Spitfires in 1978) and the National Hockey League (by the Colorado Rockies, now the New Jersey Devils, in 1980.) Gagne went on to play in close to 400 games in the NHL followed by a lengthy European playing career. He then returned home to Iroquois Falls and coached in the NOJHL from 2000 to 2017, first with the Abitibi Eskimos, then with the Timmins Rock. Sadly, Gagne passed away in December of 2025 at the age of 63. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Ted Gooch

One of the principals in attracting the NOJHL to Timmins in 2015, Gooch has worked hard to make the Rock a success both on and off the ice. Besides an NOJHL championship under his watch, the Rock has annually been atop the NOJHL attendance chart thanks in a big way to the leadership of Gooch and his business and marketing associates. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Wayne Groulx

Groulx, who played four fabulous OHL seasons for the Soo Greyhounds from 1981 to 1985, put up mind-boggling numbers as a 5-foot-9 center. Regular season and playoffs included, Groulx scored 232 goals, 347 assists, 579 points in 328 games as a Greyhound. His 579 points are the third most of any player who has ever skated in the OHL. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Mike Hall

Whether it was as the head coach of the AAA Under 18 level Soo North Stars back in the day or more recently with the Sault College Cougars men’s hockey team, Hall has been part of countless league championships. While with the North Stars, he developed numerous players for both the OHL and college hockey ranks. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

David Harrison

Just call this venerable, time-honoured gentleman the ultimate stats man. A long time resident of small town Espanola, Harrison was the volunteer statistician for decades with the OHL Sudbury Wolves before lending his amazing work ethic to the NOJHL. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Zoltan ‘Toots’ Kovacs

With an association to junior hockey that dates back to 1975, Kovacs has been a player and an assistant coach with his hometown Soo Greyhounds of the OHL. He has also been a head coach and assistant coach with the Soo Thunderbirds of the NOJHL and maintains a staff position with the Sault College Cougars men’s team. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Ken MacKenzie

MacKenzie began his association with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves in 1988 and over the years — until just recently — he served in various roles including head coach and assistant general manager. He is also a former NOJHL championship coach with the old Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Jimmy Mancuso

They call him the super scout of the north. And from his Sault Ste. Marie home, Mancuso has been responsible for a number of players being drafted by the Sarnia Sting and Guelph Storm of the OHL since 2003. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Scott Marshall

He is the man who as the tireless team president, was the driving force behind the mostly competitive and well-run Abitibi Eskimos — who were based in Iroquois Falls — and their NOJHL run that went from 1999 to 2015 before relocating to Timmins and becoming the Rock. Marshall has remained in the game as the webmaster for the NOJHL’s well-designed, informative website. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Rob Mazzuca

These days, Mazzuca is well known as the long-serving commissioner of the NOJHL. With deep northern Ontario roots, Mazzuca has been the league’s commander in chief since 2011. And during his playing days, Mazzuca was no slouch as a standout defenseman who was a first-round pick (11th overall) for his hometown Sudbury Wolves at the 1979 OHL priority selections draft. He ended his OHL playing career with the Soo Greyhounds. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Randy Pascal

The long-time feature writer and driving force behind SudburySports.com — he established it back in 2003 — Pascal is also a columnist for the Sudbury Star. And he shines as the epitome of a minor hockey volunteer as a timekeeper and statistician. (Media category)

Thomas Perry

A veteran journalist of more than 45 years, Perry has been a mainstay writer, editor and photographer at the Timmins Daily Press for more than 25 years. He specializes in covering the Timmins Rock of the NOJHL as both a writer and photographer. (Media category)

Frank Porco

Never one to seek the spotlight, the under the radar Porco has been one of the most effective minor hockey coaches in Sault Ste. Marie over many years, be it at the house league, AA or AAA levels. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Tony Porco

Another long-time minor hockey coach volunteer in Sault Ste. Marie, Porco — who is an uncle to the aforementioned Frank Porco — has also been a major financial sponsor to youth hockey through his business holdings. And just a few years back, he constructed and financed a covered, outdoor, artificial ice hockey rink in the Canal District of Sault Ste. Marie. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Jason Rapcewicz

An unassuming individual, Rapcewicz has maintained a vital role in keeping the NOJHL in small market Espanola since 2015 when the franchise was in danger of folding. Rapcewicz has ascended from assistant coach, head coach, part owner and then solo owner of the Espanola Express, which he re-named the Espanola Paper Kings in 2022. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Randy Russon

Having marked his 50th year in the Sault Ste. Marie media in 2025, Russon began as a part time sports caster for CKCY Radio in 1975. He moved on to Sault This Week in 1982 and has been its primary sportswriter ever since. He has also been the main writer for the Hockey News North website, which he started in 2014, and is the author of two hockey-related books. (Media category)

Tony Ryma

In a broadcast career spanning 40 years, Ryma has worked for CTV Northern outlets in both Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury. Having been stationed in Sudbury for many years as a news anchor, Ryma has also managed to keep the north updated on Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, North Bay and Timmins teams at the major junior, junior A and minor hockey levels. (Media category)

Brianne Shunock

The youngest inductee into the Hockey North Hall of Fame, the 30-something Shunock recently retired as the wildly successful head coach of the Sault College Cougars women’s hockey team. In compiling an amazing coaching record of 78-8-3 at the helm of the Lady Cougars, Shunock led Sault College to three straight national championships, including the ’24-25 season. (Builder-Coach-Player category)

Blaine Smith

From executive director of the Sudbury Minor Hockey Association to more than 30 years in various management roles with the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL, to a subsequent role with the Sudbury Cubs of the NOJHL to a position with OHL Central Scouting, Smith’s legacy in the game is safe, secure and respected. (Builder-Coach-Player category)