THE Newcastle Northstars will unleash an exciting crop of home-grown youngsters when they open the McCormack Cup against the Canberra Brave at the Hunter Ice Skating Stadium on Sunday.
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The Australian Ice Hockey League has again been put on hold due to COVID-19.
Instead the Northstars take on Canberra and the Sydney Ice Dogs in a 20-week home and away season. They will also play games against the Sydney Bears.
The Northstars normally build their roster around six imports, but with border restriction ruling out foreigners, general manager Garry Dore said it was a great opportunity for the Australian players to rise.
"Mackenzie Gallagher, Connor Schultz and Alistair Rye have stepped up from our east coast program and are looking good," Dore said. "They are all forwards in their late teens. Robbie Tonks is another who is even younger and will get a sniff."
Another rising star Ethan Hawes has returned.
"Ethan moved to the State with his parents and was going to be playing junior hockey in the BC hockey league in Western Canada," Dore said. "With all the problems they had there with COVID it never got going. He really wanted to come back out and play before his Canadian campaign starts in September.
"It will be interesting to see how these young guys stand up to the competition."
John Kennedy is again player coach and along with senior men Bert Malloy, Patty Ward, Richie Tesarik, and Patty Nadin will lead the way.
"Our program is about getting ready for 2022," Dore said. "We envisage that the league will be back to normal next year featuring all the teams. However, with all the international restrictions, will there be imports? "This will show a lot of the young kids that there is an opportunity to play for the Northstars."
Dore expects Canberra to "be strong" and "play some serious hockey".
"They have a good line up Whebe Darge who was the leading goal scorer last year, the Kubara brothers are really strong and a Canadian Aussie Hayden Dawes.
'In saying that, we have a good squad and look great."