‘The OHL is my biggest goal, and so it’s just something that I always think about and try to work harder every day to achieve it,’ says captain
For many young hockey players, pursuing their dreams of joining the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) often means traveling over three hours to Rama for practices and games.
The North Central Predators U16 AAA hockey team has gathered athletes from various communities across Ontario, including Timmins, North Bay, Markham, Innisfil, Oshawa and Uxbridge, aiming to make an impact during this important season in their hockey journeys.
Though the season is still new, the team holds a 2-1-0 record in the OMHA standings.
With the 2027 OHL Priority Selection approaching, there’s a lot of motivation among the players. Head coach Sean Payne attributes the team’s promising start to a group of dedicated young athletes eager to elevate their game.
“We’ve got a group of kids that want to get to the next level,” he said. “It’s easier to coach kids that want to get to the next level.”
Payne, who lives in Innisfil and has over 15 years of coaching experience, took charge of the team in mid-August.
With only five returning players from last season’s roster, he’s been tasked with uniting nearly all new teenagers from different areas.
“We’re basically just getting our feet wet,” he said. “I’m just trying to get the kids to gel together at this point.”
Captain Bennett Fitzmaurice mentions that getting acquainted with his new teammates has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of this season.
“It’s exciting meeting new players and bonding with everyone,” he said. “It makes things fun. Building new chemistry with everyone makes you and them better.”
Fitzmaurice believes that since forming as a team in August, their execution on ice has improved significantly.
“I’d say the biggest one is definitely our systems,” he noted while highlighting progress in power plays, penalty kills and five-on-five situations.
“It’s just work ethic and all of our systems have come together really well.”
The Predators have achieved 2-2 records in both initial tournaments-a promising start for a squad still learning how to play cohesively.
Payne recognizes there have been challenges along the way but trusts these experiences will ultimately prepare his players for more crucial games ahead this season.
“For us to compete, we got to do a lot of the little things right,” he stated.
The commitment needed for playing with the Predators goes beyond what’s done on ice. Some families travel between two and three-and-a-half hours for practices and games while balancing hockey alongside schoolwork and other responsibilities.
“It’s a huge commitment,” Payne said. “You got to give kudos to parents dedicating their lives as well as the kids.”
For Fitzmaurice, those sacrifices reflect how much his teammates are driven towards success.
“It just shows that the team cares, and at the end of the day, we all have the same goal,” he explained. “We want to make it to the next level-whether that’s like OHL or Junior A or NCAA.”
Reaching OHL has been a lifelong dream for Fitzmaurice.
“Every day,” Fitzmaurice responded when asked how often he thinks about being drafted.
“It’s been my dream since I was little. The OHL is my biggest goal, so it’s something I always think about and try harder every day.”
That dream may be within reach for some members of Predators’ roster. Payne confirmed several OHL scouts have already attended games this season; some even approached him asking about individual players.
He believes multiple players realistically could be selected during upcoming drafts.
“The draft isn’t just selecting players with most points,” Payne noted. “They’re looking for character players too.”
Despite attracting attention from scouts , Coach’s priority remains ensuring draft discussions don’t become distractions.
“I try not reminding them too much,” he shared. “I don’t want it becoming distraction but obviously it’s on everybody’s minds.”
Payne feels focusing on teamwork will give players best chance at achieving personal goals. Fitzmaurice takes message seriously as captain.
“I always gotta be encouraging , positive , holding players accountable including myself,” he mentioned. “You can’t teach effort but can put forth effort if someone isn’t working hard enough.”
His main aim is being best teammate possible. Both captain & coach hope chase after Ontario Minor Hockey Association championships.
Additionally , Payne hopes Predators can advance Sunday play remaining tournaments possibly earning berth at OHL Cup.
“We’re hoping come playoff time we surprise some teams,” he added.
