Ontario Junior Hockey League resident reporter Ron Valentine is profiling the 2021-22 team captains of The OJ. (Photo by Tim Bates / OJHL Images)

BY RON VALENTINE

Rich Ricci has been at the helm of the St. Michael's Buzzers for 20-plus seasons so you have to think he knows a thing or two about leadership.

Here is what he had to say about BRAD SOMERS, his club captain for the 2021-2022 season: "Brad is a quiet captain. His play dictates his leadership. He has a heavy shot and is equally good at goalscoring and playmaking. Brad is exceptionally good defensively and also on the penalty kill. He started with us on our fourth line three years ago and now he has morphed into a premier league star. Brad made some tough decisions that are now beginning to pay off as his stock with NCAA schools has never been higher."

Brad had 56 points, including 25 goals in the 2019-20 season, and he should easily eclipse that figure this time around, his final season in the OJHL.

"I was very happy and proud to have the opportunity to wear the 'C' especially after all we had to go through last year. We did get to do a little scrimmaging on the ice but following the lockdown I took a little time off and then really focused on training, hoping this season would start, and so far so good. Mr. Ricci runs a great program here at St. Michael's; he has really given me the opportunity to develop as a player and a person."

"I love playing in our old arena. It has so much history, great atmosphere and now we are glad to have our faithful fans back. My main goal is to play Division 1 hockey next season and if I can put up a strong season it will help me a lot. I enjoy being creative on the ice and I always try to work hard. I want to be the 'go-to-guy' on the faceoffs, the power play and also on the PK."

"Our leadership team also consists of two assistant captains who help me a lot. They are pretty vocal ,whereas I'm usually a more quiet guy. Luca Marcellitti came to us from the Wellington Dukes partway through the 2019-20 and he is a really solid defenceman who does so many things right. Ben Stewart also plays on the blueline and likes to jump up into the attack. Both guys are in their last season in the league so their experience helps us get the best we can from the younger players on the team."

"I'm from Oakville and I started my hockey career in the Rangers' system in tyke and went up to bantam. Then I played for the Toronto Nats at the Minor Midget level where we reached the finals of the OHL Cup. In the NHL, Claude Giroux, the captain of the Philadelphia Flyers, is a player I really respect and try to model myself after and at the junior level I was fortunate to play under two very strong captains in Cam Searles (now with the University of Guelph Gryphons) and Jonah Alexander (Hobart College Statesmen). I learned a lot from watching both of those players on and off the ice."

St. Michael’s is 3-4-0-0 to start the season.

"For the Buzzers to win the South we have to put our best foot forward every game, win all the little battles and use our team speed to our best advantage,” Somers told the OJHL. “We have a good-sized, quick team with a lot of new faces that are quickly getting accustomed to the speed of OJHL hockey. I work hard on trying to keep the confidence level of our team up as we know we will get tough competition from teams in our division like the (Toronto) Junior Canadiens and the (North York) Rangers and of course all the teams in the East will be tough as usual. The room is really starting to come together  and I'm especially looking forward to our new goalie, Cole Moore, having a big season for us. " 

Moore replaces Sebastian Labora who was moved to the Georgetown Raiders.

You will not hear a lot of yelling from the Buzzers' No. 14 but he will no longer be flying under the radar when he shows his considerable talents on the ice in his final season in the OJHL.