THE CAPTAINS: TAYLOR PICKED TO ‘HELP TURN THE PAGE’ IN LINDSAY

Ontario Junior Hockey League resident writer Ron Valentine is profiling the 2024-25 team captains across The OJ.

BY RON VALENTINE

NATHAN (NATE )TAYLOR, from Whitby ON, has been named captain of the Lindsay Muskies for the 2024-25 season. The 19-year-old wears jersey No. 17 in teal.

It’s his second season on the team, in 2023-24 Nate had 11 goals and 39 points. In 2021-22 he played two games as an affiliate for the Cobourg Cougars.

“Nate exemplifies what it means to be a Muskie – he leads by example, positive with teammates, which is key for our young group and he cares,” said Lindsay Head Coach and General Manager Brendan O’Grady. “We have an excellent leadership group here that will work together to get us over the hump. Nate will be that guy that helps us turn the page.”

Assisting Nate on the ice will be blueliners 18-year-old Nick Galeazza, who had seven points and 67 penalty minutes last season and Owen McKinnon, 20, four points and 78 PIM as a Cobourg Cougar; former Niagara Falls Canuck and Burlington Cougar, Hamilton-born Ethan Walker, 18, and 19-year-old Joaquin Gonzalez who contributed 21 points in his first season.

“In my second year here in Lindsay I really wanted to take on a leadership role so this “C” is awesome for me,” Taylor told the OJHL. “Even better is the great leadership group we have this season; all of them are great role models for the team. They bring so much enthusiasm. We are ready to make some noise this season. Although we did not make it to the playoffs last year, we had some very close games that probably cost us 10-15 points over the season.”

The Muskies finished four points out of the playoff spot, occupied by the Stouffville Spirit in the East with 61 points. They went into overtime in 16 games, losing seven of those and tying two.

“I thought as a team we made a massive step forward last season though so although we fell just short of the playoffs I don’t think it was a failure overall and we developed a super-tight group over the course of the year.”

“I think the key to being a good captain is not trying to be above everyone else and to treat all the players from brand-new rookies to seasoned veterans with respect. We can’t afford to waste any valuable moments if we want to reach our common goal.”

“I see myself as an offensive-oriented player who can play the two-way game and get everyone involved, I always try to be unselfish and to bring out the best in others. In the way of personal goals I would love to make the OJHL All-Star team this season and to make an impact point-wise but the team always comes first. I’m taking classes right now to keep up on the education end of things as, like most players in the OJ I aspire to get a scholarship but I still have one more of junior hockey remaining.”

“It’s really fun to play hockey at the ‘Fish Pond’. The town of Lindsay gets really involved with the team and we do our best to be a part of this small community. Our head coach (Brendan O’Grady) and the staff care a lot about the players and will go to battle for us. It’s easy to respect them as they show everyone respect but they are always pushing us to do better.”

“We are a team that thinks defence-first and last season we had a super goalie in Ethan Fraser (49 games played). Vut we will be strong again in this position with Roddy DiMaria ready to step into the No. 1 spot. And we recently signed Noah Kraus and I like what I’ve seen from him so far.”

It was the 2012-13 season that the Muskies last qualified for the OJHL playoffs but this edition of the club led by an enthusiastic and talented leadership group could well put an end to that run.

The 0-2-0 Muskies host Toronto’s St. Michael’s Buzzers Friday and visit Stouffville Saturday.

Follow Ron Valentine on X @ronandlynda