Congratulations to Fraser Turner on a great season being picked for the National Prospects game for Junior A hockey.
Article Link in Lindsay Paper -
http://www.mykawartha.com/sports/article/1360975--pontypool-defencman-cuts-his-teeth-in-sault-ste-marieWhat a season for Fraser Turner! Since being drafted a year ago, the Pontypool native, playing at the time for the Cental Ontario Wolves AAA Minor Midgets has enjoyed an amazingseason! Fraser a 1995 birth year player was selected in the 6th round, 105th overall by the Soo Greyhounds. Fraser attended prospects camp in the Soo in the spring and earned aninvitation to main camp in August. While he did not make the Hounds, the management wanted to keep him local and placed Fraser on their affiliate Junior A team, the Soo Thunderbirds.
His season hit milestones early and often with his first goal in Junior Hockeyscored Thanksgiving weekend with his parents in attendance! When not on the ice with the T-Birds, Fraser was able topractice with the Soo Greyhounds and began to forge strong friendships with other members of the Greyhounds. Fraser was billeted with other Greyhounds players including Matt Murray, a 17 year old who also experienced great success playing for Canada!
Fraser was thrilled to be selected to the National Prospects game forJunior A hockey, and was one of only four 1995's so honoured as the rest of the rosters were all 1994's. Hockey Canada put on a fabulous event and it was great to play with and against the best of the best of the up and comer's in Junior A. This event was held in Langley BC in November. Fraser had a fabulous weekend and was flying in the first game registering 3 assists playing for Team Canada East Prospects.
After the Christmas break, Fraser was called up to the Major Junior A club,the Soo Greyhounds, for two games. He performed well and the coaching staff were very pleased with his development. Fraser was a key member of the Soo Thunderbirds down the final stretch ofthe regular season as other players were out of the line up due to injury. As much as Fraser has developed and matured on the ice, the off ice maturity is very noticeable. The season in the Soo has accelerated Fraser's development into an all round citizen. He became a fan favourite at off ice activities and popular studentat Superior Heights Secondary.
The Soo Thunderbirds developed into the power house team in Ontario maintaining a CJHL national ranking of between 6th and 8th out of the 133 teams nationally in Junior A hockey. The T-Birds finished first in their league and went to sweep their semi-final round and lost only once in the league finals. Winning their Junior league, earned the Soo Thunderbirds a trip to the Dudley Hewitt cup, the Central Region championship for JuniorHockey, hosted this year in Thunder Bay.
At the Dudley, the Thunderbirds won their first two games -- both in overtime -- against tough rivals. This guaranteed the T-Birds a spot inthe semi-finals. Game 3 they faced the Stouffville Spirit who were facing elimination. Of note, Stouffville had a Central Ontario Wolves alumni defensemen, Eric Wintjes, a 1993 birth year.This was the only loss for the T-birds who went on to dominate in the Semi-finals vs host Thunder Bay. Fraser was given the hardest worker award by his team-mates in the semi-final -- the hard hat doesn't go well with the suit but he wore it proudly with a smile!! Facing the favoured Stouffville Spirit in the championship game, the T-Birds were out shot but played defensively sound hockey claiming the Central Region Championship and a trip to the RBC Cup to represent the Ontario Region for the National title. Fraser is the only 1995 age player wearing an OHF championship medallion for Junior A hockey this seasonand is one of three 1995's and the only 1995 defenseman on the roster of 5 teams competing at the RBC Cup for the National title. Fraser is exhilarated to represent Ontario in Humboldt Saskatechewan. Win or lose -- what a year it has been!!
Reference Links:-
http://www.nojhl.com/?content=news.php&id=874&season=10
http://tbirdhockey.ca/Articles/1627/Thunderbirds_give_back_Teach_minor_hockey_players/
http://www.nojhl.com/?content=statistics_player.php&playerId=3249&season=10
http://www.cjhlhockey.com/news/news_detail.html?newsID=405
http://www.thedudleyhewittcup.com/content/News/108-Championship_Game
http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php?ci_id=170666&la_id=1
Fraser with the hardest worker hard hat awarded by his team mates after thesemi final victory!(See attached file: IMG_0700 (2).JPG)
Hardest worker gets a hug from his mother (Kathy Turner).(See attached file: IMG_0701 (2).JPG)
