The 2025 Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) playoffs kick off Thursday, with the top-seeded Greater Sudbury Cubs facing the eighth-seeded Iroquois Falls Storm in a best-of-seven quarter-final series. The Cubs, reigning Copeland Cup – McNamara Trophy champions, will look to build on a dominant regular season as they aim for another deep playoff run.
The Cubs finished the regular season with 90 points, 42 points ahead of the Storm, to claim the NOJHL’s regular-season crown. After some early season struggles, they went on a 24-game home winning streak and held a league-best 20-5-0-1 road record. Ranked seventh in the final Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) Top 20 rankings, Greater Sudbury boasted the league’s second-highest goal total (252) while allowing the fewest (114). Their special teams were elite, leading the NOJHL in power play (31%) and penalty kill (88.5%).
Season Records
Cubs: 44-6-1-1 (1st overall)
Storm: 22-26-1-3 (8th overall)
Key Players – Cubs
- Forwards: Lucas Signoretti (101 PTS, 46 G, 55 A) led the league in assists and special teams scoring. Samuel Assinewai (72 PTS in 39 GP) topped the league with 17 power-play goals. Rookie forward Mason Walker (45 PTS in 45 GP) was a key contributor in his first full NOJHL season. Nolan Newton (53 PTS in 26 GP) made a major impact after returning from the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts.
- Defence: Captain Mason Chitaroni (49 PTS) led NOJHL defencemen in assists (38), while rookie Alexandre Valade (27 PTS) stepped up when needed. Mid-season acquisition Spencer Horgan (21 PTS in 17 GP) provided additional depth.
- Goaltending: Noah Beaulne (18-4-1-1, 2.44 GAA, 4 SO) was steady in net, while mid-season pickup Karsen Chartier (11-1-0-0, 1.76 GAA, .940 SV%) provided a significant boost down the stretch.
Iroquois Falls Storm: Road to the Playoffs
The Storm surged late in the season, going 6-0-1-0 in their final seven games to secure the last playoff spot. They finished with a 22-26-1-3 record and ranked eighth in goals scored (161) while placing ninth in goals allowed (202). Special teams were a challenge, finishing 11th on the power play (15.4%) and seventh on the penalty kill (78.8%).
Key Players – Storm
- Forwards: Rookie Jordan Mayo (51 PTS in 50 GP) led the team, finishing third among first-year players in league scoring. Veteran Landon Trethewey (45 PTS) and Jack Jarvis (43 PTS) were key contributors in the playoff push.
- Defence: John Adlys (18 PTS) and Martin Brusoe (18 PTS) anchored the blue line, with Adlys stepping up in clutch moments.
- Goaltending: Justin Sullivan (7-12-3-1, 3.75 GAA, .907 SV%) and Maverick Fletcher (10-10-0-0, 1 shutout) delivered strong performances in the final stretch of the season.
Final Thoughts
Despite a perfect record against the Storm this season, the Cubs know they can’t take Iroquois Falls lightly. With three of their four wins coming by just a single goal, Sudbury will need to stay sharp as they begin their title defence. Game 1 goes Thursday night in Sudbury—puck drops at 7 p.m.
Quarter-Final Series Schedule
No. 1 Greater Sudbury Cubs vs. No. 8 Iroquois Falls Storm
(Best-of-seven)
- Game 1: Thursday, March 20 @ Sudbury, 7 p.m. (Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex)
- Game 2: Friday, March 21 @ Sudbury, 7 p.m.
- Game 3: Monday, March 24 @ Iroquois Falls, 7:30 p.m. (Jus Jordan Arena)
- Game 4: Tuesday, March 25 @ Iroquois Falls, 7:30 p.m.
- Game 5: Thursday, March 27 @ Sudbury, 7 p.m. (if necessary)
- Game 6: Sunday, March 30 @ Iroquois Falls, 7:30 p.m. (if necessary)
- Game 7: Tuesday, April 1 @ Sudbury, 7 p.m. *(T.M. Davies Community Centre – Walden) (if necessary)