News

Oakville, Ontario- On the heels of announcing the signings of 10 returning vets, top scoring forwards Joe Mitchell and Matt Lippa from the Thorold Blackhawks & Guelph Hurricanes respectively and the acquisition of goaltender Daniel Mannella from the Stouffville Spirit the Oakville Blades are pleased to announce the signings of six more newcomers; Matt Luff (Oakville), Jackson Bales (Oakville), Christian Rajic (Oakville), Adam Timleck (Toronto), Ryan Markovic (Mississauga) and Trenton Bourque (Burlington)

As a member of the Oakville Rangers Midget AAA team last season Luff proved himself a goal scoring machine. A 7th round pick of the OHL’s Belleville Bulls Matt finished with 56 goals, 42 assists in 66 games breaking the team goal scoring record set the year previous by current Blade Ryan Garvey of 51. Expect Matt to garner lots of NCAA interest as he finds his way in the OJHL.

 

    “Matt is one of the purest goal scorers coming out of minor hockey. He was the top goal scorer with the Midget Oakville Rangers system and we expect that trend to continue” said coach Mike Tarantino. Matt’s hands around the net make him a threat every time he gets the puck. Once Matt rounds out his complete game, he will be a threat in the OJHL for years to come.”

 

Another member of the Rangers Midget squad Bales transformed his game from that of a skilled player into a more well rounded skill set. Jackson could always be counted on to provide offence (57gp, 21g, 26a) but last year his leadership and willingness to accept any role given to him showed where his true value lies. Look for Jackson to provide steady play for the Blades on both the wing and down the middle while contributing offensively when he receives the opportunity.

 

“Jackson is another top player from the Midget Oakville Rangers. Like Matt, he was highly sought after and possesses a lot of skill. Jackson has improved each time I have seen him and most recently turned a lot of heads at the Toronto College Cup showcase. He is a versatile and dynamic player who can finish. We expect him to develop into a top end Jr. hockey player.” - Head Coach Mike Tarantino.

 

An Oakville resident who spent his formative years in the GTHL, Christian Rajic joins the Blades from the Mississauga Rebels program under current Orangeville Flyers bench boss Jamie Caruso. An 11th round pick of the Saginaw Spirit Christian is a dynamic hockey player with a high IQ level. The fans in Oakville will love watching Christian fly up and down the ice showing the smarts and skills that helped him lead the GTHL in scoring last season with 41 points in 31 games.

 

Says Head Coach Mike Tarantino of Rajic “Christian is a very skilled, fast, hard working center, who not only can set up plays, but can also finish. His speed and ability to think quickly separates him from his peers. He was highly sought after as the leading GTHL scorer with the Mississauga Rebels. We are excited to have another top Oakville player join our team. I expect Christian to make the adjustment to Junior very quickly and he will be an exciting player to watch for our fans.”

 

Another dynamic forward the Blades have signed Peterborough Petes 4th round pick Adam Timleck. Adam comes to the Blades from coach and former OJHL star John Winstanley’s Toronto Junior Canadiens program where he finished 3rd in OHL Cup scoring for the GTHL Kraft Cup Champion JRC’s. Adam is another exciting young player that will raise the teams skill level.

“Adam is a very dynamic skilled forward. He thinks the game at a higher level and is always in position to score. Adam creates excitement and is dangerous everytime he touches the puck” says Blades GM Mike Daley. “A natural scorer that can play in all situations we’re looking forward to big things from Adam this season as he makes the jump to the OJHL.”

 

On the back end the Blades have added two new young defencemen. A 17 year old rugged player with good puck moving skills, the Blades have signed Ryan Markovic out of the same Mississauga Rebels program as Christian Rajic. A 6th round pick of the Windsor Spitfires and highly sought after Markovic led the Rebels defence corps in both points and penalty minutes. At 6’2 185lbs Ryan will be expected to make life difficult for the opposing forwards while helping start the rush with great first passes and vision.

 

“Ryan made an impression from the first day of Rookie Camp when he hit everything in sight. Couple that with his ability to move the puck and find open players we should see Ryan contribute immediately. He’s a tough player to play against which is a great asset for our team, we want guys that will show up and compete every shift and Ryan will definitely do that” adds GM Mike Daley.

 

Last but not least the Blades are again excited to announce the signing of Sudbury Wolves 3rd round pick Trent Bourque. An exceptional skater Trent has the ability to join the rush and create offence with his feet and IQ. As a member of the Hamilton Bulldogs Minor Midget team Trent skyrocketed up the draft rankings as scouts began to notice his untapped potential. At 6’1 165lbs Trent has a very high ceiling and will garner a lot of NCAA interest as this year moves along.

 

Exclaims GM Mike Daley “We’re really excited about Trent Bourque, he’s an extremely skilled defenceman with a high hockey IQ and dynamic offensive skills. There’s a chance he may still end up in the OHL and Sudbury definitely should be trying to sign him but we feel Trent’s game suits NCAA hockey perfectly and think he will end up at a top end Division I program.”

 

Photo from Alex D'Addese Photography.