Soo Thunderbirds winger on the Wright track - Junior Hockey News
Submitted By Randy Russon on Thursday, February 02, 2012
Over the past four years, Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have produced two players for the Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association ranks.
Hulking winger Brett Perlini is now a senior with the Michigan State Spartans and is a National Hockey League draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks. Perlini played two seasons with the NOJHL Thunderbirds before opting for Michigan State rather than sign with the Ontario Hockey League's Soo Greyhounds.
Then there's 6-foot-4 goalie Michael Doan, who played his first NOJHL season with the Soo Eagles and a second campaign with the Thunderbirds. While with the Thunderbirds last season, Doan signed a full-ride deal with the Northern Michigan Wildcats effective the 2012-13 season.
The 20-year old Doan is now finishing up his junior career with the Huntsville Otters of the Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
So, who will be the next Thunderbird to go the NCAA, D-1 route?
Perhaps it will be left winger Jake Wright, a 6-foot, 190 lb. ball of fire who can skate, score and play hard in all four corners of the rink. Wright, a 1993 birth year, skated with the Sarnia Sting during the Christmas break but did not sign with the OHL team.
Thunderbirds general manager Kevin Cain said Wright "would most definitely be a good Division 1 player. He can still play two more years with us and I would expect there will be definite D-1 interest in him."
Through 30 games with the Thunderbirds this season, Wright has 30 points, including 11 goals, and is the team's top shutdown forward.
