Goaltender Matt Young has returned to the Cochrane Crunch for the 2014-2015 season. The Crunch are in fact the relocated Elliot Lake NOJHL franchise.
While other published reports indicated that Young did not want to return to Head Coach Ryan Leonard, nothing could be further from the truth.
Emails supplied to TJHN by Coach Leonard indicated that beginning in May, and through today, Matt Young not only wanted to return to Coach Leonard, but wants to finish his Junior Hockey career under Coach Leonard’s guidance.
This information was confirmed further when speaking to Matt Young this morning where he said the following;
“I have always wanted to go back an play for Coach Leonard. I have never said I didn’t want to play for Coach Leonard. There was never any question about that. I did look at other options, but only as backup plans in case Coach didn’t bring me back. I am very excited about Cochrane, and if the game we played there last year is any indication on how things will be this year, the fans are going to be great to us.”
Young is looking to parlay this season in Cochrane to an NCAA scholarship or CIS opportunity. He has the grades, the desire and the work ethic to match that could get him there.
The NOJHL and Cochrane Crunch are working equally hard on player development and player promotion while initiating some of the highest player safety standards in Canadian Junior A hockey. Matt Young recognizes those benefits and is certainly one happy player who is returning to the organization he always said was his first choice.
Joseph Kolodziej – Publisher
