The Niagara IceDogs season came to an end Saturday night in Barrie, falling 5-0, losing in 5 games.
The 2025-2026 will be notable for the work of Head Coach Krys Barch, assistants Jon Jutzi and Dylan Seitz, Goaltending Coach Ryan Ludzik and General Manager Frank Evola. Evola began his tenure by making sure every player understood the vision for the IceDogs. The coaching staff lead by first year coach Barch established discipline and a process on-ice that promoted a team first attitude.
The 2025-2026 IceDogs notched 32 regular season wins, with 18 of those providing fan thrills as the winning margin came in the final ten minutes or later. All this excitement with a roster that sported 17 players who were not the Niagara roster a year ago with 8 of those seeing their first action in the OHL.
The Dogs were lead by graduating overage players Grayson Tiller, Charlie Roberston and Jakub Chromiak and NHL bound leading scorer Riley Patterson. The 2026-2027 will be the IceDogs 20th year in St Catharines and the future looks bright. Captain Ethan Czata, a Tampa Bay pick will be joined by the likes of Ryan Roobroeck. Roobroeck will hear his name called this summer in the NHL draft. Vladislav Yermolenko is also on the radar of pro scouts.
With thanks to the ownership-management group under the leadership of Michele, Darren and Eric DeDobbelaer, IceDogs fans can look forward to another great season of IceDogs hockey. Labour Day can't come fast enough!
(photo courtesy Vivid Eye Photography)