SUDBURY, Ont. – The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) announced Friday that Oliver Smith (Greater Sudbury Cubs); Noah Janicki (Hearst Lumberjacks); Elijah Grant (French River Rapids) and Benjamin Pouliot (Soo Eagles) have been named its Forward; Defenceman; Goaltender and Rookie of the Month, respectively, for November.
FORWARD OF THE MONTH – OLIVER SMITH, GREATER SUDBURY CUBS: Supplying a league-best 19 points last month, Smith helped propel NOJHL-leading Greater Sudbury to nine more victories, while seeing them improve to 23-6-0-0 overall.
In all, the 20-year-old Lively, Ont., product tallied seven times and dished out a dozen assists in the time frame, including collecting a game-winner and providing six multi-point efforts.
Currently sitting tied for third in NOJHL scoring, Smith has supplied 20 goals and 29 helpers so far this season to raise his career numbers to 75 markers, 98 assists and 173 points in 148 contests.
Honourable Mention: Matthew Shulist, French River Rapids; Harry Clark, Timmins Rock
Monthly recipients
September: Nolan Newton, Greater Sudbury Cubs
October: Lucas Signoretti, Espanola Paper Kings
November: Oliver Smith, Greater Sudbury Cubs
DEFENCEMAN OF THE MONTH – NOAH JANICKI, HEARST LUMBERJACKS: A solid effort on the back-end saw Janicki compete at a point-per-game pace for the Lumberjacks in November.
A 20-year-old from Barrie, Ont., Janicki scored twice and set-up seven others in a month where Hearst only suffered one defeat in regulation, while also having gone 7-1-2-1 in their past 11 outings.
The Lumberjacks captain enters December riding a seven-game point streak and has moved up into a tie for sixth in league offensive production among blueliners.
Honourable Mention: Felix Cadieux-Fredette, Timmins Rock; Coby Fox, Soo Eagles
Monthly recipients
September: Spencer Horgan, Espanola Paper Kings
October: Kaden Dundas, Soo Thunderbirds
November: Noah Janicki, Hearst Lumberjacks
GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH – ELIJAH GRANT, FRENCH RIVER RAPIDS: A solid month saw Grant finish tied for the NOJHL-lead in wins with five and sit third overall in terms of save percentage at .934.
Making a league-high 254 stops in November saw the 19-year-old from Mooretown, Ont., raise his NOJHL-leading total to 652 in that department.
Having gone 5-1-0-0 in his past six starts for the Rapids, Grant is currently tied for second among all goaltenders with his .924 save mark.
Honourable Mention: Noah Beaulne, Greater Sudbury Cubs; Kolton Bourret, Soo Thunderbirds
Monthly recipients
September: Daniel Dirracolo, Powassan Voodoos
October: Kolton Bourret, Soo Thunderbirds
November: Elijah Grant, French River Rapids
ROOKIE OF THE MONTH – BENJAMIN POULIOT, SOO EAGLES: The first-year forward topped all NOJHL rookies in points during the period, with 13, in nine games played.
Hailing from Howell, Mich., on Nov. 24, Pouliot became the first rookie to score four times in game since back on October 29, 2021 when Alexander Bradshaw accomplished the feat for the Powassan Voodoos.
As a member of the Eagles, Pouliot, 18, currently leads all NOJHL skaters in game-winning goals with five, and sits second overall in rookie scoring with 34 points, of which 15 have been tallies.
Honourable Mention: Hudson Chitaroni, (F) Greater Sudbury Cubs; Reyth Smith, (F) Powassan Voodoos
Monthly recipients
September: Hudson Chitaroni, (F) Greater Sudbury Cubs
October: James Legler, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
November: Benjamin Pouliot, (F) Soo Eagles
