A rising local hockey star is getting exposure in different hockey markets north and south of the border.
It’s been a busy summer for 18-year-old forward E.J. Paddington, who is very thankful to the Thunder Bay North Stars who have allowed him to travel.
“I went down to the [United] States just a few times, just to get [some] experience [in front of] some NAHL teams,” he said. “I thought for me [it would be a good idea to] maybe try and [get] some exposure down there. It would be good [to play in the States] because my sister plays Division One and, that's something that obviously I have my sights set on. I want to keep pursuing hockey and I want to go as far as I can.”
The North American Hockey League (NAHL) will play its 49th season this year and is the only Tier II junior league sanctioned by USA Hockey.
His sister Alexis Paddington skates with the Minnesota State Mavericks, which play in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
EJ Paddington compiled 23 points in 47 regular season games in his first full season with the North Stars, en route to finishing one win short of the Bill Salonen Cup. He also picked up six goals and 17 points in the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) Playoffs.
A highlight of the post-season might have been the comeback in the SIJHL semi-final against the Dryden GM Ice Dogs.
Down three games to one in the best of seven series, the North Stars were able to win the next three contests, including a double overtime victory in Game Seven.
“Our team [was able to] pull it together there. The older guys obviously didn't want their season to end and a lot of that came from them,” reflected Paddington. “They pushed through, wanted to keep [the season] going so it was good that we could get the outcome we wanted in the end.”
Paddington made his way through the Thunder Bay Kings program from 2020 to 2022, earning a call-up game with the North Stars on Nov. 27, 2021, against the Kam River Fighting Walleye.
Paddington remembers that debut, adding “I think we lost in overtime. All I remember was there was a big fight in front of me. Mason Wesley got in a huge fight, and I'm on the ice watching it happen, and I was just watching it [thinking], wow, I don’t want that to be me.”
Paddington was picked by the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds in the 15th round of the OHL’s Priority Selection in 2021.
He has had the opportunity to go to Sault Ste Marie for tryouts, and the team is pretty supportive in terms of where he wants to play next.
“It was great experience to go down to the Soo and play with [some] high calibre players. A lot of those guys [there have either made it to the NHL] or are right on their way. So it's definitely a cool experience.”
Paddington went onto say, “[The organization] wants success for everybody there. They don't want to see anybody fail, they want to see everybody do the best they can, whether that be with them or [with any other team]. [The team] does point you in the right direction, whether it be with life, hockey, or anything else.”
EJ Paddington’s plan is to pursue hockey as long as he can, noting “Every kid's dream is playing in the NHL right? If I could go to school and play hockey, that would be awesome. [If hockey doesn’t work out] then I kind of wanna stay in the game [as long as] I can.”
The North Stars have started unveiling their signings for the upcoming season, including the return of forward Easton Glousher and the signing of defenceman Max Buffone.
The team also picked up forward Connor O’Brien from the Fort Frances Lakers, as well as goaltender Ethan Barron from the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.
The Thunder Bay North Stars will play a pair of pre-season games against the Kam River Fighting Walleye on Friday, Sept. 15 at Norwest Arena and Saturday, Sept. 16 at a venue to be declared.
They then open the season with a four-game road trip through Sioux Lookout (Sept. 22, 23) and Kenora (Sept. 30, Oct. 1) before playing their home opener at the Fort William Gardens on Friday, Oct. 6 against the Dryden GM Ice Dogs.
