2. 1/5/2016 Battalion support firm despite 'big hits' to local economy BayToday.ca
https://www.baytoday.ca/localnews/battalionsupportfirmdespitebighitstolocaleconomy83109 2/6
For the North Bay Battalion, a few empty seats at the Memorial Gardens is little cause
for anxiety.
Typically, a major junior hockey team that relocates is also at a low ebb on the ice, but
the Battalion set the bar high while winning five playoff series over their first two
seasons after decamping from Brampton. That's created a unique situation for a young
team in Year 3. In the big picture, though, there are signs of stability.
“We are down marginally [in attendance], down four per cent, which is not a material
amount,” Battalion president Mike Griffin said in a recent interview. “But you look at the
economics in the community, there have been some big hits. In the last couple of years,
there were 300 jobs lost at the hospital – 300 good-paying jobs taken out of the
equation in a community of 54,000. The university [Nipissing] had a four-week work
stoppage this fall and the ONTC plant had close to 200 people locked out. North Bay
also has a very significant mining presence, so the global economy has had an impact
locally.
“From the standpoint of, 'is the bloom off the rose?' we have a busy second half,” Griffin
added. “We hope to generate some group sales that will pull us even with last year. I
would consider that to be pretty incredible considering the economics and the fact that,
at the moment, we're not going to the Memorial Cup. Also, if you look at it from a
corporate standpoint we've had terrific support. Our numbers are up in that regard.”
Thanks to their current six-game point streak (5-0-0-1), the Battalion's .578 point
percentage is third in the 10-team Eastern Conference. That is commendable for a club
that got younger during the past three months.
“Overall, our '98-99 [born] group in the organization is really strong, and we should
probably bounce back up again,” head coach and director of hockey operations Stan
Butler said. “It could have been a real good year this year too. We lost Calvin Gomes,
whom I thought would have been our first-line right wing, with a shoulder dislocation,
and obviously we lost Zach Bratina [who retired due to concussion issues].
“When Zach left that made us look at things, 'maybe we can ship a piece off and keep
going in the right direction,' ” Butler added. “The one thing on the Liberati trade was it
allowed to us get all our picks back from the Nick Moutrey trade [last season with
Saginaw]. With one swoop of the wand, we got back what we needed to get back.”
In 2013-14 the Battalion benefited from Barclay Goodrow's contract drive, where the
charismatic captain landed a deal with the NHL's Jose Sharks – “he could have run for
3. 1/5/2016 Battalion support firm despite 'big hits' to local economy BayToday.ca
https://www.baytoday.ca/localnews/battalionsupportfirmdespitebighitstolocaleconomy83109 3/6
mayor at the end of that season and won in a landslide,” Griffin said. Last winter, Ottawa
Senators prospect Nick Paul's gold-medal connection with Team Canada also had a
catalytic effect.
'Like they're rock stars'
The legacy of those marquee players and the team playing well into spring, Griffin notes,
was a boost to North Bay's recruiting profile. That played a part in landing a contributor
such a New Jersey-born defenceman Cam Dineen, whose 27 points in 32 games leads all
OHL rookie D-men
“Our players go into schools or minor hockey practices and they're treated like they're
rock stars in the community,” Griffin said. “At the end of the day, that's what a good
junior hockey market is – the players are important.
“If you can build up your reputation that players love playing in the community, that's a
big selling point. People sometimes think that North Bay is the other side of the world,
then when they get their first experience coming here they appreciate it's three hours
north of Toronto. The fans here are intelligent and they love their hockey.”
In the here and now, the Eastern Conference looks like a toss-up. The Kingston
Frontenacs, who have lost three players to the world junior championship, are five
points ahead of the pack. Six teams have at least 35 to 40 points.
The Battalion, as long as they have elders such as centre Mike Amadio (47 points, eighth
in OHL scoring) and overage goalie Jake Smith (2.76 goals-against average, .897 save
percentage), can be a tough out most nights. The 4-in-6 span that begins Dec. 29 in
Owen Sound could be a gauge, either way, to how the season will unfold.
“You start the love affair and you have to somehow have to continue the love,” Butler
said. “For the most part, it's been pretty good. Like any community we're going to have
to continue to put competitive teams on the ice and our business side is going to have
to work extremely hard to keep it where ownership would it like it to be.”
On the whole, Griffin is proud of the Battalion's involvement in the community. KidSport
North Bay's involvement with 50/50 draws has raised more than $300,000, helping more
than 400 children access organized sports. Following the example of Butler, whose
daughter Sara Butler is a Special Olympics stalwart, players have also been active
volunteering to assist with people who have intellectual disabilities.
"All of those things are important not only for as a business but for our players getting a
4. 1/5/2016 Battalion support firm despite 'big hits' to local economy BayToday.ca
https://www.baytoday.ca/localnews/battalionsupportfirmdespitebighitstolocaleconomy83109 4/6
28 0
sense of 'here's the real world out here,' ” Griffin said.
The New Year's Eve matinee against Mississauga begins a stretch of nine home games
in a 32-day span, which can put a drag on sales. Notwithstanding that, the Battalion
believe there is an appeal to watching a young team restart the junior hockey cycle.
“If you're putting out the effort in a retool year, people respond to that,” Griffin said.
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![1/5/2016 Battalion support firm despite 'big hits' to local economy BayToday.ca
https://www.baytoday.ca/localnews/battalionsupportfirmdespitebighitstolocaleconomy83109 2/6
For the North Bay Battalion, a few empty seats at the Memorial Gardens is little cause
for anxiety.
Typically, a major junior hockey team that relocates is also at a low ebb on the ice, but
the Battalion set the bar high while winning five playoff series over their first two
seasons after decamping from Brampton. That's created a unique situation for a young
team in Year 3. In the big picture, though, there are signs of stability.
“We are down marginally [in attendance], down four per cent, which is not a material
amount,” Battalion president Mike Griffin said in a recent interview. “But you look at the
economics in the community, there have been some big hits. In the last couple of years,
there were 300 jobs lost at the hospital – 300 good-paying jobs taken out of the
equation in a community of 54,000. The university [Nipissing] had a four-week work
stoppage this fall and the ONTC plant had close to 200 people locked out. North Bay
also has a very significant mining presence, so the global economy has had an impact
locally.
“From the standpoint of, 'is the bloom off the rose?' we have a busy second half,” Griffin
added. “We hope to generate some group sales that will pull us even with last year. I
would consider that to be pretty incredible considering the economics and the fact that,
at the moment, we're not going to the Memorial Cup. Also, if you look at it from a
corporate standpoint we've had terrific support. Our numbers are up in that regard.”
Thanks to their current six-game point streak (5-0-0-1), the Battalion's .578 point
percentage is third in the 10-team Eastern Conference. That is commendable for a club
that got younger during the past three months.
“Overall, our '98-99 [born] group in the organization is really strong, and we should
probably bounce back up again,” head coach and director of hockey operations Stan
Butler said. “It could have been a real good year this year too. We lost Calvin Gomes,
whom I thought would have been our first-line right wing, with a shoulder dislocation,
and obviously we lost Zach Bratina [who retired due to concussion issues].
“When Zach left that made us look at things, 'maybe we can ship a piece off and keep
going in the right direction,' ” Butler added. “The one thing on the Liberati trade was it
allowed to us get all our picks back from the Nick Moutrey trade [last season with
Saginaw]. With one swoop of the wand, we got back what we needed to get back.”
In 2013-14 the Battalion benefited from Barclay Goodrow's contract drive, where the
charismatic captain landed a deal with the NHL's Jose Sharks – “he could have run for](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)