Ontario Hockey Association

The Napanee Raiders are committed to putting an entertaining team on the ice that commits to compete hard every night.  The team has just finished a run to the OHA Junior C Schmalz Cup semifinals and is always scouting for skilled future prospects.  Please contact Raiders management about playing, sponsorship, and community inquiries.

Head coach Mike Casselman (pictured) took the helm of the Raiders in 2009-2010 and led the team to the Empire B regular season crown, playoff championship and the Schmalz Cup semifinal in his first year as bench boss.

Casselman previously served as an assistant coach to Jacques Tremblay in 2008-2009 when the Raiders won 29 straight games to start the season and set new regular season point standards in the Empire league.

He also  brings an extensive background that includes five years playing OHA junior hockey and several seasons as a head coach at the midget and bantam levels of minor hockey. 

A Napanee native and former Raiders captain, he is a strong communicator with his players and is a well-prepared and passionate coach. He has a team-first attitude and believes in developing players as hockey players and as people.

Assistant coaches Keith George and Jordan Wall ably support Casselman.

Trainers Kai Degen and Roddy Todd and equipment manager George Magold each bring more than 20 years experience to their roles.

They are supported by an extensive network of executives, scouts, and management committed to putting players first and achieving success on the ice. Support includes supplied equipment and a stick budget, team off-ice functions, educational advising,  program and media exposure and community events involvement.

The Strathcona Paper Centre was completed and officially opened in the Town of Greater Napanee in the fall of 2004. It features two 200x85 NHL-sized ice pads.  The Goodyear Rink, where the Raiders play has seating room for more than 1,000 spectators.

Other features of the facility include a pro shop and gym on site, a banquet centre, and a lounge overlooking the main ice pad.  The Raiders have their own fully-furnished dressing room and office in the building.

The Strathcona Paper Centre hosted the 2008 Canadian National Women's Under-18 Hockey Championships and  2010 Ontario Men's Curling Tankard Finals.  Officials are considering bidding for an upcoming Telus Cup national midget championship.

Located just off Highway 401 at exit 579, the Strathcona Paper Centre is conveniently located within a half-hour of Belleville and Kingston and post-secondary educational institutions like Queen's University, Royal Military College, Loyalist College, and St. Lawrence College.

The Napanee Raiders have built a legacy of success including...

• Clarence Schmalz Cup OHA Junior C Champions (1992-1993), the only time an Empire B team has claimed this honour.
• Clarence Schmalz Cup OHA Finalists (1995-1996) and three more berths in the OHA semifinals, the most in the region.
• A league-leading nine league playoff championships in 21 years, and 14 regular season championships.
• More cumulative regular season points than any team in the league.
• 21 years without missing the playoffs.
• Players regularly advancing to the Jr. A and college opportunities. Most recently, centre Chris Brown to Oswego State University via Wellington.

The Napanee Raiders nearly had a Game 7 date at home for the right to advance to the Schmalz Cup final.  After battling back from a 3-0 deficit, Napanee took the Alliston Hornets to six games before falling 5-4 in the extra frame Tuesday night on the road.

The run marks the best finish for an Empire B team in the OHA Junior C playoffs in 14 years since the Raiders' second finals appearance in 1996.

Congratulations to our players, coaching staff, management, and executive for your outstanding hard work and dedication this year and a big thank you to our fans and families who have supported us throughout our league championship and playoff run.

Stay tuned for banquet information.   The Raiders have tentatively scheduled their Taking The Next Step prospects open house for May 8, 2010.  E-mail napaneeraiders@gmail.com or visit our Facebook group Napanee Raiders prospects 2010 for details.

 Join our Facebook page for information about the Napanee Raiders by going to www.facebook.com and searching "Napanee Raiders"

There is also a Facebook group specifically set up for prospects wishing to play for the Raiders in the future.