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Jan 11, 2023

They were members of the talented Don Mills Flyers team, and now minor hockey teammates Brandt Clarke, Brennan Othmann and Shane Wright are together again at the World Juniors.

2022-23 National Junior Team

Three players, one minor hockey team and a legacy that continues to be built. After first joining forces in minor hockey, Brandt Clarke, Brennan Othmann and Shane Wright have taken the hockey world by storm and are reunited again to compete for gold at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship.

In 2016, Clarke had just moved from Ottawa to Toronto ahead of his U14 AAA season. He joined the Greater Toronto Hockey League’s (GTHL) Don Mills Flyers, where he was introduced to two other players that were new to the team: Othmann and Wright.

“I actually didn’t know who either of them [was], I just knew some of the other guys on Don Mills,” Clarke explains. “But we clicked right away, we were the new guys. We talked, we gelled early and there’s just a connection there. They’re two special players.”

Othmann and Wright had previously played against each other, but never on the same team. During a spring tournament, Flyers head coach Marc Slawson pointed out Wright to Othmann, saying he would likely play with him.

“I looked at Shane on the ice and you automatically saw that he stood out, and I was excited watching him play,” Othmann says. “He’s a really good player.”

On the ice, the three Don Mills Flyers quickly gained chemistry with each other.

“I think we fed off each other really well,” Wright says. “We understood where each other were on the ice, we’re reacting and reading off each other on the ice. We just always had that chemistry.”

The team was a force to be reckoned with. During the three years Clarke, Othmann and Wright wore the Flyers logo, they won three consecutive GTHL championships, the 2018 All-Ontario U15 AAA Championship and the 2019 OHL Cup after going 30-0-3 in the GTHL during the 2018-19 regular season.

But the team also faced adversity. In the middle of its U15 championship campaign, Flyers goaltender Roy Pejcinovski was killed in a triple homicide along with his mother and 13-year-old sister, Vana, in Ajax, Ont.

“In that situation, you either come together or you spread apart, and our team obviously came together,” Othmann says.
“It was definitely something that still sticks with us every day,” Clarke adds. “I still think of Roy every single day.”

With Pejcinovski in their hearts, Don Mills continued to play for its netminder throughout the remainder of its time together, culminating in the 2019 OHL Cup. Although the Flyers trailed the Toronto Red Wings (who included World Juniors teammate Adam Fantilli) 4-1 after the first period, they battled back to push the game to overtime.
“Clarke stole the puck from the other team and gave me a little high-flip pass,” Wright explains. “I skate onto it, and we had a 2-on-1 with me and [Othmann]. I passed it and he did the rest.”

“That game was so special. We came in with a lot of adversity and we wanted to win that for our goalie Roy and his family,” Othmann says. “It’s kind of funny thinking about it: Clarkey to Shane, Shane to me. In that way, it looks cool on the box score. That’s my favourite memory of the Flyers and it’s my favourite memory with those two.”

After the OHL Cup, the trio went off on their own hockey journeys. All three players were selected in the top four picks of the 2019 OHL Priority Selection. Wright became the fifth player granted exceptional-player status and was selected first by the Kingston Frontenacs. Othmann was taken second by the Flint Firebirds and Clarke was grabbed fourth overall by the Barrie Colts.

“It’s kind of crazy,” Clarke says. “We’re all first-round picks. We’re all going to other places around the continent, but when we got the word that all three us of were going to be back together and play on the global stage like this, it was really cool. We’re all texting each other right away… when I saw them in the airport, I went up and gave them a hug.”

The 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship marks the second time the Don Mills trio has reunited on the international stage. In 2021, they won gold at the IIHF U18 World Championship. Wright co-led the Canadians in scoring with 14 points and a Canadian record nine goals, Othmann had three goals and three assists and Clarke chipped in with two goals and five helpers.

Although their teams are spread out across North America (all three were first-round NHL picks as well), the three Flyers remain in touch. They have an active group chat, they’ll make time to go golfing or skate together, or play the NHL series video games to stay connected. But despite the distance, the connection remains just as strong as it was at Don Mills.

“That chemistry has stayed the same, just like how we were in minor,” Wright says. “It’s always going to be there, that bond and that trust [we have].”

To be able to play in multiple world championships together with two of your buddies from your minor hockey team is an unlikely feat. But Clarke, Othmann and Wright each push each other to be the best they can be—and that payoff is evident on the ice.

“To do this with Shane and Brennan, the two guys I consider like brothers to me, it’s really special,” Clarke adds.

“Those two have been great the whole way since I’ve been 14,” Othmann says. “It’s been a crazy few years. It’s been ups and downs for all of us but at the same time, it’s been an unbelievable journey and it’s been an unbelievable time with them. To cap it off at the World Juniors, it’s going to be something special.”

Dec 1, 2022

This Giving Tuesday, the U13 Don Mills Flyers put their team skills to work off the ice for a different kind of goal. In the same amount of time it takes to play three periods, the boys assembled 257 sandwiches for Club Sandwich, an organization that distributes homemade sandwiches to 9 East End missions serving the homeless and food insecure. The team event was generously hosted by the Beaches Sandbox.

Nov 2, 2022

NHL, OHL, and National Program Hockey non player success

Positive DM Flyer outcomes.pdf

Nov 2, 2022

Safe Sport Reporting

To help ensure that we are a safe space for raising concerns, Hockey Canada has established a new, fully independent, and confidential reporting mechanism for all individuals regarding any incidents involving Hockey Canada sanctioned programming. This reporting mechanism is known as the Independent Third Party and is led by Brian Ward and Erin Durant.

The role of the Independent Third Party is to:

receive all hockey-related maltreatment, sexual violence, harassment, abuse or discrimination complaints by someone affiliated with Hockey Canada;
analyze complaints in light of Hockey Canada and Member policies and determine how they are to be managed and the proper jurisdiction;
where applicable, ensure matters are properly reported to law enforcement or child protection services;
retain investigators and dispute resolution panels who are also independent of Hockey Canada;

work with Canada's Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner and the Member associations to ensure no gaps in complaint coverage and that all complaints are handled in accordance with applicable policies and that decisions are documented in writing.

The new Hockey Canada Discipline and Complaints policy outlines the role of the Independent Third Party and the applicable processes.

A key feature of the Independent Third Party structure is its independence from Hockey Canada. The Independent Third Party has sole jurisdiction to handle complaints and keeps the identity of complainants confidential from Hockey Canada and Member associations.

The Independent Third Party will not be unduly influenced by anyone at Hockey Canada regarding the complaint administration process. Although the Independent Third Party mechanism is staffed by some lawyers, those lawyers do not provide any legal advice to Hockey Canada.

Hockey Canada will receive anonymized reports from the Independent Third Party from time to time documenting the number of complaints received, categorizing complaints and reporting on other metrics such as response times and the time required to close complaints. This reporting protects the identity of all those involved with a complaint process while also ensuring proper oversight of the performance of the Independent Third Party.

Reporting Abuse or Harassment is often a difficult process. The Independent Third Party is committed to operating in a trauma-informed manner. For example:

All reports will be kept entirely confidential, in line with the wishes of the person making the complaint. This includes confidentiality from Hockey Canada and Member association staff.
All Complaints will be followed up in a timely manner.
The Independent Third Party has developed resources to share with survivors of abuse and can direct survivors to additional support.
The Independent Third Party answers questions about the complaint process.

Complaints are taken seriously and rigorously examined.
The Independent Third Party is staffed by a number of diverse professionals reflecting both gender and racial diversity. Service is available in both French and English.

Additional resources will be developed as the Independent Third Party continues its work and analyzes the ongoing needs to ensure a safe and trauma-informed complaint mechanism.

Complaints can be submitted by email to

complaints@sportcomplaints.ca

Oct 10, 2022

The U10, U11, and U12 teams participated in the Marlie Friendship Tournament this past Thanksgiving weekend.

The U10 Flyer record was 3-1-1 advancing to the quarter finals. A great start to the season for our youngest elite athletes.

The U11 Flyer record was 3-1-2 advancing to the semi finals and losing a hard-fought game 5-3 to Marlies. The team has made great strides since last season and is expected to compete at the top level in the U11 age group this season.

The U12 Flyer record was 2-3 in a tournament that saw multiple ties and close games. The U12 team advanced to the quarter finals and from all accounts competed at a high level while represented themselves and the club well.

The U18 Flyers played in a highly competitive Titans Prospects Tournament and finished with a record of 2-2. The team competed very well, despite several players absent due to illness and injury. Thanks to the U16 players who came up to help. A good showing to start the season.

Oct 4, 2022

Flyers off to another great season. This past weekend saw our U14 and U15 teams participate in the Toronto Red Wings Early Bird Tournament.

The U14 team went undefeated in the round robin and the playoffs, eventually winning the Championship game 3-1 over the Toronto Titans.

Our U 15 team competed extremely well with a 1-2-1 record and a very low goals for and against of 5 and 8 respectively. The team will only get better as the season progresses.

Flyers U 16 team participated in the Toronto Titans U16 Showcase and had a record of 3 and 1, advancing to the quarter finals where they lost a tough game to the Toronto Marlborough’s. A terrific showing so early in the season.

Our U13 team travelled to Detroit for the Little Caesars Showcase Tournament. The Team played extremely well and went through to the Championship game only to lose 6-5 in a hard-fought double overtime game to the Chicago Mission. These two will see each other often in the years ahead.

By Lois Kalchman

Special to The Toronto Star - 2007.10.06

One team, 18 Stanley Cups.

When was the last time a Toronto team had something like that to brag about?

The Don Mills Flyers, a very unusual minor atom hockey team of 8- and 9-year-old boys, can trace their ties to all 18 cups through family connections.

There's Blake. His dad, Paul Coffey, is the assistant coach for the minor AAA team and a four-time Stanley Cup winner with the Edmonton Oilers.

Over there is George; his granddad is Red Kelly, who won eight Cups with Detroit and Toronto. Then there's Tyson, son of Doug Gilmour, a Cup winner with the Calgary Flames. And Callum; his great uncle Carl Brewer captured three Cups with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1960s. And don't forget James, great nephew of former Boston Bruin Don Awrey, whose name is inscribed on Lord Stanley's mug twice.

"One day I was standing on the ice and said, `Boy, there is a lot of history here,'" said head coach Michael McIntosh, whose son Justin plays defence for the Greater Toronto Hockey League team. "I look at the lineage, but it doesn't mean that I expect more from an individual player. It does mean the families are very enthusiastic."

The coming together of these impressive bloodlines was a mixture of fate and coincidence.

Gilmour already had one son, Jake, playing with the Flyers' minor peewee team, and Tyson was headed to the minor atom squad. The former Maple Leaf captain, who's an assistant coach for Jake's team, asked his friend Paul Coffey if he would be interested in doing some coaching.

Casey Kelly, George's mom and daughter of Red Kelly, picks up the story.

"Callum and George figure skate together and I knew the Gilmours through the Cricket Club," she recalled. "I didn't know they were playing on the team. Once I saw them, it seemed like kismet. It's a small world."

Early returns show a team with promise. It has a 2-1-1 record in a tight division and has scored a league-leading 24 goals. It has been scored on only five times, no doubt a by-product of having a defence corps taught by Coffey, a Hockey Hall of Fame defenceman.

"I think that having an NHL coach is a draw for the kids, absolutely, and should be a draw," says former NHL player Peter Zezel, a mentor coach with the organization this season and himself an alumnus of the Don Mills Flyers.

Zezel's nephew plays with Gilmour's older son as well as the nephew of another former Leaf, Nick Kypreos.

There are a lot of NHL families in the GTHL, but finding one team with as many Stanley Cups in its background would be a challenge.

McIntosh admits a minor hockey coach can be a "little wary" when a proven pro is an assistant, but Coffey's presence on the ice has clearly been a huge plus for the Flyers.

"He's soft-spoken," McIntosh says. "He demonstrates what he wants them to do and I think the most important things is that he makes it about them.

"It's wonderful to have Paul. He's like a kid every time he comes."

After 21 years in the NHL, Coffey retired in 2001 and chose to stay away from the pro scene. He has car dealerships in Bolton and Kitchener and spends as much time as possible with children Savannah, 12, Blake, 9, and Christian, 4.

The Flyers, Coffey says, are "a great group of parents," adding coach McIntosh is a "good father, good coach with his heart in the right place. My philosophy is about teaching these kids for the next five months," says Coffey.

"I want to keep it simple as possible." It's a lesson he learned early, just like these kids.

"Bob Williams coached me as a 9-year-old in tyke with the Mississauga Reps (of the GTHL); he's the most influential minor hockey coach in my life," he said.

"Bob Williams was positive to all the players and I still see him," Coffey said.

"He put me on defence because I could skate well. I hated it. I wanted to be a centre like Dave Keon. Keon was my hero."

But then his dad explained there were nine forwards and only four defence. "I figured I would get more ice time on defence," says Coffey. "Defence is the hardest position to play and the toughest to learn."

Not surprisingly, Coffey has a mission to instill a strong work ethic.

"If I really want my kid to have fun, I take him to the CNE," he says, noting the first 25 minutes of Flyers' practices are for skating drills.

"The harder I work the more fun I have," he said of his theory. "(Wayne) Gretzky worked hardest. The old adage `you practice like you play' is true."

The lessons some kids are learning go back even further than Coffey's era. George, 8, may be the only player on the team with a wooden stick - a pointer picked up from granddad Red, who spent three decades in the NHL and was part of the 1967 Leafs Cup-winning team.

"It has that wood feel, not the same as the newfangled ones," says Kelly, 80. "It is heavier and strengthens the upper body. And it's less dangerous if and when it breaks."

George's mom Casey, an international figure skating judge, says the club is a perfect fit for her son because of the attitude of Flyers' coaches and parents that there is more to life than hockey.

"I've been through this life and I know how few make it," she says. "I want George to learn good sportsmanship, be challenged, learn the game and make friends. Some of the AAA teams are so intense. Some are focused on win win win.

"What's neat about Paul is he is just a guy, not a prima donna.

"This is someone's dad who knows a lot about the sport. He's loves doing it because he loves to give back to the sport."

By Lois Kalchman - The Toronto Star

The Toronto Star - 2007.10.24

It took three years but the Don Mills Flyers peewees finally defeated Toronto Red Wings peewees 2-1 this past week.

"It was a great game," says coach Bobby Marshall who played for Don Mills Flyers in his minor hockey career. "The kids did everything we asked them to do. They played their hearts out.

"It was two good teams and it was finally our turn," he said. "We have managed a couple of ties over the years but no wins and it finally happened for us."

The standings show how close the teams really are. The Red Wings and Flyers are tied in second spot with the Jr. Canadiens at 14 points each.

The Red Wings have a 7-1-0 record with 46 goals for and 8 against; Don Mills Flyers are 7-1-0 with 28 goals for and eight against; and the Jr. Canadiens are 6-2-2 with 37goals for and 16 against.

Nicholas Santoro and Michael Dal Colle scored the Flyers' goals against the Red Wings and Charlie Graham was in net.

By Marc Paulichenko

Hockey Now (Ontario Edition) Vol. 6 No. 11 Issue 58 2007.12.01

Don Mills Flyers Bantam AAA head coach Gary Tamane is pegging his team as underachievers this season.

Currently at the bottom of the standings with just six points, the Flyers (2-12-12) are trying to look at the brighter side of things despite their results. The Flyers are five points from a playoff spot.
"It's very difficult on the players being in last place, especially when we all believe that we are under achieving as a team," explains Tamane. "We have to remain positive in order to be able to turn it around. The players have been committing themselves more in practice which will only make us more competitive in the near future."

At the beginning the season, the Flyers set goals: to make the playoffs and work together as a team.

With eight players making the jump from AA, Tamane said it's been a hard adjustment for the team to make.

For Tamane, he finds it difficult to watch his team struggle, especially when their working hard for a win.

"We compete very well against the top teams in the league, and need to play the same way against all teams. If we accomplish this, we will experience more success. They need to understand that individuals win games and teams win championships, and hopefully by the end of the season we will be playing like champions."

The Flyers have one of the best goalies in the league in Santo Provenzano, according to Tamane. The Flyers have allowed 53 goals against in 16 games.

"Santo has been very steady for us the past three years, and has the ability to win games for us," said Tamane.

Defenceman Michael Wilkins, a feisty player that won't back down to anyone, is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his brother Andrew, who plays for the London Knights of the OHL.

Keeping next season in mind, Tamane is trying to make his players understand the commitment that is required to play at the AAA level, and the sacrifices that are needed to make in order to be successful. As well, education is also a high priority in their lives and time management
is essential.

By Ryan Wolstat - The Toronto Sun Minor Hockey Beat

Most organizations with track records like the Greater Toronto Hockey League's Don Mills Flyers get reputations as sterile, hockey factories. But the Flyers, who have produced an average of about an NHLer-a-year during their 40-year history, are as much about having fun as they are about learning the intricacies of the sport.

"Development is the name of our game" might be the club's motto, but long-time Flyers president Peter MacInnis and his colleagues have made sure that development has never come at the expense of a youngster's enjoyment of the game.

That philosophy has encouraged countless Flyers alumni - including some that went on to play in the OHL, NCAA and even the NHL - to stay involved either as parents of Flyer players, or as guest or regular coaches.

One such returnee is Michael Stathopoulos, 26, who credits Don Mills for helping him reach the OHL's London Knights and the East Coast Hockey League, the second-highest rung of the minor-league ladder.

"From my experience growing up, they did a ton for me," Stathopoulos says. "I still always remember that stepping stone with Don Mills. I appreciate that because that's the foundation I had for my whole hockey career going forward. It was a great one." Former NHLers such as Rick Tocchet, Kirk McLean and Scott Mellanby benefited greatly from their early years with the Flyers, as did several current players, such as Manny Legace and Kris Draper, both multiple Stanley Cup winners with the Detroit Red Wings. John Madden, likewise with the New Jersey Devils, and young Trevor Daley of the Dallas Stars. San Jose Sharks assistant coach Jay Woodcroft and his brother, Todd, the Minnesota Wild's video coordinator, also played for Don Mills. Most recently, former Flyers Anthony Nigro and Nick Crawford were selected at last summer's NHL Entry Draft.

Stathopoulos, whose father, Gus, is now the Flyers general manager, wouldn't be surprised if any of the former players came back to assist the organization when their NHL days are done.

"Guys remember where they played and where they had those great experiences growing up," he says. "They know how great Mr. MacInnis has been for as long as he's been (with the Flyers). Personally, I fell like I owe him a lot and I owe the whole organization a lot."

The Don Mills Hockey Association was founded in 1960 for kids aged 8-17. In 1968, the rep AAA clubs got permission from the Philadelphia Flyers to use the Flyers emblem and the orange, black and white colours. Tocchet, coincidentally, would go on to star for Philadelphia after learning the game as a Don Mills Flyer. MacInnis joined Don Mills in 1975 as a coach after being recruited from the Toronto Olympics. Over the years as coach, general manager and now president, MacInnis has overseen one of the most respected organizations in minor hockey. He was awarded the Chamandy Award in 1998, the highest honour given by the GTHL, for "outstanding service in the fostering and promotion of youth hockey in the GTHL."

The 63-year-old has also won a number of other awards, including the Cooper Humanitarian award for service to youth and minor hockey in 2007. MacInnis, the president of the Jennifer Ashleigh Children's Charity, which assists chronically ill children and their families, last coached at the Triple-A level in 1989, taking the Flyers bantam team to the finals of the All-Ontario Bantam Championships. Unable to kick the coaching bug completely, MacInnis still gets behind the bench in the North York Hockey League's house league select program.

MacInnis takes pride at what he has helped build and believes people want to associate themselves with the Flyers because, in a way, the organization is unique.

"We're a little more old-fashioned here," MacInnis says while watching a team of eager 12-year-old Flyers run through drills at a local arena. "It's a little more peaceful here. We're a litlle more laid back. We're here to help."

MacInnis feels minor hockey has become a bit too serious in the GTA and with that, less enjoyable.

"There's more pressure (elsewhere)," he says. "People are looking for somewhere where there's maybe a bit more sanity. We've done things much the same way for a long time. We might not be as successful on the scoreboard as some, but over time, I think we've done as well as most and will probably continue to do as well as most."

Peter MacInnis has served the hockey community for the past 35 years. In 1998 he was awarded the "Chamandy Award" which is the highest honour awarded by the Greater Toronto Hockey League for "Outstanding Service in the Fostering and Promotion of youth hockey in the GTHL". In 2002, Mr. MacInnis was awarded the 2001 Toronto Real Estate Board's prestigious "Commercial Division Award of Merit" for his dedication to the commercial real estate profession and his commitment to youth and the community. Later that same year, he was presented with the Jennifer Ashleigh Foundation's "Heather Grand Volunteer of the Year Award", and in 2007 he was awarded the "Cooper Humanitarian Award" for service to youth and minor hockey.

Mr. MacInnis is married with three children, two boys and one girl. Both his boys played and refereed hockey, and he still coaches in the North York Hockey League's house league select program at the 1992 age level. His last year coaching at the AAA level was in 1989, where he took his Don Mills Flyers Bantam team to the finals of the All Ontario Bantam Championships in Ottawa.

Mr. MacInnis is the current President of the Jennifer Ashleigh Children's Charity and has been an active member and supporter of this wonderful children's charity since its inception in 1990. The Foundation assists chronically ill children and their families "when love in not enough" and currently assists 600 families annually in the GTA and throughout Ontario.

Mr. MacInnis has a great passion for the game of hockey, and for the positive impact it has on our young people. "I believe that hockey provides a healthy, safe, and competitive environment, where kids learn to work together as a team, take direction, develop character, build friendships, and acquire lasting memories." "It takes a great deal of courage and sacrifice to play competitive hockey and I have the utmost respect for the kids that play the game".

Randy started coaching in 1980. Since 1984 he has been associated, in various positions, with the Don Mills Flyers organization. Positions include long time stints as assistant coach, manager and trainer with four of Don Mills Flyers more successful teams. Most recently,
Randy was the manager of the GTHL Minor Midget Champions (2006).

He is also the Don Mills Flyers Equipment Manager and Ice Coordinator.
Randy holds an Advanced Coaches Certificate for both hockey and lacrosse, along with a Level Three Trainers Certificate.

Randy works for the City of Toronto and lives in East End of the city with his wife Nancy.