Josh Gribben is nearing the conclusion of his two-year term and admits that having a pair of active Vice Presidents has helped.

“With Gary Nistico overseeing our Player Safety Committee and Pat McDonald taking on some of the special projects like our Showcase Event did a lot to alleviate some of the extra responsibilities,” Gribben said. “That has certainly made this season far more enjoyable than the grind of past seasons. I certainly have a passion for the game at this level and how important the experience of playing in the league can mean to these young men.”

Gribben was also asked to draw the curtain back on what the process looks like when discipline must be handed out.

“Gary Nistico leads the committee, which has a minimum of three members and deals with everything from applying suspensions, reviewing video, communicating with our Referee in Chief Tim Vaillant, and dealing with other issues that might come up with referees, coaches or players.”

“Gary has a wealth of experience and passion for the game. He’s done an excellent job and that on boarding of him has been seamless. He will review the game sheets and potential game tape and ensure that the teams are aware that there's a suspension coming for a player or coach. That communication is done in an open and transparent way.”

The league held a successful Showcase Event at the Fort William First Nation Arena in December 2023 but did not hold an All-Star Event. Gribben vows to do everything possible to hold both events in the 2024-2025 season.

“Pat McDonald is spearheading the Showcase Event, and has some good ideas and great feedback from the executive and the teams after this year’s event,” Gribben mentioned.

“An All-Star event is tricky in a small league with a condensed schedule. It’s challenging to find the right time for the event and is dependent on ice time availability and team scheduling. Our intention for next year would be to schedule special events ahead of time and ensure that we have the time and resources allocated towards those efforts. There is value in an All-Star event and we've received nothing but positive feedback over the years from the players who have taken part.”

Gribben is open to any suggestions to changing the point structure in the standings. Hockey Canada, for certain events, awards three points for a regulation win, an overtime or shootout win gets you two points and a single point is awarded for an overtime or shootout defeat.

The Northern Hawks are under the same ownership group as the Thunder Bay North Stars of the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL), which has meant they share the Fort William Gardens.

Gribben was asked about the LJHL’s relationship with the SIJHL.

“We have a business-like relationship with the Junior ‘A’ league, and we certainly want to give our players every opportunity to advance to the next local level, which would be Junior ‘A’,” added Gribben. “With that being said, we want to make sure that our teams and players are protected. I know that many of our players have gotten their opportunities at the next level this year.”

Gribben mentioned that the league is always open to having games or events with the SIJHL, adding “We're a small hockey community and the more things we can do together to advance all of our programs the better.”

Making the league a six-team circuit is an ongoing discussion but Gribben cautioned to not expect it right away.

“We will never turn down an opportunity to look into it, if it makes sense and works for all parties,” Gribben stated. “Expansion isn’t likely at this point in time, but we'll never rule it out until after our Annual General Meeting when teams need to submit their declaration for the next season.”

When looking at the current franchises, Gribben said:

“The Current River Storm have done an excellent job in putting together a team that's well balanced. It was nice to see their transition from being a new team in the league with a lot of unknowns to being in the league final in their second season.”

“I appreciate the consistency of the Thunder Bay Northern Hawks franchise since I came on the Executive. When you're at the head of a league, and you have an organization that put forth a team forward that's competitive every year, it makes my job a lot easier.”

“The Schreiber Falcons also had a competitive season and a strong semi-final against the Northern Hawks. They were very close to getting back to the league final and I think with a few key pieces to that puzzle, they could have a good 2024-2025 season.”

“The Thunder Bay Bandits were a pleasant surprise in their improvement. Last year was a struggle for them with new ownership, coaches and a whole different group last year. It was nice to see their coaching staff become more solidified, which led to the same thing happening with the product on the ice. They became a harder team to play against and were able to push some of some of the best teams in the league.”

“Full transparency this season was tough for the Nipigon Elks. I’m hoping with another year under their belt, that they can have a full off season to do some recruiting and see who might be available to join their squad. There is a lot of potential in Nipigon for that franchise to take a step in the right direction for next year.”

The photo is of Storm Captain David Chisholm (left) accepting the Joe Ward Memorial Trophy and championship banner from Lakehead Junior Hockey League (LJHL) Vice-President Gary Nistico at the Fort William Gardens on Thursday, April 4, 2024