This will be the first full season for Tyler Cooper as the Head Coach of the Thunder Bay Bandits.

Cooper always had a goal of working at a higher level of hockey and considers himself fortunate to have learned the ropes under former Coach Rick Baraniuk.

“I learned a lot about myself and how to access certain skill sets behind the bench,” Cooper said. “Rick’s resume speaks for itself, and I truly value that experience. It made the transition to this level of hockey much more natural.”

Baraniuk took over for the late Kris Reginato after formerly coaching with the Thunder Bay Kings and Queen’s programs.

Cooper admits he asks a lot from his players but added it’s important to always maintain a work/life balance.

“I need them focused when they are at the rink, and I expect everything from them when they walk in the door,” noted Cooper. “But I know a Sunday family dinner is more important sometimes. They need to be able to dig in when they're at the rink. My goal is to have the guys engaged without burning them out.”

The Bandits finished the 2023/2024 campaign with seven wins during the regular season and swept the Nipigon Elks in the quarterfinals. Despite a comeback overtime victory in Game Four of their semifinal against the Current River Storm they would bow out with a loss in Game Five.

“I still think that our guys were learning about how to do things the right way every single night,” reflected Cooper. “After the holiday season we became a different team, assertive and confident. Our guys understood the assignment and what it was going to take and seemed to carry that with them most of the time at the rink. We want to carry that momentum into this year. We need to do that every single night.”

"We are excited to have Tyler back as our head coach," said Captain Darian Smith. "He dedicates a lot of time towards this team and I know he’s going to take our team in the right direction this year."

The Bandits will feature some new faces thanks to a trade with the Current River Storm in July.

Twenty-year-old Brandon McKinnon joins the team after collecting 37 points in 30 regular season games last season.

Prospects Emerson Degiacomo, Graydon Pollock and Noah Bannon were also picked up in the deal.

“McKinnon has always shown he’s always a legitimate scoring threat in this league,” noted Cooper. “Pollock is a huge addition for us on the backend, you can’t really get anything past him. He works for every inch and that is huge for our blueline. Bannon and DeGiacomo both have different commitments that won’t make them available to us off the hop, but they have a home here if they’re looking for one.”

The Bandits put pen to paper with Sam Migay, who will be playing in his fourth season for the club.

Smith had high praise for Migay, adding "I think [he] will have a big year. The experience and skill that he has developed over the last three seasons with the team makes him a dangerous scorer as a power forward."

They also agreed to terms with Defenceman Sebastian Yellowhead and Goaltender Nick Pavletic, who were picked in the 2024 Prospect Draft on May 16.

Other commitments include Jesse-James Biley, Nolan LaFreniere, Ashton Barnes, Kaelen Sherman, Nick Filice, Matias Maenpaa, Ethan Mackay, Ryan Herman, Evan Beaulne, Ethen Friesen, Alex Arella, Fisher Smith, and Jack McLeod.

Cooper went onto say, “There are some guys from last year that are poised to take a big step this year. Last year it was important to let certain guys just get their feet wet and do what they do best, establish their game at this level. Now that a lot of our guys have proven it, this year is going to be more about rounding everybody’s game out, so we can play more consistent hockey up and down our lineup.”

The Bandits play their home games on the traditional territory of the Fort William First Nation, signatory to the Robinson Superior Treaty of 1850.

The Lakehead Junior Hockey League proudly acknowledges and celebrates the history, heritage, resilience, and diversity of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis across Canada. We also continue to learn and educate ourselves in the spirit of reconciliation.

Bandits photo courtesy of Gary Moskalyk