Every athlete wants the opportunity to end their playing days on their terms.

For Nipigon Elks Captain Carter Hargreaves an injury in the 2024 Playoffs eventually forced his hand.

“I separated my AC joint which progressively got worse as I continued to play through it,” recalled Hargreaves. “Thinking of my long-term health, I had to put aside my desire to finish my playing career and examine my future in the game. Coaching has always been something I’ve wanted to do, and being given this opportunity to give back to the community of Nipigon and instill the culture of hockey into the next generation is something I am looking forward to doing.”

The acromioclavicular joint is located at the tip of the shoulder where the shoulder blade and collarbone come together at a point on the upper part of the shoulder blade.

In late August the Elks made the announcement that Hargreaves was taking over as Head Coach with fellow alumni Declan Catalan and Mike and Brett Maslack joining him as Assistants. Hargreaves becomes the third bench boss in four seasons, following in the footsteps of John Coppock and Malcolm Sutherland.

“I am excited to see what we can bring to the table as new coaches,” Hargreaves said. “The dedication that we bring to the program is something we plan on instilling in the players. Even though we finished last in the league standings last year, I would not count us out as we have a young, energetic and motivated squad with great potential. I trust our staff and players that we will be able to compete this year and going forward.”

The Elks won just two games in the regular season in 2023/2024 and were swept by the Thunder Bay Bandits in the best-of-three quarter-final. The team finished fourth in 2022/2023 with nine wins in the regular season.

“There were many good things to take away from last season,” reflected Hargreaves. “The players were able to put forward their best effort during games last year, and always played until the final buzzer. That is something we want to carry with us moving forward.”

Leading scorer Evan Maslack as well as Jeff McMenemy will be among the returnees this season. Maslack compiled 25 points in 23 games last year while McMenemy picked up a pair of points in fourteen games played.

Hargreaves hinted that as many as thirteen players will be back in the fold for the upcoming season.

The Elks are an original franchise since the league began play in 1993.

The Elks play on the traditional territory of the Robinson-Superior Treaty, home to the Red Rock Indian Band, the Anishinabek, and the Métis People.

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.