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North Bay Battalion

'Thankful' Bratina Forced from Hockey

November 10, 2015 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
North Bay Battalion News Release


NORTH BAY, Ont. - Left winger Zach Bratina, the North Bay Battalion's leading goal scorer, has retired from hockey because of a history of concussions, coach Stan Butler said Tuesday.

"He's got concussion-like symptoms again and went to see the doctor in Toronto, and the family's made a decision that he's going to retire from hockey at this time," said Butler, also director of hockey operations for the injury-plagued Ontario Hockey League club.

"It's tough for Zach to make this decision based on the year that he's had but, as we talked earlier about (Calvin) Gomes, I think you've got to make tough decisions that are the best for you in the long term. Zach's gone home, and he's going to finish off his university courses and then head off to university and become a fulltime student in the fall."

Bratina texted from home in Lindsay, Ont.: "I've been experiencing concussion symptoms for the past two years. This decision is the hardest decision I've made throughout my life so far, but after seeing my neurologist in Toronto I was aware that I could not keep playing. I'd like to thank the city of North Bay and the fans for being so supportive, and I also couldn't be more thankful to the coaching staff in North Bay, and for my teammates that helped me get through a lot of this."

Bratina last played Oct. 25 in a 4-2 road loss to the Mississauga Steelheads, a game in which he lay on the ice for some time at the final buzzer after being run by Josh Burnside, who received no penalty on the play.

"He's had a couple of concussions before," Butler said of Bratina, 19. "I don't know if he suffered another concussion. He just feels that a lot of the symptoms haven't gone away, and that's concerning to him and his family and to us as an organization."

Bratina returned to Lindsay on Oct. 31 and last Tuesday saw Dr. Karen Johnston, a Toronto-based neurosurgical consultant to numerous sports groups, including the National Hockey League and Olympic teams.

In 12 games this season, Bratina scored 12 goals and earned three assists for 15 points. He was named Player of the Week in the OHL and the Canadian Hockey League for the period ended Oct. 18 and was named to play for Team OHL in the Canada Russia Series game at Owen Sound this Thursday night.

The Battalion acquired him from the Saginaw Spirit on Dec. 27, 2013, for left winger Blake Clarke. Bratina was a first-round pick by the Plymouth Whalers in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection from the Central Ontario Wolves. He was traded to Saginaw on Jan. 10, 2013, as part of a package for centre Vincent Trocheck.

Bratina was limited to 30 games last season, scoring seven goals and earning 14 assists for 21 points. In 70 career games with North Bay he scored 26 goals and added as many assists for 52 points. In 150 OHL games, he had 37 goals and 43 assists for 80 points.

Right winger Gomes quit hockey because of recurring shoulder problems after playing four games this season.

Butler said that right winger Brett Hargrave has experienced concussion-like symptoms since the Battalion's last outing, a 4-1 loss Friday night to the host Kingston Frontenacs.

"He's out now indefinitely," said Butler, whose charges visit the Sudbury Wolves at 7 p.m. Friday before hosting the Barrie Colts at 2 p.m. Sunday. "I don't know how long he's going to be out for."

Butler said that right winger Steve Harland, who made his OHL debut in a 5-3 road win last Thursday night over the Peterborough Petes and played at Kingston, will be with the Troops for the rest of the season. He was called up from the affiliated Powassan Voodoos of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League, with whom he had team-leading totals of 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points in 15 games.

Last season, the 19-year-old Scarborough, Ont., native scored 42 goals and added 53 assists for 95 points in 52 games, winning the NOJHL scoring title and being recognized as the rookie of the year and most valuable player. He was a sixth-round choice in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection from the Toronto Young Nationals midgets.

Overage defenceman Austin Kosack has signed with the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League after clearing OHL waivers. The Oakville, Ont., product joined the Troops last Dec. 29 from the Ferris State University Bulldogs of Big Rapids, Mich., and had three goals and six assists for nine points in 37 career OHL games.

Kosack's departure reduces North Bay's complement of overagers to the limit of three who can dress in a game, in goaltender Jake Smith, defenceman Miles Liberati and right winger Mathew Santos.

Butler said the Battalion was waiting on word about injuries to left winger David Sherman, who has had a groin problem, and Smith, sidelined with an upper-body ailment.

Butler said that Kyle Wood, who hasn't played yet this season because of a broken bone in a wrist, will return to action against the visiting Frontenacs on Nov. 19 and that fellow defenceman Brady Lyle may be back at the beginning of December after suffering a broken collarbone in exhibition action.

The game at Sudbury can be heard live on Country 600 CKAT.

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