OHL North Bay Battalion

First-Rounder Poirier Joins Battalion

Published on August 13, 2014 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
North Bay Battalion News Release


NORTH BAY, Ont. - Centre Zach Poirier has signed an education contract with the North Bay Battalion, the Ontario Hockey League club announced Thursday.

Poirier, a six-foot, 188-pound resident of Mountain, Ont., who turned 16 on May 12, was North Bay's first-round pick, 14th overall, in the OHL Priority Selection on April 5.

"We want Zach to come in and develop and play," said Stan Butler, director of hockey operations and head coach. "We have a good core of forwards coming back, so we can bring him along. He won't need to come in and be an impact player for us right away. He's a solid, two-way player who' ll be physical and score some goals."

Poirier said via telephone that he looks forward to joining the Battalion ranks.

"I' ve been doing a lot of training, both on and off the ice, so I can be in top shape for the season."

Poirier joins a forward group featuring 10 players who saw action with the Troops in their first season in North Bay, when they won the Eastern Conference title and advanced to the OHL Championship Series, losing in five games to the Guelph Storm.

"There are a lot of good forwards coming back, and I just want to fill my role as best I can," said Poirier, who scored 21 goals and added 17 assists for 38 points in 29 games with the Upper Canada Cyclones minor midgets. "I' ll be looking to see what I can do for the team."

Poirier returned this week from Calgary, where he was one of 108 Hockey Canada invitees at a development camp to identify prospects for the three Canadian entries in the World Under-17 Challenge to be held Nov. 2-8 at Sarnia and nearby Lambton Shores. Previously five regional entries from across Canada joined five foreign countries in the tournament.

"It was a busy camp," said Poirier, who had one goal and one assist in three games. "There was a lot of work on the ice and a lot of testing off the ice, and we played three games. It was all good. The staff was great to us, and it was really well organized. The games were fast, and the hockey was really good. I know I have some work to do, but I hope I have a shot at one of those teams."

Ryan Oulahen, a former Battalion captain about to enter his fourth season as an assistant coach with the club, was on the coaching staff for Poirier's team at Calgary.

"He told me a lot of the systems we used in Calgary were similar to what Stan uses in North Bay," noted Poirier. "He told me that would be a good introduction to playing with the Battalion."

The Troops announced Tuesday that left winger and centre Owen Green, 17, has signed with the club. A resident of Williamsville, N.Y., Green was a ninth-round pick in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from August 13, 2014


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