Peterborough Petes Looking For Bright Future After Transitional Season

The Peterborough Petes' player lockers were emptied after a down season of trying to defend their OHL Championship on Tuesday afternoon.

Cam Gauvreau, Peterborough Petes defenceman signs autographs as finishes his Ontario Hockey League career with the team. pHOTO BY dAVID tUAN bUI.

Peterborough finished with a 20-40-8 record, trailing by 12 points of the last playoff spot behind the Barrie Colts with 60 points.

The Petes had an electric start to the season, being named the league's second-best team in the OHL Power Rankings during Week 8 (Nov. 20). They held a record of 12-3-4 during that time. Peterborough fell to Earth as they wound up with a 2-16 record before the Jan. 10 trade deadline.

Michael Oke, Petes general manager, traded away several players to rebuild the team for the future after the team’s slump.

He said he was willing to move in either direction at the deadline, depending on whether another title run was viable or whether it was time to rebuild the team based on their record.

“We felt it was in the best interest of ourselves and of the players that were absolutely unbelievable during last year's magical run to put them in a position to have some success and further along their OHL careers as they were coming to an end,” explained Oke in a prior interview. “At the same time, allow us to acquire some new players to come and retool for another championship run on our end.”

The following were the transactions Peterborough made before the trade deadline:

• Nico Addy (forward), Martin Matejicek (defenceman) and 2026 third-round pick from the Owen Sound Attack for Konnor Smith (defenceman) and Sam McCue (forward)

• A second-round pick in 2024, Soo’s third-round pick in 2027 and Ottawa’s fifth-round pick in 2027 from the Ottawa 67’s for Samuel Mayer (defenceman)

• Flint’s second-round pick in 2025, Guelph’s third-round pick in 2026 and Windsor’s fifth-round pick in 2027 from the Kingston Frontenacs for Jax Dubois (forward)

• Aiden Young (forward), Ottawa’s second-round pick in 2025, Saginaw’s second-round pick in 2027, and Mississauga’s third-round pick in 2026 from the Saginaw Spirit for Owen Beck (forward)

• Caden Taylor (forward) and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2027 from the Sudbury Wolves for Donovan McCoy (defenceman)

• Grayden Strohack (defenceman) from the Flint Firebirds for London’s third-round pick in 2025, a fourth-round pick and a fifth-round pick both in 2027

• William Haley (defenceman) from the Mississauga Steelheads for a conditional 15th-round pick in 2027

(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) NICO ADDY, MARTIN MATEJICEK, AIDEN YOUNG, CADEN TAYLOR AND WILLIAM HALEY. (absent) GRAYDEN STROHACK. PHOTO BY DAVID TUAN BUI.

Addy was acquired by the Petes on Jan. 2, eight days before the trade deadline. He made an immediate impact, scoring in his home debut.

“Just getting that point and getting more regularly on the stat sheet feels amazing,” he explained. “It gives you a bit more confidence, that little bit of confidence, that you need to make certain plays happen.”

Addy was one of several young acquisitions to help rebuild the team's future. Coming off an OHL Championship last year, the former Owen Sound Attack said the team can be primed to win another title.

“The championship last year shows us how good and effective this team and organization is so I really trust the hands of them right now,” he said. “I know that if we do the right things, that every single one of us will have a really good shot at getting another championship.”

MELEE (LEFT) is the team’s 63RD CAPTAIN IN FRANCHISE HISTORY. PHOTO BY DAVID TUAN BUI.

When the team introduced its newest players to the public, they also introduced its new team leaders. Jonathan Melee was named the new team captain after his predecessor Donovan McCoy was traded.

Melee was obtained from the then-Hamilton Bulldogs with Alex Pharand and six draft picks for Mason McTavish on Jan. 9, 2022.

After three months of being the team’s newest leader, Melee has learned quickly and is ready to guide the Petes into the next season.

“Before this season, I wasn't the biggest talker in the room but being an older guy on the team, I kind of learned to have a voice in the room and all the young guys listen to the words that are coming out of my mouth,” he explained. “That's one of my goals is just be more talkative in the room and help out as much as I can. When I was their age, I was looking up to my captain and I was listening to every word that they would say so I'm just trying to be that guy for them and being a positive role model.”

PHOTO BY Samantha Bianco.

One player not returning to the team is overage defenceman Cam Gauvreau who played his last game as a Pete on Sunday. He was honoured at the team’s last home game on Thursday.

“It was very emotional for me, doing that last lap around the ice after the game,” he explained. “I'm definitely going to miss this place and it's kind of tough to swallow that was my last time I'll ever be on this ice for the Petes.”

On Jan. 10 last year, he was traded to the Petes from the Saginaw Spirit. In addition to Gauvreau, the Petes received Saginaw’s fourth-round pick and Windsor’s third-round pick in 2025 while trading defenceman James Guo and their last year’s sixth-round pick.

He was part of the OHL Championship team last year, with three assists in 19 playoff games. This memory will last forever for Gauvreau during his Peterborough tenure.

“There's nothing better to celebrate with the boys and have the city behind you too,” he said. “It was really awesome to see the City of Peterborough. We filled this arena every game and it was really special to see.”

The Hamilton-born defenceman is attending the University of Ottawa in the fall and will play for their hockey team, the Ottawa Gee-Gees.

The Petes are honouring its players and staff at their year-end banquet and awards at The Venue on Tuesday night.

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Innovation Cluster and BWXT Announce Collaboration to Highlight Clean Technology For the Future

In an effort to highlight clean technology for the future with the nuclear industry, Innovation Cluster and BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada (BWXT NEC) have begun a collaboration, announced at the former’s offices at the Venture North Building on Tuesday morning.

(form left to right) Mayor Jeff Leal; Janice Johnston, Constituency Assistant; Camila Duarte, Innovation Cluster executive director and Brett Jermyn, BWXT director of fuel handling and engineered solutions. BWXT NEC employs roughly 400 employees at its Peterborough location which has the largest workforce of its three locations in Ontario. PHOTO BY dAVID tUAN bUI.

Three goals were set from the collaboration:

1. Nuclear Energy: Communicating nuclear energy's benefits and addressing and transforming public perception.

2. Boost Local Employment: For BWXT NEC to create job opportunities within the nuclear industry. Local talent including students from Trent University and Fleming College and skilled professionals in our region are being sought.

3. Grow Economy Through Innovation: To fuel the local economy by combining innovative nuclear energy projects with job creation, promoting sustainable community development.

“Our collaboration with the Innovation Cluster highlights BWXT's commitment to innovation, local job creation, and deepening our relationships within Peterborough,” said Brett Jermyn, BWXT NEC director of fuel handling and engineered solutions. “We’re excited to be working with the organization and tapping into their expertise and network to further enable our nuclear innovations and support our community.”

“Collaborating with BWXT NEC is a transformative step for our region, underscoring the synergy between cleantech innovation and sustainable development,” said Camila Duarte, Innovation Cluster executive director. “This collaboration aligns with our mission to cultivate a thriving innovation ecosystem and shows how strategic relationships can accelerate progress in essential sectors like health tech, cleantech, and nuclear energy.”

With the collaboration, Innovation Cluster launched its Corporate Sponsorship initiative to ignite innovation through corporate partnerships. As a result of the union, BWXT has become a Zone Partner and has an office inside the Innovation Cluster’s downtown Peterborough Incubator.

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Nominations Sought For Class of 2024 Pathway of Fame; Deadline On April 30

The Pathway of Fame, Peterborough and District has opened their nominations to the public for inducting the class of 2024, announced on Tuesday.

THE PATHWAY OF FAME IS A GRASSROOTS, NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION COMPRISED OF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS. THE FIRST CLASS HONOURED WAS IN 1998. PHOTO BY DAVID TUAN BUI.

Nominations run until April 30 and submissions after the date will be considered for next year. They can be made for the following categories:

• Visual Arts

• Dramatic Arts

• Literary

• Entertainment/Musical

• Cultural Betterment

• Community Samaritan

• Community Builder

• Media

Nomination forms can be downloaded online or hard copies are available at Package Plus on Rink Street. The cost is $10 per nomination.

Those selected are vetted by a citizen’s committee appointed each year to review them and are recommended for induction by a Nominations Committee.

The inductees are honoured each September and hosted at Showplace Performance Center. Their names will be engraved onto individual granite markers permanently installed along the Pathway of Fame at Del Crary Park.

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What You Need to Know About the Solar Eclipse in Peterborough On April 8

On April 8th, Peterborough will experience a partial solar eclipse as it is just outside the Path of Totality.

pHOTO courtesy of Dave Ellis.

The following events will occur during the eclipse:

• Partial eclipse begins at 2:07 p.m.

• Maximum eclipse occurs at 3:21 p.m.

• Partial eclipse ends at 4:43 p.m.

Photo courtesy of the City of PEterborough.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon covers the sun, casting a shadow over Earth. A total solar eclipse happens when the moon completely covers the face of the sun somewhere within a narrow Path of Totality which is roughly 100 to 115 km wide. The sun appears to be briefly covered.

Areas outside the path will only see a partial eclipse. The percentage will depend on the distance from the path. The duration of totality will be up to 4 minutes and 27 seconds. The partial phases leading up to and following totality last about one hour and 20 minutes.

During any solar eclipse, it is imperative to wear special glasses with filters designed for eclipse watching to prevent eye damage. Regular sunglasses will not adequately protect your eyes.

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Peterborough Museum and Archives Announce New Exhibit With Fleming College

Fleming College students and Peterborough Museum & Archives have launched a new exhibit ‘Words & Beyond: How Communication Brings Us Together’ that started Saturday.

File Photo.

The Peterborough Museum & Archives is curating the exhibit by Fleming College’s Museum Management and Curatorship program students that explores how communication has shaped Peterborough and the surrounding area.

Everyone is invited to visit the exhibit to discover how we connect and the wider world.

It opened in the Heideman exhibit space on Saturday and continues until June 16. The official exhibit will open on April 17 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., featuring music, snacks and activities.

“We’re excited to share this fun, new exhibit by the talented up-and-coming museum professionals from Fleming. Communication shapes our lives now more than ever, but has also played a key role in our local history,” said Susan Neale, Peterborough Museum and Archives director. “There’s so much to say so come talk about it.”

Admission is by donation. The PMA is wheelchair and stroller-accessible and free parking is available.

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Local Pizza Huts Fundraising For 'Purple Day' During Epilepsy Awareness Month For Peterborough Epilepsy

Pizza Hut’s colours in Peterborough and Lakefield are changing from red for ‘Purple Day’ during Epilepsy Awareness Month to raise funds for Epilepsy Peterborough (EP) this Tuesday.

MIRANDA ZEPPIERI, EP ambassador was diagnosed with Epilepsy at six years old. Photo courtesy of Pizza Hut.

Ten per cent of all sales are being donated to help EP to continue to educate, raise awareness, support caregivers and people living with Epilepsy in our community.

Four Pizza Hut locations from the City and County are participating.

The following are the participating locations:

• 901 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough

• 705 George St. N., Peterborough

• 132 Queen St., Lakefield

Miranda Zeppieri, EP ambassador and her brother Michael were diagnosed with epilepsy at six years and five weeks old respectively. Events like these to generate awareness are key since there is a lot of epilepsy that not everyone knows about according to Miranda.

“We’re really just emphasizing getting awareness out there about those like myself and my brother who live with it,” she said. “Yes, it brings its challenges but it’s something that is a part of everyday life and how it affects it is vastly different based on an individual basis. There are also 40 different types of seizures too so that’s really important to emphasize too as not all seizures are the same.”

Guests are encouraged to wear purple on that day, eat pizza and enjoy the satff’s company.

Epilepsy Peterborough representatives will be on-site to provide information for anyone wanting to learn more about epilepsy and/or the services they offer.

“Just being there to help support someone who has seizures is always huge,” said Miranda. “Just knowing that someone is there makes it easier too.”

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Lineup For Lakefield Literary Festival Announced

The Lakefield Literary Festival has announced its summer lineup of authors for July 19 and 20.

Author Sheila Het (left)i signs a copy of her novel, Pure Colour, for festival board member Bev Haun (right). Photo courtesy of Vanessa Stark and the Lakefield Literacy Festival.

The event will feature a lineup and a festival first novel-to-film discussion on how the writing process transfers to the big screen.

The summer program features:

• Friday, July 19 at 7:00 p.m.: Michael Crummey and filmmaker Christian Sparkes

• Saturday, July 20 at 10:00 Children's Tent at Cenotaph Park: Casey Lyall and Kevin Sylvester

• Saturday, July 20 at 2:00: Drew Hayden Taylor and Elizabeth Renzetti and Kate Hilton

• Saturday, July 20 at 4:30: Meet the Author Reception

• Saturday, July 20 at 7:00: Charlotte Gray and Tim Cook

More details about the authors, their books and tickets will be released next month according to a press release.

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Cat Euthanized After Being Shot By An Arrow In Cavan-Monaghan

The Peterborough Police Service is investigating an incident of a cat being shot by an arrow in the Township of Cavan-Monaghan on Sunday evening.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

At roughly 4:30 p.m., a resident called claiming their cat had been shot with an arrow. When police arrived in the Deyell Line and County Road 10 area, officers learned the cat was found injured on a driveway, taken to a vet and was euthanized due to its injuries.

Anyone with information is asked to call Peterborough Police at 705-876-1122 x555 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.

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Peterborough Petes Round Out Regular Season With Pair of Road Losses

The defending OHL-champion Peterborough Petes closed out their regular season with a pair of road losses to the Barrie Colts and North Bay Battalion over the weekend.

pHOTO courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

The Petes finished their final home game with a 9-0 loss to the Ottawa 67’s on Thursday night at the Peterborough Memorial Centre before hitting the road for finish their last two games.

They lost to the Colts on Saturday night, 4-1. Aiden Young score Peterborough’s lone goal before allowing four unanswered from Barrie.

They travelled to North Bay the next day and kept it close after the first period, trailing 3-2. The Petes could not find the back of the net again for awhile and allowed five straight goals. Peterborough mustered a last-minute goal on the power play but it was too little, too late as they fell 8-3 to the Battalion.

With the pair of losses, Peterborough finished with a 20-40-8 record. They were 12 points out of a playoff spot behind the Colts, who snagged the last playoff spot in the East Division with 60 points.

The team ended off as the third-worst team in the league, ahead of only the Windsor Spitfires and Niagara IceDogs, with 44 and 42 points, respectively.

The Petes are having their year-end banquet and awards at The Venue on Tuesday night. The team will bid farewell to Cam Gauvreau, overage defenceman and assistant captain who played his last game with the team on Sunday.

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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Lady Mack XO, The Capital PTBO, Pharmasave and Peterborough County

PTBOCanada is delighted to be running the Business Beat columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…

Author Carissa MacIntyre is offering to put your kid’s art on the cover of notebooks. Or put your own art on it.

Order one or a whole stack. It makes for a unique gift. MacIntyre, who goes by Lady Mack XO, is an independent author, freelance writer and public speaker. You can find her on social media or at ladymackxo.com.

Are you interested in acquiring an established business?

Owners of The Capital Ptbo are looking to pass the torch on to someone with a love for sports and retail who has the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit to hit a home run with this turnkey business. Located at 370 George St. N., The Capital offers a variety of sports apparel, both current and vintage designs that are sure to bring on some nostalgia. They carry the big names in sports as well as a huge selection supporting our local teams. If you’re interested in taking on this opportunity, reach out to Mark and Justin at capitalptbo@gmail.com.

There’s a new pharmacy in Norwood. Paul’s Norwood Pharmasave opened recently at 17 Spruce St.

They offer free local delivery, after-hours emergency service, quick prescription transfers, immunizations, home healthcare supplies and equipment, and more. Their goal is to be more than just your local pharmacy, they strive for excellent patient care. Drop by and see the new space and you could win some giveaways.

Bonnie Clark, Warden of the County of Peterborough and Deputy Mayor of the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan, will be addressing the business community at a special Warden’s Breakfast hosted by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

The breakfast will be at Lang Pioneer Village on April 23 from 8 – 10 a.m. and will feature special guest Meredith Stavelely-Watson from the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus talking about their 7 in 7+ regional housing plan. Get your tickets at pkchamber.ca.

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