Piroski, Pailey, and 73’s are ready to hit the ice

by Garrett Fodor

File Photos

After falling short in the Schmalz Cup Final, the Essex 73’s enters a new season with a shortened off-season behind them and a refreshed, retooled roster ahead.

  While a core group of returning players is set to hit the ice, several new faces will fill the void left by nearly 10 player departures.

  The task of rebuilding the roster once again fell to the same hockey operations group that led the team last year—General Manager Mike Pailey and Head Coach Tony Piroski—supported by Riley Jones, Kevin Beuglet, Lee Jones, Jamie McDermott, Ryan Polidori, and Rob Shepley.

  Under their guidance, the team’s retooling includes standout rookies, seasoned veterans, and a few familiar faces.

  “Mike is incredible at what he does. I’m fortunate to work with him and everyone here. He’s sort of the heart and soul of this organization—not only caring about the team, players, and fans, but also about the kids off the ice,” Piroski said. “I’ve always said that at this level, if you can keep it local, it’s the best thing—for the players, the coaches, the staff. Sometimes you can’t, but Essex is such a deep-rooted hockey town. I think it’s key for us to get back to our roots, and Mike and the staff are doing just that.”

  This year, nearly 10 players on the 73’s roster hail from within the Town of Essex. Among them is 2008-born forward Wyatt Goudie, acquired earlier this off-season from the Amherstburg Admirals. The Essex native tallied 10 points in 29 games last season. Outside of Goudie, most of the roster comes from across Windsor-Essex—with one exception: defenseman Matthew Cole, who joins from the Aylmer Spitfires and is attending the University of Windsor.

  One local player drawing early attention is 16-year-old forward Andrew Baker. The Essex product spent last season with the Sun County Panthers, posting eight goals and 26 points in 22 games—good for fifth in team scoring. His performance earned him a ninth-round selection by the Guelph Storm in April’s OHL Priority Draft.

  “Right now, he checks all the boxes—and he’s got high marks from me,” Piroski said. “He’s got room to grow, but he fits right in with the other guys. He’s got talent, a great work ethic, and he’s a skilled player. He’s an all-around athlete—a great golfer, a great kid. I’ve even heard from teachers who taught him, and they’ve only had good things to say. That goes a long way.”

  This season’s roster skews younger, with several 2008-born players expected to dress on opening night. That includes goaltender Brock Devlin, who will take the crease behind a youthful defensive corps, featuring a trio of rookies, including Austin Wright, along with Joey and Gavin Gaudet.

  Alongside the homegrown talent, Essex also added veteran experience—most notably, three players from the 2025 Sutherland Cup Champion Chatham Maroons.

On the back end, the 73’s acquired 2005-born defenseman Jaxen Fortier-Smith, a reliable presence who played 150 games with the Maroons, registering 23 goals and 59 points. Up front, the team added Connor Hunt, Chatham’s leading scorer last season with 30 goals and 65 points in 42 games. The 2004-born forward also brings OJHL experience, having produced 97 points over 106 games with the Wellington Dukes.

  Rounding out the trio is 6’1” forward Noah Mathieson (2006), who logged 80 points in 106 games over three seasons with Chatham.

  Piroski praised the veterans, noting how seamlessly they’ve fit into the locker room and how they’ve already taken on leadership roles.

  “This is junior hockey—we’re going to give you a jersey, and it’s up to the players to keep it,” Piroski said. “I like our group. I’m lucky to have a good group of kids—they’re easy to coach, and I look for this team to grow. Schmalz Cups aren’t handed out in September. I expect my teams to develop and peak at the right time.”

  He emphasized the focus isn’t on long-term goals just yet.

  “We aren’t thinking about the end goals right now,” he continued. “When players listen to their coach, they’re focused on what’s ahead—like Friday night in Dresden. We’d love to come out of the blocks quickly, but it’s a process. We’re working on a lot of things, and it’ll take time. One thing I do know—the money you pay at the door, you’ll get your money’s worth. This team will work hard. We won’t be outworked.”

  While some teams played pre-season exhibition games, the 73’s opted against it. Piroski said the decision allowed the coaching staff to focus on systems and team structure, noting there were not many open roster spots to compete for.

  The 73’s open their season on the road in Dresden on September 12, before returning home to host Mooretown on September 16.