Mignosa calls youngsters ‘extra special’
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photo by Bob Davies
For it to mean anything, potential is something that must be unlocked.
And there are those who believe the Soo Greyhounds rookie corps possesses the key.
“I’d say they’re extra special,” said Hounds winger Marco Mignosa, who, until recently, was the lone overage on the club’s roster. “I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but this is one of the most talented young groups I’ve seen in this organization. They all have bright futures.”
The group includes two 16-year-old (2009 birth year) forwards taken in the first round of the 2025 OHL draft, Noah Laus and Ryan Kaczynski. They’re joined up front by free agent centre Quinn McKenzie, a 17-year-old (2007), and 17-year-old (2008) winger Tobias Zvolensky, a third-rounder in the 2025 CHL Import Draft.
On defence, 18-year-old (2007) Jakub Winkelhofer was taken one round before Zvolensky last summer while Harris Pangretitsch, a 17-year-old (2008), is a fourth-rounder from the 2024 OHL draft.
The group of six is joined by injured rearguard Callum Croskery, 17 (2008), plucked by the Soo in the second round of the ’24 Priority Selections. Counted on to eventually be a very consequential member of the 2025-26 Greyhounds, Croskery has yet to play this season, sidelined with an upper body injury.
For the six healthy players to be “13 games into their careers and be where they’re at now is pretty impressive,” said Mignosa, a 20-year-old from Vaughan, Ont. “And they’re willing to learn every day, too. So I’m excited about this season for them and they’re futures down the road.”
When it comes to skill level, especially in the case of Laus, Kaczynski and McKenzie, Mignosa said he can’t help but be wowed.
Laus and Kaczynski “have extra skill than what you’d expect to see normally from 16-year-olds. It’s kind of cool to watch them every day.”
Are they doing things that can’t be taught?
“Yeah, I’d say so,” said Mignosa, a seventh-round selection of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2025 NHL draft. “Laus and Kaczynski are super impressive for 16-year-olds.”
Heading into Wednesday’s 7:07 p.m. home start against Erie, Laus owns a 2-4-6 stat line while Kaczynski, who scored his first two OHL goals in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Sudbury, stands at 2-3-5.
The Syosset, N.Y., native also has a shootout winner within his first-season resume.
As for McKenzie, Mignosa calls him a “great player.”
The Hounds overage also used the word “workhorse” to describe the Cranberry Township, Pa., native.
McKenzie (4-6-10) has delighted the Hounds will both skill and smarts.
“He has a great toolbox and he’s really fun to play with,” Mignosa added.
Winkelhofer (2-5-7) is also among the four Soo rookies to have really made an impact to date. The smart, steady defenceman is often paired with Chase Reid on the Soo’s top unit.
“He plays like 25 minutes a night and is pretty great at it,” Mignosa said of the Kadan, Czechia, native. “He’s a solid guy on the back end.”
The remaining first-year men, Zvolensky and Pangretitsch, have not be as heavily relied upon as the others.
But they continue to show growth.
“They’re all really good,” said Mignosa, who owns a 6-6-12 stat line. “It’s not easy to do that quickly in this league. But I have faith in these guys.”
Meantime, having watched video this week of his club’s Saturday win over Sudbury, head coach John Dean said he believes the team is relinquishing control of the puck too quickly.
“We want to be a team that’s really hungry to own the puck in the offensive zone,” Dean added. “By having it, we want to suppress the other team’s offence.”
At this time, the coach continued “we’re getting rid of it quickly and we’re not urgent enough supporting each other in the O-zone.”
The fact his club is 8-5-0-0, “and a major work in progress,” excites Dean about what’s ahead. “We have so much room to grow.”
Asked about the 3-8-1-0 Otters, the Soo coach spoke of how, despite their record, Wednesday’s opponent is no easy touch.
“They’re an exceptionally hardworking team. They make you earn every inch of the ice and they do a very good job of denying their blue-line.”
Following Wednesday’s contest, the Hounds are slated to entertain Peterborough on Friday.
Notes:
The Soo expects to welcome back defenceman Hunter Solomon, who had been out with an upper-body injury, for the Erie clash.
Rearguard Callem Croskery (upper body) is at minimum a month away from returning. He’s back skating with his teammates.
Another D-man, Brodie McConnell-Barker, remains day-to-day (illness), while winger Carson Andrew is out 4-6 weeks (upper body).
