Wright Leads Frontenacs Into 2021-22

 

Kingston, ON – The Kingston Frontenacs did things a little bit differently in 2021-22. Rather than the traditional pre-season announcement of the leadership group, the Frontenacs announced their captains on opening night before taking on the Ottawa 67’s.

Leading the team in 2021-22 will be 17-year-old Shane Wright, while four of his teammates join him in the leadership group as assistant captains. Jake Murray, Lucas Peric, Lucas Edmonds and Jordan Frasca will all wear “A’s” for the Fronts in 2021-22, with Murray and Frasca wearing the letters on the white jerseys while the latter two don them when the Fronts wear black.

Before Friday, it had been 579 days since the Frontenacs had played a competitive game in the Ontario Hockey League. Now with Wright leading the team onto the ice alongside Murray and Frasca, the Frontenacs ushered in a new era of hockey in Kingston.

Burlington, Ontario’s Wright, arrived in the Limestone City in 2019 as a wide-eyed, “exceptional status” player after the Frontenacs selected him first overall in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection. At just 15-years-old, the Frontenacs entrusted the young man with an assistant captain role, making him the youngest ever leadership group member in Canadian Hockey League history.

Having played under the guidance of former captain Jakob Brahaney as a rookie, Wright has the knowledge and charisma needed to lead the Frontenacs to a potentially golden season. Since last stepping off the ice in Kingston, Wright has gone on to captain Team Canada to a gold medal at the 2021 IIHFU18 World Championships.

While leading the Canadian U18 team to a World Championship over two weeks is an accomplishment, taking charge of the Frontenacs through an entire OHL campaign is a new challenge that he is ready to take on.

Wearing an “A” at a home opener was a new experience for Frontenacs defenceman Jake Murray, but it was far from his first time skating onto Leon’s Centre ice. Now at 19-years-old, having played under the captaincy of Ted Nichol, Ryan Cranford and Jacob Brahaney, Murray brings leadership skills to an exciting and young Frontenacs roster.

Lucas Peric also wears a letter on the white jersey, the home outfit for the season’s first half. Peric came to Kingston ahead of the 2019-20 season after playing two seasons with the Fronts’ opening night foe, the Ottawa 67’s.

While Peric has never been a massive offensive contributor, the 19-year-old’s off-ice contributions are unparalleled, having been a leader in the locker room even without a letter on his jersey.

With CHL teams switching home and away jerseys midway through each season, Frontenacs’ faithful will also get a chance to see Lucas Edmonds and Jordan Frasca wear letters at the Leon’s Centre. While the pair will first wear “As” on Sunday when the Frontenacs visit Ottawa, they were introduced to the Kington crowd before puck drop on opening night.

Jordan Frasca is a familiar name in OHL circles, having played with Windsor since 2017 and Kingston since 2019. An upbeat guy in the locker room, Frasca will keep the mood light for the Frontenacs throughout the season while contributing to the offensive end alongside the skilled likes of captain Wright, Paul Ludwinski, among others.

Entering his second full season with Kingston, Frasca is coming off a gruelling rookie camp with the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, where he scored a goal for the blue and white at the Traverse City Prospect Tournament.

With a hint of proffesional team experience, Frasca returns to Kingston with confidence and an eagerness to find success in the black and gold. However, Lucas Edmonds will line up alongside him as part of the black jersey leadership group.

Although Edmonds has yet to play with the Frontenacs, the Swedish-Canadian dual citizen has plenty of experience and leadership qualities that will help the Fronts during his first and overage year in Kingston.

Born in North Bay, the 19-year-old has played junior and professional hockey in Sweden, representing the Vaxjo Lakers, Kristianstads IK and Karlskrona HK. Although he did not crack many game day lineups for the professional teams, he starred in junior games, earning a call-up to the Swedish U19 team.

The Frontenacs selected Edmonds in the 7th round of the 2017 OHL Priority Selection. Although he has yet to play on the shores of Lake Ontario, he will be an invaluable leader and contributor in 2021-22.

It has been a long time since the Kingston Frontenacs have played an OHL game, but with a new leadership group, some new jerseys and an exciting group of young men, the team is ready to roll as they seek a franchise first OHL and Memorial Cup Championship.