Despite much uncertainty still looming over the upcoming season, the LaSalle Vipers are carrying on with business as usual.
June 1 marks the day in the GOJHL where teams can begin to officially sign players and the Vipers wasted no time in doing just that. The team announced the signing of two new players who will be in uniform whenever the season is deemed fit to begin. Chatham native Alex Park will join the team’s blueline after playing this past season with the Windsor Jr. Spitfires Midget AAA team. A right-handed defenseman, the soon-to-be 17-year-old was one of the top blueliners in the Alliance Midget AAA league, which led him to being selected by the Windsor Spitfires in the 1st round of the 2020 OHL U18 Priority Selection.
The Vipers then went and signed a player whom they already held ties to. Patrick McManus appeared in three regular-season games as an AP player and would score his first career junior hockey goal with the club. A right-winger, McManus was a teammate of Park with the Windsor Midget AAA team and was selected to play in the Alliance Midget AAA All-Star Game. The 17-year-old Belle River native played his previous minor hockey years with the Sun County Panthers.
Following social distancing protocol, Park and McManus were signed along with two other incoming players, as well as returning players from last year’s squad. These announcements will continue on the team’s Facebook and Twitter pages in the coming days.
