Have The Sudbury Wolves Finally Found Their Pair? Paolo Frasca & Bjorn Bronas Stabilizing Sudbury’s Crease

No OHL team has had more goalies play for them than the Sudbury Wolves. Six different goaltenders have appeared in net as their search for help continues.

The Wolves started Owen Leonard in the season-opener against North Bay back in September. He became the first 16-year-old to start an opening game in the OHL since Matt Murray did it for the Soo Greyhounds back in 2010. He more than held his own in his first appearance, helping his team achieve a point, making 28 stops on 32 shots. 

However, as Jeff Giffen with The Sudbury Star wrote, a 16-year-old shouldn’t be tasked with carrying the load in between the pipes. 

Unfortunately for Sudbury, the goalies they had hoped would carry the mantle have not lived up to expectations. 

Finn Marshall played 31 games for the Wolves last season, achieving a 13-9 record. He had some very strong outings, but consistency was a struggle. Those same issues persisted into the early parts of this season. Marshall left the OHL in November, signing with the BCHL’s Surrey Eagles. 

Hometown boy Karsen Chartier has had similar play to Marshall. He’s got two wins on the season, both with a .971 save percentage showings against Brampton and Sarnia. However, there have been some rough outings on other occasions. 

Sudbury brought in 2023 draft pick and Minnesota State University commit, Bjorn Bronas, in late November to replace Marshall. He won in his first outing against London on Nov. 21, but then was lit up for eight goals two nights later against the Steelheads. 

Bronas has looked sharp in his last two starts, stopping 52 of 54 in back-to-back victories. One of those games was a redemption win over the Steelheads. 

The Wolves have brought in another 19-year-old netminder in hopes that he can help solidify the most important position in hockey for the organization, and management has to be thrilled with how he’s looked through two games. 

Paolo Frasca was acquired by Sudbury from the Windsor Spitfires back on Nov. 21 for two conditional draft picks. He had been playing in the BCHL for the Victoria Grizzlies, posting an impressive 2.27 goals-against-average and a .939 save percentage through 13 games. 

Frasca made his Wolves debut on Dec. 19 against the Guelph Storm. Alex Pharand’s hat trick stole the show from what was an exciting debut. The 5-foot-11 netminder faced 40 shots, stopping 38, rightfully earning the game’s first star. 

The Toronto Jr. Canadiens alumnus started in Sudbury’s latest game following the holiday break. In a tougher showdown against the Kitchener Rangers, his team was outshot 41-19, but Frasca once again was the star of the show, making 38 saves. 

Have the Sudbury Wolves finally found a tandem they can run in Frasca and Bronas? The two are a combined 7-1 since joining the OHL.