Navy Vets Rebuild
Woodstock Navy Vets Sign 18 Players, Including Young Local Talent, for Junior B Return
The Woodstock Navy Vets have signed 18 players as they prepare to return to Junior B hockey in the 2026–27 season, joining the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOHL) as its 24th franchise theobserver.ca. Three of those signings are hometown players, giving the club a local identity from day one.
The roster skews young. Twelve of the 18 players were born in 2009 or 2010, meaning most have four or five years of Junior B eligibility ahead of them dailyheraldtribune.com. The Navy Vets officially joined the GOHL on March 5, 2026, when Commissioner Craig Spada and team President Devon Young announced the move at the Reeves Community Complex.
Three Woodstock Natives Anchor the New Roster
Goalkeeper Ian Kubelka leads the local group. The 17-year-old had a strong season with the Huron-Perth U18 Lakers, posting a 2.64 goals-against average with two shutouts in 16 games countymarket.ca. He is expected to be the team's starting netminder when play begins.
Defenseman Sebastien Fortin, just 15, is also from Woodstock. He put up 12 goals and 21 points in 32 games for the Vaughan Kings U16 AAA last season seaforthhuronexpositor.com. Independent scouting outlets rank him 55th on the Ontario Top 100 list for the OHL Draft, making his decision to stay home a notable one. Fellow blue-liner Cole Joudrey, 16, rounds out the local trio. He scored four goals and added 11 assists for 15 points in 35 games with the Kitchener U18 Jr. Rangers.
Two Returning Navy Vets Bring Junior B Experience
Will Wright and Kingston McPherson are the only two players carried over from the 2025–26 squad. Wright, a defenseman, had one goal and five points in 11 games split between St. Marys and London in the GOHL last season saultthisweek.com. McPherson appeared in 38 PJHL games, giving the young group at least two players who know what higher-level junior hockey looks and feels like.
Head Coach Andy Bathgate said the team is "hard at work" building a roster that can compete in Junior B. General Manager Darren Young has focused recruitment on high-ceiling prospects, targeting players who can grow with the program over multiple seasons rather than chasing short-term results shorelinebeacon.com.
Youth-Heavy Roster Built for a Multi-Year Window
With 66% of the signing class born in 2009 or 2010, the Navy Vets are clearly building for the long term. Those players will be eligible to suit up in the GOHL until 2030 or 2031 coldlakesun.com. That window gives the team time to develop together and grow into the demands of the Western Conference, which includes tough clubs like the London Nationals and the St. Marys Lincolns.
Regional analysts call the roster "boldly young" and note the team may face a physical disadvantage against older, more experienced lineups in year one. But the upside is real. As the GOHL serves as the official development league of the OHL, Navy Vets players will get significantly more exposure to pro scouts starting this fall pinchercreekecho.com.
A Historic Jump Up the Junior Hockey Ladder
The Navy Vets were founded in 1966 as a Junior C club and won the Schmalz Cup in 1969. They briefly played at the Junior B level in 1971 before returning to Junior C the following year countymarket.ca. This move to the GOHL marks their most stable return to the higher tier in over 50 years.
GOHL Commissioner Craig Spada called Woodstock "a hockey town with a proud history" and said the addition was backed unanimously by all 23 existing member clubs. President Devon Young framed the move as a "pursuit of excellence" and a chance to compete "at just another level" dailyheraldtribune.com. The team will play home games at the Reeves Community Complex, which seats 2,000 fans.
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