HIS Ontario Hockey League career complete Kale Kerbashian has now turned his attention the professional ranks.
The Thunder Bay native has signed an Amateur Tryout agreement for the remainder of this season with the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League while also inking an AHL contract with the club for 2011-12. They are the top affiliate of the New York Rangers.
Kerbashian joins the Whale from the Sarnia Sting of the OHL whose season wrapped up last week.
The 20-year-old forward finished up tied for 10th in OHL scoring notching personal highs in goals, assists and points with 37, 51 and 88 respectively.
In 252 career OHL contests with Sarnia, Mississauga and London he amassed 207 points including 87 markers.
Meanwhile the first round of the OHL playoffs is underway with a number of players from the region taking part.
Michael MacDonald and Justin Sefton of Thunder Bay are both with the Sudbury Wolves who nabbed home ice advantage away from the Ottawa 67s Saturday in a high-scoring 8-7 overtime victory in the opener of their best-of-seven set. MacDonald scored one the goals in the game.
Another local product competing is Adam Restoule of the Plymouth Whalers who lead the Kitchener Rangers 2-0 heading into game 3 tonight.
One player who has yet to make in the postseason is Luke Judson.
The Belleville Bulls captain is out indefinitely with a concussion suffered on the second to last day of the regular season in a game vs. Sudbury.
Belleville is in tough against the heavily favoured Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors in round one action.
Lakehead resident Nathan Cull is a rookie with the Kingston Frontenacs who were down 2-0 in their series vs. Oshawa, but had yet to see game action heading into game 3 Sunday evening.
OHL CUP HONOUR: Part of the festivities of the OHL Cup minor midget showcase tournament in Toronto last week was an awards banquet.
At that event Nolan Nicholas of Thunder Bay was named one of six recipients of the minor hockey player of the year award.
He was named the winner for the Hockey Northwestern Ontario region joining five others from their respective areas as honourees.
Moving forward this award will be presented annually to the minor midget players who best exemplify outstanding ability and the qualities of sportsmanship and leadership.
This marked the first time awards of this were handed out recognizing the achievements of the top minor midget aged players from across Ontario.
Nicholas is a defenceman on the Thunder Bay minor midget Kings and is eligible for the 2011 OHL priority selection draft, which goes May 7.
RUNNER-UP: Dryden’s Bruce Ramsay has finished as the runner-up in balloting for the Central Hockey League’s coach of the year award.
The ever-popular Ramsay during his playing days in Thunder Bay is in his second season guiding the fortunes of the Tulsa Oilers.
After leading his club to a 19-point improvement last season he has led Tulsa to the playoffs once again this year.
The CHL regular season wrapped over the weekend with postseason play commencing in the coming days.