Rivermen make moves ahead of EOSHL season kick-off Sept. 30

ARNPRIOR – Senior A hockey kicks off on Arnprior Sept. 30 as the Rivermen open the season against the Eastern Ontario Super Hockey League’s (EOSHL) first dynasty.

The Arnprior Rivermen have a 4:30 p.m. tilt at the Nick Smith Centre against two-time defending league champions the North Dundas Rockets Senior Hockey Club as year four of the EOSHL officially starts.

The Rivermen are looking for a deep run this season in the EOSHL which has, for the third season in a row, grown again. This year there are 15 teams (up from 12 in 2022-2023) from eastern Ontario and western Quebec.

Last year the Rivermen were ousted from the EOSHL playoffs in the second round, for the second year in a row, for the second time by the Ganonque Islanders.

The Rivermen are owned and operated by Galetta’s Adrian Moyes who also plays on the team, providing offence from the wing.

There has been a lot of change on the roster over the offseason. The Rivermen parted ways with the Peck family Ryan, Luke, Carter and Cole (cousins and brothers), one of the strengths of last year’s team, to the expansion team the Paugan Falls Rapids for future considerations.

It was amicable, as the Peck team will be running the new first-year team. Early last month the team promoted longtime trainer Corkery’s Douglas Twining to assistant coach. Mike Byrne has coached the Rivermen since the league’s inaugural season in 2019-2020, and has twice been named EOSHL coach of the year.

While the home opener is only 30 days away, the Rivermen are still working on this year’s roster.

The team added two new players to the roster today (Sept. 1) including one West Carleton boy.

Corkery’s Cameron Duhn, 22, will bring some much-needed size to the Rivermen after the team announced his signing Friday. Cameron is listed at 6’2″ and 225 pounds and had a great career with the Arnprior Packers.

“The 22 year old from Corkery will add some speed and size to the Rivermen forcheck,” the team released in a statement today (Sept. 1). “Cam most recently played for the Arnprior Packers Hockey Club serving as their assistant captain. Please join us in welcoming Duhner to the Rivermen.”

Cameron is the older brother of last year’s Packers’ captain Jake Duhn. West Carleton Online spoke to Jake during the Packers incredible run last season, where the team was named top Junior B team in Canada on a couple of occasion.

The team also announced the signing of Kanata’s Jacob Cuffley, a 24-year-old defenceman, who has played in the Canadian Centreal Hockey League, the Ontario Junior Hockey League, the United Collegiate Hockey Conference, and CIS’s uSports.

Cuffley, 6’2”, 194 lbs., played 29 games for Utica College in 2019-2020 scoring one goal and adding four assists. The year before that he was a CCHL Smith Falls Bears defenceman playing 62 games and scoring 14 G, 23 A for 37 points and adding 106 penalty minutes.

In 2021-2022, Cuffley suited up for five games with the Carleton Ravens.

“We are thrilled to announce the signing of defenceman Jacob Cuffley,” the team released in a statement today (Sept. 1). “The 24-year-old Kanata native brings a ton of experience to the Rivermen’s backend having spent four seasons in the CCHL followed by stops in NCAA 3 at Utica college and then a handful of games for the Carleton Ravens. Look for Jacob to log some heavy minutes on the point this season.”

Tickets for Rivermen home games will remain the same as last season: $10 adults, $8 seniors, youth 13 to 17 $5 if not accompanied by an adult and free if under 18 and accompanied by an adult.

Season tickets are available. $90 for the regular season, $120 including the playoffs and $200 VIP season tickets which also include a hat and Rivermen jersey.

Arnprior’s Cold Bear beer and Dunrobin Distilleries mixed beverages are available again this season in the licensed section.

There are 10 Rivermen home games this season between Sept. 30 and Feb. 3 and you can see the complete schedule here.