As one hockey journey comes to a close, another is about to begin.

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As one hockey journey comes to a close, another is about to begin.

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It’s already been a special season for the Sun County Panthers U16 team, which captured its first league title in more than two decades in a thrilling series win over the Huron-Perth Lakers.

“It means a ton,” Panthers’ head coach Zack Percy said of the title. “These two teams, expect for the COVID year, have played in every final for the ’09 (birth year) group and, with this being the last year of Sun County for them, winning the U16 title is special.”

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The team has one final event before graduating at this week’s OHL Cup, which got underway on Monday in Toronto.

“I’m just trying to enjoy my last couple games,” Panthers’ captain Jaakko Wycisk said. “It’s been a heck of a ride for seven years.”

But the OHL Cup is just a stepping stone for several members of the team with multiple names from the Sun County roster expected to be called out during next month’s Ontario Hockey League Draft.

“The OHL Cup’s the biggest tournament in U16 and the tournament that everyone’s been working for,” said Wycisk, who scouts believe could be a lottery pick in the OHL Draft. “All the games before are the step ups and you’re working towards that. The ALLIANCE title was super cool, but you want to do well and showcase.”

In a field of the elite minor midget teams in hockey, the Panthers are making a third-straight appearance at the OHL Cup, but the club has only reached the final once and that was back in 2003.

“This group’s always fired up,” Panthers’ forward Eamon Edgar said. “We believe we’re as good as any team in the tournament and can achieve as much as anyone and we want to accomplish that.”

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Sun County has been ranked in the U16 AAA top 10 all season and enter the tournament as the No. 6-ranked squad. The team is in tough group with three other teams in its pool also ranked in the top 10 in the No. 8 Vaughan Kings, the No. 9 York-Simcoe Express and the No. 10 Toronto Jr. Canadiens along with the Upper Canada Cyclones.

Sun County opened play with a 1-1 draw on Monday against Upper Canada. Eric Wood scored on the power play with just over two minutes left in regulation to pull the Panthers event with goalie Anderson Camilleri solid with a 21-save performance.

“There should be some great games,” Edgar said. “We’re just trying to take it day-by-day. Come in to the showcase and be our team and do what we’ve been working for.”

Already, there are seven members of the Panthers currently rated for the OHL Draft. With  multiple scouts from each OHL team in attendance, along with top brass, the tournament offers a chance for a few more players to catch someone’s eye ahead of the draft.

“This is a very high-end skilled team,” said Percy, who will also move on from the Sun County program after this tournament. “They’ve all been coached really well throughout Sun County and the majority have been together for six or seven years and that helps a lot.

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“I think the message is the further we go as a team, it’ll lead to more guys having success. With all the eyes in the stands, there’s a lot of nerves. It’s about keeping calm and playing the game we know we can play and, if we can do that, we can make a far run.”

One last ride before the next hockey chapter begins and the Panthers hope to make the most of the opportunity.

“We’ve had some unbelievable players here since Day 1 and we push each other,” Wycisk said. “This is a really skilled, hardworking team and we’ve had a lot of success when we play together.

“I hope we get a chance at that final. It’s a tournament where we want to do well and, the better we do as as a team, the better we’ll able to showcase ourselves.”

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