It’s Joe Caligiuri’s last year at the junior level, and that means he has one goal for this upcoming season - to win it all.
“I want to win,” said Caligiuri, who’s starting his first year in the MJHL as goaltender for the Dauphin Kings. “Our whole team wants to win the league championship. I know it’s a long season and lots can happen, but that’s our goal.”
If there is any year the team should standout above any other in the MJHL, it’s this year. With Dauphin hosting the 2010 RBC Cup, they will have the attention of the whole country.
“It’s an exciting thing to think about,” said Caligiuri about the annual RBC Cup. “But we want to get there the right way. Just because we’re the host team and we automatically get a berth in the tournament, doesn’t mean we don’t want a shot at the ANAVET as well.”
And with the talent that Caligiuri brings to the team, having already played three years in the WHL with Brandon Wheat Kings and Prince George Cougars, the Kings are definitely solid contenders.
“Caligiuri gives us a calming, in control presence on the backend,” said Marlin Murray, head coach and GM of the Dauphin Kings. “He’s a great kid, a great presence in the dressing room. We’re just thrilled to have him.”
Caligiuri started his junior career in the WHL with the Wheat Kings back in the 2006-07 season. Finishing the season with an impressive 11-5-2 record, he played even better the next season, again with Brandon, posting a remarkable 30-19-2 record in 54games.
When asked about the transition he’s experiencing, moving from the WHL to the MJHL, Caligiuri said so far it hasn’t been an issue.
“The WHL is a really good, competitive league,” said Caligiuri, originally from Winnipeg. “So far though the MJHL has been comparable to the calibre of hockey. I feel as though it’s (MJHL) underrated compared to other junior leagues across the country.”
Caligiuri and the Dauphin Kings kickoff the regular season on the road next Friday, September 11, against the Winnipeg Saints.
By Richard Bracken
MJHL Web Correspondent
Information from: http://www.mjhlhockey.ca/news_item.aspx?news_id=1505
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