Jonathan Giroux, the leading scorer for the North Country boys hockey team who eclipsed 100 career points last season, has signed with the New Hampshire Avalanche's EHL Premier team for the 2026-2027 academic year.
The EHL Premier is a subdivision of the Eastern Hockey League, a junior league that develops players for collegiate hockey. Giroux said the decision came after learning that the North Country program would be effectively dismantled when Lyndon Institute, which had merged with North Country to form a combined team before the pandemic, decided to field its own squad.
“The decision was not an easy decision,” Giroux said. “After hearing that our team would be dismantled and Lyndon would be taking their players to have their own team, and the North Country team would be left with not enough players, I had to lean towards the offer to play juniors. Being that it was my senior year, I didn’t want to stop playing hockey.”
Giroux expressed gratitude for the opportunity with the Avalanche and said he looks forward to growing as a player. He also thanked his former coaches and said he will miss his old teammates.
The future of the North Country boys hockey program remains uncertain. It is unclear whether the team will be able to field a squad for the upcoming season.
Originally reported by Newport Daily Express.
Photo: Krzysztof Baran via Unsplash. Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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