Vaughan part of bright future in North Bay

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Since relocating to North Bay in 2013, the Battalion have built a consistent winning culture. They've missed the playoffs just once, reached the Eastern Conference finals five times, and are expected to make the postseason again this year.

North Bay is currently sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 26-22-2-1 record.

That success shows no signs of slowing down and looks set to continue, with five players listed on NHL Central Scouting’s midseason rankings. Ryder Cali, Ryder Carey, Alexander Karmanov, Arseny Pronin and Parker Vaughan were all rated for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.

“It's kind of cool that we have that many guys going through the same kind of thing at the same time,” Vaughan said. “It's helpful. We feed off each other, we help each other to get better. Everyone's great to be around, so it's awesome.”

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In his first full season in North Bay, after being acquired from the Barrie Colts at last year’s trade deadline, Vaughan is fourth in team scoring with 12 goals and 27 points in 51 games.

“We love him. He's kind of that new age, power forward, really competitive player, competitive kid. He's an awesome human being,” head coach Ryan Oulahen said. “I just think for him, it's when he's moving his feet, he has a really good shot. He's able to create opportunities. I think he's going to excel. I think any team that takes him is going to find a bit of a diamond there.”

Vaughan, who was drafted fifth overall in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection led the Alliance with 23 goals and 49 points in his minor midget season.

Oulahen has been impressed with his offensive potential.

“Obviously, we were watching him a lot last year before we acquired him,“ he said. “That was what intrigued me, the way he can shoot the puck, the way he can get it off, his release, it's tough to teach that stuff.”

As they continue to develop together, Oulahen says the Battalion’s young core has built a special chemistry.

“We have multiple guys in that situation, and they're best friends off the ice, and they rely on each other and lean on each other,” he said. “So I think that's been a blessing for us as a group. It's been a fun group to work with.”