NEW DOGS IN MISSISSAUGA

Two weeks ago, SooToday.com, through reliable sources, reported that ex-NHLers Steve Ludzik and Mark Osborne were headed to the Ontario Hockey League Mississauga IceDogs as a coaching tandem. Well, as usual, our sources were bang on. Ludzik, who played in the National Hockey League with the Chicago Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres before serving a year and a half as bench boss of the Tampa Bay Lightning, is the new coach/general manager of the OHL IceDogs. Ludzik replaces Don Cherry as coach of the IceDogs, who have finished last overall in each of their four OHL seasons. Ludzik will be assisted by Osborne, who played in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs. Osborne later served as coach/general manager of the OHL Toronto St. Michael's Majors, before being replaced by former Greyhound skipper Dave Cameron two years ago. The hiring of Ludzik and Osborne are part of Tuesday's sale of the Mississauga franchise to Nick Ricci for a reported $3.6 million. Ricci is a former NHL goalie with the Pittsburgh Penguins. In fact, Ricci, Ludzik and Osborne were all OHL team mates with the old Niagara Falls Flyers during the 1978-79 season when Bert Templeton (now with the Sudbury Wolves) was coach/general manager. The Niagara Falls' franchise, then owned by Reg Quinn, was moved to North Bay and re-named the Centennials in 1982. The North Bay franchise will relocate to Saginaw in time for the 2002-03 OHL season. Meanwhile, the Ricci ownership group will reportedly cut all ties with Cherry, the celebrated Hockey Night In Canada commentator who owned a small stake in the IceDog franchise and also served as its director of hockey operations. Sources say that more changes are also forthcoming within the IceDog organization. Apparently, Lou Vigilanti, a scout with St. Michael's, is being wooed by the IceDogs to join their staff.