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November 25, 2016

Walk down memory lane for Cup-bound Addison



Ottawa recently backed out of its bid to host the 2018 Memorial Cup, and barring some sort of miracle over the two-season span between now and then they won't be front-dooring their way into the national championship.

But someone with the Barberpoles still in his heart will be heading to the big dance this postseason.

Though he was bruised up and unable to play in his old stomping grounds on Friday, a 4-2 Windsor win in the Nation's Capital, Jeremiah Addison fondly remembers his two years with the 67's fondly.

"I wish I could've played tonight, it's been great to be here," said the former Barberpole post-game.   "The city itself and the organization treated me good."

Hopeful that Travis Barron would round out as expected when he was a top-three pick as a top-line forward, and with the emergence of Austen Keating as a rookie, the 67's were willing to further their youth movement by selling high on Addison.

And the Spitfires, knowing they were about to lose Brendan Lemieux to the AHL, knew they needed another rugged forward who could put up over a point per game, an expectation Addison is meeting so far.

"It's a new team now, I've been able to mesh well with (Logan) Brown, (Julius) Nättinen, some other guys pretty."

Addison was joined at the hip with Dante Salituro for the majority of his time in Ottawa -- he adds that the two still FaceTime on a constant basis and remain extremely close off the ice as well.

But now, the Canadiens seventh-round pick gets set to go through a roller coaster of emotions.

Any possible complacency that comes with Windsor's guaranteed championship tournament berth is cancelled out by the arms race in the West with archrival London and high-powered Erie.

"It's the Memorial Cup, it's where every kid in junior wants to play," says Addison on his junior career's endgame.

"Obviously there's the rivalry with London, a rich history even before I was in the league.  But whether we're playing London, Erie or whoever, it's just about sticking to the task at hand."

Addison's play always seems to reach its peak in chippy, emotional games, and he's going to have no shortage of them down the stretch.

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