Brown brings calm composure home to Raiders crease

When the Napanee Raiders developed a need for a veteran, steadying presence in net, they turned to a foundation built years ago with Jacob Brown.

In three years of junior hockey, the 19-year-old Yarker native has experienced a Centennial Cup run with the NOJHL Junior A Timmins Rock, lived abroad while playing in the OHL with the Flint Firebirds, and most recently started for the storied Wellington Dukes. In the back of his mind was an experience he hadn’t yet had with a team he knew well.

With Logan Vale’s strong play the past two years earning him a job in the NOJHL with the Espanola Paper Kings, Napanee became a possibility to consider.

“I grew up watching the Raiders play every Friday night. After practice. I always begged my dad to stay so we could watch the games,” he said. “I’m super excited to come back home and play for the team I grew up watching.  It always played a big part in my hockey career, and it was something I was interested in.”

The connection runs even deeper as the 6’3, 190-lb Brown will be the second Raiders goaltender to live in his home. In 2014-2015, his family opened their doors to billet Tomo Mikuljan, who was away from his Mississauga home for a first time. It was a good learning experience that has stuck with the younger netminder.

“It was pretty cool getting to host a Raider,” Brown recalled. “He was a good guy and having that experience and going to play abroad made it easier for me too.”

Being immersed in a team environment in his time away, Brown is prepared to impart the lessons he’s learned on younger teammates and show a mature confidence in the crease.

“I consider myself to be calm and controlled in the net,” said. “I just want to be competitive and work hard. Good things can happen, and the wins will come when you work hard.”

In the short term, his goal is to help the team win again as he considers his options for post-secondary education.

Head coach Ben Hagerman was excited to welcome Brown into the fold.

“Jacob is a massive addition. Losing Logan Vale was an unexpected departure but knowing that Jacob was local and reviewing his options for the season allowed us to recruit him. We are really thankful that Jacob chose the Raiders as his options were basically endless,” Hagerman said. “We feel that he will be a huge piece to a successful roster in a successful 2025-2026 season.”

Brown was a fourth-round selection for the Firebirds in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection draft. He played in 19 games with the club.  As a rookie in 2022-2023, he led the NOJHL in goals against at 1.49 in 23 games for the Rock. Last year, Brown played in 26 regular season games with the Dukes, posting a 15-8-3 record with a 3.24 goals against average.