Zack Corte exits the Stouffville Spirit dressing room this offseason with a rare distinction.
On top of his 159 points (89 goals/70 assists) from 201 Ontario Junior Hockey League games, he graduates from Stouffville as one of few to wear the white, black and red for four seasons.
Corte has committed to play at Acadia University in Wolfville, NS next season, it was announced this week.
Stouffville’s assistant captain had planned on attending Carleton University. Those plans changed when interim coach Mark Cavallin left the Ottawa school.
“I started looking at my options again and Acadia messaged me and said they noticed that I hadn’t signed a letter of intent ….” Corte said. “So, I got on the phone with Acadia.
“Everything the coach said I loved: the location, the way they run the team, the way their conference is set up …
“Everything about Acadia I thought was a very, very good thing and very promising for me and my future, which was really, really nice.”
“Zack has been a very strong offensive player his whole junior career. His smart hockey sense and release will be a huge addition for us and our program.”
Acadia head coach Darren Burns said Corte’s “offensive instincts and hockey intelligence will strengthen the Axemen attack.”
“Zack has been a very strong offensive player his whole junior career,” said Burns. “His smart hockey sense and release will be a huge addition for us and our program.”
His now former coach is also complimentary.
“We are thrilled for Zack,” said Spirit Head Coach TJ Hill. “Watching him grow and develop over his four years here in Stouffville was truly a privilege. Acadia is lucky to have him and we wish him all the best going forward.”
“Those four years in Stouffville obviously made such a big difference in the way I see and play hockey. Whether it’s the defensive zone or the offensive zone, playing more as a team or earning what you get.”
Corte looks back with pride.
“Those four years in Stouffville obviously made such a big difference in the way I see and play hockey,” the resident of Scarborough said. “Whether it’s the defensive zone or the offensive zone, playing more as a team or earning what you get.”
Corte, who turned 21 on June 11, was a big part of the recent improvement movement in Stouffville.
From a pair of eighth-place regular season finishes in the OJHL East during his first two seasons, the team rose to fourth in 2024-25 and second this past season after flirting with first.
Last year’s team had the best record (40-14-2-0) in the 30-year history of the franchise and was ranked nationally throughout the season.
Corte scored two goals and was named East Conference player of the game at the OJHL All-Star Game in Milton Jan. 18.
He missed the end of the regular season and much of the playoffs with a hand injury.
“We obviously weren’t that good my first years,” Corte said.
“But just in terms of sticking it out and actually going along with
Kenny (Burrows, the general manager) and TJ and growing with them as well as growing with our team, I really enjoyed it.
Because I could see the improvement we made each year, from those eighth-place teams to last year, finishing second in our division. It’s a really big accomplishment that I was proud to have been a part of.”
Corte will have familiar company in Wolfville.
He’ll room with Stouffville’s own Ryder McIntyre who is entering his second season at Acadia.
Other graduating Spirit players to make commitments this spring include:
- Evan Breckles, Concordia, Wisconsin (NCAA Division III)
- Jacob Martineau, Albertus Magnus (NCAA Division III)
- Hayden Sabourin, TMU (OUA, U SPORTS)
Other members of the team to sign with OHL teams include Hamza Havusic (Windsor), Elijah Chavez and Ben Radley (Peterborough) and Lucas Demiglio (Brampton).
The Spirit will open its main training camp at the Stouffville Arena on Aug. 17.
The Ontario Junior Hockey League regular season is expected to begin in early September.
NOTES: Only two players – JD Smithson and Randy Johnston – have played five seasons for the Spirit…Corte was drafted by the Soo Greyhounds in the 2021 Ontario Hockey League U16 Priority Selection…two Spirit affiliate players taken in the first round of this year’s draft have signed with their OHL teams: Adrian Sgro (Sarnia Sting) and Lucas Matheson (Barrie Colts). Sgro was selected fourth overall and Matheson 17th…McIntyre played for Sarnia, Oshawa and Peterborough in the OHL and the Toronto Jr. Canadiens (now Newmarket Hurricanes) in the OJHL…McIntyre and Corte are both products of the Ajax-Pickering Raiders AAA program.
