Otters’ Devin Williams named Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that goaltender Devin Williams of the Erie Otters is the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the week ending November 15 after posting a 4-0-0-0 record with a goals-against-average of 1.74 and save percentage of .938.

Williams made 91 saves in four games backstopping the Otters to four-straight wins climbing into a first place tie in the Midwest Division standings with 35 points and a record of 17-2-1-0.  Williams is the third goaltender to earn the weekly honour so far this season and the third Otter to be recognized following last week’s winner Dylan Strome and Alex DeBrincat.  On Tuesday night he made 24 saves as part of a 5-2 win over the Mississauga Steelheads, then entered Friday’s game against the Oshawa Generals midway through the second period in relief stopping nine shots to help fuel the Otters’ 6-4 comeback win in a rematch of last year’s OHL Championship Series.  Williams got the start Saturday night against the London Knights and earned first star honours with 23 saves in the 3-1 victory, and wrapped up his week by matching a season-high with 35 saves in a first place battle against the Kitchener Rangers standing tall in the 5-2 triumph.

The 20-year-old from Saginaw, Michigan, is playing in his fifth OHL season with the Otters and currently carries a 14-0-1-0 record leading all OHL goaltenders in wins so far this season.  His goals-against-average of 2.31 is also the league’s best while his save percentage is tied for third best at .921.  Earlier this season Williams established a new Otters franchise mark for career wins and now has 79 since the 2011-12 season.

Watch video highlights of Williams and the Otters against the Steelheads, Knights, and Rangers.

Also considered for the award this week was fellow Otter and Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome who led the league in scoring for the second straight week with 10 points in four games including three goals and seven assists, and Los Angeles Kings prospect Mike Amadio of the North Bay Battalion recorded eight points in two games scoring three goals and five assists including a career-high six-point performance Sunday afternoon in a 7-3 win over the Barrie Colts.

Pioneer

2015-16 Pioneer Energy OHL Players of the Week:

Nov. 9 – Nov. 15: Devin Williams (Erie Otters)
Nov. 2 – Nov. 8: Dylan Strome (Erie Otters)
Oct. 26 – Nov. 1: Tyler Parsons (London Knights)
Oct. 19 – Oct. 25: Kevin Labanc (Barrie Colts)
Oct. 12 – Oct. 18: Zach Bratina (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 5 – Oct. 11: Hunter Garlent (Peterborough Petes)
Sept. 28 – Oct. 4: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 27: Zack Bowman (Flint Firebirds)

Victor Mete – London Knights – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height:  5’10”

Weight: 175 pounds

Date of birth: June 7, 1998. Woodbridge, Ontario

Position: Defence

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 1, 8th overall, 2014 Priority Selection (Owen Sound Attack)

“Prior to the draft, nobody was ever misled or it was never indicated that he had any interest in the OHL. Every team was aware of that. Owen Sound, they have all the right to select him. But at this time he’s got no interest.”

Advisor Ryan Barnes to Yahoo Sports.

Too often, when a situation arises where a player will not report to the OHL and is considering the NCAA option instead, we wonder about a player’s character. But we have to remember that a player at his age has to look at what is best for him. He (his family and advisors) has to consider life beyond hockey because there is never a guarantee. And for Mete and his family, education was at the top of his list.

One cannot deny that the City of Owen Sound could offer everything Mete was looking for in terms of education. Enter the London Knights, an elite organization when it comes to educational opportunities provided to its players. They paid a huge price to acquire his services and they will reap the benefits.

In an organization with the likes of Matthew Tkachuk, Max Jones and Olli Juolevi – all projected to be first round picks in the 2016 NHL Draft – there will be plenty of eyes on Mete. He himself has the potential to break into the first round and set a new standard for first round picks from one organization.

Many in the OHL circle have compared him to former Kitchener Rangers’ star defenseman Ryan Murphy – and almost as many say he is a better skater. More on that to come.

Mete played his Midget hockey for the Toronto Jr Canadiens where he scored 12 goals and 18 assists in 33 games.

Victor Mete of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Victor Mete of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

The following season he joined the Knights and during his rookie campaign he scored 7 goals and added 16 assists in 58 games. But it wasn’t until the playoffs where he came into his own and became arguably the Knights’ best defender while scoring 1 goal and 7 assists in 10 games. He was named to the OHL second All Rookie Team.

Mete went on to represent Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and won a gold medal registering an assist in 4 games. Internationally he’s also represented Canada for Team Red at the World Hockey Challenge U-17 where he scored once and added an assist in 5 games and was an Alternate Captain.

Mete’s rookie season didn’t start out all sunshine and roses. He struggled defensively at times and was either tentative or lacking confidence offensively. However it all came together during the playoffs. It’s also carried over to this season.

Mete is an elite skater. It’s that skating ability that opens up options for him, whether it’s skating the puck out of danger or eluding a forechecker and getting himself into position to make a clean breakout pass. He has a very powerful shot and can quarterback the powerplay. It’s here that one can draw comparisons to Murphy.

However it’s defensively where the comparisons to Murphy should end. Mete has made tremendous strides defending. Despite the lack of size, he uses his skating abilities to put himself in position defensively and combined with his active stick and surprising strength, keeps players much bigger than him to the outside. He’s also not afraid to battle down low and in front of his goal and it’s surprising how often he skates away with the puck.

Mete made NHL Central Scouting’s list of players to watch as a B prospect – typically a second or third round pick. The first round is still very much within reach.

Here is an isolation video of Mete with the Toronto Jr Canadiens courtesy of TheScout.ca

“Breaking Away” O’Sullivan and his connection to a great coach

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

By Brandon Sudeyko

When discussing how effective a coach is, many will point to the X’s and O’s or the depth of talent that they have or the most important measuring stick… the number in the W column.

What seems to get missed in every conversation is what a coach can do for a player off the ice. Obviously a coach is around to develop talent but they have a big responsibility to develop a teenager into a young adult and an upstanding citizen. Why wouldn’t the coach have that much of an impact on a player? Between practices and games, the coach is with his team approximately 10-15 hours a week. Given the nature of the hockey schedule, that is upwards of 450+ hours which is equivalent to a Monday-Friday 9-5 job for a month

This point of how important a coach is off the ice came to light in Patrick O’Sullivan’s book, Breaking Away, in which he chronicles his Junior hockey life with an verbally and physically abusive father. The book itself is a tough read but very informative and should be on a must read list.

O’Sullivan had a prolific junior career all the way up to the OHL where he played under Don Cherry for the Mississauga Ice Dogs. O’Sullivan was the 2002 OHL and CHL Rookie of the year, He was a member of the 2004 USA Junior team that won the gold medal in Finland. O’Sullivan still holds the record for games, goals, assists and points for the Mississauga/Niagara OHL Franchise. In his professional career, he was named the 2006 AHL Rookie of the year and holds the same goals, assists and points record with the Houston Aeros franchise.

In his story, a specific chapter stands out entitled, ‘WASHKURAK’. A couple pages devoted to one man, Joe Washkurak, former Mississauga Ice Dogs assistant coach when O’Sullivan was a member of the OHL franchise, and current Mississauga Chargers head coach in the OJHL.

In the chapter, O’Sullivan points out Joe’s background as a social worker, and how he worked with families of domestic abuse. The chapter is a look back as Patrick reconnects with Joe in November of 2014, but discuss a key moment how Joe helped out O’Sullivan through the rough period in his life. The assistant coach helped him move into a new billet home, providing security and safety for the young man and just providing any help possible to keep distance between O’Sullivan and his father.

There is a particular part in the chapter that is heart breaking as a moment of hesitation occurred but seemingly clicked at the same time. O’Sullivan mentions that he doesn’t hold any of his coaches responsible for not doing enough but points out that Joe seems to always blame himself for not doing more. And that last part not only tugs at the heart strings but shows that Coaching Junior players, no matter what sport, has to be more than X’s and O’s. The mark of a great coach isn’t about how many banners are hanging in the rafters. It is taking those past experiences and using your knowledge to help mould the young players and turn them into fine young men and be that sounding board. Be that support that they need. Be that substitute parent when they are at the rink.

Joe Washkurak is a great coach who doesn’t get his due because of the W-L record that is attached to the Mississauga Chargers. He develops talent not only for the OHL, but for the CIS and NCAA. In the coaching circles he is highly regarded and when you ask players, behind all of his gestures when he is behind the bench, he truly cares for the players standing in front of him.

The players who don the Mississauga Chargers jersey are lucky to have a coach like Joe Washkurak, and after the reading of the book, they may get a strong sense of how invaluable he can be.

The Chargers have a great one, and one who is often overshadowed.

Cherry and Orr to Coach 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

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Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League in association with BMO Financial group, and the Western Hockey League’s Vancouver Giants Hockey Club, today announced that Canadian hockey icons Don Cherry and Bobby Orr will serve as coaches in the 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Vancouver, BC.

 Taking place on Thursday January 28, 2016, the 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is the 21st annual showcase of the CHL’s top-40 NHL Draft eligible players featuring talent from across the WHL, the Ontario Hockey League, and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, competing before hundreds of NHL scouts in attendance.

 “The BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game has evolved into a truly prestigious annual event for all of our players and fans thanks to the support of Don Cherry and Bobby Orr who have helped build this showcase since it first started in 1996,” said CHL President David Branch. “The CHL is honoured that Don and Bobby are returning behind the bench in January for what will be a very special experience for the 40 players competing on the ice, and for hockey fans in Vancouver and across the entire CHL.”

 This season will mark the 13th meeting and second straight in the historic coaching rivalry between Cherry and Orr that began with a 9-3 Team Cherry victory at Maple Leaf Gardens in 1996.  Team Orr emerged with a 6-0 win last season in St. Catharines, ON, while Team Cherry won the previous head-to-head matchup by a 4-2 score in Windsor, ON, back in 2010.  Orr holds an 8-4 all-time winning record against Cherry in their previous 12 games.  Cherry has participated in this event on three other occasions without Orr including 2005 in Vancouver when he was victorious over coaching opponent John Davidson, followed by 2011 in Toronto falling to Team Orr led by Doug Gilmour and Wendel Clark, and in 2013 in Halifax, NS, in a defeat against Team Orr led by Mike McPhee.  Since 2006, the winning team has been presented with the Don Cherry and Bobby Orr CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game Trophy engraved with the names of every player to ever participate in this prestigious event.

 “The Vancouver Giants are honoured to have Bobby and Don make the trip out to Vancouver to make this event as good as it gets,”said Giants majority owner Ron Toigo. “To have these hockey icons here for the BMO Top Prospects game, junior hockey’s best on best, and having the proceeds going towards the Pat Quinn Legacy and Scholarship funds will make this a truly special event you won’t want to miss.”

 Cherry, a native of Kingston, ON, has been the star of Hockey Night in Canada’s Coach’s Corner for more than 25 years.  He coached in the NHL with the Boston Bruins and Colorado Rockies from 1974 to 1980 coaching Orr in his first season behind the Bruins bench and part of the 1975-76 season where he won the Jack Adams Trophy as the NHL’s Coach of the Year.  In 480 games as a NHL coach he has a won-lost-tied record of 250-153-77.  Cherry played his major junior hockey with the Windsor Spitfires in 1951-52 before competing as a member of the Barrie Flyers’ 1953 Memorial Cup winning team.

 Orr, a native of Parry Sound, ON, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979 after playing 12 seasons in the NHL with the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks recording 915 points on 270 goals and 645 assists.  A winner of two Stanley Cup Championships with the Bruins, Orr also captured two NHL scoring titles and was selected winner of the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player three times and won a record eight-straight James Norris Trophy awards presented annually to the NHL’s top defenceman.  In 1999 Orr was selected to the MasterCard All-time CHL team and in 2008 had his number 2 jersey retired by the Oshawa Generals where he played from 1962-66.

 Since the event was first introduced in 1996 the game has featured 13 players that were selected with the first overall pick in the NHL Draft including Chris Phillips, Joe Thornton, Vincent Lecavalier, Rick Nash, Marc-Andre Fleury, Patrick Kane, Steven Stamkos, John Tavares, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nathan MacKinnon, Aaron Ekblad, and most recently Connor McDavid of the Erie Otters selected first overall by the Edmonton Oilers.  McDavid, who captained Team Orr last season, was the first of 13 CHL players who competed in the 2015 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game to be selected in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft.

 Ticket prices for the 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game range from $19-$49 plus applicable fees and can be purchased atVancouverGiants.com, TicketLeader.ca, by calling the Vancouver Giants office or at the Pacific Coliseum box office which is open Monday through Friday from 9:00am-5:00pm or during all Vancouver Giants home games.

For group tickets (10 or more), call the Vancouver Giants office at 604-4-GIANTS (604-444-2687), Monday through Friday from 9:00am-5:00pm.

The 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is proudly supported by title partner BMO Bank of Montreal, and CHL associate sponsors Cooper Tire, autoTRADER.ca and Sherwin-Williams.

For more information please visit www.bmotopprospects.ca.

BMO and the Canadian Hockey League

BMO Financial Group and the Canadian Hockey League announced BMO as the Official Bank of the Canadian Hockey League in 2011. The sponsorship builds on BMO’s partnership with the CHL of more than 10 years and affirms BMO’s exclusivity as a financial services sponsor of the league in the retail banking category. It also engrains a presence with the 48 teams which currently participate in the BMO CHL Affinity MasterCard program, which enables CHL fans to support their favourite teams through a co-branded credit card.

Super series

Taylor Raddysh – Player Profile – Erie Otters

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 200 pounds

Date of birth: February 18, 1998. Caledon, Ontario

Position: Right Wing

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 19th overall, 2014 Priority Selection

Taylor Raddysh of the Erie Otters. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Taylor Raddysh of the Erie Otters. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Taylor Raddysh played his Minor Midget hockey for the Toronto Marlboros where he scored 21 goals and added 6 assists in 31 games which led him to being a first round selection of the Otters in the 2014 Priority Selection.

During his rookie season, Raddysh appeared in 58 games scoring 21 goals and adding 6 assists and contributed 3 goals and 3 assists in 19 playoff games as the Otters went on to the OHL finals only to lose to the Oshawa Generals. He also played in 5 games for Canada White at the World Hockey Challenge-U17 where he contributed a single assist.

Raddysh’s 21 goals were fourth among rookies last season behind Alex DeBrincat’s 51 (2016 Draft Eligible), Zachary Senyshyn’s 26 (Boston Bruins, 2015) and Petrus Palmu’s 22 (undrafted) while his 27 points ranked 19th.

Throughout his career, Raddysh’s stats would suggest he’s a goal scorer first. But do his 6 goals and 21 assists in 17 games to date this season suggest that he’s turned into a playmaker first?

On the contrary.

Raddysh is one of those players that can do a little bit of everything and whatever the coaching staff asks of him. He’s a student of the game and willing to learn.

At 6’2” and 200 pounds, Raddysh has good size and is an above average skater. He has an elusiveness where he can slip away from coverage unnoticed and putting himself in prime scoring areas. He can play a 200 foot game, come back hard on the back check and rarely misses his defensive responsibilities in his own zone.

 He’s also an effective forechecker, able to dump and chase using smarts to put the puck in where he can retrieve it and use his skating to get on top of defensemen and deliver a hard and sometimes punishing hit.

Raddysh has above average puck handling skills. He can carry the puck with ease at top speed and make a play on the rush. He has an excellent shot with a very good release and delivers it with accuracy.

NHL Central Scouting has Raddysh as a B prospect on their September list of players to watch – which typically means a second or third round pick. My opinion as of now is that he’ll be an early second rounder.

Keaton Middleton – Player Profile – Saginaw Spirit

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’6”

Weight: 235 pounds

Date of birth: February 10, 1998. Stratford, Ontario

Position: Defence

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 3, 50th overall, 2014 Priority Selection

Keaton Middleton is the younger brother of Ottawa 67’s and Los Angeles Kings draft pick Jacob Middleton. He is currently in his second Ontario Hockey League seasons.

Middleton played his Minor Midget hockey with the Huron Perth Lakers during the 2013-2014 season. There, he played in 31 games scoring twice and adding 20 assists. At the conclusion of his season he appeared in 3 regular season and 4 playoff games for the Stratford Cullitons of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (Junior B).

Keaton Middleton of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Keaton Middleton of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

The following season, Middleton made the jump to the OHL appearing in 61 games for the Spirit and scoring twice and adding 7 assists with 58 penalty minutes. He also played in 5 games for Team White at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge netting one assist. While with the Spirit he averaged 16:24 of even strength ice time, a total that’s jumped up to 20:16 this season.

Middleton has that size that NHL scouts still drool over and as one of the stronger players in the OHL, the strength to go along with it. He finishes his hits, sometimes punishing, battles down low and is a beast in front of his own goal, making opponents not want to engage with him.

Middleton’s skating isn’t the greatest but his mobility is “good enough”. Combining that with his enormous reach and strong physical game, he has the ability to be a strong shut down defender. While he’s never, and will never be known as an offensive defenseman, he’s shown some flashes throughout his career to date. He possesses a hard and heavy shot from the point but his puck handling skills and decision making need some improvement.

Spirit coach Greg Gilbert had this to say about Middleton: “He has to be one of those big, steady, hard-nosed guys. He’s got to play that way every night. He’s got to let the opposition know it’s going to be a long night for them.”

Gilbert added: “We want our defensemen to get involved offensively, but his priority is to be a big, solid, physical, stay-at-home defenseman.”

Middleton made NHL Central Scouting’s players to watch list as a B prospect – typically second or third round prospects – and exactly where Middleton should settle in come June 2016.

Middleton is a work in progress and is still quite raw but he has the potential to be one of the better shut down defenders in the 2016 NHL Draft.

CHL Announces BMO CHL Top 10 Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the eighth edition of the BMO CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2015-16 season.  The weekly rankings of the CHL’s Top-10 teams are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.

BMO

BMO CHL Top 10 Rankings – Week 8

Rank: Team: Last Week Rank: Number of Weeks Ranked:
1 Kitchener Rangers (14-1-3-0) 3 4
2 Erie Otters (14-2-1-0) 1 8
3 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (17-2-3-1) 2 7
4 Shawinigan Cataractes (18-4-0-0) 4 8
5 Red Deer Rebels (14-6-0-0) 8 5
6 Victoria Royals (14-5-0-1) – 2
7 London Knights (12-2-1-1) 7 8
8 Kelowna Rockets (14-5-0-0) – 2
9 Windsor Spitfires (12-4-3-0) 10 3
10 Lethbridge Hurricanes (12-5-0-0) – 1
Honourable Mention:
Moncton Wildcats (13-6-2-0) – 1
Gatineau Olympiques (14-6-1-1) – 1
Kingston Frontenacs (11-6-1-1) – 1

CHL Large

Remparts’ Nikolas Brouillard named CHL Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that defenceman Nikolas Brouillard of the Quebec Remparts is the CHL Player of the Week for the week ending November 8 after scoring seven goals with five assists for 12 points in four games along with a plus-minus rating of plus-3.

Brouillard set a Remparts record for points by a defenceman with a six-point performance on Sunday scoring three goals and three assists as first star of a 10-6 win over the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.  The victory helped complete a two-win week for the Remparts who currently hold sixth place in the QMJHL standings with a 12-9-2-0 record.  He began his week with a hat-trick and an assist also claiming first star honours as part of an 8-4 win over the Victoriaville Tigres on Tuesday, then scored a goal and an assist on Friday despite an 8-2 loss to the Shawinigan Cataractes.  He was also held pointless in a 7-3 loss to the Saint John Sea Dogs on Saturday.

A 20-year-old from St-Hilaire, Quebec, Brouillard is playing in his fifth QMJHL season and second with the Remparts after beginning his career with three seasons as a member of the Drummondville Voltigeurs.  So far this season he has eight goals and nine assists for 17 points in just nine games, while his career-high for points in a season took place in 2013-14 where he recorded 61 points in 68 games.

Also considered for the award this week was a pair of Arizona Coyotes 2015 first round draft picks including Dylan Strome of the Erie Otters who scored twice with six assists for eight points in two games, and Nick Merkley of the Kelowna Rockets who scored four goals and four assists for eight points in three games.

2015-16 CHL Regular Season Players of the Week:

Nov. 2 – Nov. 8: Nikolas Brouillard (Quebec Remparts)
Oct. 26 – Nov. 1: Mathew Barzal (Seattle Thunderbirds)
Oct. 19 – Oct. 25: Kevin Labanc (Barrie Colts)
Oct. 12 – Oct. 18: Zach Bratina (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 5 – Oct. 11: Dennis Yan (Shawinigan Cataractes)
Sept. 28 – Oct. 4: Conor Garland (Moncton Wildcats)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 27: Alex Forsberg (Victoria Royals)

CHL Leagues

Foreurs’ Etienne Montpetit named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Etienne Montpetit of the Val-d’Or Foreurs is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending November 8 after posting a 2-0-0-0 record including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 0.50 and save percentage of .979.

VaughnMontpetit made 47 saves in two games for the Foreurs who rise to fourth overall in the QMJHL standings with a 13-7-2-1 record while riding a three-game winning-streak.  Montpetit made 21 saves on Saturday as part of an 8-1 win over the Charlottetown Islanders, then stopped all 26 shots he faced for his first shutout of the season earning first star honours in the 4-0 victory over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.

An 18-year-old from Sallaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec, Montpetit is playing in his second career QMJHL season with the Foreurs after being selected in the eighth round of the 2013 QMJHL Entry Draft.  So far this season he carries a 2.76 goals-against-average and a .900 save percentage with 11 victories.

Also considered for the award this week was Landon Bow of the Swift Current Broncos who picked up two wins in three appearances stopping 84 shots and posting a goals-against-average of 1.07 and save percentage of .966, and New Jersey Devils prospect Mackenzie Blackwood of the Barrie Colts who won twice by stopping 70 shots faced with a goals-against-average of 1.50 and save percentage of .959.

2015-16 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week:

Nov. 2 – Nov. 8: Etienne Montpetit (Val-d’Or Foreurs)
Oct. 26 – Nov. 1: Tyler Parsons (London Knights)
Oct. 19 – Oct. 25: Adin Hill (Portland Winterhawks)
Oct. 12 – Oct. 18: Julio Billia (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)
Oct. 5 – Oct. 11: Coleman Vollrath (Victoria Royals)
Sept. 28 – Oct. 4: Louis-Philip Guindon (Rimouski Oceanic)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 27: Zack Bowman (Flint Firebirds)

CHL Leagues

OHL Partners with HPHL for Second Annual Battle of the Border

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced details for the second annual ‘Battle of the Border’ Minor Midget Hockey Showcase in partnership with the High Performance Hockey League taking place November 13-15 at the RBC Centre in Sarnia, ON, home of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting.

The event features 12 teams from across Ontario, Detroit, and Illinois with players eligible for the 2016 OHL Priority Selection competing before scouts and fans in an 18-game showcase of Minor Midget talent.

Teams representing Ontario include the host Lambton Jr. Sting (ALLIANCE), London Jr. Knights (ALLIANCE), Mississauga Rebels (GTHL), Toronto Marlies (GTHL), Toronto Titans (GTHL), and Whitby Wildcats (OMHA).  Six teams from the HPHL will also compete including Chicago Mission, Chicago Young Americans, Detroit Compuware, Detroit Honeybaked, Detroit Little Caesars, and Team Illinois.

In addition to the action on the ice, the OHL will be holding seminars and information sessions for players and their families.

“The Ontario Hockey League is very excited to continue building our partnership with the HPHL after a successful inaugural event last season in Plymouth,” said Joe Birch, Senior Director of Hockey Development and Special Events. “This exhibition weekend will provide all participating players the opportunity to compete against teams that they may not see during the regular season, and the chance to learn more about our league and what the OHL provides to players in areas such as our scholarship program, player development, and the player environment.”

Players will also have the opportunity to see an OHL game when the Sting host the Guelph Storm on Saturday November 14.

“The HPHL is excited to once again be partnering up with the OHL to create these great events,” said HPHL President Jill Hare. “The HPHL teams are looking forward to a weekend of high level competition and being able to play the games in Canada this year will give our players a unique experience.”

All 12 teams have a history of developing OHL players including current members of the Sting such as Sasha Chmelevski (Detroit Honeybaked), Jeff King (Lambton Jr. Sting) Aidan Hughes (London Jr. Knights), along with New Jersey Devils prospect Josh Jacobs (Detroit Honeybaked) and 2016 NHL Draft top prospect Jakob Chychrun (Detroit Little Caesars).

In addition, the following players from the teams appearing in the Border Battle were selected in the first round of the 2015 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection – third overall pick Ryan McLeod (Toronto Marlboros) of the Mississauga Steelheads; fifth overall pick Zach Gallant (Mississauga Rebels) of the Peterborough Petes; seventh overall pick Ben Jones (Toronto Marlboros) of the Niagara IceDogs; eighth overall pick Matthew Strome (Toronto Marlboros) of the Hamilton Bulldogs; ninth overall pick Markus Phillips (Toronto Titans) of the Owen Sound Attack; 10th overall pick Sasha Chmelevski (Detroit Honeybaked) of the Sarnia Sting; 11th overall pick Robbie Burt (Mississauga Rebels) of the Kingston Frontenacs; 14th overall pick Nick Suzuki (London Jr. Knights) of the Owen Sound Attack; 15th overall pick Isaac Ratcliffe (London Jr. Knights) of the Guelph Storm; and 20th overall pick Vanya Lodnia (Detroit Honeybaked) of the Erie Otters.

All games will be 60 minutes with a flood between each 20-minute period.  A three-man shootout will occur if the game is tied after regulation play.  Total points accumulated by each country will determine the ‘Battle of the Border’ champion.  Teams receive three points for a win, one point for each tie, and one extra point for a shootout win.  Team USA was the winner of last year’s inaugural event.

Admission is free for all ‘Battle of the Border’ games.

2015 Battle of the Border Schedule:

Friday November 13:

4:00 pm – London Jr. Knights vs. Chicago Young Americans (Rink 1)
4:30 pm – Toronto Titans vs. Team Illinois (Rink 2)
6:00 pm – Lambton Jr. Sting vs. Compuware (Rink 1)
6:30 pm – Mississauga Rebels vs. Honeybaked (Rink 2)
8:00 pm – Toronto Marlies vs. Little Caesars (Rink 1)
8:30 pm – Whitby Wildcats vs. Chicago Mission (Rink 2)

Saturday November 14:
10:00 am – Chicago Young Americans vs. Lambton Jr. Sting (Rink 1)
10:40 am – Team Illinois vs. London Jr. Knights (Rink 2)
12:00 pm – Compuware vs. Toronto Titans (Rink 1)
12:40 pm – Honeybaked vs. Whitby Wildcats (Rink 2)
2:00 pm – Little Caesars vs. Mississauga Rebels (Rink 1)
2:40 pm – Chicago Mission vs. Toronto Marlies (Rink 2)

7:05 pm – OHL Guelph Storm vs. Sarnia Sting

Sunday November 15:

8:30 am – Toronto Titans vs. Chicago Young Americans (Rink 1)
9:00 am – Lambton Jr. Sting vs. Team Illinois (Rink 2)
10:30 am – Mississauga Rebels vs. Chicago Mission (Rink 1)
11:00 am – Toronto Marlies vs. Chicago Mission (Rink 2)
12:30 pm – Whitby Wildcats vs. Little Caesars (Rink 1)
1:00 pm – London Jr. Knights vs. Compuware (Rink 2)

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