Month: March 2017

·       Combine includes 77 top prospects eligible for the 2017 OHL Priority Selection

·       Media are invited to Oshawa’s Tribute Communities Centre for Photo/ENG opportunities, please RSVP for Interviews

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the rosters and schedule for the 2017 OHL Development Combine which takes place April 1-2 at the Tribute Communities Centre In Oshawa, ON.

The Combine offers 77 players (36 forwards, 25 defencemen, and 16 goaltenders) born in 2001 the opportunity to showcase themselves both on and off the ice to OHL member team personnel.  Sport Testing results will be distributed to every OHL member team General Manager to assist in their evaluation for the OHL Priority Selection to be held on Saturday, April 8, 2017.

“This year’s OHL Combine will feature an improved and advanced use of technology,” said Joe Birch, OHL Senior Director of Player Development and Special Events. “By collecting more data that measures elements such as power, velocity, agility, and strength, we can better assist the players in their own personal development while providing more resources for evaluation by OHL member teams.”

This year’s off and on-ice testing will be conducted by Elite Training Systems in partnership with The Park Sports Facility Inc.  In addition to Saturday’s testing, players will partake in a seminar that focuses on proper Nutrition and Training for elite athletes led by Oshawa Generals Strength Coach, Kevin Chapman.  Generals Player Development Skills Coach, Anthony Cornacchia, will lead the teams during the Skills Practice portion of their on-ice time, while OHL Goaltending Consultant, Rick Wamsley, and members of the league’s Goaltending Advisory Board will lead goalie specific on-ice and classroom sessions aimed at development.  Participants will open the weekend by experiencing the OHL Playoffs when the Generals host the Sudbury Wolves on Friday night.

“Elite Training Systems is excited to work with The Park Sports Facility to bring the OHL a more advanced version of the combine,” said Mark Fitzgerald, Owner and Head of Performance at ETS. “Since day one ETS has been involved in the development of this program and continues to find ways to deliver quality information to the athletes and coaches. Introducing some new technology this year will help present a clearer picture of athletic performance and the athlete’s ability to perform on the ice.”

Players will also compete in a series of 5-on-5 and 3-on-3 games on Sunday joined behind the bench by special guest coaches that include OHL graduates Paul Beraldo, Luca Caputi, Matt Corrente, and Paul Ranger, along with member team personnel.  All games are available online at http://hockeytv.com.

Teams will be competing for the OHL Combine Cup Championship that awards points based on individual and team performances in both off and on-ice testing, as well as Sunday’s game results.

The 2017 event marks the tenth straight year the OHL has hosted a skills development day for players and goaltenders in advance of the OHL Priority Selection.  Last season’s OHL Development Combine featured seven players chosen in the first round of the Priority Selection including Connor Roberts (3rd to HAM), Ty Dellandrea (5th to FLNT), Barrett Hayton (9th to SSM), Adam McMaster (13th to NB), Tyler Tucker (14th to BAR), Nathan Dunkley (17th to KGN), Liam Foudy (18th to LDN).  McMaster, Tucker, and Foudy were all members of the Combine Cup Champion Team Black.

 2017 OHL Development Combine Schedule:

Saturday April 1:
8:15 am to 9:15 am – Goalies Off-Ice Testing
9:30 am to 10:30 am – Team Stamkos (Blue) Off-Ice Testing
10:45 am to 11:45 am – Team Lindros (Red) Off-Ice Testing
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm – Team Ekblad (Orange) Off-Ice Testing
1:15 pm to 2:15 pm – Team Subban (White) Off-Ice Testing

12:00 pm to 1:15 pm – Team Subban and Team Stamkos Goalie On-Ice Skills and Practice
1:30 pm to 2:45 pm – Team Lindros and Team Ekblad Goalie On-Ice Skills and Practice

3:00 pm to 4:15 pm – Team Lindros (Red) On-Ice Testing and Skills Practice
4:30 pm to 5:45 pm – Team Ekblad (Orange) On-Ice Testing and Skills Practice
6:00 pm to 7:15 pm – Team Subban (White) On-Ice Testing and Skills Practice
7:30 pm to 8:45 pm – Team Stamkos (Blue) On-Ice Testing and Skills Practice

Sunday April 2:
8:15 am to 9:15 am – Team Stamkos (Blue) vs. Team Lindros (Red)
9:30 am to 10:30 am – Team Ekblad (Orange) vs. Team Subban (White)
12:55 pm to 2:00 pm – Team Red (Lindros) vs. Team Subban (White)
2:25 pm to 3:30 pm – Team Stamkos (Blue) vs. Team Ekblad (Orange)

2017 OHL Development Combine Rosters:

TEAM STAMKOS (BLUE)

Goaltenders:
82 David Cunti (Toronto Titans)
83 Luke Cavallin (Kemptville 73’s U18)
84 Logan Stein (TPH Thunder U16)
85 Aidan Pitre (Sun County Panthers)

Defencemen:
3 Noah Beck (Markham Majors)
4 Evan Brand (Mississauga Rebels)
5 Thomas Harley (Vaughan Kings)
6 Ford Ondrovic (Ottawa Jr. Senators U18)
7 Grayson Ladd (Chatham-Kent Cyclones)
8 Joe Kennedy (Toronto Red Wings)

Forwards:
9 Jalen Balbosa (York-Simcoe Express)
10 Curtis Fabbro (Ottawa Jr. Senators U18)
11 Nicholas Porco (Vaughan Kings)
12 Blake Murray (Whitby Wildcats)
13 Mitchell Russell (Barrie Jr. Colts)
14 Dennis Golovatchev (Mississauga Reps)
15 Brayden Guy (Brampton 45’s)
16 Carson Eden (Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs)
17 Ty Gilberds (Vaughan Kings)

Coaches:
Paul Ranger (Graduate, Oshawa Generals)
Matt Turek (Director of Player Personnel, Hamilton Bulldogs)

TEAM SUBBAN (WHITE)

Goaltenders:
78 Joseph Howe (Toronto Jr. Canadiens)
79 Christian Cicigoi (Thunder Bay Kings)
80 Owen Say (London Jr. Knights)
81 Zachary Paputsakis (Cumberland Grads U18)

Defencemen:
18 Nathan Allensen (Waterloo Wolves)
19 Mark Woolley (Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs)
20 Liam Ross (Mississauga Reps)
21 Kyle Sullivan (Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs)
22 Simon Rose (Pembroke Lumber Kings U18)
23 Drew Wawrow (Brampton 45’s)

Forwards:
24 Ethan Doyle (Whitby Wildcats)
25 Brandon Coe (Toronto Nationals)
26 Hayden Fowler (Kingston Jr. Frontenacs)
27 Ryan Stepien (Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs)
28 Matthew Gordon (Guelph Jr. Gryphons)
29 Ian Martin (Ajax-Pickering Raiders)
30 Alex Johnston (Kanata Lasers U18)
31 Jordan Stock (Hamilton Huskies)
32 Andrew Horsley (Brampton 45’s)

Coaches:
Luca Caputi (Assistant Coach, Guelph Storm)
Frank Evola (Head Scout, Oshawa Generals)

TEAM LINDROS (RED)

Goaltenders:
70 Cameron Carvalho (Toronto Marlboros)
71 Cyrus Martin (Waterloo Wolves)
72 Ethan Taylor (Quinte Red Devils)
73 Ethan Langevin (Whitby Wildcats)

Defencemen:
33 Mitchell Brewer (Halton Hurricanes)
34 Klim Georgiev (Mississauga Reps)
35 Christian De Giorgis (Toronto Marlboros)
36 Cameron Supryka (Quinte Red Devils)
37 Xavier Henry (Toronto Titans)
38 Bill Constantinou (Toronto Marlboros)

Forwards:
39 Ryan Campbell (Cambridge Hawks)
40 Mason Dreger (Whitby Wildcats)
41 Joseph Carroll (Carleton Place Canadians U18)
42 Owen Belisle (Thunder Bay Kings)
43 Kurtis Evans (Central Ontario Wolves)
44 Emmett Sproule (Grey-Bruce Highlanders)
45 Keean Washkurak (Waterloo Wolves)
46 Alex Dominique (Toronto Titans)
47 Nicholas Chartrand (Cumberland Grads U18)

Coaches:
Paul Beraldo (Area Scout, Hamilton Bulldogs)
Beau Moyer (Director of Player Development, Kingston Frontenacs)

TEAM EKBLAD (ORANGE)

Goaltenders:
74 Zach Roy (Toronto Nationals)
75 Brody Bernard (Smiths Falls Bears U18)
76 Owen Robertson (Mississauga Rebels)
77 Matthew Dunsmoor (Guelph Jr. Gryphons)

Defencemen:
48 Robert Calisti (Toronto Nationals)
49 Lucas Peric (Halton Hurricanes)
50 Alexandre Hogue (Cumberland Grads U18)
51 Mason Howard (London Jr. Knights)
52 Duncan Penman (Mississauga Rebels)
53 Aidan McLeod (Brantford 99ers)
86 Alexandre Charlebois (Cumberland Grads U18)

Forwards:
54 Jeff Burridge (London Jr. Knights)
55 Eric Ciccolini (Vaughan Kings)
56 Connor McMichael (Ajax-Pickering Raiders)
57 Aidan Prueter (London Jr. Knights)
58 Tanner McEachern (Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs)
59 Tye Kartye (Kingston Jr. Frontenacs)
60 Ethan Keppen (Toronto Nationals)
61 Jamieson Rees (Mississauga Reps)
62 Michael Andrews (Quinte Red Devils)

Coaches:
Matt Corrente (Graduate, Niagara IceDogs)
Justin Collins (Area Scout, Hamilton Bulldogs)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE ROSTERS AND SCHEDULE

For more information about OHL Combine testing, please read the Sportsnet.ca article How the OHL is poised to change the way combines are run by David Singh.

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Anaheim Ducks prospect Sam Steel of the Regina Pats is the CHL Player of the Week for the first week of playoff action ending March 26 after scoring once with five assists for six points in two games and a plus-minus rating of plus-5.

Steel helped the CHL’s top ranked Pats open the 2017 WHL Playoffs with a pair of victories on home ice against the Eastern Conference’s second Wild Card Calgary Hitmen in their first round best-of-seven series.  Steel picked up an assist in Friday’s 5-2 victory in Game 1, then recorded a five-point performance in Saturday’s Game 2 scoring once with four assists as first star of the 5-1 win.  The series now shifts to Calgary with Game 3 scheduled for Tuesday night followed by Game 4 on Thursday.

A 19-year-old from Sherwood Park, AB, Steel is playing in his third full season with the Pats who selected him second overall in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft.  Steel led all CHL players in scoring during the 2016-17 campaign earning the WHL’s Bob Clarke Trophy with 131 points powered by 50 goals and 81 assists in 66 games.  He was chosen in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft by the Ducks and signed his entry-level contract with the club in December.

Also considered for the award this week was Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Anthony Cirelli of the OHL’s first place Erie Otters who scored three goals and two assists for five points in two first round playoff wins against the Sarnia Sting.  In the QMJHL, Nashville Predators prospect Frédéric Allard of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens collected five assists in two first round playoff wins against the Victoriaville Tigres.

2016-17 CHL Post-Season Players of the Week:
Mar. 20 – Mar. 26: Sam Steel (Regina Pats)

2016-17 CHL Regular Season Players of the Week:

Mar. 13 – Mar. 19: Brandon Hagel (Red Deer Rebels)
Mar. 6 – Mar. 12: Daniel Sprong (Charlottetown Islanders)
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Gabriel Vilardi (Windsor Spitfires)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Michael McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Christophe Boivin (Acadie-Bathurst Titan)
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Mathew Barzal (Seattle Thunderbirds)
Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)
Jan. 23 – Jan. 29: Tyler Boland (Rimouski Oceanic)
Jan. 16 – Jan. 22: Alexis D’Aoust (Shawinigan Cataractes)
Jan. 9 – Jan. 15: Kole Sherwood (Flint Firebirds)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Brayden Burke (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Adam Brooks (Regina Pats)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Vitalii Abramov (Gatineau Olympiques)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Hayden Hodgson (Saginaw Spirit)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Sergey Zborovskiy (Regina Pats)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Jayden Halbgewachs (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Alexander Katerinakis (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Nico Hischier (Halifax Mooseheads)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Bobby MacIntyre (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Kale Clague (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Jeremy Bracco (Kitchener Rangers)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Cameron Askew (Moncton Wildcats)
Sept. 26 – Oct. 2: Sam Steel (Regina Pats)

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Kyle Jessiman of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the first week of playoff action ending March 26 after posting a 2-0 record including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 0.56 and save percentage of .977.

Jessiman made 42 saves in two wins last week for the seventh place Screaming Eagles who opened the first round of the 2017 QMJHL Playoffs at home against the tenth place Gatineau Olympiques.  Making his first career post-season start in Friday’s Game 1, Jessiman turned aside all 25 shots he faced and earned second star honours in the 1-0 overtime victory.  In Game 2 on Saturday, Jessiman entered the game early in the second period with his club trailing 5-2 and would deny 17 of 18 shots as the Screaming Eagles stormed back and emerged victorious by a 7-6 score in overtime.  The series shifts to Gatineau for Game’s 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

An 18-year-old from Châteauguay, QC, Jessiman is playing in his second season in Cape Breton after being selected by the Screaming Eagles in the second round of the 2015 QMJHL Entry Draft.  This season the NHL Draft prospect played in 44 games carrying an overall record of 21-17-2-2 with a goals-against-average of 3.09 and save percentage of .898.

Also considered for the award this week was Michael Herringer of the Kelowna Rockets who made 48 saves posting a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .960 in a pair of first round wins that included a shutout victory over the Kamloops Blazers.  In the OHL, Dawson Carty of the Hamilton Bulldogs made 54 saves in a pair of road wins over the Kingston Frontenacs including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 2.00 and save percentage of .931.

2016-17 Vaughn CHL Playoff Goaltenders of the Week:

Mar. 20 – Mar. 26: Kyle Jessiman (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles)

2016-17 Vaughn CHL Regular Season Goaltenders of the Week:
Mar. 13 – Mar. 19: Cole Kehler (Portland Winterhawks)
Mar. 6 – Mar. 12: Callum Booth (Saint John Sea Dogs)
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Matthew Villalta (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Zach Sawchenko (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Zach Sawchenko (Moose Jaw Warriors)

Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Brodan Salmond (Kelowna Rockets)
Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: Stuart Skinner (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Jan. 23 – Jan. 29: Jeremy Helvig (Kingston Frontenacs)
Jan. 16 – Jan. 22: Matthew Welsh (Charlottetown Islanders)
Jan. 9 – Jan. 15: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Francis Leclerc (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Griffen Outhouse (Victoria Royals)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Dylan Wells (Peterborough Petes)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Connor Ingram (Kamloops Blazers)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Matthew Villalta (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Patrick Dea (Edmonton Oil Kings)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Zach Sawchenko (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Troy Timpano (Erie Otters)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Reilly Pickard (Acadie-Bathurst Titan)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Ryan Kubic (Vancouver Giants)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Logan Flodell (Saskatoon Blades)
Sept. 26 – Oct. 2: Samuel Harvey (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 25: Liam Herbst (Guelph Storm)

This is an interesting read from Sportsnet

WHITBY, Ont. — Ryan Smyth reaches into a large, black CCM hockey bag, but no sticks or skates can be found inside. Instead, there are just plenty of gadgets.

There’s a compression undershirt outfitted with sensors, and a GPS tracker that can fit in your palm. There’s a small box that can be affixed to a player’s hip for 3D motion capture, and many other pieces of wearable technology.

Smyth, a sports technologist for the Anaheim Ducks, is going to change the Ontario Hockey League Combine with this bag of goodies. He’s confident its contents will help push the league into the future and eventually advance other North American combines, too.