Most of you know my previous work covering the Ontario Hockey League and its players eligible for the National Hockey League Draft. And now I take the foray into the Junior A circuit and the Ontario Junior Hockey League.
While my focus will remain with the OHL, I’ll take some time to look at what the OJHL has to offer. I’ve followed the league as much as possible, but this will be my first attempt at covering the league.
While the OJHL is predominantly known as a developmental league for the OHL and colleges in both Canada (CIS) and the United States (NCAA), they have some very recognizable names come through the OJHL on their way to the NHL.
Andrew Cogliano, Stephen Weiss, Mike Cammalleri, Cory Stillman, Raffi Torres, Dominic Moore, Justin Williams, Kevin Bieksa, Steve Eminger, Brendan & Reilly Smith and Trevor Daily are some of the better-known names to have played in the OJHL and gone on to the NHL since 2000.
While the 2016 and 2017 NHL Drafts only saw two OJHL players selected in each year, 2018 will prove interesting for no other reason than Toronto Jr Canadiens star forward Jack McBain. The star player led Canada to a gold medal at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial in August scoring a goal and two assists in a 4-1 victory over the Czech Republic in the gold medal game and is projecting to be a top 15 selection at the 2018 draft.
Below is a team-by-team breakdown and the draft eligible players attending their team’s camps (players in bold are on the opening night rosters). Some players have already committed to US Colleges and Universities for 2018 and 2019 and you will see those listed. You will also see some players committed to OHL teams. Those players are currently at OHL team camps and could return to the OJHL if they fail to make the OHL roster.
Finally, you will see players that have been drafted by an OHL team or United States Hockey League teams. The majority of those players drafted will likely play a season in the OJHL before making the jump to the OHL or the USHL.
Bare with me if you see an error or two. I’m still building connections with the teams. But if you do see an error, please feel free to leave a comment in the comment section.
| # | Player | POS | Team | Commitment | OHL Draft / USHL Draft | |
| 12 | Rory DiNiro | F | Aurora Tigers | |||
| 19 | Brennan Stapleton | F | Aurora Tigers | |||
| 21 | Tyler Davis | F | Aurora Tigers | Owen Sound Attack (OHL) | ||
| 24 | Marcelo Pericao | D | Aurora Tigers | |||
| 27 | Elijah Gonsalves | F | Aurora Tigers | London Knights (OHL) | ||
| 29 | Jack Irvine | G | Aurora Tigers | |||
| 12 | Ryan Sidorski | D | Buffalo Jr Sabres | Union College (2019) | Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL) | |
| 14 | Jack Tucker | D | Buffalo Jr Sabres | Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) | Kitchener Rangers (OHL) | |
| 16 | Ethan Kirbis | F | Buffalo Jr Sabres | North Bay Battalion (OHL) | ||
| 19 | Trevor Peca | F | Buffalo Jr Sabres | Univ. of Maine (2019) | Ottawa 67’s (OHL), Lincoln Stars (USHL) | |
| 33 | Benjamin Kraws | G | Buffalo Jr Sabres | Miami University (Ohio) 2019 | Niagara IceDogs (OHL) | |
| 19 | Mitchell Morrison | F | Burlington Cougars | Saginaw Spirit (OHL) | ||
| 29 | Justin Richer | G | Burlington Cougars | |||
| 55 | Roberto Moretto | D | Burlington Cougars | |||
| 69 | Joshua Leblanc | F | Burlington Cougars | |||
| 89 | Josiah Degazon | F | Burlington Cougars | Barrie Colts (OHL) | ||
| 11 | Jamie Engelbert | F | Cobourg Cougars | |||
| 14 | Madoka Suzuki | F | Cobourg Cougars | Owen Sound Attack (OHL) | ||
| 24 | Jacob Black | F | Cobourg Cougars | |||
| 7 | Pierre-Luc Forget | F | Georgetown Raiders | Niagara IceDogs (OHL) | ||
| 11 | John Parker-Jones | F | Georgetown Raiders | Peterborough Petes (OHL) | Peterborough Petes (OHL) | |
| 25 | Justin Paul | F | Georgetown Raiders | From Milton Icehawks (OJHL) | Cedar Rapids Rough Riders (USHL) | |
| 28 | Connor McBroom | F | Georgetown Raiders | Mississauga Steelheads (OHL) | ||
| 44 | Josh Nixon | F | Georgetown Raiders | |||
| 55 | Luke Beamish | D | Georgetown Raiders | Owen Sound Attack (OHL) | Owen Sound Attack (OHL) | |
| 12 | Troy Bowditch | F | Kingston Voyageurs | |||
| 15 | Adam Kim | F | Kingston Voyageurs | |||
| 44 | Cole Edwards | F | Kingston Voyageurs | Colorado College (2018) | ||
| 45 | Zach Wheeler | D | Kingston Voyageurs | |||
| 71 | Neil Gummeson | D | Kingston Voyageurs | |||
| 11 | Nathan Balkwill | D | Lindsay Muskies | |||
| 22 | Matthew McNamara | D | Lindsay Muskies | Peterborough Petes (OHL) | ||
| 26 | Clay Coles | F | Lindsay Muskies | |||
| 27 | Braydon Leeking | F | Lindsay Muskies | Flint Firebirds (OHL), Chicago Steel (USHL) | ||
| 3 | Orie Mainolfi | D | Markham Royals | |||
| 24 | Sam Marit | F | Markham Royals | |||
| 91 | Bair Gendunov | F | Markham Royals | Saginaw Spirit (OHL) | ||
| 14 | Justin Paul | F | Milton Icehawks | To Georgetown Raiders (OJHL) | Cedar Rapids Rough Riders (USHL) | |
| 16 | Zac Sirota | F | Milton Icehawks | |||
| 17 | Benjamin Lindberg | D | Milton Icehawks | |||
| 26 | Wesley MacPherson | D | Milton Icehawks | |||
| 35 | Noah Battaglia | G | Milton Icehawks | |||
| 88 | Brandon Lucchesi | F | Milton Icehawks | North Bay Battalion (OHL) | ||
| 6 | Sonny Martin | D | Mississauga Chargers | |||
| 9 | Christian James-MacDonald | F | Mississauga Chargers | |||
| 11 | Shane Donovan | D | Mississauga Chargers | |||
| 22 | Micheal Imperiale | D | Mississauga Chargers | |||
| 35 | Daniel Murphy | G | Mississauga Chargers | Erie Otters (OHL) | ||
| 76 | Mitchell Hewitson | F | Mississauga Chargers | Oshawa Generals (OHL) | Oshawa Generals (OHL) | |
| 90 | Joseph Rupoli | D | Mississauga Chargers | Oshawa Generals (OHL) | Oshawa Generals (OHL) | |
| * | Ian Vucko | D | Newmarket Hurricanes | Kitchener Rangers (OHL) | ||
| 3 | Matthew MacDougall | F | Newmarket Hurricanes | Barrie Colts (OHL),Lincoln Stars (USHL) | ||
| 4 | Dimitri Mikrogiannakis | D | Newmarket Hurricanes | |||
| 8 | Quinn Yule | F | Newmarket Hurricanes | Ottawa 67’s (OHL) | Ottawa 67’s (OHL) | |
| 11 | Jake Cella | F | Newmarket Hurricanes | |||
| 17 | Christian Taylor | F | Newmarket Hurricanes | Barrie Colts (OHL) | ||
| 21 | Nicholas Cirone | F | Newmarket Hurricanes | |||
| 22 | Adrian Nabuurs | D | Newmarket Hurricanes | Barrie Colts (OHL) | ||
| 23 | Robert Cranston | D | Newmarket Hurricanes | Niagara IceDogs (OHL) | ||
| 25 | Michael Aloise | F | Newmarket Hurricanes | Windsor Spitfires (OHL) | ||
| 28 | Xavier Drummond | F | Newmarket Hurricanes | Niagara IceDogs (OHL) | ||
| 7 | Peter Muzyka | D | North York Rangers | Cornell University (2018) | ||
| 11 | Matthew Hubbarde | F | North York Rangers | |||
| 15 | Dante Fantauzzi | D | North York Rangers | Oshawa Generals (OHL) | ||
| 19 | Jesse Tucker | F | North York Rangers | Owen Sound Attack (OHL) | ||
| 21 | James Fletcher | F | North York Rangers | Mississauga Steelheads (OHL) | ||
| 72 | Jett Alexander | G | North York Rangers | Mississauga Steelheads (OHL) | ||
| 55 | Harrison Rees | D | North York Rangers | Univ of Connecticut (2019) | Erie Otters (OHL) | |
| * | Jack Tucker | D | Oakville Blades | Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) | Kitchener Rangers (OHL) | |
| 7 | Teth Burles | F | Oakville Blades | Guelph Storm (OHL) | ||
| 7 | Jackson Doherty | F | Oakville Blades | Owen Sound (OHL) | Owen Sound Attack (OHL) | |
| 14 | Matt Hayami | F | Oakville Blades | Soo Greyhounds (OHL), Cedar Rapids Rough Riders (USHL) | ||
| 21 | Thomas Maia | F | Oakville Blades | Mississauga Steelheads (OHL) | ||
| 31 | Christian Purboo | G | Oakville Blades | North Bay Battalion (OHL) | ||
| 72 | Andrew McIntyre | F | Oakville Blades | Kitchener Rangers (OHL) | ||
| 77 | Spencer Kersten | F | Oakville Blades | Princeton Univ (2019) | Owen Sound Attack (OHL) | |
| 5 | Riley Valade | D | Orangeville Flyers | Owen Sound Attack (OHL) | ||
| 12 | Jacob Latham | D | Orangeville Flyers | |||
| 13 | Rocco Andreacchi | F | Orangeville Flyers | |||
| 24 | Michael Hill | F | Orangeville Flyers | Niagara IceDogs (OHL) | ||
| 33 | Nathan Torchia | G | Orangeville Flyers | To Stouffville Spirit (OJHL) | Oshawa Generals (OHL) | |
| 47 | Aiden Timmermans | D | Orangeville Flyers | Oshawa Generals (OHL) | ||
| 57 | Zach Taylor | D | Orangeville Flyers | |||
| 2 | Mitchell Doyle | D | Pickering Panthers | Guelph Storm (OHL) | ||
| 17 | Joseph Franzin | D | Pickering Panthers | North Bay Battalion (OHL) | ||
| 27 | Dustyn McFaul | D | Pickering Panthers | Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) | ||
| 55 | Mitchell Doyle | D | Pickering Panthers | Guelph Storm (OHL) | ||
| 77 | Riley Girard | F | Pickering Panthers | Niagara IceDogs (OHL) | ||
| 90 | Anthony Stavrou | F | Pickering Panthers | |||
| 3 | Liam Beaudoin | D | St Micheals Buzzers | |||
| 3 | Adrian Bilic | D | St Micheals Buzzers | Sudbury Wolves (OHL) | ||
| 6 | Charles Mackie | D | St Micheals Buzzers | Sudbury Wolves (OHL), Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) | ||
| 9 | Tyler Spott | D | St Micheals Buzzers | Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) | Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL), Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) | |
| 11 | Ryan Madigan | F | St Micheals Buzzers | |||
| 13 | Joseph Giovenco | F | St Micheals Buzzers | |||
| 19 | Zack Young | F | St Micheals Buzzers | Windsor Spitfires (OHL) | ||
| 26 | Jonah Alexander | F | St Micheals Buzzers | |||
| 30 | Jack Watson | G | St Micheals Buzzers | Mississauga Steelheads (OHL) | ||
| 1 | Nathan Torchia | G | Stouffville Spirit | From Orangeville Flyers (OJHL) | Oshawa Generals (OHL) | |
| 8 | Paul O’Doherty | D | Stouffville Spirit | Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL) | ||
| 9 | James Waldron | F | Stouffville Spirit | Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL) | ||
| 20 | Thomas Tinmouth | F | Stouffville Spirit | Ottawa 67’s (OHL) | ||
| 26 | Jacob Breckles | D | Stouffville Spirit | Barrie Colts (OHL) | ||
| 16 | Matthew O’Brien | F | Toronto Jr Canadiens | Windsor Spitfires (OHL) | ||
| 18 | Matteo DiGiulio | F | Toronto Jr Canadiens | Saginaw Spirit (OHL) | ||
| 19 | Jack McBain | F | Toronto Jr Canadiens | Boston College (2018) | Barrie Colts (OHL), Lincoln Stars (USHL) | |
| 25 | Matthew Falls | F | Toronto Jr Canadiens | Peterborough Petes (OHL), Tri-City Storm (USHL) | ||
| 30 | Christian Mattiace | G | Toronto Jr Canadiens | Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) | ||
| 2 | Travis Mailhot | D | Toronto Patriots | North Bay Battalion (OHL) | North Bay Battalion (OHL) | |
| 4 | Liam Beaudoin | D | Toronto Patriots | To St Michaels Buzzers (OJHL) | ||
| 10 | Alex Kraljevic | F | Toronto Patriots | |||
| 12 | Mathew Bazarin | F | Toronto Patriots | Erie Otters (OHL) | ||
| 14 | Marco Maggioni | F | Toronto Patriots | |||
| 18 | Nicholas Mounouchos | F | Toronto Patriots | |||
| 19 | Evan Benwell | F | Toronto Patriots | Windsor Spitfires (OHL) | ||
| 23 | Jackson Alexeev | F | Toronto Patriots | Saginaw Spirit (OHL) | ||
| 9 | Dawson Baker | F | Trenton Golden Hawks | Sudbury Wolves (OHL) | Sudbury Wolves (OHL) | |
| 13 | Anthony Bastianello | F | Trenton Golden Hawks | |||
| 15 | Gage Stephney | F | Trenton Golden Hawks | Oshawa Generals (OHL) | ||
| 16 | Sean Blimkie | D | Trenton Golden Hawks | Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL) | ||
| 20 | Matt Nastasiuk | F | Trenton Golden Hawks | Ottawa 67’s (OHL) | ||
| 2 | Declan Carlile | D | Wellington Dukes | |||
| 10 | Graeme McCrory | F | Wellington Dukes | Peterborough Petes (OHL) | ||
| 23 | Bryson Michel | D | Wellington Dukes | |||
| 33 | Creed Jones | G | Wellington Dukes | Ottawa 67’s (OHL) | ||
| 9 | Joe Roy | D | Whitby Fury | Niagara IceDogs (OHL) | ||
| 19 | Matthew Sherwin | F | Whitby Fury | Owen Sound Attack (OHL) | ||
| 71 | Amedeo Mastrangeli | D | Whitby Fury | |||
| 84 | Mason Snell | D | Whitby Fury | Penn State University (2019) | North Bay Battalion (OHL), Sioux City Musketeers (USHL) | |
| 92 | Liam Robertson | F | Whitby Fury | London Knights (OHL) | ||
| 98 | Riley McCutcheon | F | Whitby Fury | Ottawa 67’s (OHL) | ||
