FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2021
Toronto, Ont. – We had Wednesday and Thursday off, but we’re back at it with all 20 teams in action on Friday! Here’s what you need to know entering the weekend.
Welsh to make OHL history in Kitchener on Friday:
She’s already worked an OHL pre-season game, but Kirsten Welsh will become the OHL’s first-ever woman linesperson during regular season action on Friday in Kitchener as the Rangers play host to the Owen Sound Attack. Get to know Welsh, who is a former blueliner and captain of Robert Morris University’s women’s hockey program here.
Frontenacs honour Larry Mavety on CBC this Saturday:
The Kingston Frontenacs host the Mississauga Steelheads in this week’s CHL on CBC instalment Saturday at 3:00pm ET. It’s Larry Mavety Night at the Leon’s Centre as the Fronts pay tribute to one of the League’s best-known all-time builders in the late Larry Mavety. Top 2022 NHL Draft prospect Shane Wright takes to the ice against a Steelheads club that enters the weekend as winners of four in a row. The Frontenacs are led in scoring by overage winger Lucas Edmonds, whose unconventional path to the OHL has taken him from North Bay, to the GTHL, to Sweden and finally to Kingston. You can learn more about Edmonds’ journey here.
B.J Adams named new Head Coach of Otters:
After a 3-7-1-0 start to the season, the Erie Otters have made a change behind the bench, relieving Chris Hartsburg of his duties while promoting long-time associate coach B.J. Adams to the club’s lead role. Read more
Rosters revealed for 2021 Capital City Challenge:
Hockey Canada’s 66-player National Under-17 roster consists of 24 OHL players spread out across three rosters entering the four-team Capital City Challenge that gets underway on November 26th in Ottawa. Read more
Knights and Greyhounds included in Week 6 edition of Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings:
The London Knights hold steady at number two in the CHL this week behind the WHL’s Winnipeg ICE despite dropping consecutive decisions. The Soo Greyhounds make their season debut on the list, coming in at 10th in the country. Read more
Frontenacs’ Wright named OHL Player of the Week, receives national honours:
Kingston Frontenacs captain Shane Wright is the OHL Player of the Week with eight points over three games last week. He also earned CHL Team of the Week recognition for his performance. Read more
Steelheads’ Basran named OHL Goaltender of the Week:
Roman Basran of the Mississauga Steelheads is the OHL Goaltender of the Week with three wins, a 0.97 goals-against average, .952 save percentage and his first career OHL shutout. Read more
OHL Weekend Notebook:
The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice. Read more
Spitfire teammates Maggio, Johnston featured in OHL Plays of the Week:
It’s time for the OHL Plays of the Week! Check out offensive brilliance from Sudbury’s Chase Stillman, Windsor’s Matt Maggio, Sault Ste. Marie’s Tyler Savard, Owen Sound’s Mark Woolley and Windsor’s Wyatt Johnston. Watch
Petes’ Simpson stymies shooters in OHL Saves of the Week:
Rolling out the red carpet for ridiculous OHL refusals headlined by Peterborough Petes netminder Michael Simpson in the latest edition of the OHL Saves of the Week. Watch
Check out 23 career firsts and a pair of shutouts in OHL Milestone Moments:
The latest instalment of OHL Milestone Moments includes 23 first career goals along with a pair of milestone shutouts. Watch
OHL News – Radio Edition with Oshawa’s Ty Tullio:
Entering the weekend on a 12-game point streak, Edmonton Oilers prospect Ty Tullio of the Oshawa Generals joins OHL News Radio. Listen
Battalion’s Petrov signs with Oilers:
The Edmonton Oilers have signed North Bay Battalion forward Matvey Petrov to a three-year entry-level NHL contract. The Russian winger has started his season with 10 goals and eight assists in 14 games for the Troops. Read more
Carson Lloyd commits to Knights:
The London Knights have received a commitment from third round 2021 OHL Priority Selection choice Carson Lloyd who has started his season with the OJHL’s Georgetown Raiders. Read more
COMMUNITY CORNER:
OHL supporting Special Olympics Ontario at six games this weekend: Special Olympics Month continues across the OHL this weekend, with six games supporting athletes across the province. Keep an eye out for ceremonial puck drops and awareness campaigns on Friday in Guelph, Niagara, Kingston and Kitchener, on Saturday in Windsor and on Sunday in Oshawa. Read more
67’s honour Canadian Armed Forces on Friday: The Ottawa 67’s will be decked out in special military themed jerseys on Friday when they play host to the Mississauga Steelheads. The 67’s will be honouring men and women in uniform throughout the evening.
Otters host Military Appreciation Night on Saturday: With Remembrance Day and Veterans Day this past week, the Erie Otters will be saluting the troops on Saturday at Erie Insurance Arena. The Otters will be wearing special camouflaged military themed uniforms to be auctioned off post-game in section 220 as well as online next week. Proceeds will go to the Veterans Miracle Center of Erie.
Spirit honour Military on Saturday: Much like the Otters, the Saginaw Spirit will be honouring Military service-people and veterans on Saturday at home to the Kitchener Rangers at the Dow Event Center. The Spirit will be wearing limited edition military uniforms to be auctioned off in support of the Bay City Elks for local veteran initiatives.
Battalion prepare for Tim Horton’s Day on Sunday: Timbits make their return to the Memorial Gardens on Sunday afternoon with the Sudbury Wolves in town. Fans will have a chance to win major prizes from Tim Horton’s including free coffee for a year for one lucky winner.
Steelheads raising funds for men’s health with Movember campaign: The Mississauga Steelheads are growing their mo’s for men’s health this month. The Trout have started a team Movember campaign as they look to change the face of men’s health. Learn more about their initiative and make a donation here.
Wolves launch Movember campaign: The Sudbury Wolves are working on their moustaches this month, launching a Movember campaign to raise funds for men’s health. Check out their progress at movember.com.
ALUMNI NOTES:
Nash’s #61 to be retired by Blue Jackets: The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that all-time leading scorer Rick Nash’s number 61 will be retired by the club prior to a game on March 5, 2022. The Brampton, Ont. native who played two seasons for the London Knights from 2000-02 put up 547 points (289-258–547) over a 674-game tenure in Columbus after being selected by the club with the first overall pick of the 2002 NHL Draft. The 37-year-old Nash retired following the 2017-18 season after a 1,060-game NHL career resulting in 805 points between the Jackets, New York Rangers and Boston Bruins.
Cotter makes NHL debut: London Knights graduate Paul Cotter got into his first NHL game on Tuesday as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-2. The 21-year-old Cotter picked up his first NHL goal two nights later against the Minnesota Wild. A product of Canton, Michigan, Cotter played one season in London, recording 26 points (9-17–26) in 48 games during the 2018-19 campaign. He was Vegas’ fourth round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.
Gagner plays 900th career NHL contest: London Knights graduate Sam Gagner played in his 900th career NHL contest on Tuesday, picking up an assist as his Detroit Red Wings beat his former club, the Edmonton Oilers by a score of 4-2. The 32-year-old Gagner has six points (2-4–6) through 15 games with the Red Wings in this, his 15th NHL season. Gagner played one season with the London Knights in 2006-07 before being selected by the Oilers with the sixth overall pick of the 2007 NHL Draft. Sam and his father Dave Gagner, who is also an OHL graduate, are one of six father-son combos in NHL history to have each played 900 games.
Sparks, Villalta make for inseparable goaltending tandem in AHL: Los Angeles Kings farmhands Garret Sparks and Matthew Villalta as thick as thieves. The two OHL graduates have paced the Ontario Reign to their best-ever start to a season with a 9-0-1 mark in the standings. The two goaltenders are an inseparable duo both on and off the ice as Sparks, who is a former Guelph Storm puckstopper and Villalta, a former Soo Greyhound, have quite the friendship. Jared Shafran has more in the LA Kings Insider.
Knights grad Marietti to be inducted into ECHL Hall of Fame: London Knights graduate Brett Marietti has been announced as a member of the ECHL’s 2022 Hall of Fame Class. The Haileybury, Ont. product was a South Carolina Stingrays star for nine seasons between 1994-2003, winning Kelly Cup titles in 1997 and 2001. He scored at least 20 goals seven times over his nine seasons while his 30 career playoff goals are tied for 13th in ECHL history. Marietti played for the Knights from 1990-93.
KEY MATCHUPS:
Soo Greyhounds at London Knights
Friday November 12th – 7:30pm
The OHL’s two representatives in this week’s edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings square off at Budweiser Gardens on Friday as the CHL’s second-ranked Knights try and reverse consecutive losses against the high-scoring 10th ranked Soo Greyhounds. The Knights were without captain Luke Evangelista in their last two contests but the Nashville Predators prospect is expected to make his return against the Greyhounds. The Hounds feature two of the League’s top three scorers in Calgary Flames prospect Rory Kerins and overage winger Tye Kartye. Veteran flank Cole MacKay and St. Louis Blues prospect Tanner Dickinson are also big producers in the Soo lineup. This is the first of four meetings between the two clubs this season.
Mississauga Steelheads at Kingston Frontenacs
Saturday November 13th – 3:00pm on CBC
Top 2022 NHL Draft prospect and reigning OHL Player of the Week Shane Wright comes to CBC this weekend as his Kingston Frontenacs host the Mississauga Steelheads before a national audience. While Wright is a staple down the middle, the Fronts have been led in scoring by overage winger Lucas Edmonds and Los Angeles Kings prospect Martin Chromiak, each with 18 points. Rookie standout Matthew Soto has also registered over a point-per-game with 13 through his first 12 OHL matchups. The Steelheads enter the weekend as winners of four in a row. Overage netminder Roman Basran is the League’s reigning Goaltender of the Week. The Trout also lead the OHL in shots-on-goal per-game, while also surrendering a league low.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
Friday, November 12th:
Saginaw at Flint – 7:00pm
Peterborough at Hamilton – 7:00pm
Oshawa at Kingston – 7:00pm
Barrie at Niagara – 7:00pm
Mississauga at Ottawa – 7:00pm
Windsor at Sarnia – 7:05pm
North Bay at Sudbury – 7:05pm
Erie at Guelph – 7:30pm
Owen Sound at Kitchener – 7:30pm
Sault Ste. Marie at London – 7:30pm
Saturday, November 13th:
Mississauga at Kingston – 3:00pm – CHL on CBC
Ottawa at Hamilton – 4:00pm
London at Erie – 7:00pm
Kitchener at Flint – 7:00pm
Oshawa at Niagara – 7:00pm
Sarnia at Saginaw – 7:05pm
Sault Ste. Marie at Windsor – 7:05pm
Peterborough at Barrie – 7:30pm
Guelph at Owen Sound – 7:30pm
Sunday, November 14th:
Sudbury at North Bay – 2:00pm
Kitchener at Saginaw – 5:30pm
Ottawa at Oshawa – 6:05pm
OHL Writers 