Toronto, Ont. – Just like that, we enter the last weekend of November approximately a quarter of the way through the season. The inaugural Under-17 Capital City Challenge sees many of the OHL’s top 16-year-old talents out of the lineup this weekend, and we’re getting geared up for lots of community-driven activity in OHL arenas as the holiday season draws nearer. Here’s a look at what’s happening across the League.
2021-22 OHL Online Media Information Guide available for download:
The 2021-22 online edition of the Ontario Hockey League Media and Information Guide is now available for download. The Guide includes OHL team directories, statistics and standings from last season as well as historical seasons along with award winners. This year’s instalment includes a new layout featuring expanded franchise records as well as an additional section documenting historical 100-point and 50-goal seasons. Read more
Knights, Steelheads and Battalion included in Week 8 edition of Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings:
The London Knights remain on the Kia CHL Top 10 while the Mississauga Steelheads and North Bay Battalion make their first appearance of the season. Read more
Petes’ McTavish returns from Anaheim Ducks:
Third overall 2021 NHL Draft pick Mason McTavish will make his OHL season debut on Thursday when the Peterborough Petes play host to the North Bay Battalion. McTavish played in nine NHL contests with the Anaheim Ducks this season, scoring a pair of goals. Read more
63 OHL players included on NHL Central Scouting ‘Players to Watch’ List for November:
63 OHL players have been included on NHL Central Scouting’s November ‘Players to Watch’ List for the 2022 NHL Draft scheduled to take place July 7-8 in Montreal, Quebec. Read more
Mic’d Up with Shane Wright:
Take a few laps through warmups with Kingston Frontenacs star and top 2022 NHL Draft prospect Shane Wright. Watch
Battalion’s Brandon Coe named OHL Player of the Week:
San Jose Sharks prospect Brandon Coe of the North Bay Battalion is the OHL Player of the Week, recording three goals, five assists and eight points over three consecutive Battalion victories. Read more
Sting’s Ben Gaudreau named OHL Goaltender of the Week:
San Jose Sharks prospect Ben Gaudreau of the Sarnia Sting is the OHL Goaltender of the Week with a record of 2-0-1-0, a 1.97 goals-against average, .942 save percentage and one shutout. Read more
Coe, McDonald and Robertson named to CHL Team of the Week for Nov. 15-21:
North Bay’s Brandon Coe, Windsor’s Kyle McDonald and Peterborough’s Tucker Robertson have been named to the CHL Team of the Week. Read more
Battalion’s Coe leads OHL Plays of the Week:
Reviewing the best plays in the OHL this week, featuring Guelph’s Sasha Pastujov, Flint’s Zacharie Giroux, Saginaw’s Calem Mangone, Peterborough’s Joe Carroll and North Bay’s Brandon Coe. Watch
Big-time banditry in OHL Saves of the Week:
Check out highlight reel saves from Sault Ste. Marie’s Samuel Ivanov, Erie’s Nolan Lalonde, Sarnia’s Ben Gaudreau, Mississauga’s Roman Basran, Ottawa’s Will Cranley, Guelph’s Owen Bennett, Barrie’s Mack Guzda, Windsor’s Matt Tovell, and the London duo of Brett Brochu and Owen Flores. Watch
OHL Milestone Moments:
Check out 14 more first career OHL markers along with first shutouts from Matt Tovell and Ben Gaudreau in the latest edition of OHL Milestone Moments. Watch
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
67’s’ Robinson suspended for eight games:
Following review of a checking to the head infraction assessed on the 19th of November in Sudbury, the OHL has suspended Ottawa 67’s forward Dylan Robinson for eight games. Watch
Frontenacs’ Burns added to Team Red roster for Under-17 Capital City Challenge:
Hockey Canada has added Kingston Frontenacs rookie blueliner Quinton Burns to its roster for the upcoming Under-17 Capital City Challenge set to begin Friday, November 26th in Ottawa. Read more
Slovakian forward Dominik Jendek joins Wolves:
The Sudbury Wolves have added overage Slovakian forward Dominik Jendek to their lineup. The club’s second round (91st overall) selection in the 2020 CHL Import Draft joins Liam Ross, Mitchell Weeks and injured forward Kosta Manikis as an overager in Sudbury. Read more
Gavin Grundner commits to Storm:
The Guelph Storm have received a commitment from ninth round 2020 OHL Priority Selection choice Gavin Grundner. Grundner has had a great start to his first season of Junior hockey for the GOJHL’s Leamington Flyers, recording nine goals and eight assists for 17 points in 17 games to start the 2021-22 season. Read more
Noah Roberts commits to Bulldogs:
The Hamilton Bulldogs have received a commitment from third round 2021 OHL Priority Selection choice Noah Roberts, the son of former Ottawa 67’s forward and long-time NHL winger Gary Roberts. Read more
Jordyn Ertel commits to Generals:
The Oshawa Generals have received a commitment from 10th round 2021 OHL Priority Selection choice Jordyn Ertel, a graduate of the Waterloo Wolves U16 program. Read more
Wolves add Gary Ricciardi to scouting staff:
The Sudbury Wolves have added to their scouting staff, adding Gary Ricciardi whose focus will be in identify talent south of the border. Read more
COMMUNITY CORNER:
Special Olympics Month continues this weekend: Special Olympics Month wraps up across the OHL this weekend with awareness nights on Thursday in Peterborough, Saturday in Barrie and Ottawa and Sunday in Sarnia. Read more
Bulldogs team up with Hamilton Police for RIDE Program: The Hamilton Bulldogs and Hamilton Police Service have combined forces once again this holiday season to combat Drinking & Driving. From now through January, the Bulldogs are giving sober drivers stopped at a RIDE stop the chance to be rewarded with tickets to a Bulldogs home game. Watch at hamiltonbulldogs.com.
Frontenacs enjoy team outing at CFB Kingston: On Saturday, November 20, the Kingston Frontenacs visited CFB Kingston for a team building exercise. Players set up tents, did a spider web team obstacle, and conducted an observation exercise along with other activities. Watch at kingstonfrontenacs.com.
Colts salute Canadian Armed Forces on Thursday: The Barrie Colts salute the Canadian Armed Forces on Thursday when they play host to the Owen Sound Attack at Sadlon Arena.
Bears take flight on Saturday in Erie: The Erie Otters host their annual Thanksgiving Game on Thursday at home to the Soo Greyhounds before Teddy Bear Toss Night at Erie Insurance Arena on Saturday. All bears will be donated to the Salvation Army.
Spirit support Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on Saturday: The Saginaw Spirit have partnered with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for Light the Night on Saturday at home to the Windsor Spitfires.
Storm collecting books for kids on Sunday: Guelph Storm fans generously donated over 1,000 books for kids at last year’s Books for Kids Night, and this year they’re raising the bar! Fans are asked to donate new, unwrapped books at Sunday’s game against the Erie Otters to put a smile on a kid’s face.
Steelheads collect toys for tots on Sunday: With the holiday season just around the corner, the Mississauga Steelheads will be hosting their annual Toys For Tots game on Sunday when they take on Shane Wright and the Kingston Frontenacs at 2:00pm. Last season, fans showed their generosity when over 375 toys were donated to the cause. Read more at mississaugasteelheads.com.
Petes host ‘Next Gen’ Game on Sunday: Attention fans! Do you have a kid in your life that has always wanted to coach the Peterborough Petes or has wanted to get on the mic at the Memorial Centre? Well, this and many more opportunities will also be possible during the club’s Next Gen game this Sunday against the Ottawa 67’s. Read more at gopetesgo.com.
Wolves collecting hats and mittens this weekend: The Sudbury Wolves have partnered with All Nations Church to keep Sudbury children warm this winter. Their 6th annual Mountain of Mittens campaign collects donations of warm winter wear to be distributed throughout the local community.
ALUMNI NOTES:
Durzi scores in NHL debut: Former Owen Sound Attack and Guelph Storm defenceman Sean Durzi had an NHL debut to remember on Wednesday night in Los Angeles, finding the back of the net against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Kings blueliner made his NHL debut at the age of 23 following a hot start to the season with the AHL’s Ontario Reign. A former 12th round OHL Priority Selection choice, Durzi put up 140 points over 180 regular season games between Owen Sound and Guelph, winning an OHL championship with the Storm in 2019.
Landeskog plays 700th NHL game: Kitchener Rangers graduate Gabriel Landeskog became the sixth player in Colorado Avalanche franchise history to appear in 700 games earlier this week. He joins Joe Sakic, Milan Hedjuk, Adam Foote, Michel Goulet and Peter Stastny in that category. The 29-year-old winger has 17 points (6-11–17) through 14 games this, his 11th season with the Avalanche who selected him second overall in the 2011 NHL Draft. The Swedish flank played two seasons in Kitchener from 2009-11.
Gaunce named AHL Player of the Week: Erie Otters graduate Brendan Gaunce of the Cleveland Monsters is the AHL Player of the Week after recording six points (3-3–6) in three games. Gaunce matched an AHL career high with three points on Friday as the Monsters defeated the Syracuse Crunch 5-1. He tacked on another three in a 6-5 overtime win over the Toronto Marlies on Sunday. The 27-year-old is in his eighth pro season, one that has included 118 career NHL contests after he was chosen by the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft. Gaunce played four OHL seasons between Belleville and Erie from 2010-14.
Frost getting his development back on track: Soo Greyhounds graduate Morgan Frost is getting back on track after losing a year to injury in 2020-21. The former Philadelphia Flyers first round draft pick was limited to just two games last season before undergoing shoulder surgery. The AHL’s Bob Rotruck documents his road back to full health and positive start to the season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Frost was a Greyhound from 2015-19, helping the club win a Western Conference championship in 2018. Read more at theahl.com
Appleby named ECHL Goaltender of the Week: Oshawa Generals graduate and former Memorial Cup champion Ken Appleby of the Worcester Railers is the ECHL Goaltender of the Week, going 2-0-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average and .965 save percentage. Under an NHL contract with the New York Islanders, Appleby has appeared in seven games for the Railers going 3-3-1 with a 2.40 goals-against average and a save percentage of .927 this season. The 26-year-old from North Bay, Ont. has appeared in three career NHL games since graduating as a Memorial Cup champion in 2015. He played three seasons with the Generals from 2012-15 before signing an NHL contract with the New Jersey Devils.
Eight OHL grads to represent Canada at 2021 FISU Winter Universiade: Eight former OHL players have been selected from U SPORTS men’s hockey rosters across the country to represent Canada at the 2021 FISU Winter Universiade, held from December 11-21 in Lucerne, Switzerland. Read more
KEY MATCHUPS:
North Bay Battalion at Peterborough Petes
Thursday November 25th – 7:05pm
Mason McTavish makes his season debut with the Peterborough Petes, returning from an NHL stint with the Anaheim Ducks to start the season. The third overall pick of the 2021 NHL Draft recorded three points (2-1–3) in nine NHL games, tacking on two more (1-1–2) over three games with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls on an injury rehab assignment. McTavish joins one of the OHL’s hottest forwards in Tucker Robertson who racked up 10 points last week and leads the OHL with 34 points (15-19–34) in 17 games. The Petes will have a tall task in front of them on Thursday as the CHL’s ninth-ranked North Bay Battalion pay a visit to the PMC. OHL Player of the Week Brandon Coe is one of three Battalion players inside the top-10 OHL scoring leaders while 6-foot-6 Montreal Canadiens prospect Joe Vrbetic as been among the League’s best in goal.
Kingston Frontenacs at Mississauga Steelheads
Sunday November 28th – 2:00pm
Fresh off being bumped out of the Kia CHL Top 10, the Kingston Frontenacs embark on a three-in-three weekend against a trio of tough Eastern Conference opponents. The Fronts host North Bay on Friday before visits to Hamilton on Saturday and Mississauga on Sunday. Their Sunday date with the Trout pits them against the eighth-ranked team in the CHL this week. Fronts head coach Luca Caputi will have a new option on the back end with the addition of Ottawa Senators prosect Ben Roger from the London Knights on Thursday. Shane Wright and the Frontenacs will be tasked with reeling in a Steelheads club that has won eight of nine entering the weekend. Mississauga overage netminder Roman Basran leads the OHL with a 2.25 goals-against average.
UPCOMING GAMES:
Thursday November 25th:
Sault Ste. Marie at Erie – 7:00pm
Hamilton at Niagara – 7:00pm
North Bay at Peterborough – 7:05pm
Mississauga at Sudbury – 7:05pm
Owen Sound at Barrie – 7:30pm
Friday November 26th:
North Bay at Kingston – 7:00pm
Flint at Sarnia – 7:05pm
Mississauga at Sudbury – 7:05pm
London at Guelph – 7:30pm
Sault Ste. Marie at Kitchener – 7:30pm
Saginaw at Windsor – 7:30pm
Ottawa at Oshawa – 7:35pm
Saturday November 27th:
North Bay at Ottawa – 2:00pm
Kingston at Hamilton – 4:00pm
Guelph at Erie – 7:00pm
Sarnia at Flint – 7:00pm
Windsor at Saginaw – 7:05pm
Niagara at Barrie – 7:30pm
London at Owen Sound – 7:30pm
Sunday November 28th:
Erie at Guelph – 2:00pm
Kingston at Mississauga – 2:00pm
Ottawa at Peterborough – 2:05pm
Sault Ste. Marie at Sarnia – 2:05pm
Barrie at Sudbury – 2:05pm
Hamilton at Oshawa – 6:05pm
OHL Writers 