Toronto, Ont. – OHL This Week gets you up to speed on everything happening across the Ontario Hockey League. Here’s a look at what’s in store for the coming weekend.
CHL on TSN – George a rising star on Knights’ blue line:
2022 NHL Draft prospect Isaiah George and the London Knights take center stage on TSN Friday night, visiting the Kitchener Rangers in a Midwest Division clash. Watch
2022 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game to be held March 23 in Kitchener:
The rescheduled 2022 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game will be held Wednesday, March 23 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. Read more
Bulldogs and Knights included in Week 15 edition of Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings:
The Hamilton Bulldogs have climbed into the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings on the heels of six consecutive wins while the London Knights also make an appearance. Read more
Evangelista, Keane and Leaver named to CHL Team of the Week:
London Knights teammates Luke Evangelista and Gerard Keane join Oshawa Generals netminder Patrick Leaver on the latest CHL Team of the Week. Read more
Knights’ Evangelista named OHL Player of the Week:
Nashville Predators prospect Luke Evangelista of the London Knights is the OHL Player of the Week with six goals, four assists and 10 points in three games. Read more
Generals’ Leaver named OHL Goaltender of the Week:
Patrick Leaver of the Oshawa Generals is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, going 2-0-0-0 with a 1.44 goals-against average, .955 save percentage and one shutout. Read more
2022 OHL Development Combine to be held April 23-24:
Top OHL Priority Selection prospects will be in attendance at the 2022 OHL Development Combine on April 23-24 in Oshawa, Ont. Read more
Five to watch for the 2022 OHL Priority Selection:
Raine Hernandez teams up with OHL Central Scouting to take a closer look at five top prospects eligible for the 2022 OHL Priority Selection. Read more
OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour U16 AAA Top 10 Rankings:
The Mississauga Senators are the new number on team on the OHL Cup Top 10 as the list returns for the first time since December 14th. Read more
Celebrating Black Heritage Month with IceDogs’ Sean Teakle:
Black Heritage Month continues as Director of Cultural Diversity and Inclusion Rico Phillips sits down with Niagara IceDogs assistant coach Sean Teakle. Watch
67’s’ Johnston leads OHL Plays of the Week:
The top plays in the OHL this week include contributions from London’s Antonio Stranges, Sault Ste. Marie’s Kalvyn Watson, Niagara’s Danil Gushchin, Saginaw’s Dean Loukus and Ottawa’s Thomas Johnston. Watch
OHL Saves of the Week:
Rolling out big-time blocks from Kitchener’s Marcus Vandenberg, Mississauga’s Joe Ranger and Roman Basran, Niagara’s Joey Costanzo, Saginaw’s Andrew Oke, Peterborough’s Tye Austin, Ottawa’s Max Donoso, Owen Sound’s Nick Chenard, Flint’s Luke Cavallin, and London’s Brett Brochu. 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
OHL Milestone Moments:
We’re rolling back the tape on first career OHL goals from North Bay teammates Brett Bouchard and Anthony Romani as well as London’s Ben Bujold. Watch
Colts’ Guzda signs with Florida Panthers:
Overage Barrie Colts netminder Mack Guzda has signed a three-year entry level NHL contract with the Florida Panthers. Read more
Zach Wigle commits to Colts:
The Barrie Colts have received a commitment from ninth round 2020 OHL Priority Selection choice Zach Wigle. Read more
Dillingham named Sting captain:
The Sarnia Sting have named 19-year-old defenceman Nolan Dillingham captain. Read more
Colts’ Tabak commits to Guelph for 2022-23:
Barrie Colts forward Anthony Tabak has committed to the University of Guelph men’s hockey program for 2022-23. Read more
COMMUNITY CORNER:
Otters celebrate Erie on Thursday: The Erie Otters are hosting 814 Night on Thursday, celebrating the great city of Erie when they play host to the Owen Sound Attack. Tickets are on sale for the price of $8.14 as the Otters take on the Attack in the back-end of a two-game set at Erie Insurance Arena.
Rangers partner with You Can Play on Friday: The Kitchener Rangers will host their inaugural You Can Play Game on Friday night when they take on the London Knights. The You Can Play Project was founded to advocate for inclusion, acceptance and respect of LGBTQ+ athletes in sports. Read more
67’s voice Colin Zappia launches Heart Month fundraising campaign: Recognized as Heart Month, the month of February holds a special meaning for Ottawa 67’s Rogers tv colour analyst Colin Zappia. After losing his father to a heart attack in 2007, Colin has continued to find new ways of donating to the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation where his father, Tony, was a former patient. This year Zappia has decided to donate .20 cents per save for every single game in the OHL during the month of February. Read more
Sting host Women in Hockey webinar: The Sarnia Sting welcomed four women who have carved different paths to careers in the game on Monday as general manager Dylan Seca chatted with Princeton women’s hockey coach Cara Morey, pro hockey player and Sting women’s hockey ambassador Carolyne Prevost, Sting manager of marketing and merchandise Mara Cutting and Sting head athletic therapist Jennifer Love. Watch the webinar on YouTube
ALUMNI NOTES:
23 OHL alumni competing at 2022 Olympic Winter Games: A total of 23 OHL alumni are representing their respective countries at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games currently underway in Beijing, China. Read more
Kyrou steals the show as fastest skater at NHL All-Star Weekend: Sarnia Sting graduate Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues showed off blazing speed at last week’s NHL All-Star Game in Las Vegas. Kyrou’s lap took just 13.55 seconds, topping well-known speedster Connor McDavid. A former Red Tilson Trophy recipient as the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2017-18, Kyrou has been an offensive force in St. Louis with 42 points (17-25–42) over 40 games this season. He’s Sarnia’s all-time leader in assists, racking up 168 over four seasons with the Sting from 2014-18.
Ratcliffe scores first NHL goal: Guelph Storm graduate Isaac Ratcliffe scored his first career NHL goal on Wednesday as the Philadelphia Flyers fell to the Detroit Red Wings 6-3. Ratcliffe was playing in his third career NHL contest after recently making his NHL debut on January 29. The 6-foot-6 former OHL champion has 13 points (5-8–13) in 33 games with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season and was Philadelphia’s second round pick in 2017.
Pietrangelo records 500th career point: Former Niagara IceDogs and Barrie Colts defender Alex Pietrangelo hit the 500 career point mark with a goal on Tuesday as his Vegas Golden Knights defeated Edmonton 4-0. The 32-year-old has registered the 500 points over 845 career regular season games with St. Louis and Vegas beginning in 2008-09. A Western Conference champion with the Colts in 2010, Pietrangelo played three OHL seasons from 2006-10, and was the fourth overall pick of the 2008 NHL Draft.
Miller hits 400-point mark: Former Plymouth Whalers forward J.T. Miller recorded his 400th career NHL point on Tuesday, recording a goal and an assist as his Vancouver Canucks defeated the Arizona Coyotes 5-1. The 28-year-old Miller has 46 points (16-30–46) in as many games with the Canucks this season. Miller has skated in 603 career NHL matchups between the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay and Vancouver. He played one season with Plymouth in 2011-12, recording 62 points over 61 games.
Subban plays in 800th career contest: Former Belleville Bulls defenceman P.K. Subban skated in his 800th career NHL regular season contest on Monday as his New Jersey Devils fell 4-1 to the Ottawa Senators. The 32-year-old Subban has spent his 12-year NHL career between Montreal, Nashville and New Jersey, recording 460 points (112-348–460) along the way. A Norris Trophy winner with Montreal in 2012-13, Subban played four seasons in Belleville from 2005-09, helping the Bulls win an Eastern Conference title and make a Memorial Cup appearance in 2008.
Bennett named ECHL Player of the Week: Saginaw Spirit graduate Kris Bennett of the Iowa Heartlanders is the ECHL Player of the Week. The 26-year-old had a goal and an assist in a 6-3 loss at Cincinnati on Wednesday, scored a pair of goals and added an assist in a 6-5 win at Toledo on Friday and added a goal and assist in a 4-1 victory at Wheeling on Saturday. Bennett has 34 points (17-17–34) in 23 games this season. He played in Saginaw from 2012-17 before spending three seasons in U SPORTS men’s hockey with the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds.
KEY MATCHUPS:
Oshawa Generals at Ottawa 67’s
Friday, February 11th – 7:00pm
To East Division squads headed in the right direction meet Friday in Ottawa as the 67’s play host to the Oshawa Generals. Ottawa comes off a perfect weekend and has had contributions from first-year talent in Brady Stonehouse, Luca Pinelli, Vinzenz Rohrer and Will Gerrior of late while the Generals are winners of four in a row. Oshawa is two points ahead of Ottawa with a pair of games in hand entering Thursday. The Generals have won four of the seven meetings between the two sides this season.
Hamilton Bulldogs at Kingston Frontenacs
Sunday, February 13th – 2:00pm
An ongoing battle raging for the top spot in the East Division heats up again to close out the weekend as the Hamilton Bulldogs visit the Kingston Frontenacs on Sunday. The Bulldogs enter the weekend as winners of six straight, leading Kingston by two points. The Bulldogs have been firing on all cylinders of late, recently getting top scorer Logan Morrison back into the lineup. Montreal Canadiens prospect Jan Mysak leads the club with 26 goals while Ryan Winterton has been a force with 17 points (7-10–17) through nine games. Kingston earned four of a possible six points on the road last weekend before falling 3-1 to the Peterborough Petes on Wednesday. Shane Wright and the Frontenacs have won three of their five meetings against Hamilton this season.
UPCOMING GAMES:
Thursday February 10:
Owen Sound at Erie – 6:00pm
Niagara at North Bay – 7:00pm
Ottawa at Peterborough – 7:00pm
Saginaw at Windsor – 7:30pm
Friday February 11:
Barrie at Hamilton – 7:00pm
North Bay at Mississauga – 7:00pm
Oshawa at Ottawa – 7:00pm
Niagara at Sudbury – 7:05pm
Sarnia at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm
Flint at Guelph – 7:30pm
London at Kitchener – 7:30pm (Live on TSN)
Saturday February 12:
Flint at Erie – 7:00pm
Mississauga at Kingston – 7:00pm
Guelph at Saginaw – 7:05pm
London at Windsor – 7:05pm
Sarnia at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm
Sudbury at Barrie – 7:30pm
Kitchener at Owen Sound – 7:30pm
Sunday February 13:
Hamilton at Kingston – 2:00pm
Sudbury at North Bay – 2:00pm
Mississauga at Ottawa – 2:00pm
Peterborough at Oshawa – 2:05pm
OHL Writers 