Toronto, Ont. – It’s a special Family Day long weekend edition of the OHL This Week! Ontario-based facilities are back up to 50 percent fan capacity for this weekend’s action as playoff races are starting to heat up across the League. Here’s what’s happening across the OHL this week.
18 OHL players selected to for 2022 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game:
A total of 18 OHL players have been selected to play in the 2022 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on March 23 in Kitchener. Read more
CHL announces new dates for 2022 Memorial Cup presented by Kia:
The Canadian Hockey League has announced new dates for the 2022 Memorial Cup presented by Kia to be held in Saint John, N.B., beginning Monday, June 20. Read more
Bulldogs and Frontenacs included in Week 16 edition of Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings:
The Hamilton Bulldogs and Kingston Frontenacs are included in the Week 16 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings. The Flint Firebirds and Mississauga Steelheads received honourable mentions. Read more
Morrison, Kyrou and Cajan named to CHL Team of the Week:
Hamilton Bulldogs forward Logan Morrison, Erie Otters defenceman Christian Kyrou and Kitchener Rangers netminder Pavel Cajan have all been named to the CHL Team of the Week. Read more
Bulldogs’ Logan Morrison named OHL Player of the Week:
Hamilton Bulldogs forward Logan Morrison is the OHL Player of the Week with two goals, seven assists and nine points in three games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-8. Read more
Rangers’ Pavel Cajan named OHL Goaltender of the Week:
Pavel Cajan of the Kitchener Rangers is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, stopping 109 shots across a pair of victories to post a 3.46 goals-against average and .940 save percentage. Read more
Celebrating Black Heritage Month with IceDogs’ Rodwin Dionicio:
2022 NHL Draft prospect Rodwin Dionicio of the Niagara IceDogs is an international success story. Born to Dominican parents in Newark, New Jersey before growing up in Switzerland, the 17-year-old defenceman shares his journey with Rico Phillips. Watch
Knights’ Evangelista leads OHL Plays of the Week:
Witness some wonderful displays of offence in the latest edition of OHL Plays of the Week, with appearances from Mississauga’s Owen Beck, North Bay’s Dalyn Wakely, Guelph’s Danny Zhilkin, Niagara’s Danil Gushchin, and London’s Luke Evangelista. Watch
OHL Saves of the Week:
Scoping out sensational saves from North Bay’s Dom DiVincentiis, Hamilton’s Marco Costantini, Erie’s Nolan Lalonde, Niagara’s Josh Rosenzweig, Peterborough’s Tye Austin, Sarnia’s Ben Gaudreau, Flint’s Nathaniel Day, Kitchener’s Pavel Cajan, Kingston’s Leevi Merilainen, and Oshawa’s Zachary Paputsakis. 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
First goals from Ross and Heyes in OHL Milestone Moments:
Watch first career OHL goals from Erie’s Lucas Ross and Kingston’s Gage Heyes in the latest edition of OHL Milestone Moments. Watch
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 – Week 5:
The fifth edition of the weekly OHL Cup Top 10 Rankings sees the North York Rangers on the rise to fifth while the Waterloo Wolves make their first appearance of the season. Read more
Hounds unveil new alternate uniform:
As part of their 50th anniversary season, the Soo Greyhounds have unveiled an alternate uniform with a new design that is fresh and exciting while unmistakably recognizable as consistent with the history and tradition of the Soo Greyhounds. Watch
Sights & Sounds – Rangers and rival Knights clash on TSN:
See the sights and hear the sounds from The Aud on Friday as the Rangers and Knights went head-to-head on TSN. Watch
Basran making the most of overage opportunity with Steelheads:
Acquired through waivers after 120 games in the Western Hockey League, Roman Basran is making the most of his overage opportunity with the Mississauga Steelheads. Read more
Kaeden Johnston commits to Knights:
The London Knights have received a commitment from fifth round 2021 OHL Priority Selection choice Kaeden Johnston. Read more
COMMUNITY CORNER:
Rangers announce 2nd annual Women in Hockey Conference: The Kitchener Rangers will be celebrating International Women’s Day with their 2nd Annual Women in Hockey Conference on March 7. Included as guest speakers are Kim Davis of the NHL, commissioner Tyler Tumminia of the PHF and OHL official Kirsten Welsh. Read more
Otters host Star Wars Night on Saturday: The Erie Otters hope to have the force behind them on Saturday when they take on the London Knights on Star Wars Night. The Otters will be wearing special Star Wars themed warmup jerseys to be auctioned off, with proceeds going to The United Way.
Firebirds host Youth Sports Night on Saturday: Youth and high school athletes can wear their team jerseys to the Dort Financial Center on Saturday to receive a free ticket with the purchase of one adult ticket. The Firebirds take on the Windsor Spitfires and are looking for young fans to show their team spirit. Full details at flintfirebirds.com.
ALUMNI NOTES:
Toffoli heats up in Flames debut: Former Ottawa 67’s forward Tyler Toffoli had a Calgary Flames debut to remember on Tuesday, finding the back of the net in a 6-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Acquired from the Montreal Canadiens earlier this week, Toffoli has 27 points (10-17–27) in 39 games between the two clubs in this, his 10th NHL season. The former back-to-back 100 point scorer in Ottawa played for the 67’s from 2008-12, and was selected in the second round of the 2010 NHL Draft by the Los Angeles Kings. Toffoli won a Stanley Cup with the Kings in 2014.
Smith brothers suit up on same line for Red Wings: Brothers Gemel and Givani Smith had the opportunity to play together on the same line for the Detroit Red Wings this past week. Both OHL graduates, the Smith brothers played together against the Minnesota Wild on Monday. Givani is in his third season with the Red Wings while Gemel was acquired through waivers on Jan. 19th. Now 27 years-old, Gemel Smith won an OHL championship as a rookie with the Owen Sound Attack in 2011 before later playing for the London Knights in the 2014 Memorial Cup. Givani Smith is 23-years-old and played four OHL seasons between Barrie, Guelph and Kitchener from 2014-18 before being selected by Detroit in the second round of the 2016 NHL Draft.
Red Wings’ ‘Guelph Line’ offering balance for Blashill: Guelph Storm grads Tyler Bertuzzi, Robby Fabbri and Pius Suter came together on what’s become known as the ‘Guelph Line’ on Jan. 15th and they’ve produced ever since. The trio won an OHL championship with the Storm in 2014, coming within a win of a Memorial Cup crown. The Detroit News’ Steve Kornackl has more. Read more
Meireles running with opportunity in first AHL season: Kitchener Rangers graduate Greg Meireles entered his first AHL season as a relatively unkown commodity. After a 24-point season with the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits, Meireles earned himself an AHL deal with the Manitoba Moose and the Ottawa, Ont. is making the most of it. A former 97-point scorer with Kitchener in 2018-19, Meireles has channeled some of that offence, recording 21 points (3-18–21) in 40 games this season. Visit theahl.com for the full story
KEY MATCHUPS:
Flint Firebirds vs. Windsor Spitfires
February 18 & 19
A big home-and-home between Flint and Windsor is approaching on the schedule as the Firebirds, who have points in six straight games, face a Spitfires squad that has wins in seven of its last 10. Windsor has defeated Flint in all four encounters between the two teams this season. A pair of 2021 first round NHL Draft picks square off in this one as Flint’s Brennan Othmann (NY Rangers) lines up against Windsor’s Wyatt Johnston (Dallas).
Sarnia Sting at Saginaw Spirit
Saturday, February 19
A game with potential implications for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference goes down in Saginaw on Saturday as the Spirit need two big points against the Sting, who sit five points ahead with four games in hand. The Spirit have lost their last three, looking to turn things around and stay in the hunt. Saginaw features a pair of highly touted NHL Draft prospects in Russian blueliner Pavel Mintyukov and Czech forward Matyas Sapovaliv. The Sting have leaned on goaltender Ben Gaudreau of late. The San Jose Sharks prospect has claimed victories with at least 45 saves on two different occasions in the past week.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
Thursday February 17:
Peterborough at Sudbury – 7:05pm
Friday February 18:
Hamilton at Erie – 7:00pm
Ottawa at Kingston – 7:00pm
Sault Ste. Marie at London – 7:00pm
Barrie at Mississauga – 7:00pm
Peterborough at North Bay – 7:00pm
Kitchener at Sarnia – 7:05pm
Saginaw at Guelph – 7:30pm
Flint at Windsor – 7:30pm
Niagara at Oshawa – 7:35pm
Saturday February 19:
Kingston at Hamilton – 4:00pm
Windsor at Flint – 7:00pm
London at Erie – 7:00pm
Sarnia at Saginaw – 7:05pm
Oshawa at Barrie – 7:30pm
Sault Ste. Marie at Owen Sound – 7:30pm
Sunday February 20:
Sudbury at Niagara – 2:00pm
North Bay at Ottawa – 2:00pm
Kitchener at Owen Sound – 2:00pm
Monday February 21:
Owen Sound at Guelph – 2:00pm
Erie at Hamilton – 2:00pm
Ottawa at Kingston – 2:00pm
Kitchener at London – 2:00pm
Sudbury at Mississauga – 2:00pm
Niagara at Oshawa – 2:05pm
Barrie at Peterborough – 2:05pm
Flint at Sarnia – 2:05pm
Saginaw at Windsor – 2:05pm
OHL Writers 