May 2022 – Page 3 – OHL Writers

Christian Kyrou – Erie Otters – Player Profile

Posted on May 8, 2022May 8, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

HT	WT	DOB	POS	SHOOTS	OHL DRAFT	NHLCS	COUNTRY
5’11”	182	9-16-03	D	R	84^th 2019	48 NA	CANADA

SEASON	LEAGUE	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS
2018-19	ALL U-16	Elgin-Middlesex	32	5	17	22
2019-20	GOJHL	Komoka Kings	14	2	9	11
2019-20	OHL	Erie Otters	21	0	0	0
2020-21	OHL	Erie Otters	0	0	0	0
2021-22	OHL	Erie Otters	68	18	42	60

Christian Kyrou of the Erie Otters. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

Patiently, I waited a couple of months for NHL Central Scouting to release its final draft rankings to see where they were going to slot Erie Otters Defenceman Christian Kyrou because I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me based on how Central Scouting was seeing him.

Not since 2010 when they ranked Jeff Skinner at 47 among North American skaters have, I waited with such anticipation. In the end, they ranked him at 34 but we all know by now he went 7^th overall to the Carolina Hurricanes. At the time, I had OHL players ranked: Tyler Seguin (1), Taylor Hall (2) and Skinner (3) saying Seguin would be the better overall player, Hall would record the most points and Skinner would score the most goals in their NHL Careers.

So, What about Kyrou? Well, the younger brother of St Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou wasn’t listed on Central Scouting’s pre-season Players to Watch List. They saw some of the light and, on their midterm, placed him 179 among North American Skaters. That still shocked me because by the time you add in European skaters and Goaltenders, that leaves him outside the 224 players that will get drafted.

I was pleased to see that on their final ranking for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, that they bumped him up a whopping 131 spots to the 48 spot among North American Skaters (and that might still be a tad too low for my liking).

On OHL Writers, I gave him serious consideration as our Draft Eligible Defenceman of the Year. In the annual OHL Coaches Poll he was voted the most improved player in the Western Conference and the Most Underrated Player in the Western Conference as well as the second-best Offensive Defenceman in the Western Conference. Among draft eligible defencemen, he finished first in goals, second in points and third in assists. Among all OHL defencemen, he finished second in goals, ninth in assists and fourth in points.

With a September 16 birthdate, Kyrou missed the 2021 Entry Draft eligibility by just one day, making him the oldest first-time eligible player for the draft. And there are some that believe that alone is worthy of dropping him a few spots. However, I disagree. There has to be a cut off somewhere, and for Kyrou this just happens to be it, but with the lost season a year ago, everyone is on the same level in my opinion.

Kyrou’s strengths are in his offensive game. He has a tremendous shot from the point. His hockey IQ in the offensive zone is off the charts. He reads the plays quickly and always makes the right decision. He is an extremely dangerous powerplay quarterback. To put it simply, his offensive game is NHL caliber for a blueliner.

Where most have an issue in Kyrou’s game – and I can agree to a point – is in his skating and defensive game. He is okay on his blades, but I would love it if he could add an extra gear that will not only help him in transitioning to offence, but also in retrieving pucks. I’m not always as concerned as some when it comes to skating because with good pro coaching, that development can come along.

That improved skating would also help him defensively in keeping gaps tight and in forcing players to the outside. I will also say that you can’t get a true read on his defensive abilities. Erie was a bad team, finishing a collective minus- 44 on the season and Kyrou was the best blueliner at minus-3. Sure, putting up 60 points helps alleviate that, but teammate Spencer Sova, who for most of the season has been ranked ahead of Kyrou finished a minus-24 and put up 28 points.

Kyrou was used on the penalty kill throughout the season (and he was a threat to go on offence even then) so the Otters coaching staff saw something there.

Kyrou is going to be interesting to watch come draft day to see how NHL teams view him. But he’s definitely a player I would look to very late in the second round or early in the third. Older brother Jordan was ranked 34^th among North American skaters in 2016 and ended up going 35^th overall. Maybe the St Louis Blues will like the bloodlines.

A Look at NHL Central Scouting’s Final Draft Ranking

Posted on May 7, 2022May 6, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

So, I am not going to break down NHL Central Scouting’s rankings in its entirety, just those Ontario Hockey League players ranked (or not ranked). After all, this sight is all about the OHL, right?

Let’s begin in the blue paint. One name that we have been pushing on OHL Writers for most of the season is Patrick Leaver of the Oshawa Generals. We selected Leaver as our Draft Eligible Goaltender of the Year at the end of the regular season. Central scouting showed him a lot of love on their final list as Leaver had the highest jump among ranked OHL netminders climbing 13 spots from 29 on the midterm rankings to 16 on the final rankings.

Leaver wasn’t the only netminder with a massive jump. Niagara IceDogs Josh Rosenzweig went from unranked on the midterm list to 22 on the final list.

Of course, when you have risers, they must be accompanied by fallers and the OHL had their share. Brett Brochu of the London Knights dropped 15 spots from 16 to 31. Dom DiVincentiis of the North Bay Battalion dropped 10 spots from 14 to 24.

When it comes to skaters, we have been big fans of Christian Kyrou of the Erie Otters since about the drop of the puck this season. We gave him serious consideration as our Draft Eligible Defenceman of the Year. In the annual OHL Coach’s Poll he was voted the most improved player in the Western Conference and the Most Underrated Player in the Western Conference as well as the second-best Offensive Defenceman in the Western Conference. Among draft eligible defencemen, he finished first in goals, second in points and third in assists. Central Scouting (finally) moved him up a whopping 131 spots from 179 to 48.

But that wasn’t the biggest jump. Matthew Maggio of the Windsor Spitfires jumped 149 spots from being not ranked (there were 251 players ranked on the midterm rankings so we used 252 as Maggio was not ranked) all the way up to 103 on the final rankings. Among draft eligible players, Maggio finished second in goals, assists and points. He was our runner up to Draft Eligible Forward of the Year. In the Coach’s Poll, he finished just ahead of Kyrou as the most improved player in the Western Conference and tied for third as the Hardest Worker in the Western Conference.

But the highest jump belonged to Amadeus Lombardi of the Flint Firebirds who moved up from not being ranked all the way to 94 on the final rankings. I can’t understand how he was not ranked on their midterm ranking, but they got this right.

Another player that deserves mentioning is David Goyette of the Sudbury Wolves who moved up 22 spots from 35 to 13. It’s a massive jump in its own right as that puts Goyette in the bottom third of the first round instead of middle second. And that’s a much-deserved spot for him. He deserves first round consideration.

Two of the biggest fallers are Ruslan Gazizov and Colton Smith, both of the London Knights who dropped from 62 to 149 and 129 to being not ranked respectively. For Comparison’s sake, Bob McKenzie had Gazizov at 15 and Smith as an honorable mention on his midterm rankings (only 80 players were ranked).

I do think that Central Scouting got a couple of Guelph Storm prospects correctly. For most of the season, Matthew Poitras was ranked ahead of Danny Zhilkin on a lot of lists. Poitras was ranked 23 on the midterm rankings and drops to 45 while Zhilkin was ranked 27 and drops to 35. We’re not saying we agree with the overall ranking, but that Zhilkin is rightfully ranked ahead of Poitras and we’ve been saying that for some time.

Vsevolod Gaidamak of the Ottawa 67’s was the highest ranked player on Central Scouting’s midterm rankings to fall off the chart on their final ranking. He went from 121 to being not ranked.

Nice to see a little love for James Hardie of the Mississauga Steelheads who moved up 56 spots from 204 to 148. But we are also surprised to see Tucker Robertson drop 53 spots from 109 to 162.

If you are looking for our final list, it usually comes out after the Memorial Cup. Until then, here is NHL Central Scouting’s rankings with their midterm and final ranking shown:

PLAYER	TEAM	NHL MID	NHL FIN
Shane Wright	Kingston	1	1
Pavel Mintyukov	Saginaw	5	6
Luca Del Bel Belluz	Mississauga	11	8
Owen Beck	Mississauga	19	10
David Goyette	Sudbury	35	13
Matyas Sapovaliv	Saginaw	13	23
Michael Buchinger	Guelph	36	30
Ty Nelson	North Bay	25	32
Bryce McConnell-Barker	Soo	28	34
Danny Zhilkin	Guelph	27	35
Vinzenz Rohrer	Ottawa	46	42
Hunter Haight	Barrie	47	44
Matthew Poitras	Guelph	23	45
Christian Kyrou	Erie	179	48
Paul Ludwinski	Kingston	29	49
Gavin Hayes	Flint	68	51
Isiah George	London	42	53
Servac Petrovsky	Owen Sound	52	58
Cedrick Guindon	Owen Sound	76	59
Jake Karabela	Guelph	61	62
Pano Fimis	Niagara	77	75
Spencer Sova	Erie	28	80
Jorian Donovan	Hamilton	39	81
Evan Konyen	Sudbury	88	85
Beau Jelsma	Barrie	137	88
Amadeus Lombardi	Flint	252	94
Matthew Maggio	Windsor	252	103
Lucas Edmonds	Kingston	107	104
Kiriil Kudryavtsev	Soo	103	108
Liam Arnsby	North Bay	66	115
Rodwin Dionicio	Niagara	132	118
Kocha Delic	Sudbury	200	122
Jackson Edward	London	75	123
Tnias Mathurin	North Bay	152	126
Zakary Lavoie	Mississauga	124	134
Samuel Mayer	Peterborough	120	139
James Hardie	Mississauga	204	148
Ruslan Gazizov	London	62	149
Aidan Castle	Owen Sound	155	151
Brady Stonehouse	Ottawa	138	152
Nolan Collins	Sudbury	252	153
Kyle Jackson	North Bay	182	158
Tucker Robertson	Peterborough	109	162
Gavin Bryant	Owen Sound	160	179
Bryce Cook	Niagara	163	183
Braeden Bowman	Guelph	217	194
Kai Schwindt	Mississauga	252	196
Sam Alfano	Peterborough	190	207
Max Namestnikov	Sarnia	219	211
Landon Sim	London	213	215
Kasper Larsen	Mississauga	252	220
Kirill Steklov	London	196	221
Roberto Mancini	Saginaw	195	222
Caeden Carlisle	Soo	252	223
Vsevolod Gaidamak	Ottawa	121	225
Colton Smith	London	129	225
Stuart Rolofs	Oshawa	142	225
Bryce Cook	Niagara	163	225
Tyler Savard	Soo	183	225
Brody Crane	London	188	225
Ryan Abraham	Windsor	210	225
Nolan Dann	Sarnia	225	225
Simon Slavicek	Flint	LV	225

GOALIES		NHL MID	NHL FIN
Andrew Oke	Saginaw	8	9
Nolan Lalonde	Erie	10	14
Patrick Leaver	Oshawa	29	16
Charlie Schenkel	Soo	12	17
Jacob Oster	Guelph	15	18
Josh Rosenzweig	Niagara	33	22
Domenic DiVincentiis	North Bay	14	24
Marco Costantini	Hamilton	33	29

OHL COMPLETES 2022 UNDER-18 PRIORITY SELECTION

Posted on May 6, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today conducted the sixth annual OHL Under-18 Priority Selection for U18 AAA hockey players in Ontario.

Eligibility for the 2022 OHL Under-18 Priority Selection included all U18 players (2004 and 2005 birth years) not currently on an OHL Member Team Protected List who were carded with an Ontario based U18 AAA Hockey Club or an accredited Hockey Canada sport school within the Ontario Hockey Federation, Hockey Eastern Ontario or Hockey Northwestern Ontario in the current season.

A total of 52 players were selected from 32 different teams and included 23 forwards, 16 defencemen and 13 goaltenders. 46 of the 52 players selected were born in 2005.

“Congratulations to all 52 players selected tonight,” said OHL Director of Player Recruitment and Development Kyle Pereira. “It’s an exciting day for players, family members, coaches and teammates to celebrate perseverance through the past couple of seasons that may have included some players being overlooked in last year’s OHL Priority Selection. The Under-18 Priority Selection has provided the OHL with a number of quality players since its inception in 2017, and it presents another opportunity for prospects to further their development and showcase themselves in an effort to become the best player they can be.”

Winners of the Under-18 Priority Selection Draft Lottery back on April 20, the Saginaw Spirit used the first overall selection to take right-winger Lincoln Moore of the Soo Jr. Greyhounds U18 program. The pick follows their selection of Calem Mangone with the second overall choice from the same program last year. Mangone recorded 13 goals and 34 points in his rookie season with the Spirit.

The Erie Otters picked second and scooped up the first goaltender in 6-foot-2 netminder Vlad Visan of the Burlington Eagles U18 team. The Sudbury Wolves followed-up with another goaltender at third overall in Nate Krawchuk of the Thunder Bay Kings.

All OHL member teams were required to draft a minimum of two players, however to enhance opportunities specifically for goaltenders, clubs selecting a goaltender with one of their selections had the option to select another player (skater only) in a third round.

The Greater Toronto Hockey League led the way with 18 players selected including five from the Central Region U18 AAA champion Mississauga Reps. The Ontario Minor Hockey Association followed with 16, including five each from the Ajax-Pickering Raiders and Oshawa Generals U18 programs. The Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario produced 12 picks, Hockey Eastern Ontario produced seven, and first overall pick Lincoln Moore was the lone representative from the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. One player was selected from an accredited Hockey Canada sport school.

The OHL Under-18 Priority Selection was conducted in partnership with RinkNet as picks were submitted online by OHL member clubs and displayed in real time at ontariohockeyleague.com. The selections were also streamed live on CHL TV.

Announced in January 2017, the concept of the OHL Under-18 Priority Selection was developed with full support from Hockey Canada’s three Ontario Branches including the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF), Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO), and Hockey Northwestern Ontario (HNO).

About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

OHL Playoff Preview and Predictions Round Two

Posted on May 5, 2022May 6, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

Before we look at the second round series matchups, lets look back and see how poorly I did in round one:

EASTERN CONFERENCE	PREDICTION	OUTCOME
(1) Hamilton vs (8) Peterborough	Hamilton in 4	Hamilton wins 4-0
(2) North Bay vs (7) Ottawa	North Bay in 5	North Bay wins 4-0
(3) Kingston vs (6) Oshawa	Kingston in 6	Kingston wins 4-2
(4) Mississauga vs (5) Barrie	Mississauga in 7	Mississauga wins 4-2
WESTERN CONFERENCE	PREDICTION	OUTCOME
(1) Windsor vs (8) Sarnia	Windsor in 5	Windsor wins 4-2
(2) London vs (7) Kitchener	London in 6	Kitchener win 4-3
(3) Flint vs (6) Owen Sound	Flint in 6	Flint wins 4-3
(4) Sault Ste Marie vs (5) Guelph	Sault Ste Marie in 7	Sault Ste Marie wins 4-1

So, 7 out of 8 correct winners. The Hockey Gods looked after the Kitchener Rangers after they were robbed of a goal as video review deemed it kicked in when it wasn’t. (The OHL officially came out and said the next day that it was an error). That call quite possibly cost the Rangers game 5. But they bounced back, tied the series and forced a game 7 in London in which they won in overtime to take the series.

But in only two of the series where I picked the correct winner did, I hit on the number of games. The biggest discrepancy was the Soo Greyhounds taking care of business against the Guelph Storm in 5 games where I had predicted it to go the distance. I don’t think anyone predicted the Storm wouldn’t give the Greyhounds a fight.

So, I try again with round two:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Hamilton vs (4) Mississauga

	Hamilton	Mississauga
Head-to-head	5-2-0-1	3-5-0-0
PP Regular Season	27.6%	20.9%
PP Playoffs	39.4%	33.3%
PP vs opponent	16.7%	14.3%
PK Regular Season	80.9%	81.3%
PK Playoffs	91.3%	75.0%
PK vs opponent	85.7%	83.3%
GF Regular season	300	229
GF Playoffs	27	17
GA Regular season	176	189
GA Playoffs	9	13
PIM /game regular season	11.3/game	11.5/game
PIM /game playoffs	21.5/game	9.8/game

I want to say “it’s hard to imagine the Hamilton Bulldogs losing a game in these playoffs” but I can’t because it’s bound to happen at some point. Offensively, the Bulldogs dominated during the regular season and the playoffs. Defensively, the Steelheads were almost as good as Hamilton during the regular season and the playoffs.

Both teams brought their powerplays to new levels during the playoffs. Mississauga’s penalty kill took a hit during the playoffs while Hamilton’s skyrocketed. However, one must take into account their respective opponents. If special teams are going to be a factor in this series, then you have to take into account that Mississauga is taking fewer penalties in the playoffs than the regular season while Hamilton has almost doubled theirs. But I’m not going to overthink this trying to find wins for Mississauga.

Prediction: Hamilton in 5 games.

(2) North Bay vs (3) Kingston

	North Bay	Kingston
Head-to-head	4-0-0-0	0-4-0-0
PP Regular Season	25.9%	25.3%
PP Playoffs	30.0%	26.7%
PP vs opponent	53.8%	13.3%
PK Regular Season	80.6%	79.8%
PK Playoffs	90.0%	60.0%
PK vs opponent	86.7%	46.2%
GF Regular season	267	285
GF Playoffs	17	27
GA Regular season	198	242
GA Playoffs	11	18
PIM /game regular season	9.1/game	11.1/game
PIM /game playoffs	7.8/game	11.5/game

As you can see above, the North Bay Battalion swept the season series against the Kingston Frontenacs. Only 6 points separated the two teams in the regular season. Their powerplays were pretty even as was their penalty kills and their goals for. North Bay had a decisive advantage in the goals against department.

Where North Bay had the big advantage was on specialty teams head-to-head. North Bay’s powerplay clipped along at 53.8% against Kingston while the Fronts could only score on 13.3% of their chances against the Battalion. And in the four games head-to-head during the regular season North Bay outscored Kingston 19-10. If Kingston gets into penalty trouble, this series could be over quickly.

Prediction: North Bay in 6 games.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Windsor vs (7) Kitchener

	Windsor	Kitchener
Head-to-head	4-3-0-1	4-4-0-0
PP Regular Season	26.1%	18.3%
PP Playoffs	7.4%	22.7%
PP vs opponent	21.9%	16.0%
PK Regular Season	82.6%	77.4%
PK Playoffs	76.0%	80.0%
PK vs opponent	84.0%	78.1%
GF Regular season	305	236
GF Playoffs	18	23
GA Regular season	248	271
GA Playoffs	11	23
PIM /game regular season	10.3/game	11.0/game
PIM /game playoffs	14.3/game	9.3/game

The regular season series between the Kitchener Rangers and Windsor Spitfires was pretty even. The Spits were better team on the powerplay and the penalty kill against each other and the rest of the league. The Spits scored 69 more goals than the Rangers – that’s a goal per game more and also allowed 23 fewer goals against than the Rangers.

But in the playoffs, it was the Rangers who came out on top in the special team’s department while also playing a tougher opponent in the London Knights than Windsor had against the Sarnia Sting. The Spits have some star power for sure but of Rangers goalie Pavel Cajan can play as he did versus the Knights it will be a tight series. Mathias Onuska was no slouch for Windsor in the blue paint either.

Prediction: Windsor in 6 games.

(3) Flint vs (4) Sault Ste Marie

	Flint	Sault Ste Marie
Head-to-head	2-1-0-2	3-1-1-0
PP Regular Season	19.7%	28.4%
PP Playoffs	9.7%	35.3%
PP vs opponent	34.6%	17.6%
PK Regular Season	84.3%	78.7%
PK Playoffs	87.5%	90.9%
PK vs opponent	82.4%	65.4%
GF Regular season	286	295
GF Playoffs	22	21
GA Regular season	238	246
GA Playoffs	20	11
PIM /game regular season	10.4/game	11.5/game
PIM /game playoffs	10.9/game	15.4/game

The Flint Firebirds and Soo Greyhounds were also very close in the regular season. Only 4 points separated them in the standings. Their offence and defence were also close. The Greyhounds win out in the powerplay department while the Firebirds topped them on the penalty kill. However, head-to-head the Firebirds dominated.

Flint couldn’t get the man advantage to work for them in their first round series against the Owen Sound Attack while the Greyhounds exploded against the Guelph Storm. Unless the Greyhounds can limit the number of penalties, they take the powerplay could be the difference in this series. It could also come down to home ice advantage. For me, this is a flip a coin series.

Prediction: Sault Ste Marie in 7

BATTALION’S BRANDON COE NAMEDOHL OVERAGE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Posted on May 5, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that San Jose Sharks prospect Brandon Coe of the North Bay Battalion is the 2021-22 recipient of the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy awarded annually to the OHL’s Overage Player of the Year.

Coe joined Wojtek Wolski and Justin Brazeau as the third player in Battalion franchise history to reach the century mark offensively, leading the team with 101 points including 34 goals, 67 assists and a plus/minus rating of plus-33. He becomes the second member of the Battalion to earn the award, following Brazeau who first did so with a 113-point season in 2018-19.

“It’s an honour to receive this award,” said Coe. “It’s been a good year for myself and for our team, so it’s pretty cool to be recognized for that. None of this is possible without my teammates, so I want to thank them. I’ve just tried hard to be consistent and bring the same game every night.”

A 20-year-old native of Ajax, Ont., Coe was originally selected by the Battalion with the third overall pick of the 2017 OHL Priority Selection and has recorded a North Bay Battalion record 132 career assists, contributing to 218 points (86-132–218) over 250 regular season games. The 6-foot-5, 203Ib. right-winger produced 33 multi-point performances for the Central Division champions, including five different games with three assists. He was recognized as one of the game’s three stars 20 times throughout the season, receiving first star honours 11 times. He was voted the Eastern Conference’s third-best skater and playmaker in the 2021-22 OHL Coaches Poll. Coe, who appeared in 17 AHL contests with the San Jose Barracuda last season, signed an entry-level NHL contract with the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 6, 2021. He was San Jose’s fourth round (98th overall) pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

“First and foremost, we are all so happy for Brandon,” said Battalion general manager Adam Dennis. “He truly deserves this award and has had to deal with quite a bit of adversity to get here. He has been a leader on and off the ice for our team and has shown significant growth since coming back from his stint in the AHL last season. We congratulate Brandon for his achievement and look forward to having him help us for one final playoff push as a Battalion before he sets off on a successful professional career.”

The Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the Top Overage Player of the Year as selected by OHL General Managers. Teams were asked to submit a nominee for the award and were not permitted to vote for players from their own hockey club.

Coe emerged as the top candidate in the Eastern Conference, receiving more votes than Western Conference representative Tye Kartye of the Soo Greyhounds in the final round of voting to be crowned the winner.

First presented in 1984, the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy was donated by the trainers of the Ontario Hockey League, in memory of the late Leo Lalonde, former Chief Scout of OHL Central Scouting. Leo Lalonde was also formerly the Chief Scout for the Belleville Bulls as well as a scout for the Peterborough Petes.

While Coe is the second Battalion player to win the award, it had been won three times by former North Bay Centennials including Len Soccio (1988), John Spoltore (1992), and B.J MacPherson (1994). Ottawa 67’s forward Austen Keating won the award in 2019-20.

2021-22 OHL Awards announcements continue next week when the League recognizes its Matt Leyden Trophy recipient as Coach of the Year.

Complete history of OHL award winners

63 OHL PLAYERS INCLUDED IN NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING’S FINAL DRAFT RANKINGS

Posted on May 5, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League is proud to announce that 63 OHL players have been included on NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings for the 2022 NHL Draft to be held July 7-8 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC.

The list includes 37 OHL forwards, 17 defencemen and nine goaltenders.

A total of eight OHL skaters are ranked inside the first round led by Kingston Frontenacs standout Shane Wright who continues to top the list.

“Shane Wright is the complete package as an NHL prospect. He is a strong stride skater who possesses deceptive speed and quickness to beat defenders, evade checking, or lead a rush,” said Dan Marr, Director of NHL Central Scouting. “He has elite hockey sense with his vision, anticipation, and composure to execute quickly on plays and has proven that he can carry the load and lead the way when it’s needed in game situations.”

Wright is joined by other OHL competitors inside the top-32 including Saginaw Spirit teammates Pavel Mintyukov (6) and Matyas Sapovaliv (23), Mississauga Steelheads forwards Luca Del Bel Belluz (8) and Owen Beck (10), Sudbury Wolves forward David Goyette (13), Guelph Storm rearguard Michael Buchinger (30) and former first overall OHL Priority Selection choice Ty Nelson (32) on the North Bay Battalion blue line.

The Saginaw Spirit feature the League’s highest-ranked goaltender in 18-year-old Andrew Oke, who comes in at ninth in North America.

Nineteen of the OHL’s 20 member teams feature at least one player included on the list, with the Guelph Storm, London Knights and Mississauga Steelheads leading the way with six each. The Niagara IceDogs trail close behind with five players on the list.

OHL Players Included in NHL Central Scouting Final Draft Rankings

SKATERS:

RANK	PLAYER	TEAM	POSITION
1	Shane Wright	Kingston Frontenacs	C
6	Pavel Mintyukov	Saginaw Spirit	D
8	Luca Del Bel Belluz	Mississauga Steelheads	C
10	Owen Beck	Mississauga Steelheads	C
13	David Goyette	Sudbury Wolves	C
23	Matyas Sapovaliv	Saginaw Spirit	C
30	Michael Buchinger	Guelph Storm	D
32	Ty Nelson	North Bay Battalion	D
34	Bryce McConnell-Barker	Soo Greyhounds	C
35	Danny Zhilkin	Guelph Storm	C
42	Vinzenz Rohrer	Ottawa 67’s	C
44	Hunter Haight	Barrie Colts	C
45	Matthew Poitras	Guelph Storm	C
48	Christian Kyrou	Erie Otters	D
49	Paul Ludwinski	Kingston Frontenacs	C
51	Gavin Hayes	Flint Firebirds	LW
53	Isaiah George	London Knights	D
58	Servac Petrovsky	Owen Sound Attack	C
59	Cedrick Guindon	Owen Sound Attack	LW
62	Jake Karabela	Guelph Storm	C
75	Pano Fimis	Niagara IceDogs	C
80	Spencer Sova	Erie Otters	D
81	Jorian Donovan	Hamilton Bulldogs	D
85	Evan Konyen	Sudbury Wolves	RW
88	Beau Jelsma	Barrie Colts	C
94	Amadeus Lombardi	Flint Firebirds	C
103	Matthew Maggio	Windsor Spitfires	RW
104	Lucas Edmonds	Kingston Frontenacs	RW
108	Kirill Kudryavtsev	Soo Greyhounds	D
115	Liam Arnsby	North Bay Battalion	C
118	Rodwin Dionicio	Niagara IceDogs	D
122	Kocha Delic	Sudbury Wolves	C
123	Jackson Edward	London Knights	D
126	Tnias Mathurin	North Bay Battalion	D
134	Zakary Lavoie	Mississauga Steelheads	RW
139	Samuel Mayer	Peterborough Petes	D
148	James Hardie	Mississauga Steelheads	LW
149	Ruslan Gazizov	London Knights	LW
151	Aidan Castle	Niagara IceDogs	RW
152	Brady Stonehouse	Ottawa 67’s	RW
153	Nolan Collins	Sudbury Wolves	D
158	Kyle Jackson	North Bay Battalion	C
162	Tucker Robertson	Peterborough Petes	C
179	Gavin Bryant	Owen Sound Attack	C
183	Brice Cooke	Niagara IceDogs	LW
194	Braeden Bowman	Guelph Storm	RW
196	Kai Schwindt	Mississauga Steelheads	LW
207	Sam Alfano	Peterborough Petes	RW
211	Max Namestnikov	Sarnia Sting	C
215	Landon Sim	London Knights	RW
220	Kasper Larsen	Mississauga Steelheads	D
221	Kirill Steklov	London Knights	D
222	Roberto Mancini	Saginaw Spirit	D
223	Caeden Carlisle	Soo Greyhounds	D

GOALTENDERS:

RANK	GOALTENDER	TEAM
9	Andrew Oke	Saginaw Spirit
14	Nolan Lalonde	Erie Otters
16	Patrick Leaver	Oshawa Generals
17	Charlie Schenkel	Soo Greyhounds
18	Jacob Oster	Guelph Storm
22	Josh Rosenzweig	Niagara IceDogs
24	Dom DiVincentiis	North Bay Battalion
29	Marco Costantini	Hamilton Bulldogs
31	Brett Brochu	London Knights

For the full NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings list, visit nhl.com.

OHL ANNOUNCES WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMI-FINAL SCHEDULES AND SCENARIOS

Posted on May 5, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

**Note: The results are in from the two game sevens and this is the schedule for round two:

Series E: (1) Windsor Spitfires (44-17-4-3) vs. (7) Kitchener Rangers (30-31-5-2) – Scenario #3
Game 1, Sat., May 7 at Windsor, 7:05pm
Game 2, Sun., May 8 at Windsor, 7:05pm
Game 3, Tues., May 10 at Kitchener, 7:00pm
Game 4, Thurs., May 12 at Kitchener, 7:00pm
Game 5, Sat., May 14 at Windsor, 7:05pm*
Game 6, Mon., May 16 at Kitchener, 7:00pm*
Game 7, Tues., May 17 at Windsor, 7:05pm*

Series G: (3) Flint Firebirds (42-21-1-4) vs. (4) Soo Greyhounds (39-22-6-1) – Scenario #1
Game 1, Fri., May 6 at Flint, 7:00pm
Game 2, Sun., May 8 at Flint, 4:00pm
Game 3, Tues., May 10 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:07pm
Game 4, Thurs, May 12 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:07pm
Game 5, Sat., May 14 at Flint, 7:00pm*
Game 6, Mon., May 16 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:07pm*
Game 7, Wed., May 18 at Flint, 7:00pm*

OHL Announces Eastern Conference Semi-Final Schedules

Posted on May 4, 2022May 3, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League has announced schedules for the 2022 OHL Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, with the Hamilton Bulldogs, North Bay Battalion, Kingston Frontenacs and Mississauga Steelheads advancing to second round play.

The Regular Season champion Bulldogs eliminated the Peterborough Petes in four games, scoring at least five goals in all four of their victories, with a total of 13 power play goals in the series. They’ll face the Mississauga Steelheads, who ousted the Barrie Colts in Game 6 of their first round series on Monday night in Barrie.

The Central Division champion Battalion eliminated the Ottawa 67’s in four games, winning three of those by one goal. Leading scorer Brandon Coe scored the deciding goal in both Games 2 and 3 of the first round matchup. The Troops advance to face the Kingston Frontenacs, who bested the Oshawa Generals in six games, moving on after Shane Wright’s overtime winner on Sunday.

The puck drops on Eastern Conference second round action beginning Thursday, May 5.

2022 #OHLPlayoffs Brackets

2022 OHL Eastern Conference Playoff Schedule:

(1) Hamilton Bulldogs (51-12-3-2) vs. (4) Mississauga Steelheads (37-23-2-6) – #HAMvsMISS
Game 1, Thurs., May 5 at Hamilton, 7:00pm
Game 2, Sun., May 8 at Hamilton , 2:00pm
Game 3, Tues., May 10 at Mississauga, 7:00pm
Game 4, Fri., May 13 at Mississauga, 7:00pm
Game 5, Sun., May 15 at Hamilton, 2:00pm*
Game 6, Tues., May 17 at Mississauga, 7:00pm*
Game 7, Wed., May 18 at Hamilton, 7:00pm*

(2) North Bay Battalion (43-18-3-4) vs. (3) Kingston Frontenacs (41-22-4-1) – #NBvsKGN
Game 1, Fri., May 6 at North Bay, 7:00pm
Game 2, Sun. May 8 at North Bay, 2:00pm
Game 3, Tues., May 10 at Kingston, 7:00pm
Game 4, Thurs., May 12 at Kingston, 7:00pm
Game 5, Sat., May 14 at North Bay, 7:00pm*
Game 6, Sun., May 15 at Kingston, 6:00pm*
Game 7, Tues., May 17 at North Bay, 7:00pm*

*if necessary

Don’t miss a second of the 2022 OHL Playoffs. CHL TV playoff packages are on sale now, with complete OHL Playoff passes available for $59.99 plus tax. Get in on the CHL All Access playoff pass, or just tune into games for Round 2. See a full range of options at watch.chl.ca.

OHL STATEMENT REGARDING VIDEO REVIEW SITUATION BETWEEN KITCHENER AND LONDON

Posted on May 3, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the result of a review into a video replay situation involving a disputed goal scored by the Kitchener Rangers at the 6:19 mark of the second period of their Game 5 matchup against the host London Knights on Sunday, May 1.

Based on a review by the League, an error was made and the play in question should have been ruled a goal for the Rangers as it was directed into the net with a Ranger stick and not a distinct kicking motion of the puck with a skate as ruled.

In addition, the League announced that the Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club has been fined $2500 for public comments directed towards the League following Game 5 which is in violation of League policy.

CAVALLIN AND WISDOM NAMED OHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Posted on May 2, 2022 by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of regular season games ending Sunday, May 1, 2022.

Frontenacs’ Zayde Wisdom Named OHL Player of the Week

Philadelphia Flyers prospect Zayde Wisdom of the Kingston Frontenacs is the OHL Player of the Week, leading the League with eight points including four goals and four assists over four games.

Wisdom helped the Frontenacs eliminate the Oshawa Generals in their six game first round series, picking up a point in all four of his outings. The right-winger posted four points in Game 4 of the series on Thursday in Oshawa, scoring twice while adding two assists to earn first star honours in a 6-2 win. He proceeded to collect an assist in each of his next three contests, with a primary helper coming on Shane Wright’s overtime winner in Game 6 to send the Fronts to the second round.

A 5-foot-10, 201Ib. native of Toronto, Ont., Wisdom currently leads the OHL Playoffs with 12 points (4-8–12) over six games along with a League-best plus/minus rating of plus-11. He recorded 38 points (9-29–38) in 43 regular season games after recovering from shoulder surgery that sidelined him until December. He has posted 107 points (41-66–107) in 165 career regular season games over three seasons in Kingston. Wisdom spent the 2020-21 campaign with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms, collecting 18 points (7-11–18) in 28 games after he was a fourth round (94th overall) selection by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2020 NHL Draft. Wisdom was Kingston’s fourth round (73rd overall) pick from the OHL Cup champion Toronto Jr. Canadiens in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection.

Also considered for the award this week, Anaheim Ducks prospect Mason McTavish picked up seven points (4-3–7) in three games as the Hamilton Bulldogs eliminated the Peterborough Petes in the first round of the playoffs. Edmonton Oilers prospect Ty Tullio recorded seven points (2-5–7) in four games as the Generals were ousted from the postseason by Kingston.

2021-22 OHL Players of the Week – Playoffs:
Apr. 25 – May 1: Zayde Wisdom (Kingston Frontenacs)
Apr. 19 – Apr. 24: Antonio Stranges (London Knights)

2021-22 OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Apr. 11 – Apr. 18: Robert Calisti (Soo Greyhounds)
Apr. 4 – Apr. 10: Martin Chromiak (Kingston Frontenacs)
Mar. 28 – Apr. 3: Mason McTavish (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Mar. 21 – Mar. 27: Dalton Duhart (Saginaw Spirit)
Mar. 14 – Mar. 20: Matthew Maggio (Windsor Spitfires)
Mar. 7 – Mar. 13: Lucas Edmonds (Kingston Frontenacs)
Feb. 28 – Mar. 6: Theo Hill (Sarnia Sting)
Feb. 21 – Feb. 27: Logan Morrison (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Feb. 14 – Feb. 20: Antonio Stranges (London Knights)
Feb. 7 – Feb. 13: Logan Morrison (Hamilton Bulldogs).
Jan. 31 – Feb. 6: Luke Evangelista (London Knights)
Jan. 24 – Jan. 30: Brandt Clarke (Barrie Colts)
Jan. 17 – Jan. 23: Riley Piercey (Flint Firebirds)
Jan. 10 – Jan. 16: David Goyette (Sudbury Wolves)
Jan. 3 – Jan 9: Wyatt Johnston (Windsor Spitfires)
Dec. 27 – Jan. 2: James Hardie (Mississauga Steelheads)
Dec. 13 – Dec. 19: Ty Tullio (Oshawa Generals)
Dec. 6 – Dec. 12: Lucas Edmonds (Kingston Frontenacs)
Nov. 29 – Dec. 5: Wyatt Johnston (Windsor Spitfires)
Nov. 22 – Nov. 28: Brennan Othmann (Flint Firebirds)
Nov. 15 – Nov. 21: Brandon Coe (North Bay Battalion)
Nov. 8 – Nov. 14: Antonio Stranges (London Knights)
Nov. 1 – Nov. 7: Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs)
Oct. 25 – Oct. 31: Tucker Robertson (Peterborough Petes)
Oct. 18 – Oct. 24: Rory Kerins (Soo Greyhounds)
Oct. 11 – Oct. 17: Calum Ritchie (Oshawa Generals)
Oct. 4 – Oct. 10: Jack Thompson (Sudbury Wolves)

Firebirds’ Luke Cavallin Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Luke Cavallin of the Flint Firebirds is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, going 2-1 with a 1.68 goals-against average and .952 save percentage.

Cavallin made 100 saves in three games as the Firebirds finished the week with a 3-2 lead in their first round series against the Owen Sound Attack. Cavallin made 36 saves in Game 3 of the series on Monday in Owen Sound as the Firebirds dropped a 2-1 decision. He returned to the crease at the Bayshore in Game 4 on Wednesday, turning aside 28 of 30 shots sent his way in a 3-2 win. Cavallin made 36 saves in Sunday’s 5-1 win on home ice, picking up third star recognition.

A 21-year-old from Greely, Ont., Cavallin led the OHL with 36 wins this season, setting other Firebirds club records with a 3.16 goals-against average and .910 save percentage. His 3,288 minutes played were the second-most in the League. Flint’s career leader in games played (143), wins (62) and shutouts (2), Cavallin is in his fourth season with the franchise after being selected in the second round (28th overall) of the 2017 OHL Priority Selection.

Also considered for the award this week, San Jose Sharks prospect Ben Gaudreau of the Sarnia Sting gave his team a chance to win in their six-game series against first place Windsor, going 2-2 with a 2.44 goals-against average and .929 save percentage. Matteo Lalama of the Barrie Colts was also solid when called into action, going 1-0-1 with a 1.61 goals-against average and .938 save percentage.

2021-22 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Playoffs:
Apr. 25 – May 1: Luke Cavallin (Flint Firebirds)
Apr. 18 – Apr. 24: Tucker Tynan (Soo Greyhounds)

2021-22 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Apr. 11 – Apr. 17: Max Donoso (Ottawa 67’s)
Apr. 4 – Apr. 10: Michael Simpson (Peterborough Petes)
Mar. 28 – Apr. 3: Patrick Leaver (Oshawa Generals)
Mar. 21 – Mar. 27: Joey Costanzo (Niagara IceDogs)
Mar. 14 – Mar. 20: Marco Costantini (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Mar. 7 – Mar. 13: Nick Chenard (Owen Sound Attack)
Feb. 28 – Mar. 6: Marco Costantini (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Feb. 21 – Feb. 27: Leevi Merilainen (Kingston Frontenacs)
Feb. 14 – Feb. 20: Mack Guzda (Barrie Colts)
Feb. 7 – Feb. 13: Pavel Cajan (Kitchener Rangers)
Jan. 31 – Feb. 6: Patrick Leaver (Oshawa Generals)
Jan. 24 – Jan. 30: Max Donoso (Ottawa 67’s)
Jan. 17 – Jan. 23: Mack Guzda (Barrie Colts)
Jan. 10 – Jan. 16: Mitchell Weeks (Sudbury Wolves)
Jan. 3 – Jan. 9: Nolan Lalonde (Erie Otters)
Dec. 27 – Jan. 2: Joe Ranger (Mississauga Steelheads)
Dec. 13 – Dec. 19: Owen Bennett (Guelph Storm)
Dec. 6 – Dec. 12: Mack Guzda (Barrie Colts)
Nov. 29 – Dec. 5: Leevi Merilainen (Kingston Frontenacs)
Nov. 22 – Nov. 28: Tye Austin (Peterborough Petes)
Nov. 15 – Nov. 21: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)
Nov. 8 – Nov. 14: Joe Vrbetic (North Bay Battalion
Nov. 1 – Nov. 7: Roman Basran (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 25 – Oct. 31: Patrick Leaver (Oshawa Generals)
Oct. 18 – Oct. 24: Jacob Oster (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 11 – Oct. 17: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Oct. 4 – Oct. 10: Tucker Tynan (Niagara IceDogs)

Month: May 2022

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