Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of regular season games ending Sunday, October 1, 2023.
Petes’ Jax Dubois Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week
Jax Dubois of the Peterborough Petes is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, recording two goals along with five assists for seven points over two games played.
Dubois led the 2023 OHL champions to a strong start in their title defence, recording one goal and two assists in Peterborough’s home-opener as they defeated the Kingston Frontenacs 5-4 on Thursday. The 6-foot-4, 205lb. forward was productive once again with a four-point night on Friday, recording one goal and three assists in a 5-2 win over the Ottawa 67’s. Dubois was also steady in the faceoff circle, going 56 percent. His seven points place him atop the OHL’s list of top scorers entering the second week of the season.
An overage centreman from Ottawa, Ont., Dubois was selected in the 14th round (273rd overall) by the Petes in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, recording 21 goals, 39 assists and 60 points over 119 OHL regular season games.
Also considered for the award this week, newly-acquired Soo Greyhounds forward Jack Beck made a strong first impression with six points (2-4–6) in a pair of victories. Luke Misa helped guide the Mississauga Steelheads to a pair of victories, putting up five points (2-3–5) in back-to-back wins over the Erie Otters.
2023-24 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Sept. 28 – Oct. 1: Jax Dubois (Peterborough Petes)
Steelheads’ Ryerson Leenders Named OHL Goaltender of the Week
Ryerson Leenders of the Mississauga Steelheads is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, going 2-0 with a shutout, a 1.50 goals-against average and .957 save percentage.
Stopping 66 of the 69 shots he faced, Leenders defended the crease in a pair of victories against the Erie Otters last week. He turned aside all 34 shots that came his way on Friday, earning his first career OHL shutout along with first star honours as Mississauga defeated the Otters 5-0 at home. The 6-foot-1, 176lb. netminder was back in the crease on Saturday, blocking 32 of the 35 shots he faced as the Steelheads closed out the weekend with a 5-3 victory.
An 18-year-old from Nanticoke, Ont., Leenders was Mississauga’s second round (32nd overall) pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection from the Toronto Nationals U16 program. He won a gold medal as a member of Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team this past summer at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Czechia and Slovakia. Leenders is eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft.
Also considered or the award this week, Jackson Parsons of the Kitchener Rangers went 2-0 with his first career OHL shutout coming Saturday in Flint. Parsons missed most of the 2022-23 season with an injury and was tremendous in his return. Newly-acquired London Knights netminder Michael Simpson also merits consideration after going 2-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average and .950 save percentage in his first week in green and gold.
2023-24 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Sep. 28 – Oct. 1: Ryerson Leenders (Mississauga Steelheads)
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 Writers 