Month: March 2025

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Academic Players of the Month for February, proudly presented by Hockley Valley Resort.

East Division – Joshua Avery (Brantford Bulldogs)
Brantford Bulldogs forward Joshua Avery is the East Division Academic Player of the Month for February. The 18-year-old from Cavan, Ont., is currently excelling academically at Brantford Collegiate Institute. Cameron has achieved a 90% average in Grade 12 Data Management, a 93% average in Recreation and Healthy Active Living Leadership, and is maintaining excellent grades in Biology, Chemistry and English.

“Josh is carrying a heavy university workload this semester. He is conscientious student and has a great work ethic. He carries this exceptional work ethic onto the ice and into the community,” said Bulldogs Academic Advisor Maureen Alfano.

“Josh consistently demonstrates dedication to his studies. He is able to balance his academic excellence with his pursuit of high-level hockey. Josh has strong communication, teamwork, and leadership skills and is an asset to any classroom. Josh drives to be the best at all. he is involved in and has a bright future ahead of him,” added one of his classroom teachers, Jessie Vance.

Brantford’s third round (54^th overall) pick in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection, Avery has appeared in 50 games this season, recording nine goals, 12 assists and 21 points. Over 57 regular season contests with the Bulldogs, the 6-foot-1, 170lb. forward has registered 25 points (10-15-25). NHL Central Scouting listed Avery as the 141st-ranked North American skater eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft in their midterm report. Avery represented the Eastern Conference in last month’s Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game.

Central Division – Grayson Tiller (Barrie Colts)
Barrie Colts blueliner Grayson Tiller is the Central Division Academic Player of the Month for February. Tiller is achieving high grades in his post-secondary studies at Athabasca University, maintaining an 88 percent average across Economics, Sociology, and Career Development.

“Grayson is involved in many of the Colts community events and is a leader on and off the ice,” said Colts Academic Advisor Brent Preston.

Selected in the third round (44^th overall) by Barrie in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, the 5-foot-10, 193lb. defenceman has tallied seven goals and 10 assists in 57 games played this season. Over his four-year OHL tenure, the St. Catharines, Ont. native has registered 11 goals, 38 assists and 49 points in 204 regular season contests.

Midwest Division – Tyler Challenger (Erie Otters)
Erie Otters first-year forward Tyler Challenger is the Midwest Division Academic Player of the Month for February. Challenger has excelled in his Grade 11 studies at Fairview High School and Blyth Academy, achieving a 97 percent average in Innovation, 86 percent average in Public Speaking, a 75 percent average in French and a 90 percent average in Media Arts.

“Tyler has excelled in the classroom throughout this season, maintaining an average of 87% through his academic courses so far the school year. Tyler is a mature, responsible young man and he has transitioned into the OHL very well. He is a pleasure to work with both on and off the ice and is very deserving of this recognition,” said Otters Assistant General Manager and Director of Hockey Operations Scott Grieve.

A 16-year-old centreman from Mississauga, Ont., Challenger has registered six points (4-2-6) in 52 games played with the Otters this season after being selected 10th overall in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection from the North York Rangers U16 AAA program.

West Division – Rylan Fellinger (Flint Firebirds)
Flint Firebirds blueliner Rylan Fellinger is the West Division Academic Player of the Month. The 17-year-old from Wawa, Ont., is achieving academic excellence through five Grade 12 university-level courses at Linden High School and Blyth, including Academic Success, Criminology, Social Problems, Career Management, and English.

“Rylan is a dedicated student. He was able to finish all of his classes a month early and do well on them all. He had positive comments from his teacher and is always respectful. Doing well in school is important to him,” said Firebirds Academic Advisor, Elizabeth Hoffman.

Selected by Flint in the 13th round (255th overall) of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection, Fellinger has recorded three goals, three assists and six points in 53 games played this season. In 111 OHL regular-season contests, the 6-foot-4, 200lb. defenceman has recorded 10 points (3-7-10).

2024-25 OHL Academic Players of the Month:

East Division:
February – Joshua Avery (Brantford Bulldogs)
January – Carson Cameron (Peterborough Petes)
December – Kohyn Eshkawkogan (Ottawa 67’s)
November – Brooks Rogowski (Oshawa Generals)
October – Mason Vaccari (Kingston Frontenacs)

Central Division:
February – Grayson Tiller (Barrie Colts)
January – Troy Patton (Brampton Steelheads)
December – Ethan Dean (Sudbury Wolves)
November – Braidy Wassilyn (Niagara IceDogs)
October – Kent Greer (North Bay Battalion)

Midwest Division:
February – Tyler Challenger (Erie Otters)
January – Tristan Delisle (Owen Sound Attack)
December – Aleksei Medvedev (London Knights)
November – Andrew MacNiel (Kitchener Rangers)
October – Jimmy Sutherland (Guelph Storm)

West Division:
February – Rylan Fellinger (Flint Firebirds)
January – Conor Walton (Windsor Spitfires)
December – Keegan Gillen (Soo Greyhounds)
November – Hughston Hurt (Sarnia Sting)
October – Kaden Sienko (Saginaw Spirit)