OHL’s Draft Eligible Statistical Leaders: February

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

With all due respect to London Knights’ star defenceman Evan Bouchard, were it not for a two-month absence of Barrie Colts’ superstar Andrei Svechnikov, things may look a little different then they do statistically as we roll into the final couple weeks of the Ontario Hockey League season.

As you may be aware by now, I am a big fan of Bouchard, but one cannot deny that a healthy Svechnikov would change the leader board. However, for the third time this season, both were named by the OHL as best defenceman and best rookie respectively.

Andrei Svechnikovof the Barrie Colts. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Andrei Svechnikov of the Barrie Colts. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Bouchard led all draft eligible players in points with 76. He is followed by Akil Thomas of the Niagara IceDogs with 68. A trio of players that includes Aidan Dudas of the Owen Sound Attack, Ryan McLeod of the Mississauga Steelheads and Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm are tied for third with 58 points. Only Allan McShane of the Oshawa Generals lies between them and Svechnikov.

It goes without saying then that Bouchard also leads defencemen in scoring. Not only the draft eligible defencemen but all defencemen, and barring a meltdown in the final 9 games, he should end the season at the top of the list. Merkley sits in second place while Rasmus Sandin of the Soo Greyhounds places third with 39 points.

Despite playing in 20-plus fewer games, Svechnikov leads the way in goal scoring with 31. He is followed by Dudas with 28. Pavel Gogolev of the Peterborough Petes, who is climbing fast, comes in third with 26 goals.

Here is a list of leaders (first time draft eligible players) in a variety of categories. For official stats, always refer to the OHL website.

Points Leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts
Evan Bouchard London Knights 58 21 55 76
Akil Thomas Niagara IceDogs 59 19 49 68
Aidan Dudas Owen Sound Attack 59 28 30 58
Ryan McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 60 19 39 58
Ryan Merkley Guelph Storm 54 12 46 58
Allan McShane Oshawa Generals 59 17 39 56
Andrei Svechnikov Barrie Colts 36 31 24 55
Barrett Hayton Soo Greyhounds 57 20 34 54
Cam Hillis Guelph Storm 57 19 35 54
Ty Dellandrea Flint Firebirds 59 23 27 50
Goal Scoring Leaders
Player Team GP G GPG
Andrei Svechnikov Barrie Colts 36 31 0.86
Aidan Dudas Owen Sound Attack 59 28 0.47
Pavel Gogolev Peterborough Petes 57 26 0.46
Serron Noel Oshawa Generals 54 25 0.46
Ty Dellandrea Flint Firebirds 59 23 0.39
Evan Bouchard London Knights 58 21 0.36
Barrett Hayton Soo Greyhounds 57 20 0.35
Liam Foudy London Knights 56 20 0.36
Akil Thomas Niagara IceDogs 59 19 0.32
Ryan McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 60 19 0.32
Assist Leaders
Player Team GP A APG
Evan Bouchard London Knights 58 55 0.95
Akil Thomas Niagara IceDogs 59 49 0.83
Ryan Merkley Guelph Storm 54 46 0.85
Allan McShane Oshawa Generals 59 39 0.66
Ryan McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 60 39 0.65
Cam Hillis Guelph Storm 57 35 0.61
Barrett Hayton Soo Greyhounds 57 34 0.60
Nathan Dunkley London Knights 51 32 0.63
Rasmus Sandin Soo Greyhounds 43 31 0.72
Semyon Der-Arguchintsev Peterborough Petes 59 30 0.51
Defencemen Point Leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts
Evan Bouchard London Knights 58 21 55 76
Ryan Merkley Guelph Storm 54 12 46 58
Rasmus Sandin Soo Greyhounds 43 8 31 39
Giovanni Vallati Kitchener Rangers 57 3 20 23
Merrick Rippon Ottawa 67’s 59 3 18 21
Riley McCourt Flint Firebirds 48 4 16 20
Caleb Everett Saginaw Spirit 50 5 14 19
Connor Corcoran Windsor Spitfires 54 3 16 19
Plus/Minus Leaders
Player Team GP +/-
Rasmus Sandin Soo Greyhounds 43 +33
Barrett Hayton Soo Greyhounds 57 +26
Tyler Tucker Barrie Colts 52 +21
Ryan Roth Soo Greyhounds 60 +19
Andrei Svechnikov Barrie Colts 36 +16
Evan Bouchard London Knights 58 +16
Nathan Dunkley London Knights 51 +15
Curtis Douglas Windsor Spitfires 57 +14
Alec Regula London Knights 58 +12
Holden Wale Soo Greyhounds 33 +11
Penalty Minutes Leaders
Player Team GP PIM M/G
Tyler Tucker Barrie Colts 52 75 1.44
Kevin Bahl Ottawa 67’s 50 72 1.44
Daylon Groulx Owen Sound Attack 49 70 1.43
Merrick Rippon Ottawa 67’s 39 63 1.62
Curtis Douglas Windsor Spitfires 57 61 1.07
Ryan Merkley Guelph Storm 54 59 1.09
Max Grondin Saginaw Spirit 58 59 1.02
Faceoff Leaders  (minimum 200 faceoffs)
Player Team GP FOA FOW %
Billy Moskal London Knights 57 633 371 58.6
Nathan Dunkley London Knights 51 564 314 55.7
Allan McShane Oshawa Generals 59 737 410 55.6
Akil Thomas Niagara IceDogs 59 992 535 53.9
Ryan McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 60 1238 662 53.5
David Levin Sudbury Wolves 41 342 176 51.5
Blade Jenkins Saginaw Spirit 60 244 123 50.4
Ty Dellandrea Flint Firebirds 59 1292 647 50.1
Cam Hillis Guelph Storm 57 913 455 49.8
Max Grondin Saginaw Spirit 58 636 317 49.8
Aidan Dudas Owen Sound Attack 59 815 404 49.6
Longest Goal Scoring Streak
Player Team From To Gms Goals
Andrei Svechnikov Barrie Colts 1/26 2/9 7 11
Brady Hinz Sarnia Sting 10/9 10/19 5 7
Allan McShane Oshawa Generals 2/2 2/19 5 6
Kody Clark Ottawa 67’s 10/12 10/21 5 6
Nathan Dunkley Kingston Frontenacs 11/26 12/3 4 5
Longest Assist Streak
Player Team From To Gms Assts
Ryan Merkley Guelph Storm 10/22 11/16 9 13
Akil Thomas Niagara IceDogs 9/30 10/19 8 10
Evan Bouchard London Knights 2/10 2/25 8 10
Ryan McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 10/27 11/9 6 9
Rasmus Sandin Soo Greyhounds 12/29 1/10 6 6
Longest Point Streak
Player Team From To Gms Pts
Andrei Svechnikov Barrie Colts 1/18 2/25 15 29
Ryan McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 10/6 11/10 14 20
Akil Thomas Niagara Ice Dogs 12/9 1/13 12 18
Allan McShane Oshawa Generals 1/27 2/19 11 19
Ryan Merkley Guelph Storm 11/19 12/15 10 16
Shooting Percentage
Player Team GP G S %
Serron Noel Oshawa Generals 54 25 95 26.32
Andrei Svechnikov Barrie Colts 36 31 137 22.63
Nathan Dunkley London Knights 52 18 87 20.69
Brady Hinz Peterborough Petes 60 18 89 20.22
Cam Hillis Guelph Storm 57 19 98 19.39
Shots On Goal Leaders
Player Team GP SOG
Evan Bouchard London Knights 58 252
Ty Dellandrea Flint Firebirds 59 215
Aidan Dudas Owen Sound Attack 59 203
Akil Thomas Niagara IceDogs 59 177
Pavel Gogolev Peterborough Petes 57 161
Goaltenders Leaders – Goals Against Average
Player Team GP Min GA Avg
Jordan Kooy London Knights 21 1000 52 3.12
Kai Edmonds Barrie Colts 16 750 40 3.20
Nick Donofrio Hamilton Bulldogs 14 741 40 3.24
Jacob Ingham Mississauga Steelheads 38 2136 134 3.76
Mario Peccia Oshawa Generals 9 390 26 4.00
Goaltending Leaders – Save Percentage
Player Team GP SH  SVS SV%
Jordan Kooy London Knights 21 529 477 0.902
Kai Edmonds Barrie Colts 16 371 331 0.892
Nick Donofrio Hamilton Bulldogs 14 342 302 0.883
Jacob Ingham Mississauga Steelheads 38 1098 964 0.878
Mario Peccia Oshawa Generals 9 209 183 0.876
Goaltending Leaders – Wins
Player Team GP W L OL
Jacob Ingham Mississauga Steelheads 39 13 20 2
Nick Donofrio Hamilton Bulldogs 14 9 1 1
Jordan Kooy London Knights 21 8 7 1
Kai Edmonds Barrie Colts 16 7 4 0
Cameron Lamour Saginaw Spirit 15 5 5 1
Goaltending Leaders – Shutouts
Player Team GP SO
Mario Peccia Oshawa Generals 9 1
Nick Donofrio Hamilton Bulldogs 14 1
Kai Edmonds Barrie Colts 16 1

OHL Top Performers of the Month for February

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the Top OHL Performers of the Month for regular season games played in February 2018, including Barrie Colts forward Aaron Luchuk, London Knights defenceman Evan Bouchard, Barrie Colts rookie Andrei Svechnikov and Kingston Frontenacs goaltender Jeremy Helvig.


 OHL Player of the Month – Aaron Luchuk (Barrie Colts):
Ottawa Senators prospect Aaron Luchuk of the Barrie Colts is the OHL Player of the Month for February, leading all players with 26 points including six goals, 20 assists and a plus/minus rating of plus-9. Luchuk recorded points in all 12 games he played, extending his current point streak to 18 games, two shy of the OHL’s season-high. He earned first star honours on three different occasions, starting in a 6-2 win over his former Windsor Spitfires teammates with a goal and three assists on Feb. 3rd. Luchuk was again named first star in an 8-5 road win over the Flint Firebirds on Feb. 14th, recording a goal and two assists. His top performance of the month came in his return to the WFCU Centre on Feb. 15th as he netted the overtime winner and added three assists in a 5-4 Colts win. Eight of Luchuk’s 12 games featured multi-point outputs as he guided the Central Division-leading Colts to a 9-3-0-0 record in the month of February.

Aaron Luchuk of the Barrie Colts. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Aaron Luchuk of the Barrie Colts. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.


 A 20-year-old native of Kingston, Ont., Luchuk sits tied for second in league scoring with 99 points including a league-leading 43 goals and 56 assist in 60 games. He scored the game winner in last spring’s Mastercard Memorial Cup final, leading the Windsor Spitfires to a national championship on home ice. Originally Windsor’s fourth round pick in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection, Luchuk’s strong performance this season earned him an entry level NHL contract with the Ottawa Senators on Dec. 26th.


 OHL Defenceman of the Month – Evan Bouchard (London Knights):
For the third time this season, draft eligible blueliner Evan Bouchard of the London Knights is the OHL Defenceman of the Month after leading all blueliners with 16 points including five goals and 11 assists. After starting the month with two goals and an assist in an 8-4 loss to the Barrie Colts on Feb. 2nd, Bouchard was named first star on two occasions. He had two assists to claim top honours in a 5-3 win over the Sudbury Wolves on Feb. 10th and had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over the Windsor Spitfires on Feb. 19th. Bouchard also put forth a second three-point performance with two goals and an assist in a 6-2 win over Kitchener on Feb. 16th. Bouchard becomes the first three-time recipient of the OHL Defenceman of the Month award since Niagara’s Dougie Hamilton earned the distinction four times during the 2011-12 season.

Evan Bouchard of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Evan Bouchard of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images


 An 18-year-old native of Oakville, Ont., Bouchard leads OHL defencemen in points (76) and assists (55) along with 21 goals in 58 games. The right-hand shot rearguard has 137 points (34-103–137) over his 169-game OHL career and was an OHL champion and Mastercard Memorial Cup champion with the Knights during his rookie season in 2016. Bouchard was NHL Central Scouting’s fifth-ranked North American skater in January’s Midterm Rankings. He led Team Cherry to victory at the 2018 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Guelph, setting a new event record with four assists to earn MVP honours for his team. Bouchard was London’s first round pick in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection from the Oakville Rangers Minor Midgets.


 OHL Rookie of the Month – Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie Colts):
For the third time this season, draft eligible forward Andrei Svechnikov of the Barrie Colts is the OHL Rookie of the Month after leading all first-year players with 17 points including eight goals and nine assists. Svechnikov had points in all nine games he played, extending his current point streak to 15 contests. The Russian winger had six different multi-point performances, helping the Colts earn an honourable mention in the CHL Top 10 Rankings to close out the month. He recorded his third hat-trick of the season on Feb. 3rd, helping the Colts defeat the Windsor Spitfires 6-2. He added two more goals a week later as Barrie took a 5-1 road win in Hamilton on Feb. 8th. Svechnikov’s other three-point showing came on Feb. 22nd with a goal and two assists in a 7-4 loss to the Mississauga Steelheads. He’s the first three-time OHL Rookie of the Month award recipient since Mississauga’s Alexander Nylander accomplished the feat during the 2015-16 season.

Andrei Svechnikovof the Barrie Colts. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Andrei Svechnikov of the Barrie Colts. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.


 A 17-year-old native of Barnaul, Russia, Svechnikov leads OHL rookies in both goals (31) and points (55) over just 36 games. He represented Russia at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Buffalo, recording five assists in as many games against much older competition. The top-ranked North American skater in NHL Central Scouting’s January Midterm Rankings, Svechnikov represented Team Orr at the 2018 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Guelph. He was the first overall pick of the 2017 CHL Import Draft.


 Vaughn OHL Goaltender of the Month – Jeremy Helvig (Kingston Frontenacs):
Carolina Hurricanes prospect Jeremy Helvig of the Kingston Frontenacs is the Vaughn OHL Goaltender of the Month for February. The overage veteran led all netminders with a 2.32 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage over nine games, guiding the Frontenacs to a 6-1-2-0 record in the process. Helvig earned first star honours on three different occasions. He earned top honours on Feb. 3rd, guiding the Frontenacs to a 5-3 win over the Niagara IceDogs with a 36-save effort. He made 23 saves to backstop the Fronts to a 2-1 win over the Peterborough Petes on Feb. 16th and followed that effort up by setting a new all-time franchise record with his 76th win on Feb. 18th, turning aside 29 shots in a 6-1 win over the Kitchener Rangers. He finished the month of February by helping Kingston earn a point with 30 saves in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Hamilton Bulldogs on Feb. 23rd.

Jeremy Helvig of the Kingston Frontenacs. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Jeremy Helvig of the Kingston Frontenacs. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images


 A 20-year-old native of Markham, Ont., Helvig leads OHL goaltenders with a .920 save percentage to go along with a 2.53 goals-against average, a record of 27-13-6-3 and two shutouts in 49 games. Kingston’s all-time career wins and shutouts leader, Helvig is currently in his fourth season with the club, playing to a record of 77-46-12-7 with a 2.70 goals-against average, .912 save percentage and 10 shutouts over 149 games. Originally Kingston’s third round pick in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection from the Markham Majors Minor Midgets, he was Carolina’s fifth round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.


 2017-18 OHL Performers of the Month:
 Player of the Month:
February – Aaron Luchuk (Barrie Colts)
January – Sam Miletic (Niagara IceDogs)
December – Morgan Frost (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
November – Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
October – Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
 Defenceman of the Month:
February – Evan Bouchard (London Knights)
January – Nicolas Hague (Mississauga Steelheads)
December – Evan Bouchard (London Knights)
November – Evan Bouchard (London Knights)
October – Sean Durzi (Owen Sound Attack)
 Rookie of the Month:
February – Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie Colts)
January – Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie Colts)
December – Rasmus Sandin (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
November – Blade Jenkins (Saginaw Spirit)
October – Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie Colts)
 Vaughn Goaltender of the Month:
February – Jeremy Helvig (Kingston Frontenacs)
January – Mario Culina (Kitchener Rangers)
December – Matthew Villalta (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
November – Matthew Villalta (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
October – Justin Fazio (Sarnia Sting)

CHL Announces Top 10 Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Top 10

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the week 23 edition of the CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2017-18 season.  The weekly rankings of the CHL’s Top-10 teams are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.

CHL Top 10 Rankings – Week 23

Rank: Team: Last Week Rank: Number of Weeks Ranked:
1 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (49-6-2-2) 1 23
2 Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (42-10-4-2) 3 23
3 Swift Current Broncos (45-14-4-1) 4 20
4 Moose Jaw Warriors (46-13-1-2) 2 21
5 Sarnia Sting (42-15-4-0) 5 20
6 Halifax Mooseheads (39-14-6-1) 6 12
7 Kitchener Rangers (40-18-2-0) 7 8
8 Rimouski Oceanic (38-14-6-1) 9 9
9 Everett Silvertips (41-18-2-3) 8 4
10 Hamilton Bulldogs (38-16-3-3) – 12
Honourable Mention:
Acadie-Bathurst Titan (36-15-7-2) 10 3
Portland Winterhawks (38-20-1-3) – 13
Barrie Colts (36-21-2-1) – 1

OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour Minor Midget Top-10 Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

ALLIANCE finalists the Brantford 99’ers and London Jr. Knights officially qualify

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the fifteenth edition of the weekly minor midget rankings for the 2018 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament powered by Under Armour and hosted by the Greater Toronto Hockey League.

OHL Cup

The 2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour and hosted by the GTHL is scheduled for March 13-19 and will feature 20 teams from across Ontario and the United States showcasing many of the top players eligible for the 2018 OHL Priority Selection.  All games will be played at Scotiabank Pond in Toronto until the Championship Final moves to the Mattamy Athletic Centre on Monday March 19 where it will be broadcasted nationally on Sportsnet.

The weekly rankings are determined by a panel of OHL Central Scouting staff and represent the top teams that are competing to play in the annual year-end championship tournament.

Minor Midget Rankings for the 2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour – Week 15

RANK TEAM LEAGUE LAST WEEK WEEKS RANKED
1 Toronto Marlboros* GTHL 1 15
2 Oakville Rangers OMHA 2 15
3 Mississauga Reps* GTHL 3 15
4 Vaughan Kings* GTHL 4 15
5 York-Simcoe Express OMHA 6 13
6 Toronto Jr. Canadiens* GTHL 5 9
7 Barrie Colts OMHA 8 11
8 Detroit Little Caesars USA 7 15
9 London Jr. Knights* ALLIANCE – 1
10 Guelph Gryphons OMHA – 2
   
  Honourable Mention:  
  Don Mills Flyers GTHL 9 14
  Peterborough Petes OMHA – 4
  Mississauga Rebels GTHL – –
  Cambridge Hawks ALLIANCE 10 11

The York-Simcoe Express, Barrie Colts, London Jr. Knights and Guelph Gryphons are all on the rise in the 15th edition of the OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour Top-10 Rankings. York-Simcoe, Barrie and Guelph join second-ranked Oakville, and the winner of a play-in game between the Peterborough Petes and Quinte Red Devils at the 2018 OMHA Championships in Aurora, Ont. this weekend, with the top four teams in that event securing a spot at the OHL Cup. The London Jr. Knights advanced to the ALLIANCE Championship to face the Brantford 99’ers as both teams have punched their ticket to the OHL Cup Showcase. The honourable mention Cambridge Hawks face the Sun County Panthers in an ALLIANCE Wild Card Series to determine the third ALLIANCE team that will compete at the 2018 event.

Tournament Structure:

16 of the 20 spots in the 2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour are guaranteed through league competition.  The 16 guaranteed spots continue to include all four GTHL Semi-Finalists, and the top four teams that place at the OMHA Championship.  Three teams from the ALLIANCE will still be guaranteed a spot in the tournament including the Champion and Finalist, along with the winner of a best-of-three Semi-Final Wild Card Series to be played between the losers of the two league Semi-Finals.  Also as in past years, two tournament entries are reserved for United States competition, while both an HNO and NOHA representative will also compete.  For the second straight season the final guaranteed spot will be awarded to HEO but represented by their previous year Bantam Championship team who will be reassembled for tournament competition.  This season, HEO’s entry will be members of the 2017 Bantam Champion Ottawa Jr. 67’s.

Wild Card Games:

The final four entries at the 2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour will be Wild Cards determined among eight teams that will play a one game ‘win and in’ scenario.  The eight competing teams aiming for the final four tournament spots will continue to include the fifth place team at the OMHA Championship, and the loser of the ALLIANCE Semi-Final Wild Card Series.  As introduced in 2016, two spots in Wild Card games will be reserved for GTHL teams.  The two competing GTHL teams will be determined through a pair of Wild Card Play-In Series matchups involving the four GTHL teams who qualified for the playoffs but lost in the first round.  As introduced in 2017, one spot in a Wild Card will also be reserved for the winner of an OMHA SCTA Consolation Game that features both teams who lost in the SCTA Tournament Semi-Final.  The OMHA teams eligible for this matchup will be determined annually based on the league not hosting the OMHA Championship.  Finally, the three remaining teams who will compete in the Wild Card matchups will be named by the Tournament Selection Committee.  The Committee will evaluate and review a team’s post-season success as the first criteria for selection, with additional criteria to include regular season play and tournament play.  All four Wild Card games will take place on Tuesday March 13 with specific matchups and times of play to be determined by random draw among the eight competing teams on Tuesday March 6.

History:

Last season the Mississauga Reps captured their first OHL Cup title, defeating the Toronto Nationals 3-2 on Dennis Golovatchev’s late game winner with nine seconds remaining in the third period.  Current Kitchener Rangers forward Mike Petizian led the showcase with 13 points (5-8—13) in seven games to earn the Tim Adams Memorial Trophy as tournament MVP.

The 2017 OHL Priority Selection featured 15 players chosen in the first round who competed for the OHL Cup including Ryan Suzuki (London Jr. Knights – 1st overall Barrie Colts), Tag Bertuzzi (TPH Hockey – 2nd overall Guelph Storm), Brandon Coe (Toronto Nationals – 3rd overall North Bay Battalion), Nicholas Porco (Vaughan Kings – 4th overall Saginaw Spirit), Philip Tomasino (Mississauga Rebels – 5th overall Niagara IceDogs), Graeme Clarke (Toronto Marlboros – 6th overall Ottawa 67’s), Blake Murray (Whitby Wildcats – 7th overall Sudbury Wolves), Jack Hughes (Toronto Marlboros – 8th overall Mississauga Steelheads), Jamieson Rees (Mississauga Reps – 9th overall Sarnia Sting), Ethan Keppen (Toronto Nationals – 10th overall Flint Firebirds), Connor McMichael (Ajax-Pickering Raiders – 11th overall Hamilton Bulldogs), Cody Morgan (Toronto Jr. Canadiens – 12th overall Kingston Frontenacs), Thomas Harley (Vaughan Kings – 14th overall Mississauga Steelheads), Nathan Staios (Vaughan Kings – 17th overall Windsor Spitfires) and Lucas Rowe (Mississauga Reps – 18th overall London Knights).

Notable OHL Cup graduates currently playing in the NHL include Travis Konecny (Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs/Philadelphia Flyers), Mitch Marner (Vaughan Kings/Toronto Maple Leafs), Connor McDavid (Toronto Marlboros/Edmonton Oilers), Max Domi (Don Mills Flyers/Arizona Coyotes), Sean Monahan (Mississauga Rebels/Calgary Flames), Taylor Hall (Greater Kingston Frontenacs/New Jersey Devils), Tyler Seguin (Toronto Nationals/Dallas Stars), John Tavares (Toronto Marlboros/New York Islanders), P.K Subban (Markham Islanders/Nashville Predators), and Steven Stamkos (Markham Waxers/Tampa Bay Lightning).

2018 marks the second season of a three-year partnership between the OHL and GTHL with Under Armour that includes title sponsorship of the OHL Cup Showcase Tournament.  The OHL and GTHL are also in the second season of a five-year partnership extension announced in 2017 that ensures the event will continue to be hosted by the GTHL through 2021.

For more information, please visit ohlcup.ca.

CHL Announces Weekly Award Winners

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OHL’s Kyrou and Vella earn CHL’s top marks 

Sting’s Jordan Kyrou named CHL Player of the Week 

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that St. Louis Blues prospect Jordan Kyrou of the Sarnia Sting is the CHL Player of the Week for the week ending February 25 after recording 13 points in four games including five goals and eight assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-7. 

Kyrou earns the national honour for the second time this season in a week highlighted by a career-high seven point performance.  The first star achievement came on Sunday in a 9-0 win over the Flint Firebirds and featured four goals and three assists tying a Sting single game record which put the captain into a tie atop the OHL’s scoring race with 99 points.  Kyrou’s week also included a goal and an assist on Monday where he was named second star of a 6-1 win over the Saginaw Spirit, and a four-assist effort on Friday as first star of a 6-2 win over the Firebirds.  He was held off the scoresheet on Saturday in a 2-1 loss to the Erie Otters.  The Sting have been a staple in the CHL’s Top-10 Rankings for the majority of the season and enter this week’s action 42-14-4-0 which is just one win shy of a new franchise record. 

A 19-year-old from Toronto, Ont., Kyrou is playing in his fourth career season with the Sting who chose him in the second round of the 2014 OHL Priority Selection.  His 99 points represent a new career-high and include 35 goals and 64 assists in just 49 games played for an impressive 2.02 point-per-game average.  Kyrou was a second round pick by the Blues in the 2016 NHL Draft and helped Canada win gold at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo. 

Also considered for the award this week was 2018 NHL Draft prospect Ty Smith who scored three goals and seven assists for 10 points in four games including a Spokane Chiefs record for points by a defenceman with a seven point performance, and Calgary Flames prospect D’Artagnan Joly of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar who scored five goals and four assists for nine points in three games. 

2017-18 CHL Players of the Week:

Feb. 19 – Feb. 25: Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Feb. 12 – Feb. 18: Aaron Luchuk (Barrie Colts)
Feb. 5 – Feb. 11: Maxime Comtois (Victoriaville Tigres)
Jan. 29 – Feb. 4: Ty Ronning (Vancouver Giants)
Jan. 22 – Jan. 28: Peter Abbandonato (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Jan. 15 – Jan. 21: Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Jan. 8 – Jan. 14: Taylor Raddysh (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Jan. 1 – Jan. 7: Owen Tippett (Mississauga Steelheads)
Dec. 25 – Dec. 31: Ivan Kosorenkov (Victoriaville Tigres)
Dec. 11 – Dec. 17: Morgan Frost (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Dec. 4 – Dec. 10: Stelio Mattheos (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Nov. 27 – Dec. 3: Alex Barré-Boulet (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
Nov. 20 – Nov. 26: Cody Glass (Portland Winterhawks)
Nov. 13 – Nov. 19: Cliff Pu (London Knights)
Nov. 6 – Nov. 12: Aleksi Heponiemi (Swift Current Broncos)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 5: Albert Michnac (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 23 – Oct. 29: Aaron Luchuk (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 16 – Oct. 22: Drake Batherson (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles)
Oct. 9 – Oct. 15: Tyler Soy (Victoria Royals)
Oct. 2 – Oct. 8: Kale Clague (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Sept. 25 – Oct. 1: Tyler Steenbergen (Swift Current Broncos)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 24: Kole Lind (Kelowna Rockets)  

Steelheads’ Emanuel Vella named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week 

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Emanuel Vella of the Mississauga Steelheads is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending February 25 after posting a 4-0-0-0 record including two shutout victories with a goals-against-average of 1.50 and save percentage of .954. 

Vella turned aside 124 shots last week for the Steelheads who climbed back up to the .500 mark maintaining their hold on the final playoff spot in the OHL’s Eastern Conference with a record of 28-28-1-2.  He recorded his first shutout of the season last Monday with a 29-save performance as first star of a 4-0 victory over the Flint Firebirds, then made 37 saves on Thursday in a 7-4 win over the division leading Barrie Colts.  On Friday he stopped a career-high 40 shots and earned first star honours with his second shutout of the week and season blanking the Niagara IceDogs by a 4-0 score, then finished the week with 18 saves on Sunday in a 5-2 win over the Guelph Storm. 

A 19-year-old from Toronto, Ont., Vella is playing in his second full OHL season and first with the Steelheads after being acquired from the Owen Sound Attack in the off-season.  He began his OHL tenure with the London Knights who chose him in the third round of the 2014 OHL Priority Selection.  In 27 appearances in the Steelheads crease he carries a 15-9-1-0 record with a goals-against-average of 3.09 and save percentage of .901. 

Also considered for the award this week was Edmonton Oilers prospect Stuart Skinner of the Swift Current Broncos who posted a 2-0-0-0 record including one shutout making 57 saves for a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .966.  In the QMJHL, Etienne Montpetit of the Victoriaville Tigres went 2-0-0-0 also making 57 saves for a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .966. 

2017-18 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week:

Feb. 19 – Feb. 25: Emanuel Vella (Mississauga Steelheads)
Feb. 12 – Feb. 18: Riley Lamb (Red Deer Rebels)
Feb. 5 – Feb. 11: Brody Willms (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Jan. 29 – Feb. 4: Zachary Bouthillier (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)
Jan. 22 – Jan. 28: Jeremy Helvig (Kingston Frontenacs)
Jan. 15 – Jan. 21: Mario Culina (Kitchener Rangers)
Jan. 8 – Jan. 14: Stuart Skinner (Swift Current Broncos)
Jan. 1 – Jan. 7: Samuel Harvey (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Dec. 25 – Dec. 31: James Porter (Kelowna Rockets)
Dec. 11 – Dec. 17: Tristan Bérubé (Gatineau Olympiques)
 Dec. 4 – Dec. 10: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 27 – Dec. 3: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 20 – Nov. 26: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 13 – Nov. 19: Anthony Morrone (Victoriaville Tigres)
Nov. 6 – Nov. 12: Justin Fazio (Sarnia Sting)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 5: Cole Kehler (Portland Winterhawks)
Oct. 23 – Oct. 29: Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips)
Oct. 16 – Oct. 22: Samuel Harvey (Rouyn-Noranada Huskies)
Oct. 9 – Oct. 15: Logan Flodell (Swift Current Broncos)
Oct. 2 – Oct. 8: Cole Kehler (Portland Winterhawks)
Sept. 25 – Oct. 1: Dereck Baribeau (Quebec Remparts)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 24: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)

CHL Leagues

Sting’s Jordan Kyrou named OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that St. Louis Blues prospect Jordan Kyrou of the Sarnia Sting is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week for the week ending February 25 after leading the league with 13 points in four games including five goals and eight assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-7. 

Jordan Kyrou of the Sarnia Sting. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Jordan Kyrou of the Sarnia Sting. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Kyrou earns the award for a third time this season with a trio of multi-point performances that launched him into a tie atop the OHL scoring race and helped the Sting tie a franchise record with their 42nd win of the season.  The highlight of his week was undoubtedly on Sunday delivering a career-high seven points including four goals and three assists as first star of a 9-0 win over the Flint Firebirds.  The four goals represent a new personal best and his third hat-trick this season, while the seven points tie a Sting single game record equaling Peter Sarno (4g, 3a in 1999), Justin DiBenedetto (5g, 2a in 2008), and Charles Sarault (7a in 2013).  His week also included a goal and an assist during Monday’s Family Day matinee against the Saginaw Spirit where he earned second star honours in the 6-1 win, and four assists on Friday as first star of a 6-2 victory over the Firebirds.  Despite a 2-1 loss to the Erie Otters on Saturday the Sting hold a record of 42-14-4-0 equaling the 2015-16 season for most wins in franchise history with eight games still remaining in their 2017-18 campaign. 

A 19-year-old from Toronto, Ont., Kyrou is playing in his fourth career season with the Sting who chose him in the second round of the 2014 OHL Priority Selection.  The captain now has a career-high 99 points including 35 goals and 64 assists in just 49 games played averaging an impressive 2.02 points per game.  His Sting tenure to date includes 280 points in 243 games with 95 goals.  Kyrou was a second round pick by the Blues in the 2016 NHL Draft and helped Canada win gold at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo. 

Watch video highlights of Kyrou and the Sting against the Spirit on Monday, Firebirds on Friday, and Firebirds on Sunday. 

Also considered for the award this week were a pair of Owen Sound Attack forwards both with nine points in four games including Kevin Hancock who scored five goals and four assists and Vegas Golden Knights prospect Nick Suzuki who scored two goals with seven assists.  In goal, Emanuel Vella of the Mississauga Steelheads posted a 4-0-0-0 record including two shutout victories making 124 saves for a goals-against-average of 1.50 and save percentage of .954.

2017-18 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week:

Feb. 19 – Feb. 25: Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Feb. 12 – Feb. 18: Aaron Luchuk (Barrie Colts)
Feb. 5 – Feb. 11: Liam Foudy (London Knights)
Jan. 29 – Feb. 4: Kenny Huether (Oshawa Generals)
Jan. 22 – Jan. 28: Jeremy Helvig (Kingston Frontenacs)
Jan. 15 – Jan. 21: Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Jan. 8 – Jan. 14: Taylor Raddysh (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Jan. 1 – Jan. 7: Owen Tippett (Mississauga Steelheads)
Dec. 25 – Dec. 31: Ben Jones (Niagara IceDogs)
Dec. 11 – Dec. 17: Morgan Frost (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Dec. 4 – Dec. 10: Justin Brazeau (North Bay Battalion)
Nov. 27 – Dec. 3: Joseph Garreffa (Kitchener Rangers)
Nov. 20 – Nov. 26: Serron Noel (Oshawa Generals)
Nov. 13 – Nov. 19: Cliff Pu (London Knights)
Nov. 6 – Nov. 12: Ryan Merkley (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 5: Albert Michnac (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 23 – Oct. 29: Aaron Luchuk (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 16 – Oct. 22: Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Oct. 9 – Oct. 15: Brady Hinz (Sarnia Sting)
Oct. 2 – Oct. 8: Nick Suzuki (Owen Sound Attack)
Sept. 25 – Oct. 1: Jonathan Ang (Peterborough Petes)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 24: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)

Blade Jenkins – Saginaw Spirit – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 195 pounds

Date of birth: August 11, 2000

Hometown: Jackson, MI

Position: Left Wing/Center

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 1, 4th overall, 2016 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting pre-season: C Prospect

NHL Central Scouting mid-term: 24th – North American Skaters

NHL Central Scouting final rank: Not available at this time

One season ago, Saginaw Spirit left winger Blade Jenkins was playing for Team USA in the United States Hockey League with well-known names such as Brady Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes, and Oliver Wahlstrom. He scored once and added 4 assists in 34 games, one season after the Saginaw selected him with the 4th overall pick at the 2016 OHL Priority Selection.

Prior to his OHL draft, Jenkins played for the Compuware Under-16 squad in which he scored 15 goals and 21 assists in 22 games.

Jenkins has made an impression in this, his rookie OHL season. He has 18 goals and 20 assists in 58 games and his 38 points are good for fifth on the Spirit. He sits fourth among OHL rookies in goals and points and fifth in assists.

Jenkins’ 18 goals come on just 115 shots, good for a 15.7 shooting percentage. He’s won 118 of 238 faceoffs, or 49.8% of his draws. That’s not bad for an OHL rookie.

Internationally, Jenkins has represented Team USA on two occasions. A season ago, he appeared in 5 games with the Americans at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 scoring once. In August of 2017, he was on the American Squad at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament but was held off the scoresheet in 4 games.

Fans on both sides of the 49th parallel get a little annoyed when a player commits one way and then decides to head the other way.

Which brings us to this Blade Jenkins tweet:

https://twitter.com/blade_jenkins20/status/860265146542960640

Jenkins had committed to play in his home state of Michigan for the NCAA Michigan Wolverines. There is no doubt it was a massive gamble for the Spirit to use the fourth overall pick to select a player that had already committed to going the NCAA way. But Saginaw is less than a two-hour drive from his home and maybe management knew something the rest of us didn’t. I just want to say “Get over it. It happens both ways and players and their families will do what they believe is best for their careers.”

There is no doubt that Blade is among the elite of hockey names. But names do not a hockey player make. So, who exactly is Jenkins the hockey player?

Jenkins got off to a very slow start on the season with just a goal and two assists in his first dozen games. Since then, he’s posted 17 goals and 18 assists in 46 games. There were questions raised about his skating coming in, and the slow start reinforced those concerns for some.

Personally, I don’t think it was a skating issue and it was more about getting comfortable with the OHL speed and game. That’s not to say he couldn’t use a better first few strides or better top end speed or even a separation gear – he certainly could, but I don’t think it hinders his ability.

At 6’1”, 195 pounds and still room to grow, Jenkins possesses decent size. He uses that size to his advantage and battles well along the walls and in front of the opponent’s net. He’s learning how to be dominant with each passing shift. He drives the net hard with or without possession and he’s extremely strong playing the cycle game.

Jenkins also possesses good hockey sense. He has shown that he can be elusive and make himself open for teammates to find. He can also play patient and wait for lanes to open up when he has puck possession. He can play the playmaker game, but at the same time, he can beat you with a very heavy shot.

Defensively, Jenkins’ game is a work in progress. On a lot of nights, you will walk away knowing he was one of the most noticeable players on the ice. Evidence that he will put the work in where he requires it.

Blade Jenkins

Stat page of Blade Jenkins from Elite Prospects

 

CHL Announces Top 10 Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Top 10

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the week 22 edition of the CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2017-18 season.  The weekly rankings of the CHL’s Top-10 teams are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.

CHL Top 10 Rankings – Week 22

Rank: Team: Last Week Rank: Number of Weeks Ranked:
1 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (47-6-2-2) 1 22
2 Moose Jaw Warriors (44-11-1-2) 2 20
3 Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (40-9-4-2) 3 22
4 Swift Current Broncos (42-13-4-1) 5 19
5 Sarnia Sting (40-13-4-0) 4 19
6 Halifax Mooseheads (37-13-6-1) 7 11
7 Kitchener Rangers (38-17-2-0) 6 7
8 Everett Silvertips (39-17-2-3) 10 3
9 Rimouski Oceanic (36-14-6-1) – 8
10 Acadie-Bathurst Titan (34-14-7-2) – 3
Honourable Mention:
Hamilton Bulldogs (35-16-3-3) 9 11
Kelowna Rockets (36-18-4-2) – 6
Kingston Frontenacs (32-17-5-3) – 0

CHL Leagues

Matthew Struthers – North Bay Battalion – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 210 pounds

Date of birth: December 26, 1999

Hometown: Milton, Ontario

Position: Center

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 3, 55th overall, 2015 Priority Selection (Owen Sound Attack)

As the captain of the minor midget Halton Hurricanes during the 2014-2015 season, Matthew Struthers provided the Canes with 20 goals and 20 assists in 36 games. He added a goal and an assist for the Canes in 4 games at the OHL Cup. And he represented Team OMHA White at the OHL Gold Cup scoring 2 goals and adding 3 assists in 5 games.

The Owen Sound Attack would select Struthers with the 55th overall pick at the 2015 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.

Matthew Struthers of the Owen Sound Attack. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Matthew Struthers acquired from the Owen Sound Attack on January 3, 2018. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

During his 2015-2016 rookie season, Struthers would score 5 goals and 8 assists in 47 games. He would win a gold medal with Team Canada White at the 2016 World Hockey Challenge Under-17 scoring once and add an assist in 6 games.

During his second season with the Attack, Struthers would appear in 66 games in which he scored 10 goals while assisting on 9 others. He would add 2 goals and 3 assists in 17 playoff games.

This season Struthers’ offense wasn’t really where it should have been after scoring 9 goals and 9 assists for the Attack despite being named our draft eligible player of the month in September.  On January 3, 2018, the North Bay Battalion came calling and acquired Struthers and picks in a deal for Brett McKenzie.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Since being acquired by the Battalion, Struthers has averaged a point-per-game on 8 goals and 10 assists. With the exception of a 4-game pointless streak, he’s been a model of consistency putting up points in 11 of the remaining 14 games.

So, what does Struthers bring to the table?

Well, for beginners, at 6’2” he has pretty good size. I don’t project Struthers to be an offensive stalwart at the next level, but more a bottom-six forward who plays hard on pucks drives the net and will park himself there and will end up being a decent faceoff guy.

Struthers has a long, powerful stride in his skating and is extremely strong on his skates. But he lacks an explosiveness in his first few strides and really doesn’t possess a separation gear. So, he relies on his hockey smarts and very good vision to make plays or to put pucks in areas where his teammates are more likely to retrieve them. His passing is slightly underrated and most of his goals will come from going to those dirty areas.

Scouts will like Struthers because of his size and because he plays the game the right way in all three zones, with or without the puck. He plays hard down low at both ends and wins more battles than not for pucks. His defensive awareness is pretty high and positioning excellent- exactly what you’d expect from a Stan Butler coached team.

Struthers was ranked as a C prospect on NHL Central Scouting’s Players to Watch List. A C prospect is typically a 4th, 5th or 6th round candidate. On their mid-term rankings, Struthers was ranked 108th among North American Skaters.

Struthers is the highest ranked Battalion, ahead of draft re-entry candidates Justin Brazeau, Luke Burghardt and Adam Thilander.

OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour Minor Midget Top-10 Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the fourteenth edition of the weekly minor midget rankings for the 2018 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament powered by Under Armour and hosted by the Greater Toronto Hockey League.

OHL Cup

The 2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour and hosted by the GTHL is scheduled for March 13-19 and will feature 20 teams from across Ontario and the United States showcasing many of the top players eligible for the 2018 OHL Priority Selection.  All games will be played at Scotiabank Pond in Toronto until the Championship Final moves to the Mattamy Athletic Centre on Monday March 19 where it will be broadcasted nationally on Sportsnet.

The weekly rankings are determined by a panel of OHL Central Scouting staff and represent the top teams that are competing to play in the annual year-end championship tournament.

Minor Midget Rankings for the 2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour – Week 14

RANK TEAM LEAGUE LAST WEEK WEEKS RANKED
1 Toronto Marlboros* GTHL 1 14
2 Oakville Rangers OMHA 2 14
3 Mississauga Reps* GTHL 3 14
4 Vaughan Kings* GTHL 4 14
5 Toronto Jr. Canadiens* GTHL 5 8
6 York-Simcoe Express OMHA 7 12
7 Detroit Little Caesars U15 USA 6 14
8 Barrie Colts OMHA 8 10
9 Don Mills Flyers GTHL 9 14
10 Cambridge Hawks ALLIANCE 10 11
   
  Honourable Mention  
  Peterborough Petes OMHA – 4
  Guelph Gryphons OMHA – 1
  Mississauga Rebels GTHL – –
  London Jr. Knights ALLIANCE – –

Holding a 4-0 lead in points in their GTHL Championship Final series against the Mississauga Reps, the Toronto Marlboros are the top-ranked team in the province for the 14th straight week. The York-Simcoe Express rise one spot to number six in this week’s rankings as they hold a 4-0 series lead in points over the Peterborough Petes in their OMHA ETA Semi-Final matchup. The London Jr. Knights make their honourable mention debut as they sit one win away from the ALLIANCE Championship Series, currently leading the Sun County Panthers 4-0 in points in a Semi-Final matchup.

Tournament Structure:

16 of the 20 spots in the 2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour are guaranteed through league competition.  The 16 guaranteed spots continue to include all four GTHL Semi-Finalists, and the top four teams that place at the OMHA Championship.  Three teams from the ALLIANCE will still be guaranteed a spot in the tournament including the Champion and Finalist, along with the winner of a best-of-three Semi-Final Wild Card Series to be played between the losers of the two league Semi-Finals.  Also as in past years, two tournament entries are reserved for United States competition, while both an HNO and NOHA representative will also compete.  For the second straight season the final guaranteed spot will be awarded to HEO but represented by their previous year Bantam Championship team who will be reassembled for tournament competition.  This season, HEO’s entry will be members of the 2017 Bantam Champion Ottawa Jr. 67’s.

Wild Card Games:

The final four entries at the 2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour will be Wild Cards determined among eight teams that will play a one game ‘win and in’ scenario.  The eight competing teams aiming for the final four tournament spots will continue to include the fifth place team at the OMHA Championship, and the loser of the ALLIANCE Semi-Final Wild Card Series.  As introduced in 2016, two spots in Wild Card games will be reserved for GTHL teams.  The two competing GTHL teams will be determined through a pair of Wild Card Play-In Series matchups involving the four GTHL teams who qualified for the playoffs but lost in the first round.  As introduced in 2017, one spot in a Wild Card will also be reserved for the winner of an OMHA SCTA Consolation Game that features both teams who lost in the SCTA Tournament Semi-Final.  The OMHA teams eligible for this matchup will be determined annually based on the league not hosting the OMHA Championship.  Finally, the three remaining teams who will compete in the Wild Card matchups will be named by the Tournament Selection Committee.  The Committee will evaluate and review a team’s post-season success as the first criteria for selection, with additional criteria to include regular season play and tournament play.  All four Wild Card games will take place on Tuesday March 13 with specific matchups and times of play to be determined by random draw among the eight competing teams on Tuesday March 6.

History:

Last season the Mississauga Reps captured their first OHL Cup title, defeating the Toronto Nationals 3-2 on Dennis Golovatchev’s late game winner with nine seconds remaining in the third period.  Current Kitchener Rangers forward Mike Petizian led the showcase with 13 points (5-8—13) in seven games to earn the Tim Adams Memorial Trophy as tournament MVP.

The 2017 OHL Priority Selection featured 15 players chosen in the first round who competed for the OHL Cup including Ryan Suzuki (London Jr. Knights – 1st overall Barrie Colts), Tag Bertuzzi (TPH Hockey – 2nd overall Guelph Storm), Brandon Coe (Toronto Nationals – 3rd overall North Bay Battalion), Nicholas Porco (Vaughan Kings – 4th overall Saginaw Spirit), Philip Tomasino (Mississauga Rebels – 5th overall Niagara IceDogs), Graeme Clarke (Toronto Marlboros – 6th overall Ottawa 67’s), Blake Murray (Whitby Wildcats – 7th overall Sudbury Wolves), Jack Hughes (Toronto Marlboros – 8th overall Mississauga Steelheads), Jamieson Rees (Mississauga Reps – 9th overall Sarnia Sting), Ethan Keppen (Toronto Nationals – 10th overall Flint Firebirds), Connor McMichael (Ajax-Pickering Raiders – 11th overall Hamilton Bulldogs), Cody Morgan (Toronto Jr. Canadiens – 12th overall Kingston Frontenacs), Thomas Harley (Vaughan Kings – 14th overall Mississauga Steelheads), Nathan Staios (Vaughan Kings – 17th overall Windsor Spitfires) and Lucas Rowe (Mississauga Reps – 18th overall London Knights).

Notable OHL Cup graduates currently playing in the NHL include Travis Konecny (Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs/Philadelphia Flyers), Mitch Marner (Vaughan Kings/Toronto Maple Leafs), Connor McDavid (Toronto Marlboros/Edmonton Oilers), Max Domi (Don Mills Flyers/Arizona Coyotes), Sean Monahan (Mississauga Rebels/Calgary Flames), Taylor Hall (Greater Kingston Frontenacs/New Jersey Devils), Tyler Seguin (Toronto Nationals/Dallas Stars), John Tavares (Toronto Marlboros/New York Islanders), P.K Subban (Markham Islanders/Nashville Predators), and Steven Stamkos (Markham Waxers/Tampa Bay Lightning).

For more information, please visit ohlcup.ca.