Maksim Sushko – Owen Sound Attack – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 185 pounds

Date of birth: February 10, 1999

Hometown: Brest, Belarus

Position: Right Wing

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 29th overall, 2016 CHL Import Draft

The Owen Sound Attack selected Maksim Sushko (Maxim Sushko) in the first round of the 2016 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft, twenty-ninth overall, after he put up 9 goals and 21 assists in 21 games for Shakhter Soligorsk-2 of the Belarus-2 League. He added 3 goals and 10 assists in 16 games in helping his squad to the league championship.

Sushko was also selected in the first round, 11th overall, by Dynamo Minsk at the 2016 Kontinental Hockey League Draft.

Maksim Sushko of the Owen Sound Attack. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Maksim Sushko of the Owen Sound Attack. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Sushko has represented his native Belarus on two occasions. Last season he played for his country at the World Junior Championships Under-18 Division 1 (qualifying), scoring 2 goals and 4 assists in 5 games and wining gold. He was named his squads top player in the tournament. This season, he represented Belarus at the World Junior Championships Under 20 Division 1 scoring once in 5 games and again winning gold.

Putting up points has come somewhat easily for Sushko to date. During the 2014-2015 season, he scored 37 goals and 29 assists in 17 games for DYUSSH Shakhter Under-18. In this his Ontario Hockey League rookie season, he appeared in 54 games and put up a very respectable 17 goals and 15 assists. As is usually the case with Sushko, as the games begin to matter more, he rises to the occasion and has 3 goals and 8 assists in 16 playoff games for the Attack. (at the time of this article, Owen Sound is set to face the Erie Otters in game 6 of the Western Conference Championship which Erie leads 3-2).

We say this a lot about players at this level, and Sushko is no different: He does need to work on his complete game. He doesn’t always put the effort in his own zone as he does the offensive zone, and sometimes waits for someone else to do the leg work and head the other way.

For Sushko, that is the complete opposite of his work ethic in the offensive zone. His pursuit of the puck is almost non-stop. He possesses good speed, gets on top of defenders quickly and rarely gives up until he gains possession. He has good size but won’t overpower defenders physically. His work ethic and will make him successful on the forecheck.

Sushko has a deceptively quick release on his shot and he gets a lot on it with an ability to beat goaltenders cleanly. As good a goal scorer as he is, he’s just as good a playmaker. He sees the ice extremely well, makes the right decisions, thinks the game at a high level and quickly and can deliver a crisp, clean pass. He has shown a strong ability to run the powerplay from the half-wall, whether getting into position for a shot, or more likely, set up teammates for opportunities.

Sushko was ranked 73 among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings. He remained relatively unchanged on their final rankings, ending up at 72.

Sushko is one of eight Owen Sound teammates ranked by Central Scouting. He ranks fourth among his teammates.

Maxim Sushko

This is the profile page of Maxim Sushko at Elite Prospects

OHL This Week for April 26-30, 2017

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OHL Logo

Toronto, ON – The Mississauga Steelheads have advanced to the Rogers OHL Championship Series and await the winner between the Erie Otters and Owen Sound Attack currently deadlocked at 2-2 in the Western Conference Final.  That story and more around the OHL this week.

MISSISSAUGA STEELHEADS ARE EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS:

The Mississauga Steelheads have claimed the Bobby Orr Trophy as Eastern Conference Champions for the first time in team history, sending Mississauga to its first Rogers OHL Championship Series since 2011. The Steelheads took a commanding 7-0 home ice victory in Game 4 on Wednesday, taking a clean sweep of their Eastern Conference Championship Series against the Peterborough Petes. Read more / Photo Gallery / Highlights / Post-Game

WATCH EVERY PLAYOFF GAME WITH OHL LIVE PLAYOFF PACKAGES:

Don’t miss a game! Follow your team throughout the #OHLPlayoffs with new OHL LIVE Playoff Packages including the flexibility of single game, team pass and all access options. Visit OHLLIVE.com for full details.

LIFTMASTER ROAD TO THE MASTERCARD MEMORIAL CUP:

Get caught up on what’s going on around the entire CHL Playoffs in the third edition of LiftMaster Road to the Mastercard Memorial Cup.  11 teams remain in the hunt to join the Windsor Spitfires in May as third round action winds down.  LiftMaster is the Official Garage Door Opener of the Canadian Hockey League. Watch.

OTTERS’ DARREN RADDYSH NAMED OHL OVERAGE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Erie Otters defenceman Darren Raddysh has been voted the 2016-17 Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy recipient presented annually to the OHL’s Overage Player of the Year. Raddysh led all overage players in scoring this season with 81 points in 62 games including 16 goals and 65 assists.  His 81 points were tops among OHL defencemen and established a new Otters single season mark for production from the blueline. Read more

ATTACK’S NICK SUZUKI NAMED OHL’S MOST SPORTSMANLIKE PLAYER:

2017 NHL Draft prospect Nick Suzuki of the Owen Sound Attack is the William Hanley Trophy recipient awarded to the league’s Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year. Suzuki finished fifth in league scoring with 96 points including 45 goals and 51 assists in 65 games played with a plus-minus rating of plus-51 that ranked seventh among all OHL skaters.  He recorded just 10 penalty minutes in 2016-17 which was fewest among the league’s top-10 scorers serving just one minor penalty during the final 26 games of the season. Read more

CHMELEVSKI, GIBSON AND HANNA EARN 2017 OHL ACADEMIC AWARDS:

Sasha Chmelevski of the Ottawa 67’s is the recipient of the Bobby Smith Trophy as Scholastic Player of the Year, with Stephen Gibson of the Mississauga Steelheads earning the Roger Neilson Memorial Award as the Top Post-Secondary School Student, and Quinn Hanna of the Guelph Storm named the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award recipient for Top High School Student. All three players will be formally presented with their awards at the annual OHL Awards Ceremony on Thursday June 8.  Chmelevski will be the OHL’s nominee for CHL Scholastic Player of the Year which will be announced on Saturday May 27 as part of the events at the 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup in Windsor. Read more

STAYING THE COURSE: HOW THE STEELHEADS TURNED THINGS AROUND:

A look at the Mississauga Steelheads’ ascension from holding the OHL’s worst record in early December to being crowned Central Division champions at season’s end. Head coach James Richmond and his staff stayed the course and benefited from the midseason additions of Spencer Watson and Vili Saarijarvi. Read more

EAST DIVISION CHAMPION PETES RETURN TO PROMINENCE:

The Peterborough Petes played in their first Eastern Conference Final since 2006, becoming the talk of the town once again. Former Petes goaltender turned coach Andrew Verner reflects on his playing days in the Electric City and discusses the competitive standard this year’s club set for future seasons. Read more

GADJOVICH AND HANCOCK EMBODY ATTACK IDENTITY:

Forwards Jonah Gadjovich and Kevin Hancock represent an Owen Sound Attack hockey club that flew under the radar and improved into one of the league’s best. The two draft eligible forwards received high praise in the Western Conference Coaches Poll in categories that are the essence of this year’s Attack; improved and underrated. Read more

FOUR YEARS RUNNING FOR TRIO OF OTTERS:

Erie Otters veterans Dylan Strome, Kyle Pettit, and Darren Raddysh are competing in their fourth straight Western Conference Championship Series. The Otters hope this season will be their year to celebrate the Flagship City’s first OHL title since 2002. Read more

4 OHL PLAYERS EARN MEDALS AT WORLD UNDER-18 HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP:

Four OHL players earned medals at the 2017 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship in Poprad and Spisska Nova Ves, Slovakia. A total of 15 OHL players competed in the annual event including nine who competed for Canada in a fifth place finish following a quarterfinal loss to Sweden. Read more

ICEDOGS NAME JOEY BURKE GENERAL MANAGER:

The Niagara IceDogs have named former Director of Player Personnel Joey Burke as General Manager of the club. Burke, who has been with the IceDogs since their inaugural season in Niagara in 2007-08. He has served as the club’s Assistant General Manager since the beginning of the 2010 season. Read more

67’s ANNOUNCE RESIGNATION OF HEAD COACH & GM JEFF BROWN:

The Ottawa 67’s have announced that Head Coach and General Manager Jeff Brown has resigned for personal reasons. Brown took over coaching duties with the 67’s in the 2014-15 season and was promoted to the dual role of Head Coach and General Manager in May 2015. In his first season behind the bench, the 67’s finished second in the OHL’s Eastern Division and secured a playoff spot after missing the post-season in the two previous seasons. The team qualified for the playoffs in each year of Brown’s tenure as Head Coach. Read more

GREYHOUNDS’ KATCHOUK SIGNS WITH LIGHTNING:

The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds forward Boris Katchouk to a three-year, entry-level NHL contract. Katchouk, 18, played in 66 games with the Greyhounds this season, recording 35 goals and 64 points to go along with 46 penalty minutes. The 6-foot-1,192-pound forward ranked second on the Greyhounds for goals, third for points and fifth for assists. Katchouk paced the entire OHL for shorthanded goals with seven.  Read more

GREYHOUNDS’ KOPACKA SIGNS WITH DUCKS:

The Anaheim Ducks have signed Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds forward Jack Kopacka to a three-year, entry-level NHL contract. Selected in the fourth round (93rd overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft, Kopacka recorded 30-19=49 points with a +8 rating and 16 PIM in 65 games with the Greyhounds in 2016-17. The 6-2, 202-pound forward set OHL career highs during the regular season in goals, points and plus/minus. He also ranked second on the Greyhounds in playoff scoring (5-6=11) and assists in 11 postseason appearances this spring. Read more

STEELHEADS’ MANCINA NAMED PIONEER ENERGY OHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK & VAUGHN CHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK:

Matthew Mancina of the Mississauga Steelheads is the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the playoff week ending April 23 after posting a 2-0 record including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 1.50 and save percentage of .944. Mancina turned aside 51 shots last week for the Steelheads who opened the Eastern Conference Championship Series with a pair of road victories to take a 2-0 series lead against the Peterborough Petes. Mancina’s standout performance also earned him Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week honours. Read more

JAMIESON REES COMMITS TO STING:

The Sarnia Sting have received a commitment from 2017 first round, ninth overall selection Jamieson Rees. Rees, who captained the Mississauga Reps to an OHL Cup title, was also named to the OHL Cup Gatorade All-Star Team after recording 11 points (6-5–11) over eight games with a rating of plus-13. Read more

ALEXANDRE HOGUE COMMITS TO STING:

The Sarnia Sting have received a commitment from 2017 second round (37th overall) selection Alexandre Hogue. The HEO Player of the Year had 14 goals, 33 assists and 47 points in 45 games with the Cumberland Grads U18 Midgets. The Embrun, Ont. native is expected to suit up for Team HEO in the upcoming OHL Gold Cup taking place at the Activia Sportsplex in Kitchener from May 4-7. Read more

NATHAN STAIOS COMMITS TO SPITFIRES:

The Windsor Spitfires have received a commitment from 2017 first round, 17th overall pick Nathan Staios. The son of longtime NHL defenceman Steve Staios – who is now president and general manager of the Hamilton Bulldogs – Staios had five goals, 11 assists and 32 penalty minutes in 16 games for the the Vaughn Kings Minor Midgets in 2016-17. Read more

BLAKE MURRAY COMMITS TO WOLVES:

The Sudbury Wolves have received a commitment from 2017 first round, seventh overall pick Blake Murray. An Uxbridge, ON, native, Murray led the Whitby Wildcats Minor Midgets to an OMHA Championship this past season before reaching the OHL Cup Quarterfinals. Read more

JOE RUPOLI COMMITS TO GENERALS:

The Oshawa Generals have received a commitment from 2016 fifth round selection Joe Rupoli. The defenceman from Oakville played with the OJHL’s Mississauga Chargers this past season, recording three goals, 12 assists and 15 points over 48 games. Read more

OHL CLUBS HOST SPRING DEVELOPMENT CAMPS:

A total of nine OHL clubs hosted Development Camps last weekend, giving prospective players and their families an opportunity to meet coaches, staff, media, and fans in their respective organizations. Players taken in the 2016 and 2017 OHL Priority Selections in addition to 2017 OHL Under-18 Priority Selection picks and other free agent invitees attended the Development Camps that featured a fitness testing element in addition to on-ice scrimmages and information sessions over the course of the weekend. Read more

7 OHL U18 PRIORITY SELECTION PICKS REPRESENTING MISSISSAUGA REBELS AT TELUS CUP:

Seven players chosen in the 2017 OHL Under-18 Priority Selection are competing in the Telus Cup with the Mississauga Rebels Midgets. The Rebels represent the Central region at this year’s event in Prince George, BC and feature OHL prospects in Evan Benwell (Windsor Spitfires), Elijah Gonsalves (London Knights), Josiah Degazon (Barrie Colts), Bair Gendunov (Saginaw Spirit), Massimo Petricca (Barrie Colts), Eric Mergelas (Sudbury Wolves and Calder Lund (Flint Firebirds). For full coverage of the 2017 Telus Cup, please visit hockeycanada.ca.

OHL TO HOST 5TH ANNUAL OHL GOLD CUP HIGH PERFORMANCE OFFICIATING CAMP:

The Ontario Hockey League will be hosting its 5th annual OHL Gold Cup High Performance Officiating Exposure Camp from May 3-7 to enhance the development and performance of the top officiating prospects in Canada. This camp will be an opportunity for officials to showcase their skills and abilities to members of the OHL Officiating Department. A total of 20 officials out of over 80 applications have been selected to participate. Read more

2017 OHL COACHES CONFERENCE SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 3rd:

The 4th annual OHL Coaches Conference is scheduled for Saturday June 3rd on the campus of UOIT in Oshawa, ON. This event provides minor hockey coaches the opportunity to learn from OHL, AHL, and NHL personnel in an interactive professional development day. Programs are open to any coach registered within the OHF, OHA, OWHA, HEO, or HNO, coaching Pee-Wee ‘AAA’, Minor Bantam and Major Bantam ‘AE to AAA’, Minor Midget and Midget ‘AE to AAA’. Read more

WIN A TRIP TO THE MASTERCARD MEMORIAL CUP WITH SPORTSNET #WHATTOWIN:

What do you do to win? Show Sportsnet your skills using #WhatToWin on Twitter, and you could win a trip to the 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup! Details.

ENTER WITH BRP FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A TRIP TO THE MASTERCARD MEMORIAL CUP:

A proud partner of the Canadian Hockey League, BRP has launched a great new contest that gives fans a chance to win a trip for four to the 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup in Windsor! Fill out all of the information and enter for your chance to win. Visit brpcontest.com.

JANES SAVES OF THE YEAR CONTEST CONTINUES:

Voting is now open for the #JanesSaves of the Year! Head to www.JanesSaves.ca and vote for the best OHL Save of the Year! Enter for your chance to win a trip for 4 to the 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup and score a FREE box of Janes ultimates™

VOTE SPENCER WATSON IN #CIBCSHOWDOWN:

Los Angeles Kings prospect Spencer Watson of the Mississauga Steelheads is the OHL’s representative in this week’s edition of CIBC Showdown, a weekly contest that features one great play from all three leagues. Watch his play and vote at chlshowdown.ca.

OHL PLAYERS REWARDED WITH PRO OPPORTUNITIES FOLLOWING 2016-17 SEASON:

Several OHL players now on the other side of the 2016-17 season have received pro opportunities with AHL and ECHL clubs. The following players have recently signed professional and amateur tryout contracts with pro clubs since their OHL playoff elimination: Jeremy Brodeur (Oshawa Generals/Toledo Walleye – ECHL), Connor Bunnaman (Kitchener Rangers/Lehigh Valley Phantoms – AHL), Max Jones (London Knights/San Diego Gulls – AHL), Boris Katchouk (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds/Syracuse Crunch – AHL), JJ Piccinich (London Knights/Toronto Marlies – AHL), Mitchell Stephens (London Knights/Syracuse Crunch – AHL),

2017 MASTERCARD MEMORIAL CUP SINGLE GAME TICKETS NOW ON SALE:

2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup single-game tickets are now on sale. Tickets for games featuring the host Windsor Spitfires are available at a cost of $90+HST while games featuring two of the other three participating teams are priced at $75+HST. Read more

ALUMNI NOTES:

47 OHL graduates advance to second round of NHL Playoffs: A total of 47 OHL graduates have reached the second round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers advanced in the Western Conference while the New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins moved on in the East. Read more

Marner added to Canada’s Roster for 2017 IIHF World Championship: Fresh off an outstanding rookie season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, London Knights graduate and 2016 CHL Player of the Year Mitch Marner has been added to Canada’s roster for the 2017 IIHF World Hockey Championship. Marner will be representing his country in international competition for the third time in his career; he won gold at the 2014 Ivan Hlinka Memorial, and was part of Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship. The Thornhill, Ont. native as Toronto’s rookie leader in regular season assists, posting 42 in 77 games this past season. He played three seasons with London from 2013-16, leading the Knights to an OHL title and a Mastercard Memorial Cup championship last spring.

Brooks named OHA Coach of the Year: OHL graduate and former coach of the Guelph Storm Jason Brooks has been named the 2017 OHA Coach of the Year. Brooks steered the Listowel Jr. B Cyclones to the franchise’s first Cherrey Cup title since 2005 this season, winning 40 games during the regular season. The Cyclones defeated the Elmira Sugar Kings to win the Cherrey Cup before falling to the London Nationals in the Sutherland Cup Semi-Final. Brooks played with the Cyclones before an OHL career spent with the Ottawa 67’s and London Knights from 1993-96. He spent nine years with the Storm organization from 2001-10 in a variety of roles, winning an OHL title with the club in 2004. He finished his most recent OHL coaching stint with the Niagara IceDogs in 2013. Brooks revealed to the Stratford Beacon-Herald this past week that he began undergoing chemotherapy in early February on a benign brain tumour that continued to grow. The Ontario Hockey League wishes Jason nothing but the best in his fight and congratulates him on a great season in Listowel.

Bruins name Cassidy head coach: After filling in on an interim basis, Bruce Cassidy has been named head coach of the Boston Bruins for the 2017-18 season. The Bruins went 18-8-1 under Cassidy, making the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2014, though the Bruins did not make it out of the first round. He replaced Claude Julien, the Bruins’ coach for a decade, who was fired on Feb. 7.  Cassidy played with Brian Kilrea’s Ottawa 67’s from 1982-85 before an 11-year pro career. He coached the Kingston Frontenacs in parts of two seasons from 2006-08.

SCHEDULE:

Wednesday April 26th
Peterborough 0 at Mississauga 7 (Game 4) – Highlights
Erie 4 at Owen Sound 3 (Game 4) – Highlights

Friday April 28th:
Owen Sound at Erie (Game 5) – 7:00pm

Sunday April 30th:
Erie at Owen Sound (Game 6) – 2:00pm

Monday May 1st:
Owen Sound at Erie (Game 7) – 7:00pm*

Be sure to catch all of this weekend’s action at ohllive.com.

Attack’s Nick Suzuki named OHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that 2017 NHL Draft prospect Nick Suzuki of the Owen Sound Attack is the 2016-17 recipient of the William Hanley Trophy awarded to the OHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year.

Suzuki finished fifth in league scoring with 96 points including 45 goals and 51 assists in 65 games played with a plus-minus rating of plus-51 that ranked seventh among all OHL skaters.  He recorded just 10 penalty minutes in 2016-17 which was fewest among the league’s top-10 scorers serving just one minor penalty during the final 26 games of the season.  He is the first Owen Sound player to receive the award following a season where the Attack secured franchise best marks of 49 wins and 102 points.

Nick Suzuki of the Owen Sound Attack. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Nick Suzuki of the Owen Sound Attack. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

“It’s a big honour to be selected for this award,” Suzuki said. “I pride myself on being a good player by sticking to my game and staying away from taking penalties, and also being a good teammate and someone who is well respected on the ice.”

A 17-year-old from London, Ont., Suzuki is playing in just his second OHL season after being chosen by the Attack 14th overall in the 2015 Priority Selection.  This season he recorded 25 multi-point performances including a career-high six-point effort with a goal and five assists against his hometown Knights on February 17.  Suzuki was also recognized in the annual Western Conference Coaches Poll where he was voted second in the Best Stickhandler category.  He is eligible for the 2017 NHL Draft and was listed 10th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting in their final rankings.

“The whole organization is extremely proud of Nick,” said Attack General Manager Dale DeGray. “He’s an elite player in an amazing league that has the respect of not only his teammates but his peers. From the moment he joined the Attack, Nick has approached and played the game the right way and there is no more deserving player for this award than him.”

The William Hanley Trophy is awarded each year based on a selection by the 20 General Managers of the Ontario Hockey League.  All 20 teams submit a nominee but are not permitted to vote for their own candidate with players receiving five points for a first place vote, three points for a second place vote, and one point for a third place vote.  The trophy is presented by the OHL to commemorate William Hanley, former Secretary-Manager of the Ontario Hockey Association for over 25 years.

Suzuki led the voting process by receiving 74 voting points, followed by fellow NHL Draft prospects including Jason Robertson of the Kingston Frontenacs who finished in second place with 55 voting points, and Robert Thomas of the London Knights who finished in third place with 18 voting points.

Former winners of the William Hanley Trophy first presented in 1961 include Wayne Gretzky (Sault Ste. Marie 1977-78), Kirk Muller (Guelph 1982-83), Brian Campbell (Ottawa 1998-99), Jeff Carter (Sault Ste. Marie 2004-05), Brandon Saad (Saginaw 2011-12), Connor McDavid (Erie 2013-14), Dylan Strome (Erie 2014-15), and Mike Amadio (North Bay 2015-16).

Suzuki will be formally presented with the William Hanley Trophy at the 2016-17 OHL Awards Ceremony set for Thursday June 8 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.  He will also be the OHL’s nominee for Sportsman of the Year at the Annual CHL Awards held as part of the Mastercard Memorial Cup festivities on Saturday May 27 in Windsor.

Otters’ Darren Raddysh named OHL’s Overage Player of the Year

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that defenceman Darren Raddysh of the Erie Otters is the 2016-17 recipient of the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy awarded annually to the OHL’s Overage Player of the Year.

Raddysh led all overage players in scoring this season with 81 points in 62 games including 16 goals and 65 assists.  His 81 points were tops among OHL defencemen and established a new Otters single season mark for production from the blueline.  Raddysh is just the second defenceman following Andre Benoit (Kitchener 2004-05) to win the award in 34 years and joins former Otters Cory Pecker (2001-02) and Dane Fox (2013-14) as overage award recipients.

Darren Raddysh of the Erie Otters. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Darren Raddysh of the Erie Otters. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

“This award means a lot to me,” Raddysh said. “As an overage player, there aren’t too many guys left in the league from when I came in, and the group of guys up for it this year are all talented and well respected. To be selected as Overage Player of the Year is an incredible honour. I look back and am proud of all the hard work put in during my five-year career with the Otters leading to this award.”

A 21-year-old from Caledon, Ont., Raddysh was originally chosen by the Otters in the fifth round of the 2012 OHL Priority Selection.  Over the course of his five-year OHL tenure he played in 274 regular season games accumulating 41 goals and 143 assists for 184 points.  In addition to his single season mark, Raddysh leaves the Otters as the franchise’s all-time assists and points leader among defencemen surpassing marks of 119 and 150 set by Chris Campoli from 2000-04.  Raddysh has also been instrumental in the Otters regular season success achieving a Canadian Hockey League record four-straight 50 win campaigns capped by a 2016-17 Midwest Division title and Hamilton Spectator Trophy.

“This is a great honour for Darren and the Erie Otters organization is extremely proud of his accomplishments, not just this season but over his career with the team,” said Otters General Manager Dave Brown. “This award is the culmination of his work and efforts the past five seasons to not only grow as a player, but shape his teammates around him. This season brought Darren numerous accolades including his marks in the Otters record book for defenceman scoring in a single season and in a career. And one thing that should not get overlooked is Darren’s participation and dedication to the culture change in Erie, helping to turn our organization into an institution dedicated to excellence. We’re thrilled for Darren’s accomplishments and are grateful to have him as a representative of the Erie Otters.”

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. Players received five points for a first place vote, three points for a second place vote and one point for a third place vote.

Raddysh received 62 points in the voting process, followed by runner-up and fellow defenceman Santino Centorame of the Owen Sound Attack who received 42 points, and goaltender Jeremy Brodeur of the Oshawa Generals who finished in third place with 23 voting points.

First presented in 1984, former winners of the trophy include Stan Drulia (Niagara Falls 1988-89), Bill Bowler (Windsor, 1994-95), Dan Tessier (Ottawa 99-00), Chad LaRose (Plymouth 2002-03), Ryan Callahan (Guelph, 2005-06), Jason Akeson (Kitchener 2010-11), Andrew Agozzino (Niagara 2011-12), Joseph Blandisi (Barrie 2014-15), and Kevin Labanc (Barrie 2015-16).

 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.

Raddysh will be formally presented with the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy at the 2016-17 OHL Awards Ceremony scheduled for June 8 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

OHL Announces Academic Player of the Year Award Winners for 2016-17

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Press Release

67’s Sasha Chmelevski, Steelheads’ Stephen Gibson, Storm’s Quinn Hanna earn Academic Honours

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the recipients of the league’s three Academic Player of the Year awards for the 2016-17 season.

Sasha Chmelevski of the Ottawa 67’s is the recipient of the Bobby Smith Trophy as Scholastic Player of the Year, with Stephen Gibson of the Mississauga Steelheads earning the Roger Neilson Memorial Award as the Top Post-Secondary School Student, and Quinn Hanna of the Guelph Storm named the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award recipient for Top High School Student.

All three players will be formally presented with their awards at the annual OHL Awards Ceremony on Thursday June 8.  Chmelevski will be the OHL’s nominee for CHL Scholastic Player of the Year which will be announced on Saturday May 27 as part of the events at the 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup in Windsor.

Bobby Smith Trophy (OHL Scholastic Player of the Year) – Sasha Chmelevski, Ottawa 67’s:

Sasha Chmelevski earns OHL Scholastic Player of the Year honours achieving a 98% average across his six Grade 12 courses.  The 67’s forward studied British Literature, Sports and Entertainment Marketing, Anatomy and Physiology, Probability and Statistics, Psychology, and Physical Education through Michigan’s Virtual Charter Academy.

“I’m very humbled and honoured to win the Bobby Smith Award,” said Chmelevski. “I would like to thank my family, my school and teachers, our academic advisor and the Ottawa 67’s organization for allowing me to receive an education while playing hockey.”

The 17-year-old from Northville, Michigan, scored 21 goals and 22 assists for 43 points in 58 games played during his first full season in the nation’s capital.  The first round pick of the Sarnia Sting in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection joined the 67’s midway through last season and is now among the top OHL players eligible for the 2017 NHL Draft listed 43rd among North American players by NHL Central Scouting.  Last season he was a finalist for the Ivan Tennant Award for Top High School Student.

“Sasha embodies the true meaning of dedication to hockey and academics,” said 67’s Academic Advisor Eileen Duffin. “He approaches his studies as a mature, disciplined and self-motivated student. An American player who wanted to complete his high school studies with a Michigan State Diploma, Sasha took advantage of the opportunity to take online university level courses and completed his Diploma almost a term earlier than his peers. Few players can manage to work as independently as Sasha does with a regular daily schedule at home or on the road. His post-secondary goals are lofty, as he investigates studying medicine or optometry, all dependent on his equally lofty hockey goals.”

Each year the Bobby Smith Trophy is presented to the OHL Scholastic Player of the year who best combines high standards of play and academic excellence.  The trophy is in honour of Bobby Smith, a former Ottawa 67’s star who exhibited a standard of excellence in both of these areas.  First presented in 1980, Chmelevski is the fourth member of the 67’s following Doug Smith (1980-81), Ryan Kuwabara (1989-90), and Danny Battochio (2005-06) to claim the award named after one of their own.  Past winners also include three-time winner Dustin Brown (Guelph 2001-03), Steven Stamkos (Sarnia 2007), Matt Duchene (Brampton 2009), Dougie Hamilton (Niagara 2011), Darnell Nurse (Sault Ste. Marie 2013), back-to-back recipient Connor McDavid (Erie 2014-15), and Nicolas Hague (Mississauga 2016).

Finalists for the award include fellow 2017 NHL Draft prospects Alex Formenton of the London Knights and Nick Suzuki of the Owen Sound Attack.

Sasha Chmelevski of the Ottawa 67's. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Sasha Chmelevski of the Ottawa 67’s. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Roger Neilson Memorial Award (Top Post-Secondary Student) – Stephen Gibson, Mississauga Steelheads:

Stephen Gibson is a Ryerson University student excelling in Business courses that include Human Resources Management, Intro to Financial Accounting, Principles of Marketing, and Microeconomics.  This marks the second straight season the Top Post-Secondary Student is also a member of the Steelheads as Gibson follows former teammate Damian Bourne who earned the award in 2015-16.

“I am honoured to be this year’s recipient of the Roger Neilson Award,” said Gibson. “I value the importance of education, and the Ontario Hockey League allows me to achieve this, while pursuing my goal of playing pro hockey. I’d like to thank the Steelheads organization and academic support staff, including academic advisor Lauren Wilson, for helping me coordinate my classes and exams in consideration of my rigorous hockey schedule.”

The 20-year-old from Kitchener, Ont., is playing in his third full season with the Steelheads who chose him in the seventh round of the 2013 OHL Priority Selection.  On the ice the defenceman contributed three goals and seven assists for 10 points in 65 games for the Central Division champions.

“Awards like these reflect positively on the strides that our academic program has taken over the past few seasons,” said Steelheads Assistant General Manager Jan Egert. “It’s a great honour for players like Stephen Gibson and Damian Bourne to be rewarded for their academic achievements, and for players who take education while playing in the OHL very seriously to be recognized. There is no shortage of candidates on our hockey club that deserve recognition for their post-secondary academic achievements this season, including players like Jacob Ramalho, Austin Osmanski, Marcus Dickerson, and Nicolas Hague.”

The Roger Neilson Memorial Award is named in honour of the Hall of Fame Coach who served behind the Peterborough Petes bench in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.  Neilson, a former high school teacher, was a pioneer in stressing the importance of education to all of his players.  First presented in 2005, past recipients include two-time winners Danny Battochio (Ottawa 2005-06) and Derek Lanoue (Windsor 2010-11), followed by Kyle Pereira (Guelph 2012), Daniel Altshuller (Oshawa 2013), Patrick Watling (Sault Ste. Marie 2014), and Justin Nichols (Guelph 2015).

Finalists for the award include Jacob Golden of the London Knights, and Austin Hall of the Guelph Storm for the second straight season.

Ivan Tennant Memorial Award (Top Academic High School Student) – Quinn Hanna, Guelph Storm:

Guelph Storm rookie Quinn Hanna achieved a 96% average during the 2016-17 academic year with a full six-course Grade 12 workload at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School where he studied University English, University Physics, University Biology, Religious Education, University Calculus and Vectors, and University Chemistry.

“It’s a huge honour to win this year’s Ivan Tennant Academic Award,” said Hanna. “I was very fortunate to have such a supportive group of people surrounding me this year with the Guelph Storm including Mike Kelly and academic advisor Coleen Driscoll. The list goes on and includes my teammates, coaches, billets and teachers. I can’t thank them enough for the time and energy they put into helping me pursue my academic goals this year.”

The 18-year-old from Peterborough, Ont., was chosen by the Storm in the fifth round of the 2015 OHL Priority Selection.  The defenceman played in 37 games this season with four points including his first career goal scored on February 10 against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

“Quinn is simply an exceptional student athlete,” said Storm Academic Advisor Coleen Driscoll. “He is conscientious, dedicated and a very bright young man. This commitment to his academics has enabled him to continue to achieve incredible success in the classroom carrying one of the most demanding course loads for any high school student. Quinn has dedicated himself to his studies, holding himself to an extremely high standard, while effectively balancing his hockey commitments. He is currently considering post-secondary studies in Biomedical Engineering but is also entertaining studies in Astrophysics in the future.  Regardless of his program of study, I have no doubt his level of excellence will be maintained.”

The Ivan Tennant Memorial Award is given to the Top Academic High School Player and is named in honour of Ivan Tennant, who spent a lifetime combining hockey and education.  He was the Kitchener Rangers’ Education Consultant for 20 years and a key figure on the OHL’s Education Consultant’s Committee.  First presented in 2005, Hanna is the second member of the Storm to receive the award following Adam Craievich in 2014.  Past recipients also include brothers Matt and Adam Pelech (Sarnia 2005 and Erie 2012), Freddie and Dougie Hamilton (Niagara 2009 and 2010), and recent winners Stephen Dhillon (Niagara 2015) and Kyle Keyser (Flint 2016).

Finalists for the award include Colton Incze of the Niagara IceDogs, along with Cade Robinson of the Erie Otters and Dennis Busby of the Flint Firebirds.

All 20 of the OHL’s member clubs provide nominees for each award with the Bobby Smith Trophy nominees representing the 2016-17 OHL Scholastic Team:

2016-17 OHL Scholastic Team:
Barrie Colts – Kyle Heitzner
Erie Otters – Alex DeBrincat
Flint Firebirds – Ty Dellandrea
Guelph Storm – Nate Schnarr
Hamilton Bulldogs – Matthew Strome*
Kingston Frontenacs – Brett Neumann
Kitchener Rangers – Riley Damiani
London Knights – Alex Formenton
Mississauga Steelheads – Nicolas Hague*
Niagara IceDogs – Ben Jones
North Bay Battalion – Adam McMaster
Oshawa Generals – Kyle Keyser*
Ottawa 67’s – Sasha Chmelevski
Owen Sound Attack – Nick Suzuki
Peterborough Petes – Zach Gallant*
Saginaw Spirit – Damien Giroux
Sarnia Sting – Ryan McGregor
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds – Conor Timmins*
Sudbury Wolves – Owen Lalonde
Windsor Spitfires – Michael DiPietro*

*member of 2015-16 OHL Scholastic Team

Best of Both Worlds

Armada’s Alex Barré-Boulet named CHL Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that forward Alex Barré-Boulet of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada is the CHL Player of the Week for the playoff week ending April 23 after scoring five goals and five assists for 10 points in four games with a plus-minus rating of plus-3.

Barré-Boulet recorded a trio of multi-point performances last week for the Armada who came back to defeat the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in a seven-game QMJHL quarter-final series, followed by a two-game split to open league semi-final action against the Charlottetown Islanders.  Last Monday night he contributed three assists in the Armada’s 4-1 Game 6 win over the Titan to even the series, then earned first star honours in Game 7 on Tuesday scoring his first career playoff hat-trick and adding an assist in the 7-1 series-clinching victory.  Although held off the scoresheet in a 3-0 loss to the Islanders in Game 1 of round three action on Friday, Barré-Boulet led the offensive charge in Saturday’s Game 2 with two goals and an assist as first star of the 5-4 win.

A 19-year-old from Montmagny, QC, Barré-Boulet is playing in his third QMJHL season and first with the Armada who acquired him midway through this season from the Drummondville Voltigeurs.  The 5’10’’, 158 lb, centre currently leads the QMJHL playoff scoring race with 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points through 13 games after finishing the regular season campaign 11th in league scoring with 81 points in 65 games including 33 points in 28 games for Blainville-Boisbriand.

Also considered for the award this week was last week’s recipient Reid Gardiner of the Kelowna Rockets who scored three goals and two assists for five points in two games of the WHL’s Western Conference Final against the Seattle Thunderbirds.  In the OHL, Alex DeBrincat of the Erie Otters scored three goals and four assists for seven points across three games which included a Game 7 win over the London Knights and a 1-1 series split in the Western Conference Final against the Owen Sound Attack.

2016-17 CHL Post-Season Players of the Week:
Apr. 17 – Apr. 23: Alex Barré-Boulet (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
Apr. 10 – Apr. 16: Reid Gardiner (Kelowna Rockets)
Apr. 3 – Apr. 9: Giorgio Estephan (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Mar. 27 – Apr. 2: Ethan Bear (Seattle Thunderbirds)
Mar. 20 – Mar. 26: Sam Steel (Regina Pats)

2016-17 CHL Regular Season Players of the Week:

Mar. 13 – Mar. 19: Brandon Hagel (Red Deer Rebels)
Mar. 6 – Mar. 12: Daniel Sprong (Charlottetown Islanders)
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Gabriel Vilardi (Windsor Spitfires)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Michael McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Christophe Boivin (Acadie-Bathurst Titan)
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Mathew Barzal (Seattle Thunderbirds)
Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)
Jan. 23 – Jan. 29: Tyler Boland (Rimouski Oceanic)
Jan. 16 – Jan. 22: Alexis D’Aoust (Shawinigan Cataractes)
Jan. 9 – Jan. 15: Kole Sherwood (Flint Firebirds)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Brayden Burke (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Adam Brooks (Regina Pats)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Vitalii Abramov (Gatineau Olympiques)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Hayden Hodgson (Saginaw Spirit)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Sergey Zborovskiy (Regina Pats)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Jayden Halbgewachs (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Alexander Katerinakis (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Nico Hischier (Halifax Mooseheads)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Bobby MacIntyre (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Kale Clague (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Jeremy Bracco (Kitchener Rangers)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Cameron Askew (Moncton Wildcats)
Sept. 26 – Oct. 2: Sam Steel (Regina Pats)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 25: Kameron Kielly (Charlottetown Islanders)

Steelheads’ Matthew Mancina named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Vaughn

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that goaltender Matthew Mancina of the Mississauga Steelheads is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the playoff week ending April 23 after posting a 2-0 record including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 1.50 and save percentage of .944.

Mancina made 51 saves last week for the Steelheads in a pair of road victories giving the Steelheads a 2-0 series lead in the OHL’s Eastern Conference Championship Series against the Peterborough Petes.  In Game 1 on Thursday he made 27 saves in the 5-3 win, then earned second star honours in Game 2 on Saturday with his first career playoff shutout powered by a 24-save performance in the 3-0 triumph.  The victory improved the Steelheads’ perfect playoff road record to 8-0 and marked a sixth straight playoff win for the club and Mancina.  With a 2-1 double overtime victory on Monday, the Steelheads now have a commanding 3-0 series lead.

A 20-year-old from Tecumseh, Ont., Mancina is playing in his fourth OHL season but first with the Steelheads after being acquired from the Petes prior to the 2016-17 campaign.  So far this post-season he carries a 7-1 record with a goals-against-average of 2.12 and save percentage of .916.  Originally a third round choice of the Guelph Storm in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection, Mancina’s OHL tenure has included 157 regular season games including 76 victories between his three clubs.

Also considered for the award this week was Tyler Brown of the Regina Pats who made 74 saves spread out across a Game 7 win over the Swift Current Broncos and a 1-1 series split in the WHL’s Eastern Conference Final against the Lethbridge Hurricanes for an overall record of 2-1 with a goals-against-average of 1.53 and save percentage of .937.  In the QMJHL, Carolina Hurricanes prospect Callum Booth of the Saint John Sea Dogs went 1-1 including an overtime loss in semi-final action against the Chicoutimi Sagueneens making 72 saves for a goals-against-average of 1.65 and save percentage of .947.

2016-17 Vaughn CHL Playoff Goaltenders of the Week:

Apr. 17 – Apr. 23: Matthew Mancina (Mississauga Steelheads)
Apr. 10 – Apr. 16: Dylan Wells (Peterborough Petes)
Apr. 3 – Apr. 9: Joseph Raaymakers (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Mar. 27 – Apr. 2: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Mar. 20 – Mar. 26: Kyle Jessiman (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles)

2016-17 Vaughn CHL Regular Season Goaltenders of the Week:
Mar. 13 – Mar. 19: Cole Kehler (Portland Winterhawks)
Mar. 6 – Mar. 12: Callum Booth (Saint John Sea Dogs)
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Matthew Villalta (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Zach Sawchenko (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Zach Sawchenko (Moose Jaw Warriors)

Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Brodan Salmond (Kelowna Rockets)
Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: Stuart Skinner (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Jan. 23 – Jan. 29: Jeremy Helvig (Kingston Frontenacs)
Jan. 16 – Jan. 22: Matthew Welsh (Charlottetown Islanders)
Jan. 9 – Jan. 15: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Francis Leclerc (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Griffen Outhouse (Victoria Royals)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Dylan Wells (Peterborough Petes)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Connor Ingram (Kamloops Blazers)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Matthew Villalta (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Patrick Dea (Edmonton Oil Kings)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Zach Sawchenko (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Troy Timpano (Erie Otters)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Reilly Pickard (Acadie-Bathurst Titan)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Ryan Kubic (Vancouver Giants)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Logan Flodell (Saskatoon Blades)
Sept. 26 – Oct. 2: Samuel Harvey (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 25: Liam Herbst (Guelph Storm)

Steelheads’ Matthew Mancina named Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that goaltender Matthew Mancina of the Mississauga Steelheads is the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the playoff week ending April 23 after posting a 2-0 record including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 1.50 and save percentage of .944.

Mancina turned aside 51 shots last week for the Steelheads who opened the Eastern Conference Championship Series with a pair of road victories to take a 2-0 series lead against the Peterborough Petes.  In Game 1 on Thursday he made 27 saves in the 5-3 win, then recorded his first career playoff shutout stopping all 24 shots he faced in Game 2 on Saturday earning second star honours in the 3-0 triumph.  The victory improved the Steelheads’ perfect playoff road record to 8-0 and marked a sixth straight playoff win for the club and Mancina.

A 20-year-old from Tecumseh, Ont., Mancina is playing in his fourth OHL season but first with the Steelheads after being acquired from the Petes prior to the 2016-17 campaign.  So far this post-season he carries a 6-1 record with a goals-against-average of 2.44 and save percentage of .908.  Originally a third round choice of the Guelph Storm in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection, Mancina’s OHL tenure has included 157 regular season games including 76 victories between his three clubs.  The Steelheads have claimed Player of the Week honours in five of the last 11 weeks with other recipients including Spencer Watson, Jacob Ingham, and two-time winner Michael McLeod.

Watch video highlights of Mancina and the Steelheads in Game 1 and Game 2 against the Petes along with his post-game comments following Saturday’s win.Also considered for the award this week was Chicago Blackhawks prospect Alex DeBrincat who recorded seven points in three games including three goals and four assists for the Erie Otters contributing to a Game 7 victory over the London Knights and a 1-1 series split in the Western Conference Championship Series against the Owen Sound Attack.  In addition, New Jersey Devils prospect and Steelheads captain Michael McLeod picked up four points including a goal and three assists in two games last week.

2016-17 Pioneer Energy OHL Playoff Players of the Week:

Apr. 17 – Apr. 23: Matthew Mancina (Mississauga Steelheads)
Apr. 10 – Apr. 16: Dylan Wells (Peterborough Petes)
Apr. 3 – Apr. 9: Joseph Raaymakers (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Mar. 27 – Apr. 2: Michael McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads)
Mar. 20 – Mar. 26: Anthony Cirelli (Erie Otters)

2016-17 Pioneer Energy OHL Regular Season Players of the Week:

Mar. 13 – Mar. 19: Jacob Ingham (Mississauga Steelheads)
Mar. 6 – Mar. 12: Petrus Palmu (Owen Sound Attack)
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Gabriel Vilardi (Windsor Spitfires)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Michael McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Joseph Murdaca (Erie Otters)
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Spencer Watson (Mississauga Steelheads)
Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)
Jan. 23 – Jan. 29: Jeremy Helvig (Kingston Frontenacs)
Jan. 16 – Jan. 22: Hayden Hodgson (Saginaw Spirit)
Jan. 9 – Jan. 15: Kole Sherwood (Flint Firebirds)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Santino Centorame (Owen Sound Attack)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Michael McNiven (Owen Sound Attack)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Dylan Wells (Peterborough Petes)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Boris Katchouk (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Jeremy Bracco (Kitchener Rangers)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Jonathan Ang (Peterborough Petes)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Troy Timpano (Erie Otters)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Max Jones (London Knights)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Jeremy Bracco (Kitchener Rangers)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Logan Brown (Windsor Spitfires)
Sept. 26 – Oct. 2: Joseph Raaymakers (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 25: Matt Luff (Hamilton Bulldogs)

Attack’s Ryan McGill Named OHL Coach of the Year

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Ryan McGill of the Owen Sound Attack is the 2016-17 recipient of the Matt Leyden Trophy awarded annually to the OHL’s Coach of the Year.

McGill led the Attack to an all-time franchise best record of 49-15-2-2 for 102 points finishing with the league’s second best regular season totals, just one point shy of the first place Erie Otters.  The 49 wins and 102 points surpass the club’s previous highs of 46 and 97 set during the Attack’s 2010-11 championship campaign led by the late Mark Reeds who also earned Coach of the Year honours that season.

Ryan McGill of the Owen Sound Attack. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Ryan McGill of the Owen Sound Attack. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

“I’m very humbled to receive this award,” said McGill. “All of our staff members and all of our players share in this award because without their dedication to excellence every day we wouldn’t be where we are today. Their approach to getting better every day has been nothing short of spectacular.”

With McGill behind the bench for his second OHL campaign, the Attack were the league’s most improved team from 2015-16 increasing their win total by 17 and point total by 27 which were both tops among all 20 member teams.  This season the Attack set a new franchise record with a 15-game winning-streak from December 9 to January 26 and surrendered a league-low 177 goals against.  On special teams the Attack boasted the OHL’s best power play at 28.4% efficiency, while their penalty kill ranked third at 83.5%.

“Ryan was a terrific hire two years ago and has been engaged with this group from the first time we all got together last year,” said Attack General Manager Dale DeGray. “He is a perfectionist that expects his players to want to put in the same amount of time and preparation that he does. That dedication rubs off on the players and we’ve seen what can happen through that hard work and passion.”

Prior to joining the Attack, the 48-year-old from Sherwood Park, Alberta, served behind the bench for the Western Hockey League’s Kootenay Ice as Head Coach for three seasons from 2012-15 earning WHL Coach of the Year honours in 2013.  He began his coaching career with the Ice organization in 1996, spending six years with the franchise, culminating with Ed Chynoweth Cup and Mastercard Memorial Cup titles in his final season as Head Coach in 2002. McGill’s other coaching ventures have included time as the Head Coach of the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights and Quad City Flames from 2002-09 before taking on an assistant coaching role with the NHL’s Calgary Flames from 2009-11. McGill’s time behind the bench follows a lengthy playing career that included 151 NHL contests with Chicago, Philadelphia and Edmonton on the blue line between 1991-95. A graduate of the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers, he also spent time with the Lethbridge and Swift Current Broncos in his junior career that spanned four seasons from 1985-89. He played an integral role with the Tigers in their unforgettable 1987-88 season that saw them capture their second straight WHL Championship before also hoisting the Memorial Cup for the second consecutive year. McGill was Chicago’s second round (29th overall) pick in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft.

The Matt Leyden Trophy has been awarded annually to the OHL’s Coach of the Year as selected by his peers since 1972.  The award is in recognition of the contributions of Matt Leyden, past President of the Ontario Hockey Association from 1965-67, and former manager of the Oshawa Generals who spent more than 50 years with the team.

In a first round of balloting, teams vote for the top coaches within their own conference. The top three nominees from both the Eastern and Western conferences are declared finalists. A second round of voting is then conducted on a league wide basis where teams vote for any of the six finalists. At no time during the voting can a team vote for their own candidate. Coaches receive five points for a first place vote, three points for a second place vote and one point for a third place vote.

McGill finished first in the voting process with 81 points, with last year’s award recipient Kris Knoblauch of the Erie Otters finishing in second place with 53 voting points, and Drew Bannister of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds who finished in third place with 16 voting points.

Most recent Matt Leyden Trophy recipients include Kris Knoblauch (Erie 2016), Sheldon Keefe (Sault Ste. Marie 2015), D.J Smith (Oshawa 2014), Mike Vellucci (Plymouth 2013), Greg Gilbert (Saginaw 2012), Mark Reeds (Owen Sound 2011), Dale Hunter (London 2010), and Bob Boughner (Windsor 2009).  Boughner, Hunter, and Vellucci are among the list of 10 coaches who have won the award multiple times along with Brian Kilrea, Bert Templeton, George Burnett, Peter DeBoer, Gary Agnew, Terry Crisp, and Craig Hartsburg.

The Matt Leyden Trophy will be formally presented to McGill at the 2016-17 OHL Awards Ceremony taking place on Thursday June 8 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.  He will be the OHL’s nominee for Canadian Hockey League Coach of the Year to be announced on Saturday May 27 as part of the 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup.

OHL Playoff Preview: Round 3

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Twelve series are in the books in the Ontario Hockey League playoffs and the Conference Finals are set to begin with Peterborough hosting Mississauga for the Bobby Orr Trophy as the Eastern Conference Championship while Owen Sound travels to Erie to challenge the regular season champs for the Wayne Gretzky Trophy in the Western Conference.

Of the 12-series completed, I was able to pick 11 correct series winners, but only 6 of those in the correct number of games. The one I did miss on I had the correct 7 games, but picked Hamilton over Kingston in round 1, which of course, Kingston took in a game 7 thrilling overtime.

Here’s a look back at round one and two predictions and results:

Series Prediction Results
(1) Peterborough vs (8) Niagara Peterborough in 6 Peterborough 4-0
(2) Mississauga vs (7) Ottawa Mississauga in 5 Mississauga 4-2
(3) Oshawa vs (6) Sudbury Oshawa in 6 Oshawa 4-2
(4) Kingston vs (5) Hamilton Hamilton in 7 Kingston 4-3
(1) Erie vs (8) Sarnia Erie in 4 Erie 4-0
(2) SSM vs (7) Flint SSM in 5 SSM 4-1
(3) Owen Sound vs (6) Kitchener Owen Sound in 5 Owen Sound 4-1
(4) London vs (5) Windsor London in 7 London 4-3

 

Series Prediction Results
(1) Peterborough vs (4) Kingston Peterborough in 6 Peterborough 4-0
(2) Mississauga vs (3) Oshawa Mississauga in 7 Mississauga 4-1
(1) Erie vs (4) London Erie in 6 Erie 4 -3
(2) SSM vs (3) Owen Sound Owen Sound in 6 Owen Sound 4-2

 

Eastern Conference Final – Bobby Orr Trophy

(1) Peterborough vs (2) Mississauga

  Peterborough Mississauga
Overall Record 42-21-2-3 34-21-6-7
Head-to-Head 3-1-0-0 0-2-0-1
Home Record 24-7-2-1 16-11-4-3
Away Record 18-14-0-2 18-10-2-4
Goals For 239 – 38 240 – 45
Goals Against 221 – 18 219 – 31
Powerplay 20.7% – 26.1% 19.7% – 27.8%
Penalty Kill 80.7% – 75.0% 80.6% – 73.9%
Draft Eligible Players to Watch Cole Fraser (D) Nicolas Hague (D)
  Zach Gallant (C) Owen Tippett (RW)
  Nick Isaacson (LW) Shaw Boomhower (C)
  Matyas Svoboda (LW)  

It’s only fitting that the conference final comes down to the top two teams from the regular season. Peterborough has yet to lose in these playoffs, sweeping both Niagara and Kingston. Mississauga was forced to a 6-game series versus Ottawa and 5 games versus Oshawa. This series is one that puts defence against offence.

In goal, we have the playoff’s second best goaltender in Peterborough’s Dylan Wells going up against Mississauga rookie netminder Jacob Ingham. While the Petes hold an advantage in goal, I don’t think the spread is as wide as some are making it out to be.

During the season series, Logan DeNoble, Kyle Jenkins, and Matthew Timms led the way with 4 points apiece. Christopher Paquette also had 4 points, but all of his damage came while with the Niagara IceDogs.

For Mississauga, Villi Saarijarvi and Michael McLeod each had 8 points in the 4 games, followed by Spencer Watson with 4 points in 2 games.

Prediction: Peterborough in 6 games

Western Conference Final – Wayne Gretzky Trophy

 (1) Erie vs (3) Owen Sound

  Erie Owen Sound
Overall Record 50-15-2-1 49-15-2-2
Head-to-Head 4-1-1-0 2-4-0-0
Home Record 30-2-1-1 27-4-1-2
Away Record 20-13-1-0 22-11-1-0
Goals For 319 – 51 297 – 42
Goals Against 182 – 29 177 – 23
Powerplay 27.2% – 27.3% 28.6% – 20.8%
Penalty Kill 83.4% – 74.2% 83.4% – 87.0%
Draft Eligible Players to Watch Ivan Lodnia (C) Sean Durzi (D)
    Markus Phillips (D)
    Zachary Roberts (LW)
    Jonah Gadjovich (LW)
    Maksim Sushko (RW)
    Nick Suzuki (C)

 

As exciting as the Erie/London and Owen Sound/Sault Ste Marie series were, this series will be that and plus some. Erie was the top team in the regular season, but one could make the argument that Owen Sound was the best team in the league during the second half. Despite Erie winning the season series, 5 of the 6 matches between the two took place before Christmas – the unofficial half-way point. Owen Sound took the final meeting 4-2 on February 28th.

We’re looking at two high powered offenses that both play extremely well on defence. They are both strong on specialty teams although Erie’s penalty kill took a bit of a tumble in the playoffs as did Owen Sound’s powerplay.

In goal, the Attack have arguably the OHL’s best netminder in Michael McNiven up against Troy Timpano (if the Otters stick with their starter), who had a couple of rough outings against the Knights. It’s the one area where the Attack hold a distinct advantage.

Alex DeBrincat led the way in the season series with 5 goals, 6 assists and 11 points in the 6 meetings, followed by the Raddysh brothers, Taylor with 8 and Darren with 7. For Owen Sound, Jonah Gadjovich and Nick Suzuki led the way with 6 points apiece followed by Kevin Hancock with 5.

When you break down these two teams and look at experience, defence, discipline, and offense, there isn’t a clear-cut winner. So, for me, it all comes down to goaltending.

Prediction: Owen Sound in 7 games