OHL Announces 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 2017, including Erie Otters teammates Alex DeBrincat and Darren Raddysh, Sarnia Sting forward Adam Ruzicka and Owen Sound Attack goaltender Michael McNiven.

OHL Player of the Month – Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters):
For the second time this season, Chicago Blackhawks prospect Alex DeBrincat has been named OHL Player of the Month. DeBrincat led all players with 32 points including 17 goals and 15 assists with a plus/minus rating of plus-10 in 12 games to help the Otters set a new franchise record with 14 consecutive wins. Now in the midst of an 18-game point streak and 14-game goal scoring streak, DeBrincat had eight different multi-point outings in the month of February, highlighted by a stretch of 13 points in three games from Feb. 4th to 11th. DeBrincat had two goals and three assists in an 8-4 road win over Ottawa on Feb. 4th. He followed that effort with a four point (2-2–4) night in a 6-1 win in Kingston the next day. The Otters returned home on Feb. 11th to defeat the Saginaw Spirit 9-4 as DeBrincat registered a goal and three assists. In total, DeBrincat has received star of the game recognition nine different times, including three first star designations. His month of February included several Otters franchise milestones and career accomplishments including becoming the club’s all-time leading goal-scorer, reaching the 300-career point mark, recording his third consecutive 100-point campaign, becoming the second player in league history to register three-straight 50-goal seasons and passing Rob Schremp as the leading American goal-scorer in OHL history.

Alex DeBrincat of the Erie Otters. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Alex DeBrincat of the Erie Otters. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

A 19-year-old native of Farmington Hills, Mich., DeBrincat currently leads the OHL in scoring with 113 points including 55 goals and 58 assists in 54 games, helping steer the Otters into first place in the Western Conference. He is a three-time Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week recipient and a two-time CHL Player of the Week during the 2016-17 season. A former CHL and OHL Rookie of the Year in 2015, DeBrincat was Chicago’s second round (39th overall) pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.

OHL Defenceman of the Month – Darren Raddysh (Erie Otters):
Veteran Erie Otters rearguard Darren Raddysh is the OHL Defenceman of the Month for the second time this season. Raddysh led OHL defencemen with 17 points including three goals and 14 assists with a plus/minus rating of plus-14 in 12 games. He had points in 10 of his 12 February contests, highlighted by a plus-4 outing in a commanding 5-1 win over the London Knights on Feb. 15th that included a goal and an assist. Raddysh recorded three points (1-2–3) on Feb. 25th as the Otters defeated the Barrie Colts 7-3 on the road. After becoming the Otters’ franchise leader in career points by a defenceman last month, Raddysh surpassed Chris Campoli’s single-season mark of 66 points on Feb. 27th with a pair of assists in a 4-2 loss to the Owen Sound Attack.

A 21-year-old native of Caledon, Ont., Raddysh leads OHL defencemen in points by a 10-point margin, recording 68 points including 16 goals and 52 assists in 53 games with the league’s second best plus/minus rating of plus-59. The fifth-year rearguard recently passed Shawn Szydlowski (2007-11) for fourth on the Otters’ all-time games played list. Though undrafted, Raddysh attended training camp with the San Jose Sharks this past September.

OHL Rookie of the Month – Adam Ruzicka (Sarnia Sting):
2017 NHL Draft prospect Adam Ruzicka of the Sarnia Sting is the OHL Rookie of the Month for February. Ruzicka elevated his game, leading all rookies with 12 points including nine goals and three assists in 12 games to help the Sting in their quest for a Western Conference playoff berth. The Slovakian forward’s month was highlighted by a trio of two-goal performances beginning on Feb. 2nd in North Bay as the Sting fell 7-4 to the Battalion. Ruzicka again scored twice on Feb. 15th against Guelph, earning first star honours as the Sting took a 6-2 win. His latest two-goal showing came in a key 6-3 road win over the Flint Firebirds on Feb. 25th where he again received first star recognition.

A 17-year-old native of Bratislava, Slovakia, Ruzicka sits second in OHL rookie scoring with 41 points including 23 goals and 18 assists in 54 games this season. He represented Team Cherry at the 2017 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Quebec City and is ranked 27th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scoutings’ Midterm Draft Rankings. Ruzicka represented Slovakia at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and was Sarnia’s first round (14th overall) pick in the 2016 CHL Import Draft.

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 Vaughn OHL Goaltender of the Month – Michael McNiven (Owen Sound Attack):
Montreal Canadiens prospect Michael McNiven of the Owen Sound Attack is the OHL Goaltender of the Month for February. McNiven’s outstanding month featured an 8-2-0-1 record with a 1.72 goals-against average, a .936 save percentage and three shutouts over 11 games to help the Attack climb the standings in the Midwest Division. McNiven’s three shutouts placed him ahead of Jordan Binnington on the Attack’s franchise leaderboard, giving him 11 on his OHL career. The first two came in back-t0-back games, beginning with a 26-save effort in a 5-0 road win over the Kingston Frontenacs on Feb. 12th. McNiven then made 16 saves in a 4-0 blanking of the visiting Flint Firebirds on Feb. 15th. His latest shutout came on Feb. 23rd, making 23 saves in a 5-0 road triumph over the division rival Kitchener Rangers. McNiven’s 31-save effort in a 7-3 victory over the London Knights on Feb. 26th was his 33rd win of the season, a new Attack single-season mark for a goaltender. 

A 19-year-old native of Georgetown, Ont., McNiven leads OHL goaltenders with a 2.13 goals-against average and 34 wins this season. He also features a .921 save percentage and is tied for the league lead in shutouts with six. The third year veteran is currently second behind Binnington on the Attack’s franchise wins list with 70 in his OHL career. McNiven was signed as a free agent by the Montreal Canadiens in September 2015.

2016-17 OHL Performers of the Month:

Player of the Month:
February – Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)
January – Adam Mascherin (Kitchener Rangers)
December – Zach Gallant (Peterborough Petes)
November – Alex DeBrincat/Taylor Raddysh (Erie Otters)
October – Taylor Raddysh (Erie Otters)

Defenceman of the Month:
February – Darren Raddysh (Erie Otters)
January – Santino Centorame (Owen Sound Attack)
December – Stephen Desrocher (Kingston Frontenacs)
November – Darren Raddysh (Erie Otters)
October – Mathieu Henderson (Flint Firebirds)

Rookie of the Month:
February – Adam Ruzicka (Sarnia Sting)
January – Allan McShane (Oshawa Generals)
December – Ryan Merkley (Guelph Storm)
November – Linus Nyman (Kingston Frontenacs)
October – Ryan Merkley (Guelph Storm)

Vaughn Goaltender of the Month:
February – Michael McNiven (Owen Sound Attack)
January – Jacob Ingham (Mississauga Steelheads)
December – Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires
November – Tyler Parsons (London Knights)
October – Troy Timpano (Erie Otters)

CHL Announces Top 10 Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the week twenty-three edition of the CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2016-17 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 Erie Otters (44-12-2-1) 1 18
2 Regina Pats (44-10-7-1) 2 22
3 Saint John Sea Dogs (40-13-5-1) 3 18
4 London Knights (40-12-3-4) 4 22
5 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (41-15-2-1) 5 13
6 Owen Sound Attack (41-15-1-2) 8 7
7 Medicine Hat Tigers (44-18-1-0) 9 9
8 Charlottetown Islanders (40-16-3-0) 10 3
9 Everett Silvertips (38-13-8-2) 7 19
10 Shawinigan Cataractes (39-16-3-1) 6 19
Honourable Mention:
Seattle Thunderbirds (40-18-3-2) – 2
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (38-15-2-5) – 20
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (37-16-4-2) – 6

 

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

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OMHA Championship Weekend March 3-5 to determine league’s OHL Cup Qualifiers

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the eleventh edition of the weekly minor midget rankings for the 2017 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament powered by Under Armour and hosted by the Greater Toronto Hockey League.

ohl-cup

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 which takes place March 14-20, 2017.  All games will be played at the Scotiabank Pond in Toronto until the Championship Final moves to the Mattamy Athletic Centre on Monday March 20.

Minor Midget Rankings for the 2017 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour – Week 11

RANK TEAM LEAGUE LAST WEEK WEEKS RANKED
1 London Jr. Knights* ALLIANCE 1 11
2 Mississauga Rebels* GTHL 2 11
3 Whitby Wildcats OMHA 3 11
4 Toronto Marlboros* GTHL 4 11
5 Quinte Red Devils OMHA 5 6
6 Vaughan Kings* GTHL 7 5
7 Ajax-Pickering Raiders OMHA 8 11
8 Waterloo Wolves ALLIANCE 6 8
9 Brampton 45’s OMHA – 2
10 Toronto Jr. Canadiens* GTHL 10 2
         
  Honourable Mention      
  Toronto Titans GTHL – 0
  Kitchener Jr. Rangers ALLIANCE – 0
  Mississauga Senators GTHL – 8
  Mississauga Reps GTHL 9 10

*Officially qualified for 2017 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament Powered by Under Armour

The OMHA Championship Tournament takes place this weekend, March 3-5 in Whitby, featuring five clubs including the host Wildcats, Quinte Red Devils, Ajax-Pickering Raiders, Brampton 45’s, and Grey-Bruce Highlanders.  The top four finishers officially receive OHL Cup qualification while the fifth place team will have the opportunity to compete in one of the tournament’s Wild Card Play-In Games.  Also competing in a Wild Card Play-In Game from the OMHA are the Halton Hurricanes who defeated the Guelph Gryphons in the SCTA’s Consolation.

Tournament Structure:

16 of the 20 spots in the 2017 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.  New in 2017, the final guaranteed spot is 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 2016 Bantam Champion Eastern Ontario Wild.

Wild Card Games:

The final four entries at the 2017 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.  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 14 with specific matchups and times of play to be determined by random draw among the eight competing teams on Wednesday March 8.

History:

Last season the York Simcoe Express captured their second OHL Cup title and first since 2004 with a 2-1 overtime win over the Toronto Marlboros.  Current North Bay Battalion rookie Rhys Forhan scored both Express goals, while goaltender Andrei Berezinskiy earned tournament MVP honours playing to a 5-0 record with a 2.09 goals-against-average.

The 2016 OHL Priority Selection featured 12 players chosen in the first round who competed in the OHL Cup including Ryan Merkley (Toronto Jr. Canadiens – 1st overall Guelph Storm), Owen Lalonde (Windsor Jr. Spitfires – 2nd overall Sudbury Wolves), Danil Antropov (Toronto Marlboros – 6th overall Oshawa Generals), Kirill Nizhnikov (Toronto Jr. Canadiens – 7th overall Mississauga Steelheads), Barrett Hayton (Toronto Red Wings – 9th overall Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds), Peter Stratis (Mississauga Rebels – 11th overall Ottawa 67’s), Akil Thomas (Toronto Marlboros – 12th overall Niagara IceDogs), Adam McMaster (Niagara North – 13th overall North Bay Battalion), Tyler Weiss (Don Mills Flyers – 15th overall Sarnia Sting), Nathan Dunkley (Quinte Red Devils – 17th overall Kingston Frontenacs), Allan McShane (Toronto Marlboros – 19th overall Erie Otters), and Jack McBain (Don Mills Flyers – 20th overall Barrie Colts).

Notable OHL Cup graduates currently playing in the NHL include Mitch Marner (Vaughan Kings/Toronto Maple Leafs), Connor McDavid (Toronto Marlboros/Edmonton Oilers), Robby Fabbri (Mississauga Rebels/St. Louis Blues), 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).

This season the OHL and GTHL announced a new three-year partnership with Under Armour that includes title sponsorship of the OHL Cup Showcase Tournament.  The OHL and GTHL have also announced a five-year partnership extension ensuring the event will continue to be hosted by the GTHL through 2021.

For more information, please visit ohlcup.ca.

Warriors’ Zach Sawchenko named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Zach Sawchenko of the Moose Jaw Warriors is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the second straight week ending February 26 after posting a 4-0-0-0 record including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 1.50 and save percentage of .946.

Vaughn

Sawchenko becomes the league’s first back-to-back and three-time award recipient this season after making 105 saves in four wins last week for the Warriors who have now won six-straight games.  His week began with a pair of road victories over tough Eastern Conference competition including a 19-save effort on Tuesday in a 6-3 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers, followed by a 32-save performance on Wednesday as first star of a 3-1 win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes.  His weekend included a 25-save victory on Saturday in a 5-2 triumph against the Swift Current Broncos, and wrapped up with a 29-save shutout earning first star honours in a 2-0 road win against the Saskatoon Blades.  The Warriors are now third place in the conference with a 38-17-7-1 record.

A 19-year-old from Calgary, AB, Sawchenko is playing in his fourth career season with the Warriors who chose him in the second round of the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft.  So far this season he carries a 27-11-5-1 record with three shutouts along with a 2.66 goals-against-average which ranks fifth in the WHL, and a .921 save percentage which is tied for the third best mark.

Also considered for the award this week was Edmonton Oilers prospect Dylan Wells of the Peterborough Petes who posted a 3-0-0-0 record making 97 saves for a goals-against-average of 1.67 and save percentage of .951, and Etienne Montpetit of the Val-d’Or Foreurs who made 65 saves in two victories with a goals-against-average of 0.99 and save percentage of .971.

2016-17 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week:
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)

CHL Leagues

Steelheads’ Michael McLeod named CHL Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that New Jersey Devils prospect Michael McLeod of the Mississauga Steelheads is the CHL Player of the Week for the week ending February 26 with 11 points in three games scoring five goals and six assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-8.

McLeod’s trio of multi-point performances last week helped clinch a berth in the 2017 OHL Playoffs for the Steelheads who currently lead the league’s Central Division with a 27-19-6-7 record.  His week began on the holiday Monday producing two assists in a 5-3 afternoon win over the Owen Sound Attack, and continued Friday with a career-high six-point effort in a 10-1 win over the Peterborough Petes.  In that contest, the captain tallied his second hat-trick of the season plus three assists earning first star honours and setting a new Steelheads single game points record.  His week wrapped up Saturday with two goals and an assist as second star of a 6-2 win over division rivals the Sudbury Wolves.

Michael McLeod of the Mississauga Steelheads. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Michael McLeod of the Mississauga Steelheads. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

A 19-year-old from Mississauga, ON, McLeod was originally chosen by his hometown Steelheads fifth overall in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection.  The third year forward was a first round pick of the Devils in the 2016 NHL Draft and was a member of Canada’s National Junior Team in the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship.  He’s already matched his career-highs in all offensive categories with 21 goals and 40 assists for 61 points in 48 games.

Also considered for the award this week was 2017 NHL Draft prospect Nick Henry of the Regina Pats scoring three goals and seven assists for 10 points in four games, and fellow draft eligible forward Antoine Morand of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan who scored three goals and four assists for seven points in three games.

2016-17 CHL Players of the Week:

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)

CHL Leagues

Steelheads’ Michael McLeod named Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that New Jersey Devils prospect Michael McLeod of the Mississauga Steelheads is the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the week ending February 26 after recording 11 points in three games scoring five goals and six assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-8.

McLeod produced three multi-point performances last week helping the Steelheads win three straight games to become the first Central Division club to clinch a playoff berth with a 27-19-6-7 record.  The highlight of his week came Friday night scoring his second hat-trick of the season while adding three assists as first star of a 10-1 win over the Eastern Conference’s first place Peterborough Petes.  The six points were not only a career-high for McLeod, but also set a Steelheads single game record since the club’s inception in 2012-13.  McLeod’s week also included a pair of assists on Family Day in a 5-3 matinee victory over the Owen Sound Attack, and capped off by notching two goals and an assist on Saturday as second star of a 6-2 win against the Sudbury Wolves.  McLeod is the second Steelhead to earn the weekly honour in three weeks following teammate Spencer Watson.

Michael McLeod of the Mississauga Steelheads. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Michael McLeod of the Mississauga Steelheads. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

A 19-year-old from Mississauga, ON, McLeod was originally chosen by his hometown Steelheads fifth overall in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection after earning OHL Cup MVP honours for the minor midget champion Toronto Marlboros.  Through 48 games this season, the third year forward has collected the exact same offensive totals attained in 57 games played a year ago including 21 goals and 40 assists for 61 points.  The Steelheads captain and member of Canada’s National Junior Team was chosen by the Devils in the first round, 12th overall, in the 2016 NHL Draft.

Watch video highlights of McLeod and the Steelheads against the Attack, Petes, and Wolves.

Also considered for the award this week was Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome of the Erie Otters who scored three goals and eight assists for 11 points in four games, and 2017 NHL Draft prospect Jason Robertson of the Kingston Frontenacs with four goals and five assists for nine points in four games.  In goal, Edmonton Oilers prospect Dylan Wells of the Peterborough Petes posted a 3-0-0-0 record making 97 saves for a goals-against-average of 1.67 and save percentage of .951.

2016-17 Pioneer Energy OHL Players of the Week:

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)

Brady Lyle – North Bay Battalion – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 196 pounds

Date of birth: June 6, 1999

Hometown: North Bay, Ontario

Position: Defence

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 18th overall, 2015 Priority Selection

The North Bay Battalion selected Brady Lyle with their first-round selection, 18th overall at the Ontario Hockey League’s Priority Selection in 2015 after a season with Shattuck St. Mary’s U-16 squad after scoring 16 goals and adding 28 assists in 55 games.

Lyle’s OHL debut was derailed when he broke his collarbone in an exhibition game just minutes into the contest and missed the first two months of the season. Once he returned, his role was that of a bottom pairing defenceman.

Brady Lyle of the North Bay Battalion. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Brady Lyle of the North Bay Battalion. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

One thing that can not be underestimated when it comes to Lyle is the effect Coach Stan Butler has. While not all his defenders go onto be superstars, he has a knack for getting his d-men to play as solid a defensive game as possible, and sometimes beyond. For those that have offensive abilities, they go on to be solid two-way defenders. See Cam Dineen as the latest example.

Lyle has good but not great size already. He possesses good speed and agility with very good edge work. His mobility is slightly underrated. He has an ability to carry the puck up ice and maintain possession. He also has an excellent first pass and is very adept at clearing his zone with the pass or by skating the zone. He’ll need to improve doing so under pressure however.

Lyle has strong hockey sense and vision that make him a two-way defender. Lyle could stand to be more physical and that may come as he adds more muscle to his frame. He is excellent at positioning himself in the d-zone and his stick is very active. He transitions to the offense with relative ease, almost always making the right decisions.

Offensively, Lyle has shown to make the right choices when pinching and keeping plays alive. His vision allows him to find his teammates to create scoring opportunities. He’s shown he can quarterback the powerplay. He has a heavy and accurate shot from the point as well.

Lyle was ranked 53rd on the National Hockey League Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings in January.

Brady Lyle

This is the profile page of Brady Lyle at http://www.eliteprospects.com

 

Ivan Lodnia – Erie Otters – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 180 pounds

Date of birth: August 31, 1999

Hometown: Novi, MI

Position: Right Wing

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 1, 20th overall, 2015 Priority Selection

After playing the 2014-2015 season with Detroit Honeybaked U16 squad, where he scored 15 goals and 14 assists in 26 games, the Erie Otters selected Ivan Lodnia in the first round, 20th overall at the Ontario Hockey League’s Priority Selection in 2015.

Last season, Lodnia made a quick and easy adjustment to the OHL. He appeared in 62 games and scored 16 goals and 23 assists while seeing his role change from game-to-game and shift-to-shift. He would often be moved up and down the lineup, fitting in any role almost seamlessly. Lodnia would also appear in five games for the U.S. National U-17 Team scoring twice.

In August, Lodnia would play for team USA at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament. He scored 3 goals and added an assist in 4 games for the Americans.

This season, Lodnia’s role has been reduced somewhat, but it’s not for lack of ability. The Otters loaded up at trade deadline for a legit chance to capture the OHL Championship and Memorial Cup. “Dropping” Lodnia down give the Otters exceptional depth and a scoring threat wherever he plays.

Ivan Lodnia of the Erie Otters. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Ivan Lodnia of the Erie Otters. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

The first concern you have with Lodnia is his size. But he has grown some and is probably closer to 5’11” now then the listed 5’10’ and still has room to grow. Despite that, Lodnia is surprisingly strong with an exceptional work ethic with a willingness to battle for pucks.

Lodnia is not an explosive skater – both in terms of first step and overall speed. But he is strong on his skates and uses his edges extremely well. When combined with his puck skills and determination, his skating is just good enough to beat defenders one-on-one or drive straight to the net with the puck.

Offensively, Lodnia can produce in so many ways. He is excellent in close – there are not many better. He has superb vision and can set up players with relative ease. His hockey sense is also extremely high and he knows how to get into position without the puck and making himself an option for his teammates.

There are those in hockey circles concerned with his point production. But I’m willing to look at the big picture in Erie and take everything into consideration – including the role he sometimes plays.

Lodnia was ranked 37th among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings in January.

Ivan Lodnia

This is the profile page of Ivan Lodnia at http://www.eliteprospects.com

 

CHL Announces Top 10 Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the week twenty-two edition of the CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2016-17 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 Erie Otters (43-10-2-1) 2 17
2 Regina Pats (42-9-6-1) 1 21
3 Saint John Sea Dogs (39-13-3-1) 4 17
4 London Knights (38-11-3-4) 3 21
5 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (39-15-2-1) 5 12
6 Shawinigan Cataractes (37-15-3-1) 6 18
7 Everett Silvertips (36-12-8-2) 9 18
8 Owen Sound Attack (38-15-1-2) 7 6
9 Medicine Hat Tigers (42-18-1-0) 8 8
10 Charlottetown Islanders (37-16-3-0) 10 2
Honourable Mention:
Seattle Thunderbirds (38-17-3-2) – 2
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (36-15-4-2) – 6
Windsor Spitfires (35-13-5-3) – 17

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

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

ALLIANCE’s London Jr. Knights secure tournament entry

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the tenth edition of the weekly minor midget rankings for the 2017 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament powered by Under Armour and hosted by the Greater Toronto Hockey League.

ohl-cup

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 which takes place March 14-20, 2017.  All games will be played at the Scotiabank Pond in Toronto until the Championship Final moves to the Mattamy Athletic Centre on Monday March 20.

Minor Midget Rankings for the 2017 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour – Week 10

RANK TEAM LEAGUE LAST WEEK WEEKS RANKED
1 London Jr. Knights* ALLIANCE 1 10
2 Mississauga Rebels* GTHL 2 10
3 Whitby Wildcats OMHA 3 10
4 Toronto Marlboros* GTHL 4 10
5 Quinte Red Devils OMHA 5 10
6 Waterloo Wolves ALLIANCE 6 7
7 Vaughan Kings* GTHL 10 4
8 Ajax-Pickering Raiders OMHA 8 10
9 Mississauga Reps GTHL 7 10
10 Toronto Jr. Canadiens* GTHL – 1
         
  Honourable Mention      
  Toronto Young Nationals GTHL 9 9
  Brampton 45’s OMHA – 1
  York Simcoe Express OMHA – 0
  Mississauga Senators GTHL – 8

*Officially qualified for 2017 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament Powered by Under Armour

The ALLIANCE’s London Jr. Knights are the latest team to officially qualify for tournament entry by advancing to their league championship following an 8-0 semi-final series win in points over the Cambridge Hawks.  The Jr. Knights will face the winner between the Waterloo Wolves and Kitchener Jr. Rangers, while the Hawks also await the conclusion of that series for another opportunity to secure a tournament berth as the two Semi-Finalists compete in a third place series for OHL Cup qualification.

Tournament Structure:

16 of the 20 spots in the 2017 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.  New in 2017, the final guaranteed spot is 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 2016 Bantam Champion Eastern Ontario Wild.

Wild Card Games:

The final four entries at the 2017 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.  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 14 with specific matchups and times of play to be determined by random draw among the eight competing teams on Wednesday March 8.

History:

Last season the York Simcoe Express captured their second OHL Cup title and first since 2004 with a 2-1 overtime win over the Toronto Marlboros.  Current North Bay Battalion rookie Rhys Forhan scored both Express goals, while goaltender Andrei Berezinskiy earned tournament MVP honours playing to a 5-0 record with a 2.09 goals-against-average.

The 2016 OHL Priority Selection featured 12 players chosen in the first round who competed in the OHL Cup including Ryan Merkley (Toronto Jr. Canadiens – 1st overall Guelph Storm), Owen Lalonde (Windsor Jr. Spitfires – 2nd overall Sudbury Wolves), Danil Antropov (Toronto Marlboros – 6th overall Oshawa Generals), Kirill Nizhnikov (Toronto Jr. Canadiens – 7th overall Mississauga Steelheads), Barrett Hayton (Toronto Red Wings – 9th overall Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds), Peter Stratis (Mississauga Rebels – 11th overall Ottawa 67’s), Akil Thomas (Toronto Marlboros – 12th overall Niagara IceDogs), Adam McMaster (Niagara North – 13th overall North Bay Battalion), Tyler Weiss (Don Mills Flyers – 15th overall Sarnia Sting), Nathan Dunkley (Quinte Red Devils – 17th overall Kingston Frontenacs), Allan McShane (Toronto Marlboros – 19th overall Erie Otters), and Jack McBain (Don Mills Flyers – 20th overall Barrie Colts).

Notable OHL Cup graduates currently playing in the NHL include Mitch Marner (Vaughan Kings/Toronto Maple Leafs), Connor McDavid (Toronto Marlboros/Edmonton Oilers), Robby Fabbri (Mississauga Rebels/St. Louis Blues), 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).

This season the OHL and GTHL announced a new three-year partnership with Under Armour that includes title sponsorship of the OHL Cup Showcase Tournament.  The OHL and GTHL have also announced a five-year partnership extension ensuring the event will continue to be hosted by the GTHL through 2021.

For more information, please visit ohlcup.ca.