OHL This Week for February 2-5, 2017

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – February is underway and so is this week’s action around the rink which includes 24 games tonight through Sunday.

Here’s a look at what’s been happening around the league:

TEAM CHERRY TAKES 7-5 WIN IN 2017 SHERWIN-WILLIAMS CHL/NHL TOP PROSPECTS GAME:

19 OHL players competed in the 2017 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Quebec City on Monday, with Team Cherry taking a 7-5 victory before a crowd of 9,707 at Centre Videotron. Owen Tippett (Mississauga Steelheads) and MacKenzie Entwistle (Hamilton Bulldogs) both had a goal and an assist for Team Cherry in the win. Hear OHL players share their experiences at the annual showcase. Watch Team Cherry, Watch Team Orr, OHL Photo Gallery

MASCHERIN, CENTORAME, INGHAM, McSHANE NAMED OHL PERFORMERS OF THE MONTH:

The OHL announced its Top Performers for the month of January on Wednesday, including OHL Player of the Month Adam Mascherin (Kitchener Rangers), Defenceman of the Month Santino Centorame (Owen Sound Attack), Goaltender of the Month Jacob Ingham (Mississauga Steelheads) and Rookie of the Month Allan McShane (Oshawa Generals). Read more

ENNIS, JONES, RICHARDSON, McGREGOR NAMED OHL ACADEMIC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH:

The OHL announced its Academic Players of the Month for January on Thursday, including the East Division’s William Ennis (Oshawa Generals), the Central Division’s Ben Jones (Niagara IceDogs), the Midwest Division’s Luke Richardson (Kitchener Rangers) and the West Division’s Ryan McGregor (Sarnia Sting). Read more

KNIGHTS, GREYHOUNDS, OTTERS, SPITFIRES, ATTACK IN CHL TOP 10 RANKINGS:

The Erie Otters (2), London Knights (3), Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (5) and Owen Sound Attack (9) are all included in the 19th edition of the weekly CHL Top 10 Rankings released on Wednesday. The weekly rankings of the CHL’s Top-10 teams are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts. Read more

OHL ALUMNI LISTED AMONG TOP-100 NHL PLAYERS OF ALL-TIME:

As part of 2017 NHL All-Star Classic festivities celebrating 100 years of NHL hockey, the NHL has unveiled its list of legends, detailing the top-100 players of all-time. Some of the OHL’s all-time greats including Wayne Gretzky, Steve Yzerman, Eric Lindros and Chris Pronger headline the list that includes a total of 11 OHL players that suited up after 1974 as well as an additional 28 players who competed in the OHA prior to that date. Read more

FRONTENACS’ JEREMY HELVIG NAMED PIONEER ENERGY OHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK AND VAUGHN CHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK:

Carolina Hurricanes prospect Jeremy Helvig of the Kingston Frontenacs earned both OHL and CHL honours for the week ending January 29 after posting a 2-0-0-1 record including two shutout victories with a goals-against-average of 1.28 and save percentage of .956. Helvig becomes the sixth OHL netminder to claim the award this season after stopping 87 shots and helping the Frontenacs earn five of a possible six points last week. Read more

SPIRIT HONOUR FRANCHISE GREAT VINCENT TROCHECK:

The Saginaw Spirit saluted a franchise cornerstone on Wednesday, raising Vincent Trocheck‘s #89 to the roof of the Dow Event Center. Enjoying an All-Star season with the Florida Panthers in 2016-17, Trocheck skated with the Spirit from 2009-13 before ending his OHL career with the Plymouth Whalers. He is the Spirit franchise’s leader in assists (146) and  sits second in points with 240 (94-146–240) over 236 career regular season games. Watch

OTTERS’ DYLAN STROME BECOMES NEW FRANCHISE SCORING LEADER:

Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome became the Erie Otters’ new franchise scoring leader on Saturday, netting a goal and three assists in a commanding 9-1 victory over the visiting Guelph Storm. Strome’s 10th goal of the season 8:43 into the second period put him ahead of Brad Boyes (309 pts., 1998-2002) for first on the Otters franchise list. Strome finished Saturday’s contest with 311 points, including 102 goals and 209 assists over 198 regular season contests. Read more

FRONTENACS’ PAUL McFARLAND EARNS 100TH OHL WIN:

Kingston Frontenacs head coach Paul McFarland earned his 100th career OHL regular season coaching victory on Saturday in a 1-0 victory over the visiting Mississauga Steelheads. McFarland is in his third season as head coach of the Frontenacs following two years as an assistant with the Oshawa Generals. In his time behind the Kingston bench, the Fronts have played to an overall record of 100-62-21, winning the franchise’s first East Division title since 1995 in 2015-16. Read more

67’s’ ARTUR TYANULIN HEADLINES OHL PLAYS OF THE WEEK:

The 18th edition of the OHL Plays of the Week for the 2016-17 season feature another exciting countdown of the league’s Top-5 goals scored during the week ending January 29. This week’s highlights include a great individual effort by Dylan Strome of the Erie Otters tucking home a backhand wraparound, some brotherly love by Mississauga Steelheads Ryan McLeod who sets up Mikey with a great pass and finish, Zach Poirier of the North Bay Battalion turns on the wheels with a shorthanded power move to the net, Nikita Korostelev of the Peterborough Petes dipsy-doodles his way to a tally, and Artur Tyanulin of the Ottawa 67’s takes over 3-on-3 overtime to score an absolute beauty. Watch

Tyanulin is also the OHL representative featured in this week’s #CHLShowdown which showcases one great play from all three leagues allowing fans the opportunity to choose their favourite play. See all the plays and vote at chlshowdown.ca.

NINE GOALTENDERS FEATURED ON JANES SAVES OF THE WEEK:

January comes to an end with the 18th edition of #JanesSaves featuring nine OHL goaltenders shutting down the opposition.  Highlighted this week are Garrett Forrest of the Flint Firebirds, Mario Culina of the Windsor Spitfires, Jordan Kooy of the London Knights, Luke Opilka of the Kitchener Rangers, Michael McNiven of the Owen Sound Attack, Evan Cormier of the Saginaw Spirit, Julian Sime of the North Bay Battalion, MacKenzie Savard of the Sudbury Wolves, and David Ovsjannikov of the Barrie Colts. Watch

FIREBIRDS’ PHIBBS SCORES FIRST GOAL ON OHL MILESTONE MOMENTS:

The 18th week of the 2016-17 Ontario Hockey League season ending January 29 featured just one milestone moment but it was a pretty one. 17-year-old rookie Jack Phibbs of the Flint Firebirds was sprung alone on a breakaway and made no mistake with a nice deke to record his first career OHL goal. Watch

OHL CUP POWERED BY UNDER ARMOUR MINOR MIDGET TOP-10 RANKINGS – WEEK 7:

The London Jr. Knights continue to hold down top spot in the weekly OHL Cup powered by Under Armour Minor Midget Rankings in the seventh and most recent edition. 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. Read more

GOOD IN EVERY GRAIN FARMER CARD GIVEAWAY COMING TO NIAGARA AND OTTAWA:

Good in Every Grain and the Ontario Hockey League are working together this year to share stories about Ontario’s farms and farmers during OHL games across the province. Good in Every Grain is hosting special giveaway nights at every OHL arena in the province, including this Friday night in Niagara as the IceDogs battle the Peterborough Petes. The Good in Every Grain giveaway will be in Ottawa on Saturday when the 67’s face the Erie Otters at 2:00pm.  For more information, please visit goodineverygrain.ca.

STEELHEADS’ OWEN TIPPETT FEATURED ON JUNIOR HOCKEY MAGAZINE:

2017 NHL Draft prospect Owen Tippett of the Mississauga Steelheads is featured on this week’s edition of Junior Hockey Magazine with Gino Reda. Tippett, who had a goal and an assist with Team Cherry at the 2017 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, is the fourth-ranked North American skater on NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Draft Rankings. Listen

COGECOTV COMPLETES FOURTH ANNUAL HOCKEY DAY IN THE OHL:

Highlighted by a triple-header of OHL action, CogecoTV stations across Ontario provided a full day of continuous OHL coverage on Sunday in the fourth annual edition of #OHLDay.  Broadcast coverage included special features highlighting OHL teams and their communities along with various studio guest interviews.  Click here for a full recap of the #OHLDay and watch some of the many fascinating stories from around the OHL.

COMMUNITY CORNER:

Bidding open for Kingston Frontenacs game-won ‘The Tragically Hip’ jersey auction: Bidding is under way for game worn ‘The Tragically Hip’ jerseys worn by the Kingston Frontenacs this past Saturday. 100 percent of proceeds will benefit the Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research. Fans can bid on these unique jerseys at auction.chl.ca.

Storm raise awareness about mental health Friday: The Guelph Storm are teaming up with the CMHA Waterloo-Wellington Branch to host CMHA Talk Today Night at the Sleeman Centre on Friday. The awareness campaign is part of the ongoing commitment by the Guelph Storm and CMHA Waterloo Wellington to implement Talk Today, presented by Teachers Life. Talk Today provides mental health support to players and raises awareness about mental health and suicide prevention throughout communities across the OHL. Read more

Attack hold Heart Beats and Hockey Sticks fundraiser Saturday: The Owen Sound Attack are holding their annual Heart Beats and Hockey Sticks Night in support of the Owen Sound Cardiac Rehabilitation Program and the Owen Sound Hospital Foundation. The Attack host the Windsor Spitfires on Saturday and will be wearing specially themed jerseys to be auctioned off by Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker in a live auction following the game. The Attack are looking to build off the $35,000 they raised during last year’s event. For more information, visit attackhockey.com.

Spirit host Shocks & Saves event on Saturday: The Saginaw Spirit host their annual Shocks & Saves Night at the Dow Event Center on Saturday at home to the London Knights. The charity hockey game begins at 4:30pm as $5 from each ticket sold (that includes admission to the Spirit game) will go toward supporting the fight against heart disease and fans will be entered for their chance to win a signed Brandon Saad Columbus Blue Jackets jersey.

Joey Kocur in Flint on Saturday: Former Detroit Red Wings forward Joey Kocur will be signing autographs in Flint on Saturday night prior to the Firebirds matchup against the Kitchener Rangers. The four-time Stanley Cup champion will be signing autographs on the main concourse. The autograph session is available to all fans with a suggested $5 donation to the Firebirds Charitable Foundation. 1,500 special Joe Kocur autograph cards will be handed out at the door starting at 6:00 PM. 

Storm’s inaugural diaper drive a huge success: The Guelph Storm are thanking their fans for the generosity they showed during the team’s Diaper Drive on Friday in support of Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis. The Storm received 52 packs of diapers, 31 packs of wipes and other supplies. Read more at guelphstorm.com.

Battalion busy in the community: The North Bay Battalion have been out and about serving the North Bay community throughout the month of January. From school visits to community practices, check out the photo gallery at battalionhockey.com.

ALUMNI NOTES:

Simmonds named MVP as Metropolitan Division wins NHL All-Star Classic: Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds graduate Wayne Simmonds earned NHL All-Star MVP honours, scoring the winning goal in the Metropolitan Division’s championship win over the Pacific Division. Simmonds connected with linemate and fellow OHL grad Taylor Hall (New Jersey Devils/Windsor Spitfires) on a 2-on-0 to win the event for his team. Simmonds was one of 14 OHL graduates competing at the event. Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid (Erie Otters) nearly set a new record for fastest skater in the All-Star Skills Competition on Saturday while London Knights grads John Tavares (New York Islanders) and Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) both won in the Accuracy Shooting contest.

Nine OHL grads compete in AHL All-Star Classic: A total of nine OHL graduates competed in the 2017 AHL All-Star Classic in Lehigh Valley, PA. Windsor Spitfires graduate Michael Leighton (Charlotte Checkers) and Niagara IceDogs alumnus Vince Dunn (Chicago Wolves) were part of a championship effort by the Central Division as they defeated the Atlantic Division 1-0 in the championship game of the event. North Bay Battalion graduate Kyle Wood (Tucson Roadrunners) won the hardest shot competition in the All-Star Skills portion of the weekend, recording a blast a 99.3mph. Other OHL alumni competing at the event included Nicklas Jensen (Hartford Wolf Pack/Oshawa Generals), Justin Bailey (Soo Greyhounds/Rochester Americans), Kerby Rychel (Toronto Marlies/Guelph Storm), Jordan Subban (Utica Comets/Belleville Bulls), Chris Terry (St. John’s IceCaps/Plymouth Whalers), Jack Campbell (Ontario Reign/Soo Greyhounds) and Christian Fischer (Tucson Roadrunners/Windsor Spitfires).

Marner named NHL Rookie of the Month: London Knights graduate and 2016 CHL Player of the Year Mitch Marner is the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for January after recording 15 points (4-11–15) in 13 games. The Toronto Maple Leafs winger is tied for the NHL’s scoring lead among rookies with 12 goals, 29 assists and 41 points in 48 contests. The 19-year-old played three OHL seasons with London, finishing with 96 goals, 205 assists and 301 points over 184 regular season games from 2013-16. He added 28 goals, 41 assists and 69 points over 34 playoff matchups. Marner was Toronto’s first round (4th overall) pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.

Perry records 700th NHL point:  London Knights graduate Corey Perry recorded his 700th career NHL point on Tuesday, recording an assist in a 5-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche. The Anaheim Ducks winger has nine goals, 27 assists and 36 points in 52 games this season, bringing his career totals to 339 goals, 361 assists and 700 points over 856 games with Anaheim dating back to 2005-06. Perry won a Stanley Cup title with the Ducks in 2007 and has won other major championships including an Olympic gold medal, World Championship gold medal, World Junior gold medal, Mastercard Memorial Cup title, and an OHL Championship. During his prolific OHL career with London from 2001-05, Perry recorded 380 points (140-240–380) over 253 regular season games, being named the OHL Playoff MVP and Mastercard Memorial Cup MVP in 2005. He was Anaheim’s first round (28th overall) pick in 2003.

Murray, Helmer inducted into AHL Hall of Fame: Former Peterborough Petes forward Rob Murray and former assistant coach Bryan Helmer have been inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame. Murray, a Toronto native, played three seasons with the Petes between 1984 and 1987. The center played 213 regular season and playoff games in the OHL, scoring 47 goals, 77 assists, and 124 points along with 587 penalty minutes. Helmer played the majority of his junior hockey with the OJHL’s Wellington Dukes before going on to play more games and record more points than any defenceman in the history of the AHL, finishing his playing career with 1,117 games played, 129 goals, 435 assists, 564 points and 1,379 penalty minutes. Read more at gopetesgo.com.

Kostopoulos records 500th AHL point: London Knights graduate Tom Kostopoulos became the 91st player in American Hockey League history to join the 500-point club on Saturday night in Binghamton. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins captain scored a third period goal to bring his career total to 500 points including 197 goals and 303 assists over 662 regular season contests dating back to 1999-00. The 38-year-old played three seasons for London from 1996-99, reaching Game 7 the OHL Finals in 1999 as the Knights fell to the Belleville Bulls. Kostopoulos finished his OHL tenure with 162 points (64-98–162) in 196 games and was Pittsburgh’s seventh round pick in 1999. He has played in 630 career NHL contests.

Verhaeghe named ECHL Player of the Week: Niagara IceDogs graduate Carter Verhaeghe of the Missouri Mavericks is the ECHL Player of the Week after recording three goals, five assists and eight points over three games. The 21-year-old has 24 points (9-15–24) in 12 games with Missouri this season, also spending time with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers. A New York Islanders prospect, Verhaeghe played four OHL seasons with the IceDogs from 2011-15, recording 224 points (83-141–224) over 262 games. He was Toronto’s third round (82nd overall) pick in 2013. 

KEY MATCHUPS:

Erie Otters (34-10-2-1, T-1st Midwest) vs. Peterborough Petes (28-15-1-3, 1st East)
Thursday January 2nd at Peterborough

Conference leaders clash in Peterborough on Thursday as the Erie Otters come to town. The East Division-leading Petes are winners of five straight entering the weekend, receiving big contributions from Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nikita Korostelev who enters play on an 11-game point streak. Hometown product Logan DeNoble leads the Petes with 29 goals on the year while power play quarterback Matthew Timms sits third among OHL defencemen with 45 points on the season. The Otters have also won their last five games and remain locked in a dog fight with the London Knights atop the Midwest Division. Newly crowned franchise scoring leader Dylan Strome enters a weekend road trip with stops in Peterborough, Ottawa and Kingston on a nine game point streak.

Owen Sound Attack (32-13-1-1, 2nd Midwest) vs. London Knights (32-8-3-4, T-1st Midwest)
Friday January 3rd at London

Last weekend’s Sportsnet thriller saw the Knights stop Owen Sound’s winning streak at 15 games on the back of a Mitchell Stephens five point effort and shootout winner. The grudge match is shaping up to be a good one on Friday in London as the Attack remain as arguably the hottest team in the league. Physically relentless and hard on the puck, Owen Sound features Finnish winger Petrus Palmu entering action on a 15-game point streak while veteran captain Santino Centorame was recently named the OHL’s Defenceman of the Month for January. The ever-competitive Knights come off a 6-1 defeat of the Kitchener Rangers on Wednesday and have received a big boost from additions in Stephens and defenceman Mitchell Vande Sompel as both players have recorded over a point-per-game since joining the green and gold.

SCHEDULE:

Thursday February 2:
Mississauga at Niagara – 7:00pm
Sarnia at North Bay – 7:00pm
Erie at Peterborough – 7:05pm
Saginaw at Windsor – 7:05pm
Kingston at Barrie – 7:30pm

Friday February 3:
Oshawa at Kingston – 7:00pm
North Bay at Mississauga – 7:00pm
Peterborough at Niagara – 7:00pm
Sarnia at Sudbury – 7:00pm
Flint at Guelph – 7:30pm
Barrie at Hamilton – 7:30pm
Windsor at Kitchener – 7:30pm
Owen Sound at London – 7:30pm

Saturday February 4:
Erie at Ottawa – 2:00pm
Kitchener at Flint – 7:00pm
Niagara at Hamilton – 7:00pm
Sault Ste. Marie at Sudbury – 7:00pm
Oshawa at Peterborough – 7:05pm
London at Saginaw – 7:05pm
Sarnia at Barrie – 7:30pm
Windsor at Owen Sound – 7:30pm

Sunday February 5:
Erie at Kingston – 2:00pm
Sault Ste. Marie at North Bay – 2:00pm
Hamilton at Oshawa – 2:05pm


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

OHL, CMHA Ontario, and Teachers Life team up this month to raise awareness about mental health

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League, in association with Canadian Mental Health Association, and Teachers Life, are teaming up to raise awareness about the importance of mental health during upcoming OHL games throughout the month of February.

The awareness campaign is part of the ongoing commitment by OHL clubs and local CMHA Ontario Branches to implement Talk Today.  Launched in October 2014, Talk Today is a partnership between the OHL, CMHA, and presenting sponsor Teachers Life, that provides mental health support to players and raises awareness about mental health and suicide throughout OHL communities.

All 20 OHL teams are hosting a Talk Today awareness game with the support of their local CMHA Ontario Branch.   Presented by Teachers Life in 16 different OHL communities, Talk Today awareness games feature a CMHA kiosk where fans can get more information about Talk Today and the programs and services offered by the Branches. There will also be public address and video announcements in venue addressing the importance of positive mental health, along with mental health awareness messaging delivered through social media.

2017 OHL and CMHA Game Night Schedule:
January 13 at London Knights with CMHA Middlesex
January 29 at Saginaw Spirit with CMHA Windsor-Essex County
February 2 at Windsor Spitfires with CMHA Windsor-Essex County
February 3 at Guelph Storm with CMHA Waterloo-Wellington-Dufferin
February 7 at Kitchener Rangers with CMHA Waterloo-Wellington-Dufferin
February 12 at Kingston Frontenacs with CMHA Kingston
February 15 at Erie Otters with CMHA Niagara
February 15 at Sarnia Sting with CMHA Lambton Kent
February 16 at North Bay Battalion with CMHA Nipissing
February 17 at Sudbury Wolves with CMHA Sudbury-Manitoulin
February 18 at Barrie Colts with CMHA Simcoe County
February 18 at Hamilton Bulldogs with CMHA Hamilton
February 18 at Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds with CMHA Sault Ste. Marie
February 23 at Peterborough Petes with CMHA Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge
February 24 at Flint Firebirds with CMHA Windsor-Essex County
February 26 at Mississauga Steelheads with CMHA Peel
February 26 at Ottawa 67’s with CMHA Ottawa
February 26 at Owen Sound Attack with CMHA Grey Bruce
March 1 at Oshawa Generals with CMHA Durham
March 9 at Niagara IceDogs with CMHA Niagara

A key piece of the Talk Today program has been to educate players about mental health and suicide. Players on all 20 OHL teams have received mental health training specific to suicide awareness called safeTALK. This training helps teach individuals the importance of talking about mental health, how to acknowledge signs of suicide, seek help when they’re in need of support, and connect others in need of support to suicide first aid resources.

Since its inception, Talk Today has made a sizable impact in the OHL with over 725 players, 204 billets, and more than 85 coaches and front office staff receiving mental health and suicide prevention training to date.  The partnership has expanded to include a mental health awareness seminar as part of the OHL/OHF Under-15 Program of Excellence since April, 2015, and new this season includes partnerships with all 60 teams across the Canadian Hockey League.

In conjunction with Teachers Life, OHL clubs have also been active this season incorporating the topic of mental health into their in-school visit programs working alongside their local CMHA Ontario Branches.  Players have already been visiting select elementary schools throughout the season communicating personal messages about managing stress.

Talk Today is a mandatory program that works in conjunction with the OHL’s other league programs in areas such as drug awareness, health and safety education, respect for women, and has become an important piece of the league’s ‘Players First’ guide. 

For more information about upcoming OHL and CMHA game nights please contact OHL clubs or the local CMHA Ontario Branch.

Help us spread the word about mental health! Keep the conversation going online using #TalkToday. 

For more information please visit http://ontario.cmha.ca. 

About Teachers Life:

Teachers Life is a not-for-profit federally regulated life-insurance company and North America’s largest educator-owned fraternal insurer. Founded in 1939, Teachers Life offers a full suite of personal insurance products to address the unique needs of the whole education community including educators, administrators, support staff and their families. Teachers Life is the first insurance provider in Canada to underwrite life insurance products online, in as little as 15 minutes. As a not-for-profit fraternal insurer, community commitment is a core value for Teachers Life. For more information, please visit www.teacherslife.com. 

About the Canadian Mental Health Association:

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) works toward a single mission: to make mental health possible for all. The vision of CMHA Ontario is a society that believes mental health is the key to well-being. CMHA Ontario works closely with 31 local branches in communities across the province to ensure the quality delivery of services in the areas of mental health, addictions, dual diagnosis and concurrent disorders. Through policy formulation, analysis and implementation, agenda setting, research, evaluation and knowledge exchange, we work to improve the lives of people with mental health and addictions conditions and their families.  Visit www.ontario.cmha.ca to find a CMHA branch in your community

About the Ontario Hockey League:

The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. Last season, more than nine million fans attended CHL games in the regular season, playoffs and at the Mastercard Memorial Cup. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U Sports than any other league.  For more information visit www.ontariohockeyleague.com.

OHL Announces Academic Players of the Month for January

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the OHL Academic Players of the Month for January 2017, including William Ennis of the Oshawa Generals, Ben Jones of the Niagara IceDogs, Luke Richardson of the Kitchener Rangers and Ryan McGregor of the Sarnia Sting.

East Division: Sixteen year-old defenceman William Ennis of the Oshawa Generals is the East Division Academic Player of the Month for January. A Grade 11 student at Maxwell Heights Secondary School, Ennis has adapted well to his new environment both on and off the ice this season. He is described by his teachers as responsible, conscientious and disciplined. Ennis is currently studying University level Math, Chemistry, High Performance Athletics and Grade 12 International Business, maintaining a 93% average in those courses. On the ice, Ennis has recorded an assist in 29 games as a rookie. The Gloucester, Ont. native was Oshawa’s third round (46th overall) pick in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection. 

Central Division: Seventeen year-old sophomore forward Ben Jones of the Niagara IceDogs is the Central Division Academic Player of the Month for January. The Grade 12 student at Governor Simcoe Secondary School currently maintains an 87% average in his University-level Advanced Functions, Biology and Chemistry courses. IceDogs Academic Advisor Tim Tope describes Jones as one who exemplifies what it means to be a student-athlete, demonstrating leadership in the classroom. The draft eligible centreman has 10 goals, 23 assists and 33 points in 43 games this season. The Waterloo, Ont. native was Niagara’s first round (7th overall) pick in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection.

Ben Jones of the Niagara IceDogs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Ben Jones of the Niagara IceDogs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Midwest Division: Seventeen year-old goaltender Luke Richardson of the Kitchener Rangers is the Midwest Division Academic Player of the Month, achieving high grades in Grade 12 International Business, Business Management and Earth and Space Sciences courses at Grand River Collegiate Institute. Richardson is described as a student who demonstrates a thorough knowledge of all subject content while adding unique insights to presented challenges. He also shows exceptional attention to detail in his work. The Barrie, Ont. native has played in five games with the Rangers this season, going 4-0 with a 2.96 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. He was Kitchener’s fourth round (79th overall) pick in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection.

West Division: Eighteen year-old sophomore forward Ryan McGregor of the Sarnia Sting is the West Division Academic Player of the Month for January. McGregor currently maintains an 82% average over Grade 12 Functions, Kinesiology and Biology courses at Northern Collegiate Institute. On the ice, the draft eligible Burlington, Ont. native has 13 goals, seven assists and 20 points in 45 games. He was Sarnia’s second round (24th overall) pick in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection.

2016-17 OHL Academic Players of the Month:

East Division:
January – William Ennis (Oshawa Generals)
December – Nathan Dunkley (Kingston Frontenacs)
November – Matthew Strome (Hamilton Bulldogs)
October – Zach Gallant (Peterborough Petes)

Central Division:
January – Ben Jones (Niagara IceDogs)
December – Adam McMaster (North Bay Battalion)
November – Kyle Heitzner (Barrie Colts)
October – Jacob Ingham (Mississauga Steelheads)

Midwest Division:
January – Luke Richardson (Kitchener Rangers)
December – Nick Deakin-Poot (Guelph Storm)
November – Cade Robinson (Erie Otters)
October – Nick Suzuki (Owen Sound Attack)

West Division:
January – Ryan McGregor (Sarnia Sting) 
December – Damien Giroux (Saginaw Spirit)
November – Hunter Holmes (Flint Firebirds)
October – Cole Purboo (Windsor Spitfires)

During the 2015-16 season, the OHL centrally administered Scholarship Program facilitated scholarships for 315 OHL graduates attending 57 different academic institutions with a total scholarship payment in excess of $2.9 million.  Click here for more information about ‘OHL Players First’ programs.

OHL’s Draft Eligible Statistical Leaders as of January 31

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

It’s February and the snow and cold weather are back so there is no better time than the present to look at a variety of statistical leaders among the Ontario Hockey League eligible for the National Hockey League Draft in June in Chicago.

Mississauga Steelheads’ winger Owen Tippett leads draft eligible players in points with 61 points in 45 games. He is followed by Nick Suzuki of the Owen Sound Attack with 57 points in 45 games. Tippet leads the race for most goals with 36 while Suzuki leads the race for most assists with 34.

Owen Tippett of the Mississauga Steelheads. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Owen Tippett of the Mississauga Steelheads. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Conor Timmins of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds leads the list of defenders with 39 points in 47 games. He is followed by Nicolas Hague of Mississauga 34 points in 45 games. Timmins also leads in plus/minus with a plus 30, followed by Suzuki with a plus 27.

Goaltender Michael DiPietro of the Windsor Spitfires leads the goaltenders in goals against average, save percentage, wins and shutouts.

Here is the complete list:

Players with an asterisk (*) also lead the league.

Points Leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts
Owen Tippett Mississauga Steelheads 45 36 25 61
Nick Suzuki Owen Sound Attack 45 23 34 57
Jason Robertson Kingston Frontenacs 45 25 25 50
Jonah Gadjovich Owen Sound Attack 41 27 19 46
Ivan Lodnia Erie Otters 45 20 24 44
Joseph Garreffa Kitchener Rangers 48 16 27 43
Matthew Strome Hamilton Bulldogs 45 26 16 42
Robert Thomas London Knights 45 14 28 42
Isaac Ratcliffe Guelph Storm 47 22 18 40
Lucas Chiodo Barrie Colts 47 16 24 40
Goal Scoring Leaders
Player Team GP G GPG
Owen Tippett Mississauga Steelheads 45 36 0.80
Jonah Gadjovich Owen Sound Attack 41 27 0.66
Matthew Strome Hamilton Bulldogs 45 26 0.58
Jason Robertson Kingston Frontenacs 47 25 0.53
Nick Suzuki Owen Sound Attack 45 23 0.51
Isaac Ratcliffe Guelph Storm 47 22 0.47
Ivan Lodnia Erie Otters 45 20 0.44
Brady Gilmour Saginaw Spirit 45 19 0.42
Linus Nyman Kingston Frontenacs 47 19 0.40
Gabriel Vilardi Windsor Spitfires 30 17 0.57
Assist Leaders
Player Team GP A APG
Nick Suzuki Owen Sound Attack 45 34 0.76
Conor Timmins Soo Greyhounds 47 33 0.70
Robert Thomas London Knights 45 28 0.62
Joseph Garreffa Kitchener Rangers 48 27 0.56
Morgan Frost Soo Greyhounds 47 26 0.55
Austen Keating Ottawa 67’s 48 26 0.54
Owen Tippett Mississauga Steelheads 45 25 0.56
Jason Robertson Kingston Frontenacs 47 25 0.53
Ivan Lodnia Erie Otters 45 24 0.53
Lucas Chiodo Barrie Colts 47 24 0.51
Defencemen Point Leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts
Conor Timmins Soo Greyhounds 47 6 33 39
Nicolas Hague Mississauga Steelheads 45 14 20 34
Noel Hoefenmayer Ottawa 67’s 43 9 19 28
Adam Thilander North Bay Battalion 43 3 21 24
Markus Phillips Owen Sound Attack 45 9 14 23
Eemeli Rasanen Kingston Frontenacs 46 4 19 23
Sean Durzi Owen Sound Attack 40 1 22 23
Tom Hedberg Barrie Colts 37 3 16 19
Plus/Minus Leaders
Player Team GP +/-
Conor Timmins Soo Greyhounds 47 +30
Nick Suzuki Owen Sound Attack 45 +27
Robert Thomas London Knights 45 +24
Jonah Gadjovich Owen Sound Attack 41 +23
Ivan Lodnia Erie Otters 45 +20
Markus Phillips Owen Sound Attack 45 +19
Mac Hollowell Soo Greyhounds 48 +16
Owen Tippett Mississauga Steelheads 45 +15
Zachary Roberts Owen Sound Attack 44 +13
Maksim Sushko Owen Sound Attack 33 +12
Penalty Minutes Leaders
Player Team GP PIM M/G
Shaw Boomhower Mississauga Steelheads 43 78 1.81
Nicolas Hague Mississauga Steelheads 45 72 1.60
Zach Gallant Peterborough Petes 47 70 1.49
Darian Pilon Sudbury Wolves 47 69 1.47
Drake Pilon Sudbury Wolves 38 68 1.79
Cole Fraser Peterborough Petes 45 66 1.47
Hayden Davis Saginaw Spirit 47 62 1.32
Faceoff Leaders  (wins)
Player Team GP FOA FOW %
Zach Gallant Peterborough Petes 47 850 510 60.0
Robert Thomas London Knights 45 802 459 57.2
Ben Jones Niagara Ice Dogs 43 803 409 50.9
Jason Willms Barrie Colts 47 684 359 52.5
Nate Schnarr Guelph Storm 34 664 333 50.2
Jack Studnicka Oshawa Generals 43 602 318 52.8
Sasha Chmelevski Ottawa 67’s 39 559 311 55.6
Greg Meireles Kitchener Rangers 46 660 309 46.8
Nick Suzuki Owen Sound Attack 45 561 302 53.8
Morgan Frost Soo Greyhounds 47 604 301 49.8
Philip Matthew Niagara Ice Dogs 45 563 287 51.0
Longest Goal Scoring Streak
Player Team From To Gms Goals
Owen Tippett Mississauga Steelheads 10/12 10/23 6 11
Nick Suzuki Owen Sound Attack 11/18 11/26 5 6
Isaac Ratcliffe Guelph Storm 11/27 12/9 5 6
Jonah Gadjovich Owen Sound Attack 12/11 12/30 4 7
Zach Gallant Peterborough Petes 12/3 12/15 4 5
Longest Assist Streak
Player Team From To Gms Assts
Owen Tippett Mississauga Steelheads 1/17 1/29 6 8
Zach Gallant Peterborough Petes 12/3 12/16 5 5
Joseph Garreffa Kitchener Rangers 11/11 11/20 5 7
Austen Keating Ottawa 67’s 10/23 11/5 5 5
Austen Keating Ottawa 67’s 9/25 10/6 5 9
Longest Point Streak
Player Team From To Gms Pts
Owen Tippett Mississauga Steelheads 12/16 1/19 12 21
Nicolas Hague Mississauga Steelheads 12/4 12/28 8 12
Lucas Chiodo Barrie Colts 1/1 1/19 8 10
Jonah Gadjovich Owen Sound Attack 12/11 1/7 7 14
Jack Studnicka Oshawa Generals 12/18 12/9 7 11
Shot Attempt Leaders
Player Team GP S/A
Owen Tippett* Mississauga Steelheads 45 221
Jason Robertson Kingston Frontenacs 47 198
Jonah Gadjovich Owen Sound Attack 41 185
Nick Suzuki Owen Sound Attack 45 174
Nicolas Hague Mississauga Steelheads 45 139
Shots On Goal Leaders
Player Team GP SOG
Jonah Gadjovich* Owen Sound Attack 41 144
Nick Suzuki* Owen Sound Attack 45 133
Owen Tippett Mississauga Steelheads 45 121
Jason Robertson Kingston Frontenacs 47 115
Zach Gallant Peterborough Petes 47 89
Goaltenders Leaders – Goals Against Average (Min 10 games)
Player Team GP Min GA Avg
Michael DiPietro* Windsor Spitfires 35 2069 74 2.15
Matthew Villalta Soo Greyhounds 18 906 41 2.72
Kaden Fulcher Hamilton Bulldogs 35 1964 104 3.18
Kyle Keyser Oshawa Generals 18 915 54 3.54
Jake McGrath Sudbury Wolves 27 1449 93 3.85
Goaltending Leaders – Save Percentage (Min 10 games)
Player Team GP SH SVS SV%
Michael DiPietro* Windsor Spitfires 35 990 916 0.925
Matthew Villalta Soo Greyhounds 18 429 388 0.904
Kaden Fulcher Hamilton Bulldogs 35 996 892 0.896
Jake McGrath Sudbury Wolves 27 858 765 0.892
Kyle Keyser Oshawa Generals 18 496 442 0.891
Goaltending Leaders – Wins
Player Team GP W L OL
Michael DiPietro Windsor Spitfires 35 22 7 5
Kaden Fulcher Hamilton Bulldogs 35 16 14 4
Matthew Villalta Soo Greyhounds 18 12 1 0
Jake McGrath Sudbury Wolves 27 11 9 5
Aidan Hughes Sarnia Sting 14 6 4 2
Goaltending Leaders – Shutouts
Player Team GP SO
Michael DiPietro* Windsor Spitfires 35 5
Kaden Fulcher Hamilton Bulldogs 35 2
Jake McGrath Sudbury Wolves 27 1

While we take great care in compiling stats, refer to the OHL website for official stats. 

OHL Writers’ Draft Eligible Player of the Month

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

We have yet to have a repeat player as our draft eligible player of the month and that continues through January.

For the month of January, look no further than Owen Tippett of the Mississauga Steelheads.

Owen Tippett of the Mississauga Steelheads. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Owen Tippett of the Mississauga Steelheads. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

The 6’2” 205 pounder appeared 9 games for the Steelheads in January while also playing in the Sherwin-Williams NHL/CHL Top Prospects Game. Tippett scored 7 goals and added 9 assists in those 9 games. The Steelheads went 7-1-4 in January and 6-1-2 with Tippett in the lineup.

Tippett received first star honors once, second star three times and third star once during January.

Tippett leads all draft eligible players in goals and points while also having the longest points, goals and assists streaks among draft eligible players. He also leads the entire Ontario Hockey League in shot attempts with 221 in 45 games played.

We also considered Jonah Gadjovich of the Owen Sound Attack who had 10 goals and 7 assists in 11 games, Jason Robertson of the Kingston Frontenacs with 9 goals and 7 assists in 12 games, and Michael DiPietro of the Windsor Spitfires who went 6-2-1 with a .941 save percentage with one shutout.

Previously

December – Michael DiPietro, Windsor Spitfires

November – Nick Suzuki, Owen Sound Attack

October – Gabriel Vilardi – Windsor Spitfires

September – Greg Meireles – Kitchener Rangers

CHL Announces Top 10 Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the week nineteen 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 19

Rank: Team: Last Week Rank: Number of Weeks Ranked:
1 Regina Pats (34-6-6-1) 1 18
2 Erie Otters (34-10-2-1) 6 14
3 London Knights (32-8-3-4) 2 18
4 Prince George Cougars (36-14-3-0) 7 18
5 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (33-12-2-1) 4 9
6 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (30-12-1-5) 5 19
7 Everett Silvertips (30-9-8-2) 3 16
8 Saint John Sea Dogs (31-12-3-1) 9 14
9 Owen Sound Attack (32-13-1-1) 10 3
10 Shawinigan Cataractes (32-13-2-1) – 15
Honourable Mention:
Medicine Hat Tigers (35-15-1-0) – 5
Windsor Spitfires (30-11-5-2) 8 17
Charlottetown Islanders (30-15-3-0) – 0

 

 

OHL Announces Top Performers of the Month for January

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 January 2017, including Kitchener Rangers forward Adam Mascherin, Owen Sound Attack rearguard Santino Centorame, Oshawa Generals rookie Allan McShane and Mississauga Steelheads goaltender Jacob Ingham.


OHL Player of the Month – Adam Mascherin (Kitchener Rangers):
Florida Panthers prospect Adam Mascherin of the Kitchener Rangers has been named the OHL Player of the Month for January after leading all players with 22 points including five goals and 17 assists in 12 games. Mascherin had points in 11 of his 12 outings including eight multi-point performances. His month was headlined by a trio of three-point outputs beginning on Jan. 1st against Erie when he registered three helpers in a 5-2 victory. Mascherin had a goal and two assists in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Soo Greyhounds on Jan. 6th. He had another three point showing on Jan. 13th against Barrie, registering three assists in a 5-3 win. Mascherin helped guide the Rangers to a 7-5-1-1 record in the month of January and remains second in OHL scoring over the course of the season.

An 18-year-old native of Maple, Ont., Mascherin is in his third OHL season, having spent the entirety of his career with the Rangers after being their first round (2nd overall) pick in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection. He currently sits second in OHL scoring with 78 points including 30 goals and 48 assists over 45 games. Mascherin’s 11 power play goals are tied for third in the league as he is one of five players to find the back of the net at least 30 times this season. He was Florida’s second round (38th overall) pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.


OHL Defenceman of the Month – Santino Centorame (Owen Sound Attack):
Overage Owen Sound Attack defenceman Santino Centorame has been named the OHL Defenceman of the Month for January after leading all blueliners with 20 points including two goals and 18 assists in 11 games to go with a plus/minus rating of plus-14. The Attack captain helped guide his club to a franchise record 15 straight wins, registering points in 10 of his 11 contests including a pair of four point performances. Centorame recorded four assists in a 5-1 win over the Windsor Spitfires on Jan. 7th and wrapped up the month of January with a goal and three assists in a 6-4 win over Kitchener on Jan. 29th to earn first star honours. Centorame’s strong play helped the Attack play to a record of 10-0-0-1 in the month of January. He was the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the week ending Jan. 8th, recording a goal and six assists for seven points in three games.

A 20-year-old native of Mississauga, Ont., Centorame is in his fourth full OHL season and leads all defencemen with 42 assists. He is currently tied for third among rearguards with 45 points including three goals and 42 helpers in 47 games and is third on the Attack in plus/minus with a rating of plus-24 on the season. Centorame was a fourth round (88th overall) pick by the London Knights in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection.


OHL Rookie of the Month – Allan McShane (Oshawa Generals):
First-year forward Allan McShane of the Oshawa Generals is the OHL Rookie of the Month for January. Acquired from the Erie Otters on Jan. 9th, McShane had a productive month between the two clubs, leading all OHL rookies with 12 points including seven goals and five assists in 12 games. McShane recorded three multi-point performances, including a goal and an assist on Jan. 20th in a 5-4 loss to Kingston as well as on Jan. 27th in a 6-2 win at Guelph. His two goals and an assist in a 6-3 win at Barrie on Jan. 28th earned him first star honours. McShane has recorded 10 points (6-4–10) in eight games since joining the Generals.

A 16-year-old native of Collingwood, Ont., McShane is second among OHL rookies with 33 points including 13 goals and 20 assists in 41 games this season. He earned a silver medal with Team Canada Black at the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Sault Ste. Marie, registering three goals, two assists and five points in six games. McShane was Erie’s first round (19th overall) pick in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection from the Toronto Marlboros minor midgets.

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Vaughn OHL Goaltender of the Month – Jacob Ingham (Mississauga Steelheads):
Rookie netminder Jacob Ingham of the Mississauga Steelheads is the Vaughn OHL Goaltender of the Month for January after leading all goaltenders with a 1.91 goals-against average along with a .925 save percentage and a record of 5-0-1-1 over eight games. Ingham’s month of January was headlined by a pair of 27-save performances and a 30-save effort, all resulting in road victories for the Steelheads. He turned aside 27 shots in a 2-1 win at North Bay on Jan. 12th before making 30 a night later in a 6-2 triumph at Sault Ste. Marie. He made 27 saves in a 6-1 win at Ottawa on Jan 24th and hasn’t lost in regulation since Nov. 29th.

A 16-year-old native of Barrie, Ont., Ingham has played to a 9-4-3-2 record with a 3.05 goals-against average and an .885 save percentage in 20 games as a rookie this season. He recorded his first OHL shutout on Dec. 30th in a 3-0 win over Niagara. Ingham earned a silver medal at the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Sault Ste. Marie, recording a 2.15 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage over five contests. He was the first goaltender selected in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection, going in the second round (26th overall) to Mississauga from the Barrie Colts minor midgets.

 2016-17 OHL Performers of the Month:

Player of the Month:
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:
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:
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:
January – Jacob Ingham (Mississauga Steelheads)
December – Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires
November – Tyler Parsons (London Knights)
October – Troy Timpano (Erie Otters)

Oceanic’s Tyler Boland named CHL Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that QMJHL Top Scorer Tyler Boland of the Rimouski Oceanic is the CHL Player of the Week for the week ending January 29 after scoring three goals and nine assists for 12 points in three games with a plus-minus rating of plus-6.

Boland extended his personal point-streak to 10 games and opened an 11-point spread atop the scoring race while helping the Oceanic earn a trio of victories last week.  The overage forward scored a goal and three assists in each of his three games including Thursday night earning first star honours in a 5-3 win over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.  His offensive production also helped the 12th place Oceanic gain an edge in a battle for playoff positioning beating the 14th place Drummondville Voltigeurs 9-3 on Saturday, and the 11th place Halifax Mooseheads by a 5-4 score on Sunday.

A 20-year-old from St. John’s, Newfoundland, Boland has spent his entire four-year QMJHL tenure with the Oceanic who selected him in the tenth round of the 2013 QMJHL Entry Draft.  This season marks his best offensive campaign with 37 goals and 46 assists for 83 points in 50 games surpassing last year’s output of 54 points in 67 games.

Also considered for the award this week was Carolina Hurricanes prospect Jake Bean of the Calgary Hitmen who scored three goals and five assists for eight points in three games, while Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome became the Erie Otters all-time leading scorer following an eight-point week with three goals and five assists in three games.

2016-17 CHL Players of the Week:

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

Frontenacs’ Jeremy Helvig named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Carolina Hurricanes prospect Jeremy Helvig of the Kingston Frontenacs is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending January 29 after posting a 2-0-0-1 record including two shutout victories with a goals-against-average of 1.28 and save percentage of .956.

Helvig stopped 87 shots in three games last week helping the Frontenacs earn five of a possible six points to grab hold of fourth place in the OHL’s Eastern Conference standings with a 22-17-5-3 record.  His week began on Wednesday with a standout performance despite a 5-4 loss to the Ottawa 67’s making 29 saves in regulation and overtime before denying 12 of 14 shootout attempts.  Helvig was perfect the rest of the week stopping all 28 shots he faced on Friday as second star of a 3-0 victory over the Niagara IceDogs, then made 30 saves on Saturday as second star of a 1-0 triumph over the Mississauga Steelheads for his fifth shutout of the season.

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

A 19-year-old from Markham, ON, Helvig is playing in his third OHL season with the Frontenacs who chose him in the third round of the 2013 OHL Priority Selection.  So far this season he carries a 20-14-4-2 record and holds the OHL’s fifth best goals-against-average at 2.62, along with a save percentage of .910 in 41 games.  He was selected by the Hurricanes in the fifth round of the 2016 NHL Draft.

Also considered for the award this week was Cole Kehler of the Portland Winterhawks who went 1-0-0-0 with a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .979 making 47 saves in a 4-1 win over the Everett Silvertips, and Julio Billia of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens who posted a 1-0-0-1 record with a shutout victory making 68 saves for a goals-against-average of 0.96 and save percentage of .971.

2016-17 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week:

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)

Dominic Tiano: Recapping the Sherwin-Williams NHL/CHL Top Prospects Game

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

kirkaluedeke's avatarscoutingpost

Editor’s note- Dominic Tiano traveled to Quebec City for the 2017 CHL Top Prospects Game and filed this report on some of the top players for the 2017 NHL Entry Draft in Chicago this coming June. Thanks to Dom for putting his thoughts down and let us echo the support for the people of Quebec and everyone affected by the tragedy there.- KL

top-prospects-game

Let me start off by saying that I am deeply saddened by the shootings late Sunday evening at a Quebec City Mosque. There was a division among the ranks whether the game should proceed. After increased security and assurances from Quebec City Police, and meeting with the players and their families Monday morning, Canadian Hockey League Commissioner David Branch said the game would be a go.
Our thoughts remain with the families that lost loved ones and those still battling in hospital.
Before we get to the…

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