Storm’s Liam Herbst named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Liam Herbst of the Guelph Storm is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the first week of regular season action ending September 25 after posting a 2-0-0-0 record with a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .974.

Vaughn

Herbst stopped 75 of the 77 shots he faced in an opening week home-and-home series with the Saginaw Spirit backstopping the Storm to a pair of victories.  He made 35 saves on Friday night as second star of a 5-1 victory, then turned aside 40 shots and earned first star honours in a 2-1 Storm win on Saturday.

A 20-year-old from Etobicoke, ON, Herbst is playing in his fourth career OHL season and first with the Storm after being acquired in the off-season from the Ottawa 67’s.  Herbst was a first round pick of the London Knights in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection after capturing an OHL Cup Minor Midget title with the Mississauga Rebels.

Also considered for the award this week was Gabriel Morency of the Rimouski Oceanic who made 36 saves in two appearances against the Baie-Comeau Drakkar finishing the week with one win along with a goals-against-average of 0.57 and save percentage of .973.  In the WHL, Travis Child of the Swift Current Broncos was the lone WHL netminder to produce a shutout in opening week stopping all 28 shots faced in a 6-0 victory over the Saskatoon Blades on Sunday.

2016-17 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week:

Sept. 21 – Sept. 25: Liam Herbst (Guelph Storm)

CHL Leagues

Bulldogs’ Matt Luff named Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Los Angeles Kings prospect Matt Luff of the Hamilton Bulldogs is the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for opening week action ending September 25 scoring six points in two games including four goals and two assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-7.

Matt Luff of the Hamilton Bulldogs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Matt Luff of the Hamilton Bulldogs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Luff was the offensive catalyst for the Bulldogs who opened the 2016-17 regular season with a pair of victories over Eastern Conference competition.  On Friday night he matched a career-high with four points including a hat-trick in a 7-0 road win over the Mississauga Steelheads, then Saturday contributed a goal and an assist in the 7-2 victory over the Kingston Frontenacs.  Luff earned first star honours and was credited with game-winning goals in both contests.

A 19-year-old from Oakville, ON, Luff is playing in his third OHL season and was recently signed to an entry-level contract by the Kings after attending training camp as a Free Agent invite.  Last season he set career-highs in all offensive categories with 27 goals and 30 assists for 57 points in 61 games which led the Bulldogs in scoring.

Watch video highlights of Luff and the Bulldogs against the Steelheads and Frontenacs.

Also considered for the award this week were Ryan Moore and Nicholas Caamano of the Flint Firebirds who each recorded seven points in three games.  Moore scored three goals with four assists, while Caamano netted two goals with five helpers as the Firebirds picked up two wins in OHL Opening Week.  In goal, Liam Herbst backstopped the Guelph Storm to a pair of wins against the Saginaw Spirit making 75 saves for a save percentage of .974 along with a goals-against-average of 1.00.

OHL This Week for September 21-25, 2016

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – Another season of Ontario Hockey League action is underway with #OHLOpeningWeek in full swing.  4 games have been played with another 15 tonight through Sunday.

OHLThisWeek

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

 164 OHL PLAYERS INVITED TO NHL TRAINING CAMPS:

The Ontario Hockey League is proud to announce that 164 OHL players were invited to attend National Hockey League Training Camps this season.

 All 164 players listed are eligible to compete in the OHL for the 2016-17 season including 108 players born in either 1997 or 1998, while 56 of the players are 1996-born and would return as overage players.  159 of the players listed competed in the OHL last season, while five of the players are committed to their OHL clubs for 2016-17. Full details

 THREE OHL TEAMS INCLUDED IN PRE-SEASON EDITION OF CHL TOP 10 RANKINGS:


The defending Mastercard Memorial Cup champion London Knights top the first edition of the weekly CHL Top 10 Rankings releasedon Wednesday. The 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup host Windsor Spitfires come in at sixth, followed close behind by the Mississauga Steelheads at seventh. The Sarnia Sting received an honourable mention.  Full Rankings

 OHL 20 IN 20 SERIES PREVIEWS EACH OHL TEAM:

Over the span of the past 20 days, ontariohockeyleague.com has taken a team-by-team look at the 2016-17 OHL season. Get the inside scoop on your favourite teams as general managers provide their insights heading into Opening Week.

 Read up on all 20 teams:

East Division: Hamilton Bulldogs, Oshawa Generals, Peterborough Petes, Ottawa 67’s, Kingston Frontenacs.

 Central Division: Sudbury Wolves, Mississauga Steelheads, North Bay Battalion, Barrie Colts,Niagara IceDogs.

 Midwest Division: Guelph Storm, Owen Sound Attack, Kitchener Rangers, Erie Otters, London Knights.

 West Division: Flint Firebirds, Saginaw Spirit, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, Windsor Spitfires,Sarnia Sting

 OHL LIVE EARLY BIRD PRICING NOW AVAILABLE:
The Ontario Hockey League, in association with its digital media partner NeuLion, are proud to offer Early Bird pricing for OHL Live up until October 2, 2016. Powered by NeuLion, OHL Live provides coverage of all 20 teams in the OHL and will deliver all 680 games throughout the regular season which opens Wednesday, September 21, as well as coverage throughout the 2017 OHL Playoffs. Full details

 130 PROSPECTS COMMIT TO OHL THROUGHOUT THE OFFSEASON:
A total of 130 prospects made commitments to the Ontario Hockey League throughout the course of the offseason. Get familiarized with the new names and faces! Full list.

 OHL NEWS – RADIO EDITION:

 In the debut segment for the 2016-17 season, host Terry Doyle chats with first overall pick Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm ahead of his first regular season game.  Listen.

 TRIO SIGN NHL ENTRY-LEVEL CONTRACTS:

 Among the 164 OHL players attending NHL Training Camps this season, three recently inked entry-level deals with their respective clubs including Free Agent Invite Matt Luff of the Hamilton Bulldogs (Los Angeles Kings), and the Soo Greyhounds duo of Blake Speers and Colton White both with the New Jersey Devils.

 COMMUNITY CORNER:

McFadden’s Movement launches in Guelph: Guelph Storm defenceman Garrett McFadden is looking to break down barriers and stereotypes when it comes to how athletes are expected to handle mental health issues. He’ll be connecting with minor hockey teams and athletes this season, helping them prepare and deal with some of the pressures and challenges they face. For more on the story, please visit guelphstorm.com.

Spitfires unveil new jumbotron: The 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup host Windsor Spitfires unveiled their brand new jumbotron at the WFCU Centre in Thursday’s home opener against the Erie Otters. Here’s a sneak peak at windsorspitfires.com!

Frontenacs unveil third jerseys: The Kingston Fronts will be decked out in gold this season after unveiling their brand new third jerseys last week. The new threads are available in the team store. Full details at kingstonfrontenacs.com.

 ALUMNI NOTES:

35 OHL graduates competing in World Cup of Hockey: All eight teams competing in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey feature at least one OHL graduate! There are a total of 75 former CHL players battling in the best-on-best international competition. Check out the full list.

 #OHLOPENINGWEEK SCHEDULE: 


Wednesday September 21:
Saginaw 0 at Flint 4 – Highlights
London 1 at Sarnia 4 – Highlights

Thursday September 22:
Ottawa 5 at Peterborough 3 – Highlights
Erie 1 at Windsor 4 – Highlights

Friday September 23:
Barrie at Kingston (7:00pm)
Oshawa at Sudbury (7:00pm)
Hamilton at Mississauga (7:00pm)
Niagara at North Bay (7:00pm)
Owen Sound at Sarnia (7:05pm)
Windsor at Sault Ste. Marie (7:07pm)
Saginaw at Guelph (7:30pm)
Flint at Kitchener (7:30pm)
Erie at London (7:30pm)

Saturday September 24:
Kingston at Hamilton (7:00pm)
Owen Sound at Flint (7:00pm)
Guelph at Saginaw (7:05pm)
Oshawa at Sault Ste. Marie (7:07pm)

Sunday September 25:
Barrie at Ottawa (2:00pm)
Sudbury at Mississauga (2:00pm)

 Follow the action at www.ontariohockeyleague.com or on social media @OHLHockey using #OHLOpeningWeek to join the conversation.

CIBC teams up with Canadian Hockey League in new multi-year partnership

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Becomes Official Bank of the CHL

super-series

TORONTO, Sept. 22, 2016 /CNW/ – CIBC (TSX:CM) (NYSE: CM) and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) are proud to announce an exciting new partnership, as CIBC becomes the Official Bank of the CHL, and its three regional leagues, Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).

This new five-year deal includes sponsorship of 23 CHL teams, title sponsorship of the Canada Russia Series, and associate sponsorship of the Mastercard Memorial Cup and the CHL Top Prospects Game. As part of its partnership with the world’s largest development league, CIBC is also providing financial management, advice and banking resources to the CHL  and will support the CHL’s scholarship program.

“The Canadian Hockey League is proud to welcome CIBC to the CHL family,” says CHL President David Branch. “It’s exciting to partner with an organization who shares our goals of supporting youth and being active in communities across Canada. CIBC’s commitment to our teams and to the CIBC Canada Russia Series will help us showcase some of the best Major Junior players in the world to hockey fans across the country.”

 Leveraging the CHL’s national scope and local in-market presence, CIBC will activate the sponsorship at various opening week games in 23 communities across Canada, beginning September 22-30 and continuing throughout the season. CIBC will also work with KidSport, a national non-profit that encourages kids to get active, as part of the sponsorship activation.

“What attracted us to this organization is its community focus and ability to bring Canadians together in passion and spirit and we’re excited to be part of that energy in 23 markets from Kelowna to Cape Breton,” says Stephen Forbes, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, CIBC. “We are proud to welcome the CHL as a new CIBC client, and look forward to working with them to continue building strong Canadian communities.”

The 2016-17 CHL season began on Wednesday September 21 in the OHL, with the QMJHL and WHL opening action on Thursday and Friday nights respectively. The 2016 CIBC Canada Russia Series takes place November 7-17 and features regional league teams of Canadian National Junior Team candidates competing against the Russian National Junior Team. The six game series includes stops in Prince George, BC, Edmonton, AB, North Bay, ON, Hamilton, ON, Chicoutimi, QC, and Baie-Comeau, QC.

 CIBC sponsored CHL teams:

 

WHL                    OHL                                    QMJHL

Kamloops           Windsor                            Rouyn-Noranda

Lethbridge         Peterborough                  Cape Breton

Red Deer            Mississauga                     Charlottetown

Regina                 Sault St. Marie                 Val-d’Or

Vancouver         Owen Sound                    Sherbrooke

Victoria               Oshawa                            Drummondville

Moose Jaw

Kelowna

Kootenay

Saskatoon

Prince George

CIBC has a long history of supporting its communities through sponsorship programs such as CIBC Run for the Cure which, in its 20th year on October, 2 will impact over 60 communities across Canada. CIBC’s partnership with the CHL will also complement other recently formed partnerships including Connor McDavid, who earned CHL Player of the Year honours in 2015, and Ottawa 2017, a yearlong celebration for Canada and CIBC’s shared 150th birthday in 2017.

About CIBC

CIBC is a leading Canadian-based global financial institution with 11 million personal banking and business clients. Through our three major business units – Retail and Business Banking, Wealth Management and Capital Markets – CIBC offers a full range of products and services through its comprehensive electronic banking network, branches and offices across Canada with offices in the United States and around the world. Ongoing news releases and more information about CIBC can be found at www.cibc.com/ca/media-centre/ or by following on Twitter @CIBC, Facebook (www.facebook.com/CIBC) and Instagram @CIBCNow.

 About the Canadian Hockey League

The Canadian Hockey League is the world’s largest development hockey league with 52 Canadian and eight American teams participating in the Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League. CHL players graduate from high school at a rate higher than the Canadian national average.  More than nine million fans annually attend CHL games during the regular season, playoffs and at the Mastercard Memorial Cup. The CHL is the number one supplier of talent to the National Hockey League (NHL) and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS).

CHL Announces Pre-season Top 10 Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the pre-season 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 – Pre-season

  1. London Knights
  2. Saint John Sea Dogs
  3. Brandon Wheat Kings
  4. Seattle Thunderbirds
  5. Shawinigan Cataractes
  6. Windsor Spitfires
  7. Mississauga Steelheads
  8. Victoria Royals
  9. Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
  10. Regina Pats

Honourable Mention:

Gatineau Olympiques

Sarnia Sting

Kelowna Rockets

CHL Leagues

164 OHL players invited to 2016 NHL Training Camps

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League is proud to announce that 164 OHL players have been invited to attend National Hockey League Training Camps this season.

All 164 players listed are eligible to compete in the OHL for the 2016-17 season including 108 players born in either 1997 or 1998, while 56 of the players are 1996-born and would return as overage players.  159 of the players listed competed in the OHL last season, while five of the players are committed to their OHL clubs for 2016-17.

OHL

Of the 164 players attending Training Camps, 111 are going to clubs that selected them in the NHL Draft, 46 are free agent invites, five are undrafted NHL signed prospects, and two players are undrafted AHL signed prospects.  In total, 55 of the players attending NHL Camps have signed entry-level contracts including 29 1996-born players who are overage eligible.

All 20 OHL clubs have at least four players attending NHL Training Camps with the London Knights leading the way by sending 16 players to various camps, followed by the Kitchener Rangers with 12 players, the Windsor Spitfires with 11 players, and both the Niagara IceDogs and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds with 10 players each.

29 of the NHL’s 30 clubs will have at least one OHL eligible player attending their Training Camp.  The Arizona Coyotes lead the way with 13 returning eligible OHL players, followed by the St. Louis Blues with 12, the Carolina Hurricanes with 10, followed by the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, New Jersey Devils, and Toronto Maple Leafs each with nine.

The OHL continues to be the leading supplier of talent to the NHL.

OHL Players at 2016-17 NHL Training Camps
Player/NHL Club/Draft Year or Free Agent
Players in italics indicate overage players (1996 birthdates)
*indicates players committed for the 2016-17 season

Barrie Colts (6):

Rasmus Andersson, Calgary Flames, 2nd round ’15 – Signed
Mackenzie Blackwood, New Jersey Devils, 2nd round ’15 – Signed
Cordell James, Dallas Stars, Free Agent Invite
Andrew Mangiapane, Calgary Flames, 6th round ’15 – Signed
Roy Radke, Chicago Blackhawks, 6th round ‘15
Dylan Sadowy, Detroit Red Wings, 3rd round ’14 (SJS) – Signed

Erie Otters (8):

Erik Cernak, Los Angeles Kings, 2nd round ’15 – Signed
Alex DeBrincat, Chicago Blackhawks, 2nd round ‘16
Travis Dermott, Toronto Maple Leafs, 2nd round ’15 – Signed
Kyle Maksimovich, Vancouver Canucks, Free Agent Invite
Darren Raddysh, San Jose Sharks, Free Agent Invite
Taylor Raddysh, Tampa Bay Lightning, 2nd round ‘16
Jordan Sambrook, Detroit Red Wings, 5th round ‘16
Dylan Strome, Arizona Coyotes, 1st round ’15 – Signed

Flint Firebirds (6):

Will Bitten, Montreal Canadiens, 3rd round ‘16
Nicholas Caamano, Dallas Stars, 5th round ‘16
Everett Clark, St. Louis Blues, Free Agent Invite
Luke Kirwan, Detroit Red Wings, Free Agent Invite
Alex Peters, Carolina Hurricanes, Free Agent Invite
Jalen Smereck, Arizona Coyotes, Free Agent Invite

Guelph Storm (4):

Noah Carroll, Carolina Hurricanes, 6th round ‘16
James McEwan, Pittsburgh Penguins, Free Agent Invite
Garrett McFadden, Philadelphia Flyers, Free Agent Invite
Givani Smith, Detroit Red Wings, 2nd round ‘16

Hamilton Bulldogs (6):

Cole Candella, Vancouver Canucks, 5th round ‘16
Ben Gleason, Carolina Hurricanes, Free Agent Invite
Connor Hicks, Detroit Red Wings, Free Agent Invite
Justin Lemcke, Chicago Blackhawks, Free Agent Invite
Matt Luff, Los Angeles Kings, Free Agent Invite
Niki Petti, Arizona Coyotes, Free Agent Invite

Kingston Frontenacs (8):

Lawson Crouse, Arizona Coyotes, 1st round ’15 (FLA) – Signed
Michael Dal Colle, New York Islanders, 1st round ’14 – Signed
Stephen Desrocher, Toronto Maple Leafs, 6th round ‘15
Warren Foegele, Carolina Hurricanes, 3rd round ‘14
Jeremy Helvig, Carolina Hurricanes, 5th round ‘16
Juho Lammikko, Florida Panthers, 3rd round ’14 – Signed
Roland McKeown, Carolina Hurricanes, 2nd round ’14 (LAK) – Signed
Spencer Watson, Los Angeles Kings, 7th round ’14 – Signed

Kitchener Rangers (12):

Jeremy Bracco, Toronto Maple Leafs, 2nd round ‘15
Connor Bunnaman, Philadelphia Flyers, 4th round ‘16
Dylan Di Perna, New York Rangers, Free Agent Invite
Connor Hall, Pittsburgh Penguins, 3rd round ‘16
Jake Henderson, St. Louis Blues, Free Agent Invite
Frank Hora, Columbus Blue Jackets, Free Agent Invite
Mason Kohn, Arizona Coyotes, Free Agent Invite
Darby Llewellyn, Columbus Blue Jackets, Free Agent Invite
Ryan MacInnis, Arizona Coyotes, 2nd round ’14 – Signed
Adam Mascherin, Florida Panthers, 2nd round ‘16
Luke Opilka, St. Louis Blues, 5th round ’15 – Signed (unable to attend due to injury)
Dmitrii Sergeev, St. Louis Blues, Free Agent – Signed

London Knights (16):

Brandon Crawley, Pittsburgh Penguins, Free Agent Invite
Christian Dvorak, Arizona Coyotes, 2nd round ’14 – Signed
Max Jones, Anaheim Ducks, 1st round ’16 – Signed
Olli Juolevi, Vancouver Canucks, 1st round ’16 – Signed
Janne Kuokkanen, Carolina Hurricanes, 2nd round ‘16*
Owen MacDonald, St. Louis Blues, Free Agent Invite
Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs, 1st round ’15 – Signed
Chris Martenet, Dallas Stars, 4th round ’15 – Signed
Nicolas Mattinen, Toronto Maple Leafs, 6th round ‘16
Victor Mete, Montreal Canadiens, 4th round ‘16
Tyler Parsons, Calgary Flames, 2nd round ‘16
JJ Piccinich, Toronto Maple Leafs, 4th round ‘14
Cliff Pu, Buffalo Sabres, 3rd round ‘16
Kole Sherwood, Columbus Blue Jackets, Free Agent – Signed
Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary Flames, 1st round ’16 – Signed
Chandler Yakimowicz, Pittsburgh Penguins, Free Agent Invite

Mississauga Steelheads (9):

Nathan Bastian, New Jersey Devils, 2nd round ‘16
Sean Day, New York Rangers, 3rd round ‘16
Stephen Gibson, Columbus Blue Jackets, Free Agent Invite
Michael McLeod, New Jersey Devils, 1st round ‘16
Jacob Moverare, Los Angeles Kings, 4th round ‘16*
Daniel Muzito-Bagenda, Buffalo Sabres, Signed (AHL)
Alex Nylander, Buffalo Sabres, 1st round ’16 – Signed
Austin Osmanski, Buffalo Sabres, 7th round ‘16
Vili Saarijärvi, Detroit Red Wings, 3rd round ’15 – Signed

Niagara IceDogs (10):

Stephen Dhillon, Detroit Red Wings, Free Agent Invite
Vince Dunn, St. Louis Blues, 2nd round ’15 – Signed
Josh Ho-Sang, New York Islanders, 1st round ’14 – Signed
Pavel Jenys, Minnesota Wild, 7th round ’14 – Signed
Graham Knott, Chicago Blackhawks, 2nd round ‘15
Alex Nedeljkovic, Carolina Hurricanes, 2nd round ’14 – Signed
Christopher Paquette, Tampa Bay Lightning, 5th round ‘16
Brendan Perlini, Arizona Coyotes, 1st round ’14 – Signed
Blake Siebenaler, Columbus Blue Jackets, 3rd round ’14 – Signed
Josh Wesley, Carolina Hurricanes, 4th round ’14 – Signed

North Bay Battalion (8):

Mike Amadio, Los Angeles Kings, 3rd round ’14 – Signed
Justin Brazeau, Detroit Red Wings, Free Agent Invite
Riley Bruce, Calgary Flames, 7th round ‘15
Cam Dineen, Arizona Coyotes, 3rd round ‘16
Brett McKenzie, Vancouver Canucks, 7th round ‘16
Brent Moran, Chicago Blackhawks, Free Agent Invite
Mark Shoemaker, San Jose Sharks, 6th round ‘16
Kyle Wood, Arizona Coyotes, 3rd round ’14 (COL) – Signed

Oshawa Generals (7):

Sean Allen, St. Louis Blues, Free Agent Invite
Jeremy Brodeur, Columbus Blue Jackets, Free Agent Invite
Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning, 3rd round ’15 – Signed
Domenic Commisso, Boston Bruins, Free Agent Invite
Lukas Lofquist, New York Islanders, Signed (AHL)
Riley Stillman, Florida Panthers, 4th round ’16
Mitchell Vande Sompel, New York Islanders, 3rd round ‘15

Ottawa 67’s (5):

Travis Barron, Colorado Avalanche, 7th round ‘16
Stepan Falkovsky, Calgary Flames, 7th round ‘16
Jacob Middleton, Los Angeles Kings, Free Agent Invite
Drake Rymsha, Boston Bruins, Free Agent Invite
Dante Salituro, Columbus Blue Jackets, Free Agent – Signed

 Owen Sound Attack (8):

Santino Centorame, St. Louis Blues, Free Agent Invite
Jacob Friend, Los Angeles Kings, 7th round ‘16
Michael McNiven, Montreal Canadiens, Free Agent – Signed
Petrus Palmu, Montreal Canadiens, Free Agent Invite
Thomas Schemitsch, Florida Panthers, 3rd round ‘15

Matt Schmalz, Los Angeles Kings, 5th round ‘15
Damir Sharipzyanov, Los Angeles Kings, Free Agent – Signed

Ethan Szypula, Dallas Stars, Free Agent Invite

Peterborough Petes (8):

Jonathan Ang, Florida Panthers, 4th round ‘16
Eric Cornel, Buffalo Sabres, 2nd round ’14 – Signed
Kyle Jenkins, Edmonton Oilers, Free Agent Invite
Steven Lorentz, Carolina Hurricanes, 7th round ‘15
Dominik Masin, Tampa Bay Lightning, 2nd round ’14 – Signed
Matt Spencer, Tampa Bay Lightning, 2nd round ’15 – Signed
Jonne Tammela, Tampa Bay Lightning, 4th round ‘15*
Dylan Wells, Edmonton Oilers, 5th round ‘16

Saginaw Spirit (8):

Kris Bennett, Nashville Predators, Free Agent Invite

Evan Cormier, New Jersey Devils, 4th round ‘16
Marcus Crawford, New Jersey Devils, Free Agent Invite

Tye Felhaber, Toronto Maple Leafs, Free Agent Invite

Filip Hronek, Detroit Red Wings, 2nd round ’16 – Signed*

Keaton Middleton, Toronto Maple Leafs, 4th round ‘16

Markus Niemelainen, Edmonton Oilers, 3rd round ‘16
Mitchell Stephens, Tampa Bay Lightning, 2nd round ’15 – Signed

Sarnia Sting (9):

Jakob Chychrun, Arizona Coyotes, 1st round ’16 – Signed

Filip Helt, St. Louis Blues, 7th round ‘16*
Josh Jacobs, New Jersey Devils, 2nd round ’14 – Signed
Jeff King, Chicago Blackhawks, Free Agent Invite
Travis Konecny, Philadelphia Flyers, 1st round ’15 – Signed
Nikita Korostelev, Toronto Maple Leafs, 7th round ‘15
Jordan Kyrou, St. Louis Blues, 2nd round ’16 – Signed
Anthony Salinitri, Philadelphia Flyers, 6th round ‘16
Pavel Zacha, New Jersey Devils, 1st round ’15 – Signed

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (10):

Gustav Bouramman, Minnesota Wild, 7th round ’15 – Signed
Tim Gettinger, New York Rangers, 5th round ‘16
Brandon Halverson, New York Rangers, 2nd round ’14 – Signed
Boris Katchouk, Tampa Bay Lightning, 2nd round ‘16
Jack Kopacka, Anaheim Ducks, 4th round ‘16
Joseph Raaymakers, New York Rangers, Free Agent Invite
Zachary Senyshyn, Boston Bruins, 1st round ’15 – Signed
Blake Speers, New Jersey Devils, 3rd round ‘15
Hayden Verbeek, Chicago Blackhawks, Free Agent Invite
Colton White, New Jersey Devils, 4th round ‘15

Sudbury Wolves (5):

Kyle Capobianco, Arizona Coyotes, 3rd round ‘15
Liam Dunda, St. Louis Blues, 6th round ‘15
Aiden Jamieson, St. Louis Blues, Free Agent Invite
Michael Pezzetta, Montreal Canadiens, 6th round ‘16
Dmitry Sokolov, Minnesota Wild, 7th round ‘16

Windsor Spitfires (11):

Jeremiah Addison, Montreal Canadiens, 7th round ‘15
Logan Brown, Ottawa Senators, 1st round ’16 – Signed
Jalen Chatfield, San Jose Sharks, Free Agent Invite
Cristiano DiGiacinto, New York Islanders, Free Agent Invite
Christian Fischer, Arizona Coyotes, 2nd round ’15 – Signed
Brendan Lemieux, Winnipeg Jets, 2nd round ’14 (BUF) – Signed
Hayden McCool, Montreal Canadiens, Free Agent Invite
Julius Nattinen, Anaheim Ducks, 2nd round ’15 – Signed
Tyler Nother, San Jose Sharks, Free Agent Invite
Mikhail Sergachev, Montreal Canadiens, 1st round ’16 – Signed
Logan Stanley, Winnipeg Jets, 1st round ‘16

The 2016-17 OHL regular season begins on Wednesday September 21.

Ontario Hockey League Announces Player Safety Initiatives and Rule Changes for 2016-17 Season

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – At its annual league meeting, the Ontario Hockey League Board of Governors took further steps in addressing player safety through the adoption of a “Blindside Hit Rule” whereby there will be a penalty assessed for those players who check an opponent from the blindside.  Based on the discretion of the referee, a minor, major and game misconduct or match penalty may be assessed. Such infraction would also be subject to review and possible supplementary discipline by the league.

OHL

In addition, the league took further steps to address fighting in the game by lowering the threshold prior to automatic disciplinary action being assessed from 10 fights per player per season to three fights per player per season. Players exceeding such threshold will be subject to an automatic two game suspension, for each fight exceeding the threshold.

Note: If a player is instigated upon, the fighting major is not included in the player’s total number of fights.

Since the adoption of the 10 fight threshold for the 2012-2013 season, the league has seen the number of fights in the league decrease by 49.5% and for the last two seasons have not had a single player with more than 10 fights based on the threshold criteria established.

“As the number one development league in the world for the NHL and CIS, the OHL continually challenges ourselves to improve the on-ice environment and evolve the game for the benefit of the most important people in our game, our players,” said David Branch, OHL Commissioner.

The league has also made an adjustment to its icing rule in adopting the current NHL hybrid icing.

Russia Announces Roster for 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

The battle for the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup is just one day away and today, Russia released it’s roster that will compete in the tournament.

Two of the players selected to represent their country were selected in the 2016 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft: Pavel Demin (Niagara Ice Dogs) and Alexei Lipanov (Barrie Colts).

Almost half of twenty two man roster, ten of them, are teammates with Dynamo Moscow. The tournament runs from August 8 to 13 in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Player Pos Club Draft
Artem Melnikov G Lokomotiv 2017
Rajko Dmitri G Dynamo Moscow 2017
Alexander Alekseev D Silver Lions
Veneamin Baranov D Dynamo SPB 2017
Mark Rubinchik D Dynamo Moscow 2017
Alexander Lyakhov D Harmony 2017
Yevgeni Kalabushkin D SKA 2018
Daniel Galenyuk D Ugra 2018
Dmitry Samorukov D CSKA 2017
Pavel Demin F Dynamo Moscow 2017
Mikhail Bitsadze F Dynamo Moscow 2018
Alexei Lipanov F Dynamo Moscow 2017
Yaroslav Alekseev F Dynamo Moscow 2017
Alexey Toropchenko F Dynamo Moscow 2017
Ivan Chekhovich F Dynamo Moscow 2017
Ivan Muranov F Dynamo Moscow 2018
Klim Kostin F Dynamo Moscow 2017
Maxim Marush F Ak Bars 2017
Andrei Svechnikov F Ak Bars 2018
Nikita Anohovsky F Lokomotiv 2017
Nikita Shashkov F Siberia 2017
Daniil Lobanov F CSKA Moscow 2017

Hlinka Schedule

Finland Announces Roster for Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Finland announced it`s roster for the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament set to run from August 8 thru August 13 in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Two Ontario Hockey League players made the cut for the Finns, defenceman Eemeli Rasanen and forward Linus Nyman, both of the Kingston Frontenacs. Three other Canadian Hockey League players also mad the final roster: From the Western Hockey League Sami Moilanen (Seattle) and Aleksi Heponiemi (Swift Current) along with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League defenceman Saku Vesterinen (Charlottetown).

All but one player, defenceman Toni Utunen, are eligible for the 2017 National Hockey League Draft.

Player Pos Club Draft
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen G HPK 2017
Lassi Lehtinen G Lukko 2017
Aleksi Anttalainen D TPS 2017
Eero Teräväinen D Lincoln Stars (USHL) 2017
Bernard Isiguzo D Blues 2017
Saku Vesterinen D Charlottetown (QMJHL) 2017
Toni Utunen D Tappara 2018
Nuutti Referring Salo D TPS 2017
Eemeli Räsänen D Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) 2017
Urho Vaakanainen D JYP 2017
Santeri Aalto F Tappara 2017
Teemu Engberg F HIFK 2017
Jesse Koskenkorva F Karpat 2017
Lauri Pajuniemi F TPS 2017
Joel Kerkkänen F HIFK 2017
Aarne Talvitie F Blues 2017
Santeri Virtanen F Dubuque (USHL) 2017
Linus Nyman F Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) 2017
Aleksi Heponiemi F Swift Current (WHL) 2017
Samuel Park Kari F Tappara 2017
Santeri Hartikanen F Groton School (USA) 2017
Sami Moilanen F Seattle (WHL) 2017

Hlinka Schedule

Canada Announces Roster for the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Hockey Canada announced the 22 man roster that will go for a ninth straight gold medal at the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial set to begin August 8 and run thru to August 13, 2016.

The Ontario Hockey League is well represented, making up half the roster led by Windsor Spitfires goaltender Michael DiPietro. To no surprise from this writer, three players not eligible until the 2018 National Hockey League Draft made the final cut. They are: London Knights’ defenceman Evan Bouchard, Mississauga Steelheads’ forward Ryan McLeod and from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Joseph Veleno of the Saint John Sea Dogs

Player Pos Club Draft
Michael DiPietro G Windsor (OHL) 2017
Ian Scott G Prince Albert (WHL) 2017
Evan Bouchard D London (OHL) 2018
Antoine Crête-Belzile D Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL) 2017
Ian Mitchell D Spruce Grove (AJHL) 2017
Jacob Paquette D Kingston (OHL) 2017
Markus Phillips D Owen Sound (OHL) 2017
Elijah Roberts D Kitchener (OHL) 2017
Jonathan Smart D Kelowna (WHL) 2017
Jordy Bellerive F Lethbridge (WHL) 2017
Shane Bowers F Waterloo (USHL) 2017
Maxime Comtois F Victoriaville (QMJHL) 2017
MacKenzie Entwistle F Hamilton (OHL) 2017
Stelio Mattheos F Brandon (WHL) 2017
Ryan McLeod F Mississauga (OHL) 2018
Greg Meireles F Ottawa (CCHL) 2017
Michael Rasmussen F Tri-City (WHL) 2017
Matthew Strome F Hamilton (OHL) 2017
Jack Studnicka F Oshawa (OHL) 2017
Nick Suzuki F Owen Sound (OHL) 2017
Owen Tippett F Mississauga (OHL) 2017
Joseph Veleno F Saint John (QMJHL) 2018

Hlinka Schedule