OHL Announces January Academic Players of the Month

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the OHL Academic Players of the Month for January, 2016, including forwards Brady Pataki of the Sudbury Wolves, Austen Keating of the Ottawa 67’s, Cliff Pu of the London Knights and defenceman Conor Timmins of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

OHL

East Division: Ottawa 67’s rookie forward Austen Keating is the OHL East Division Academic Player of the Month for January after maintaining an 80% average over Grade 11 English, Mathematics, Communication Technology and Physical Education courses at Blyth Academy. The 16-year-old has 12 goals, 12 assists and 25 points in 39 games with Ottawa this season and also won gold at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in British Columbia with Team Canada White. The Guelph, ON, native was Ottawa’s first round (16th overall) pick in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection.

Central Division: Sophomore Sudbury Wolves winger Brady Pataki is the OHL Central Division Academic Player of the Month for January after excelling in University level Grade 12 Mathematics and Chemistry courses at Lasalle Secondary School. The 17-year-old is on pace to graduate with outstanding marks in June, 2016, before pursuing University studies. The Wallaceburg, ON, native has three goals, four assists and seven points in 44 games with the Wolves this season. He was the club’s fourth round (65th overall) pick in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection.

West Division: Rookie defenceman Conor Timmins of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds has been named the OHL West Division Academic Player of the Month for January. The 17-year-old has achieved an 82% average in University-level Law, Geometrics and Data Management courses so far this semester at Superior Heights Secondary School. The Thorold, ON, native currently has two goals, five assists, seven points and a team leading plus/minus rating of plus-23 in 40 games this season. “We as an organization are very proud of Conor and his efforts both in the classroom and on the ice this season,” said Greyhounds general manager Kyle Raftis. “He is an OHL player who is a worthy representative of an individual combining the best of both worlds.” Timmins was Sault Ste. Marie’s fourth round (79th overall) pick in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection.

Midwest Division: Sophomore London Knights winger Cliff Pu is the OHL Midwest Division Academic Player of the Month. The 17-year-old is maintaining a 91% average in Grade 12 University-level courses at Blyth Academy. In addition to his high performance in the classroom, Pu is also the Grade 12 representative for student council at Blyth Academy and is involved with clubs within the school community. The Richmond Hill, ON, native has nine goals, 12 assists and 21 points in 43 games with the Knights this season. He was Oshawa’s first round (16th overall) pick in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection.

2015-16 OHL Academic Players of the Month:

West Division:
January – Conor Timmins (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
December – Sasha Chmelevski (Sarnia Sting)
November – Brady Gilmour (Saginaw Spirit)
October – Kyle Keyser (Flint Firebirds)

Midwest Division:
January – Cliff Pu (London Knights)
December – Luke Richardson (Kitchener Rangers)
November – Brock Philips (Guelph Storm)
October – Jake Lawr (Erie Otters)

Central Division:
January – Brady Pataki (Sudbury Wolves)
December – Stephen Dhillon (Niagara IceDogs)
November – Jacob Ramalho (North Bay Battalion)
October – Ruan Badenhorst (Barrie Colts)

East Division:
January – Austen Keating (Ottawa 67’s)
December – Riley Stillman (Oshawa Generals)
November – Sam Field (Kingston Frontenacs)
October – Jack Hanley (Hamilton Bulldogs)

During the 2014-15 season, the CHL proudly awarded 769 graduate players with academic scholarships representing an investment of over $6.2 million this season.  Scholarship Programs throughout the CHL are solely funded by the member clubs of the Western Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League, and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Best of Both Worlds

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

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Mental Health

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario 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 TalkToday. Launched in October 2014, Talk Today is a partnership between the OHL and CMHA that provides mental health support to players and raises awareness about mental health and suicide throughout OHL communities.

This year, all 20 OHL teams will host a Talk Today awareness game in February with the support of their local CMHA Ontario Branch. Each game will 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 addressing the importance of positive mental health.

2016 OHL and CMHA Game Night Schedule:

February 3 at Sarnia Sting with CMHA Lambton Kent

February 4 at Peterborough Petes with CMHA Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge

February 6 at Saginaw Spirit with CMHA Windsor-Essex County

February 7 at London Knights with CMHA Middlesex

February 10 at Erie Otters with CMHA Niagara

February 12 at Guelph Storm with CMHA Waterloo-Wellington-Dufferin

February 19 at Sudbury Wolves with CMHA Sudbury-Manitoulin

February 20 at Barrie Colts with CMHA Simcoe County

February 20 at Ottawa 67’s with CMHA Ottawa

February 21 at North Bay Battalion with CMHA Nipissing

February 23 at Kitchener Rangers with CMHA Waterloo-Wellington-Dufferin

February 24 at Oshawa Generals with CMHA Durham

February 24 at Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds with CMHA Sault Ste. Marie

February 25 at Windsor Spitfires with CMHA Windsor-Essex County

February 26 at Flint Firebirds with CMHA Windsor-Essex County

February 26 at Mississauga Steelheads with CMHA Peel

February 27 at Owen Sound Attack with CMHA Grey Bruce

February 28 at Kingston Frontenacs with CMHA Kingston

February 28 at Hamilton Bulldogs with CMHA Hamilton

February 28 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 the inception of Talk Today, CMHA Ontario Branches have trained 611 players, 79 coaches and 158 billet parents in safeTALK. Each team is also linked to a CMHA Mental Health Coach, who can provide support and mental health resources to individuals in need.  In April, 2015, the league also expanded the partnership with CMHA Ontario to include a mental health awareness seminar as part of the OHL/OHF Under-15 Program of Excellence.

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, 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.

CHL Announces BMO CHL Top 10 Rankings

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the nineteenth edition of the BMO CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2015-16 season.  The weekly rankings of the CHL’s Top-10 teams are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.

BMO

 BMO CHL Top 10 Rankings – Week 19

Rank: Team: Last Week Rank: Number of Weeks Ranked:
1 Erie Otters (39-7-1-0) 1 19
2 Val-d’Or Foreurs (38-9-2-1) 2 10
3 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (37-8-3-1) 4 18
4 Kitchener Rangers (34-9-4-0) 5 15
5 London Knights (34-10-2-1) 3 19
6 Kelowna Rockets (35-13-3-0) 7 13
7 Lethbridge Hurricanes (36-15-0-0) 6 9
8 Shawinigan Cataractes (32-13-3-0) 8 15
9 Brandon Wheat Kings (32-15-2-2) 9 9
10 Saint John Sea Dogs (31-13-4-0) – 2
Honourable Mention:
Victoria Royals (31-15-2-3) – 3
Red Deer Rebels (32-16-1-2) – 11
Gatineau Olympiques (33-15-2-1) 10 9

CHL Large

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 2016, including Barrie Colts standouts Kevin Labanc and Rasmus Andersson as well as Guelph Storm goaltender Michael Giugovaz and North Bay Battalion blueliner Cam Dineen.

OHL

OHL Player of the Month – Kevin Labanc (Barrie Colts):
San Jose Sharks prospect Kevin Labanc is the OHL’s Player of the Month for January after recording 12 goals, 18 assists and 30 points in 13 games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-20. The OHL’s scoring leader continued his dominant campaign in the month of January, kicking things off by tying a Barrie Colts regular season franchise record when he scored three times and added four assists for seven points in a 12-2 win over North Bay on January 2nd. Just a week later Labanc would record a six point outing with three goals, three assists and six points in a 7-4 win over Mississauga. The third-year forward had points in 11 of his 13 January contests, with eight of those being multi-point performances. Labanc earned star of the game recognition five times over the course of the month, twice earning first star honours in his previously mentioned six and seven point performances.

A native of Staten Island, NY, Labanc currently leads the OHL in scoring with 29 goals, 56 assists and 85 points in 45 contests to go with a league-leading plus/minus rating of plus-42. The sixth round pick of the San Jose Sharks in 2014 comes off a 31-goal season in 2014-15 and has also seen success on the international stage, winning a pair of silver medals with the United States at the 2011 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2013 World Under-18 Hockey Championship. Labanc was originally Barrie’s sixth round (103rd overall) pick in the 2011 OHL Priority Selection.

OHL Defenceman of the Month – Rasmus Andersson (Barrie Colts): 
While Kevin Labanc is the OHL’s Player of the Month, another Barrie Colts standout in Calgary Flames prospect Rasmus Andersson has been named the league’s Defenceman of the Month for January. Andersson helped the Colts to an 8-4-0-1 mark in the month of January, collecting 17 assists in 13 games to go with a plus/minus rating of plus-14. The Swedish blueliner had points in 11 of his 13 outings, headlined by a three assist effort on January 15th against Hamilton. Andersson has points in his last five contests while the Colts enter the month of February having gained at least a point in each of their last six games.

A native of Malmo, Sweden, Andersson currently leads OHL defencemen in scoring with seven goals, 38 assists and 45 points in 45 games to go with a plus/minus rating of plus-17 while his 159 shots on goal lead all OHL blueliners. The 19 year-old finished third in scoring among OHL defencemen in 2014-15 with 12 goals, 52 assists and 64 points in 62 games before being selected in the second round (53rd overall) by Calgary last summer. Andersson was originally Barrie’s first round (37th overall) pick in the 2014 CHL Import Draft.

OHL Rookie of the Month – Cam Dineen (North Bay Battalion): 
For the second straight month, North Bay Battalion defenceman Cam Dineen has been named the OHL’s Rookie of the Month. The 17 year-old blueliner recorded six goals, seven assists and 13 points in as many January contests, collecting points in 10 of those outings. Dineen’s current five game point streak includes a goal and an assist on January 21st against Guelph followed by scoring an overtime winner on January 22nd in Hamilton. Three of Dineen’s six goals in January were game winners, giving him a total of five on the season to lead all OHL defencemen.

A native of Toms River, NJ, Dineen is currently second in scoring among OHL defencemen and rookies with 11 goals, 33 assists and 44 points in 47 games. His 11 goals are tied for second among blueliners. Originally North Bay’s 11th round (214th overall) pick in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection, Dineen is eligible for the 2016 NHL Draft and was ranked 117th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings released on January 19th.

Vaughn OHL Goaltender of the Month – Michael Giugovaz (Guelph Storm): 
Overage Guelph Storm goaltender Michael Giugovaz has been named the OHL’s Goaltender of the Month for January. The fourth year veteran played to a 6-1-1-2 record to go with a 2.34 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage in 10 January starts. Giugovaz rattled off five consecutive wins from January 3rd to 15th, making 43 saves to begin the month with a 7-3 victory over the rival Kitchener Rangers. He recorded his first career OHL shutout on January 13th, making 32 saves in a 3-0 win over the London Knights. The 20-year-old made 37 saves against Owen Sound on January 15th before denying all nine shooters he faced in the shootout as the Storm outlasted the Attack 4-3. Most recently, Giugovaz turned aside 41 of the 43 shots he faced to help the Storm take a 4-2 win in Saginaw on January 31st. Giugovaz earned star of the game recognition six times in the month of January, earning first star honours on three of those occasions.

A native of Brampton, ON, Giugovaz is currently in his fourth OHL season, having gone 12-7-5-2 with a 2.95 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage in 28 games between Windsor and Guelph. The veteran netminder enjoyed a 25-win campaign with the London Knights in 2014-15, going 25-12-1-1 with a 3.59 goals-against average and an .898 save percentage in 47 regular season contests. Giugovaz was originally Peterborough’s 10th round (184th overall) pick in the 2011 OHL Priority Selection.

2015-16 OHL Top Performers of the Month:

Player of the Month:
January – Kevin Labanc (Barrie Colts)
December – Brendan Lemieux (Windsor Spitfires)
November – Dylan Strome (Erie Otters)
October – Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)

Defenceman of the Month:
January – Rasmus Andersson (Barrie Colts)
December – Cam Dineen (North Bay Battalion)
November – Travis Dermott (Erie Otters)
October – Vili Saarijarvi (Flint Firebirds)

Rookie of the Month:
January – Cam Dineen (North Bay Battalion)
December – Cam Dineen (North Bay Battalion)
November – Alexander Nylander (Mississauga Steelheads)
October – Alexander Nylander (Mississauga Steelheads)

Vaughn Goaltender of the Month:
January – Michael Giugovaz (Guelph Storm)
December – Devin Williams (Erie Otters)
November – Mackenzie Blackwood (Barrie Colts)
October – Lucas Peressini (Kingston Frontenacs)

OHL Announces Minor Midget Top-10 Rankings for 2016 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the tenth edition of the weekly minor midget rankings for the 2016 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament hosted by the Greater Toronto Hockey League.

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 15-21, 2016.  All games will be played at the Scotiabank Pond in Toronto until the Championship Final moves to the Mattamy Athletic Centre on Monday March 21.

OHL Cup

Minor Midget Rankings for the 2016 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament – Week 10

RANK TEAM LEAGUE LAST WEEK WEEKS RANKED
1 Mississauga Rebels GTHL 2 10
2 York Simcoe Express OMHA 3 10
3 Toronto Jr. Canadiens GTHL 1 10
4 Toronto Marlies GTHL 4 10
5 Toronto Red Wings GTHL 6 10
6 Barrie Jr. Colts OMHA 5 9
7 Waterloo Wolves ALLIANCE 7 8
8 Don Mills Flyers GTHL 8 8
9 Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs OMHA 9 10
10 North Central Predators OMHA 10 3
Honourable Mention
London Jr. Knights ALLIANCE – 1
Clarington Toros OMHA – 5
Kitchener Jr. Rangers ALLIANCE – –
Kingston Frontenacs OMHA – 3

The OHL Cup continues to showcase 20 participating teams from across Ontario and the United States with 16 of the 20 spots in 2016 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 2016, the final guaranteed spot is awarded to the highest finishing minor midget team in the HEO Midget League which in 2015-16 belongs to CIHA White.

This season the final four entries at the 2016 OHL Cup 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.  New 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.  Also new in 2016, one spot in a Wild Card will 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 based on regular season, playoff, and tournament play. All four Wild Card games will take place onTuesday March 15 with specific matchups and times of play to be determined by random draw among the eight competing teams onMonday March 14.

Last season the Toronto Marlboros captured their fifth OHL Cup title in 11 years with a 3-2 overtime win over the Don Mills Flyers. Marlies forward and OHL Cup MVP Ryan McLeod followed up older brother Michael McLeod’s MVP effort in 2014 with three goals and four assists in the tournament.

McLeod was one of 12 first round draft selections from 2015 OHL Cup teams, including six of the top ten picks. Those names include David Levin (Don Mills Flyers – 1st overall to the Sudbury Wolves), Ryan McLeod (Toronto Marlboros – 3rd overall to the Flint Firebirds), Brady Gilmour (Quinte Red Devils – 6th overall to the Saginaw Spirit), Ben Jones (Toronto Marlboros – 7th overall to the Niagara IceDogs), Matthew Strome (Toronto Marlboros – 8th overall to the Hamilton Bulldogs) and Markus Phillips (Toronto Titans – 9th overall to the Owen Sound Attack).

Five first round selections in the 2015 NHL Draft are also OHL Cup graduates including Connor McDavid (Toronto Marlboros/Edmonton Oilers), Dylan Strome (Toronto Marlboros/Arizona Coyotes), Mitch Marner (Don Mills Flyers/Toronto Maple Leafs), Lawson Crouse (Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs/Florida Panthers) and Travis Konecny (Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs/Philadelphia Flyers).

Notable OHL Cup graduates currently playing in the NHL include Taylor Hall (Greater Kingston Frontenacs/Edmonton Oilers), John Tavares (Toronto Marlboros/New York Islanders), Steven Stamkos (Markham Waxers/Tampa Bay Lightning), Tyler Seguin (Toronto Nationals/Dallas Stars), 2013 Norris Trophy winner P.K. Subban (Markham Islanders/Montreal Canadiens) and 2010 OHL Cup MVP Sean Monahan (Mississauga Rebels/Calgary Flames).

For more information, please visit ohlcup.ca.

Sagueneens’ Frédéric Allard named CHL Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that 2016 NHL Draft prospect Frédéric Allard of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens is the CHL Player of the Week for the week ending January 31 after scoring a goal with five assists for six points in two games along with a plus-minus rating of plus-4.

Allard recorded back-to-back three-point performances last week helping the Sagueneens earn two road wins to climb into a tie for tenth place in the QMJHL overall standings.  The defenceman scored a goal and two assists on Friday night in Shawinigan as part of a 6-2 win over the Cataractes, then assisted on all three Sags goals including Jake Smith’s overtime winner on Sunday in a 3-2 triumph over the Rimouski Oceanic.  Allard was also strong defensively last week playing without a goal against during his time on-ice.

An 18-year-old from Quebec, QC, Allard is playing in his third QMJHL season with the Sagueneens after being chosen by the club in the first round of the 2013 QMJHL Entry Draft.  In 46 games so far this season he has already achieved new career-highs in all offensive categories and ranks third in scoring among QMJHL defencemen with 12 goals and 31 assists for 43 points.  Allard was listed 36th by NHL Central Scouting in their Midterm Rankings for the 2016 NHL Draft.

Also considered for the award this week was Jonah Gadjovich of the Owen Sound Attack who scored three goals and three assists for six points in two games, and Chase Witala of the Prince George Cougars who scored three goals and four assists for seven points in three games.

2015-16 CHL Regular Season Players of the Week:

Jan. 25 – Jan. 31: Frédéric Allard (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)
Jan. 18 – Jan. 24: Giorgio Estephan (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Jan. 11 – Jan. 17: Reid Gardiner (Prince Albert Raiders)
Jan. 4 – Jan. 10: Maxime Comtois (Victoriaville Tigres)
Dec. 28 – Jan. 3: Kevin Labanc (Barrie Colts)
Dec. 14 – Dec. 20: Brendan Lemieux (Windsor Spitfires)
Dec. 7 – Dec. 13: Christian Dvorak (London Knights)
Nov. 30 – Dec. 6: Mitchell Marner (London Knights)
Nov. 23 – Nov. 29: Conor Garland (Moncton Wildcats)
Nov. 16 – Nov. 22: Pierre-Luc Dubois (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles)
Nov. 9 – Nov. 15: Dylan Strome (Erie Otters)
Nov. 2 – Nov. 8: Nikolas Brouillard (Quebec Remparts)
Oct. 26 – Nov. 1: Mathew Barzal (Seattle Thunderbirds)
Oct. 19 – Oct. 25: Kevin Labanc (Barrie Colts)
Oct. 12 – Oct. 18: Zach Bratina (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 5 – Oct. 11: Dennis Yan (Shawinigan Cataractes)
Sept. 28 – Oct. 4: Conor Garland (Moncton Wildcats)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 27: Alex Forsberg (Victoria Royals)

CHL Leagues

OHL’s Draft Eligible Statistical Leaders for January

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

January has come and gone along with the snow (hopefully?) and it’s time to look at the OHL players eligible for the NHL draft and the leaders in a variety of categories. As we’ve done in the past, we only look at players eligible for the first time. However, when it comes to the goaltenders, we look at those previously passed over.

The London Knights’ Matthew Tkachuk leads the way in the point race with 70 points in 38 games. Alex DeBrincat of the Erie Otters follows just behind with 65 points in 39 games. Climbing fast, and quietly, is Adam Mascherin of the Kitchener Rangers with 59 points in 44 games.

DeBrincat has a solid lead in the goal scoring department with 36 goals in 39 games. Alexander Nylander of the Mississauga Steelheads leads the second tier with 26 goals in 41 games followed by Mascherin with 25 goals in 44 games.

On defence, all eyes are turning to Cam Dineen of the North Bay Battalion who leads with 44 points in 47 games. Mikhail Sergachev of the Windsor Spitfires is next with 37 points in 48 games followed by Jakob Chychrun of the Sarnia Sting with 32 points in 44 games.

Points Leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts
Matthew Tkachuk London Knights 38 16 54 70
Alex DeBrincat Erie Otters 39 36 29 65
Adam Mascherin Kitchener Rangers 44 25 34 59
*Alexander Nylander Mississauga Steelheads 41 26 32 58
Taylor Raddysh Erie Otters 46 18 37 55
Michael McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 47 19 35 54
Kyle Maksimovich Erie Otters 47 22 31 53
Will Bitten Flint Firebirds 46 21 27 48
Logan Brown Windsor Spitfires 40 9 36 45
Nathan Bastian Mississauga Steelheads 46 13 31 44
Goal Scoring Leaders
Player Team GP G GPG
Alex DeBrincat Erie Otters 39 36 0.92
*Alexander Nylander Mississauga Steelheads 41 26 0.63
Adam Mascherin Kitchener Rangers 44 25 0.57
Kyle Maksimovich Erie Otters 47 22 0.47
*Max Jones London Knights 42 21 0.50
Will Bitten Flint Firebirds 46 21 0.46
Michael McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 47 19 0.40
Assist Leaders
Player Team GP A APG
Matthew Tkachuk London Knights 38 54 1.42
Taylor Raddysh Erie Otters 46 37 0.80
Logan Brown Windsor Spitfires 40 36 0.90
Michael McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 47 35 0.74
Adam Mascherin Kitchener Rangers 44 34 0.77
*Cam Dineen North Bay Battalion 47 33 0.70
*Alexander Nylander Mississauga Steelheads 41 32 0.78
Defencemen Point Leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts
*Cam Dineen North Bay Battalion 47 11 33 44
*Mikhail Sergachev Windsor Spitfires 48 13 24 37
Jakob Chychrun Sarnia Sting 44 8 24 32
Victor Mete London Knights 47 6 25 31
Benjamin Gleason Hamilton Bulldogs 46 7 22 29
*Olli Juolevi London Knights 36 5 22 27
*Markus Niemelainen Saginaw Spirit 48 1 23 24
Plus/Minus Leaders
Player Team GP +/-
Victor Mete London Knights 47 +39
Kyle Maksimovich Erie Otters 47 +30
*Olli Juolevi London Knights 36 +29
Matthew Tkachuk London Knights 38 +25
Adam Mascherin Kitchener Rangers 44 +19
Logan Brown Windsor Spitfires 40 +18
*Max Jones London Knights 42 +17
Penalty Minutes Leaders
Player Team GP PIM M/G
Givani Smith Guelph Storm 45 89 1.98
Logan Stanley Windsor Spitfires 46 88 1.91
*Max Jones London Knights 42 82 1.95
Ben Hawerchuk Barrie Colts 39 66 1.69
*Brock Philips Guelph Storm 30 58 1.93
Keaton Middleton Saginaw Spirit 48 58 1.21
Michael McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 47 55 1.17
Faceoff Leaders (Wins)
Player Team GP FOA FOW %
Michael McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 47 1061 621 58.5
Logan Brown Windsor Spitfires 40 753 401 53.3
Cliff Pu London Knights 43 616 325 52.8
Hayden Verbeek Soo Greyhounds 42 599 287 47.9
*Domenic Commisso Oshawa Generals 47 547 265 48.4
Brandon Saigeon Hamilton Bulldogs 43 502 259 51.6
Shootout Leaders
Player Team SOG SOA Goals %
Logan Brown Windsor Spitfires 1 1 1 100.0
Alex DeBrincat Erie Otters 3 3 2 66.7
*Alexander Nylander Mississauga Steelheads 4 4 2 50.0
Will Bitten Flint Firebirds 2 2 1 50.0
Michael McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 2 2 1 50.0
Shooting Percentage Leaders
Player Team GP Shots Goals SH%
Will Bitten Flint Firebirds 46 100 21 21.00
Alex DeBrincat Erie Otters 39 173 36 20.81
Kyle Maksimovich Erie Otters 47 106 22 20.75
*Alexander Nylander Mississauga Steelheads 41 139 26 18.71
*Boris Katchouk Soo Greyhounds 44 87 16 18.39
Goaltenders Leaders – Goals Against Average
Player Team GP Min GA Avg
***Jeremy Helvig Kingston Frontenacs 16 902 34 2.26
Tyler Parsons London Knights 33 1908 82 2.58
*Stephen Dhillon Niagara Ice Dogs 20 1101 51 2.78
***Jeremy Brodeur Oshawa Generals 37 2131 99 2.79
***Leo Lazarev Ottawa 67’s 33 1898 89 2.81
Evan Cormier Saginaw Spirit 42 2333 134 3.45
Joseph Raaymakers Soo Greyhounds 21 1162 75 3.87
***Connor Hicks Hamilton Bulldogs 18 990 70 4.24
***Zack Bowman Sudbury Wolves 29 1535 111 4.34
Dylan Wells Peterborough Petes 20 1124 85 4.54
Troy Timpano Sudbury Wolves 21 1188 86 4.34
           
Goaltending Leaders – Save Percentage
Player Team GP SH SVS SV%
***Jeremy Helvig Kingston Frontenacs 16 454 420 0.925
Tyler Parsons London Knights 33 952 870 0.914
*Stephen Dhillon Niagara Ice Dogs 20 545 494 0.906
***Jeremy Brodeur Oshawa Generals 37 1029 930 0.904
***Leo Lazarev Ottawa 67’s 33 913 824 0.903
Evan Cormier Saginaw Spirit 42 1271 1137 0.895
Joseph Raaymakers Soo Greyhounds 21 663 588 0.887
Troy Timpano Sudbury Wolves 21 752 666 0.886
***Zack Bowman Sudbury Wolves 29 953 842 0.884
Dylan Wells Peterborough Petes 20 689 604 0.877
***Connor Hicks Hamilton Bulldogs 18 568 498 0.877
           
*Rookie
**Leads League
*** Was eligible for 2015 draft but not selected and eligible for 2016

Rangers’ Luke Opilka named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that St. Louis Blues prospect Luke Opilka of the Kitchener Rangers is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending January 31 after posting a 2-0-0-0 record including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 0.50 and save percentage of .979.

Opilka stopped 47 of the 48 shots he faced last week backstopping the Rangers to a pair of victories helping the club climb into second place in the OHL’s Midwest Division standings with 72 points.  Opilka made 20 saves to earn his second shutout of the season on Friday night as third star of a 2-0 victory over the Windsor Spitfires, then turned aside 27 shots on the road Saturday in a 2-1 win against the Saginaw Spirit again claiming third star honours.

A 19-year-old from St. Louis, Missouri, Opilka is playing in his first OHL season with the Rangers and currently carries a 23-5-2-0 record.  His goals-against-average of 2.42 ranks third among OHL netminders, while his save percentage of .917 is fifth best in the league.  Opilka was selected by his hometown Blues in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Draft.

Also considered for the award was Calgary Flames prospect Mason McDonald of the Charlottetown Islanders with a 2-0-0-0 record including a shutout victory along with a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .970, and Coleman Vollrath of the Victoria Royals who went 2-0-0-0 with a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .950.

2015-16 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week:

Jan. 25 – Jan. 31: Luke Opilka (Kitchener Rangers)
Jan. 18 – Jan. 24: Jordan Papirny (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Jan. 11 – Jan. 17: Zach Sawchenko (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Jan. 4 – Jan. 10: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)
Dec. 28 – Jan. 3: Étienne Montpetit (Val-d’Or Foreurs)
Dec. 14 – Dec. 20: Callum Booth (Quebec Remparts)
Dec. 7 – Dec. 13: Jack Flinn (Mississauga Steelheads)
Nov. 30 – Dec. 6: Ty Edmonds (Prince George Cougars)
Nov. 23 – Nov. 29: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 16 – Nov. 22: Keven Bouchard (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Nov. 9 – Nov. 15: Devin Williams (Erie Otters)
Nov. 2 – Nov. 8: Etienne Montpetit (Val-d’Or Foreurs)
Oct. 26 – Nov. 1: Tyler Parsons (London Knights)
Oct. 19 – Oct. 25: Adin Hill (Portland Winterhawks)
Oct. 12 – Oct. 18: Julio Billia (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)
Oct. 5 – Oct. 11: Coleman Vollrath (Victoria Royals)
Sept. 28 – Oct. 4: Louis-Philip Guindon (Rimouski Oceanic)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 27: Zack Bowman (Flint Firebirds)

CHL Leagues

Benjamin Gleason – Player Profile – Hamilton Bulldogs

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height:  6’1”

Weight:  168 pounds

Date of birth:  March 25, 1988. Ortonville, MI

Position:  Defence

Shoots:  Left

OHL Draft:  2nd round, 26th overall, 2014 Priority Selection (London Knights)

Gleason played his daft year for Honeybaked U18 squad. The cousin of NHL’er Tim Gleason played in 22 games scoring once and adding 5 assists.  The London Knights would make him their second round selection at the 2014 Priority Selection.

Last season with the Knights, Gleason appeared in 41 games registering 5 assists. With a veteran lineup and depth in London, Gleason would sometimes play on the wing. That depth in London was also evident this season, and after two games the Knights traded him to Hamilton for a second round pick and a conditional 15th rounder.

The move paid dividends for Gleason. He leads the Bulldogs’ defenders in goals (7), assists (21) and points (28).

Benjamin Gleason of the Hamilton Bulldogs. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Benjamin Gleason of the Hamilton Bulldogs. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Gleason is a strong skater with excellent agility enabling him to beat on coming checkers. He can make a very good first pass as well as skate the puck out of danger. He’s a two way defender who is currently anchoring the Bulldogs’ blue line. At 6’1” he has good size but needs to add some serious bulk to his frame to be able to battle with forwards in the defensive zone.

Gleason appeared on NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary list of players to watch as a C prospect on both their September and updated November list. A C ranking is considered a 4th, 5th or 6th round pick. On the Mid-Term list released in January, Gleason was ranked 53rd among North American skaters.

I had the chance to talk to Reed Duthie, the play by play voice of the Bulldogs on Cable 14 about Gleason.

OHLW: Ben played some wing for the Knights last season because of the veteran depth they had. He came to Hamilton with the potential to lead the Bulldog’s blue line. Would you say he’s approached that expectation?

Reed: Without a doubt, Ben immediately filled a need for an offensive minded defenceman and as a 17 year old has played in all situations for the Bulldogs. Ben is known for being an offensive player but he has developed his all around game to the point where he is now a trusted member of the Bulldogs PK group, which has continuously improved from the beginning of the season. Ben is someone that fans of the organization, as well as in the organization, are very excited to see develop.

OHLW: Ben is the much younger cousin of NHL’er Tim Gleason. Do you see any similarities at all between them?

Reed: Ben & Tim may be related but are very different players, Tim was a stalwart defenceman who was never the greatest skater but was always tremendous in his positioning. Ben’s calling card is his offensive talents, one of the slickest skaters you will find anywhere in junior hockey, owns a terrific shot and tremendous vision for passing lanes. Ben has improved his defensive game but is still working to approach his cousin on that side of the puck, however Ben, much like his cousin, has a penchant for laying punishing open ice hits when the opportunity arises.

OHLW: One of Ben’s biggest needs is to add some bulk to his frame. How is he handling the battle with bigger forwards in the league?

Reed: Ben is stronger then I believe he gets credit for, he doesn’t always win the board battles with consistency, however he does not shy away from battles along the back boards nor does he shy away from the biggest of the opposition. We have seen Ben battle the likes of Lawson Crouse and be able to use his combination of skills, hockey IQ and physicality to come away with victories in those 1 on 1’s. As Ben continues to bulk up and his game continues to develop, you will see him win those battles with the consistency scouts are looking for.

OHLW: Ben is a strong skater with excellent agility and ability to beat the forecheck. He can also skate the puck out of his end or make a good first pass. Do you feel he needs to improve any aspect of his skating?

Reed: No, Ben’s skating should be one of the last concerns of his development. Ben is an elite skater & we actually just saw him go 1 on 5 against Oshawa and nearly score a spectacular goal using his speed & agility to elude checkers in the neutral zone and break into open ice nearly scoring a highlight reel goal.

OHLW: How would you say Ben’s vision is?

Reed: Much like his skating, Ben’s vision is elite. Where Ben will get himself in trouble is seeing a long out passing lane and trying to fit it into too small a space or trying to make too fine a play. Ben’s out passes are crisp & authoritative and his offensive zone vision is nothing short of fun to watch. While working the top of the formation on the PP Ben will find passing lanes to the front of the net or a crowded area and fit the puck right in to his teammates’ tape.

OHLW: Ben began on Central Scouting’s list of players to watch as a C prospect. On their preliminary list he’s climbed up to 53 on the North American skaters list. And he’s really coming along on the ice now. Can you see him jumping into the second round?

Reed: I do believe Ben will climb into the 2nd round of the NHL draft and even in the 2nd round has potential to be an incredible steal (reminiscent Shea Weber, not comparing the players just steal value). At 17 you are seeing the makings of a potentially elite offensive defenceman who’s defensive game continues to grow. In a position that is the hardest to make the jump to each successive level, Ben continues to grow his game.  As a side note; being taken in the 2nd round would be great career symmetry for Ben Gleason, was taken in the 2nd round of the OHL Priority Selection Draft & he was traded to Hamilton for a 2nd round selection, so a 2nd round selection in the NHL only seems to make sense.

OHLW: We are seeing more and more puck moving defensemen that can skate. The NHL is moving that way and so is the OHL. Do you see shut down defencemen such as, say Keaton Middleton in Saginaw dropping in drafts because of the attention to puck moving defencemen? On the other hand, guys like Mikhail Sergachev in Windsor are excellent at both ends, but we don’t find those guys every day. What’s your take and apply it to Ben?

Reed: If Ben’s defensive game was more defined then you might hear his name in the same conversations in which Sergachev’s is being discussed. Teams are looking for the home run pick and defenceman that can play both ends of the rink are so valuable because offensively it gives you an extra weapon while not giving anything up in your own end. Those type of players, who do it with the ability of a top pairing player in the NHL are extremely rare and that would be the reason you see Sergachev & of course Chychrun getting so much attention on draft boards. The reason I would say don’t sleep on Ben Gleason is because physically he hasn’t developed as fast as those two, and his game hasn’t matured as fast (obviously a major relation there in junior hockey) but when you consider all of the tools Ben Gleason has, he could find his way into discussions with those upper echelon names by the end of the 2016-17 season & an NHL could be very, very happy with their selection of him.

OHLW: Can you give us some insight to Ben Gleason the person as opposed to the player?

Reed: Ben is the kind of person that an organization can really build around, everyone from coaches, to scouts, to teammates, like Ben as a person and consistently comment on his dedication to working on his craft and his drive to consistently improve as a player on the ice to help his team. For an organization in its’ first season in the OHL, Ben Gleason was exactly the type of person the Hamilton Bulldogs needed to bring in, both on the ice where he is very exciting to watch as well as off the ice where he has been tremendous in his first season in the community.

Attack’s Jonah Gadjovich named Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that forward Jonah Gadjovich of the Owen Sound Attack is the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the week ending January 31 after scoring three goals and three assists for six points in two games with a plus-minus rating of plus-9.

Gadjovich’s breakout weekend featured the best two games of his OHL career with back-to-back three-point performances helping the Attack win both games of their East Division road trip.  He opened the scoring just 57 seconds into Friday night’s contest with his first of two goals against the Kingston Frontenacs.  In the second period he connected with Bryson Cianfrone to setup Jacob Busch’s game-winner en route to a 5-2 victory earning first star honours.  On Saturday afternoon Gadjovich broke a scoreless tie in the second period with his 10th goal of the season and later added a pair of third period assists picking up third star honours in a 5-2 win over the Ottawa 67’s.

A 17-year-old from Whitby, ON, Gadjovich is playing in his second career season with the Attack after being chosen in the second round of the 2014 OHL Priority Selection.  The former Whitby Wildcat is eligible for the 2017 NHL Draft and has 16 points in 46 games so far this season for the Attack who stand sixth place in the OHL’s Western Conference standings.

Watch video highlights of Gadjovich and the Attack against the Frontenacs and 67’s.

Also considered for the award this week was Philadelphia Flyers prospect Travis Konecny who scored three goals and three assists for six points in three straight wins for the Sarnia Sting, and Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome who scored three goals and two assists for five points in two games for the Erie Otters who became the first Western Conference club to clinch a berth in the 2016 OHL Playoffs.  In goal, St. Louis Blues prospect Luke Opilka of the Kitchener Rangers stopped 47 shots in two games posting a 2-0-0-0 record with one shutout victory carrying a goals-against-average of 0.50 and save percentage of .979.

2015-16 Pioneer Energy OHL Players of the Week:

Jan. 25 – Jan. 31: Jonah Gadjovich (Owen Sound Attack)
Jan. 18 – Jan. 24: Matthew Mancina (Peterborough Petes)
Jan. 11 – Jan. 17: Michael Giugovaz (Guelph Storm)
Jan. 4 – Jan. 10: Kevin Labanc (Barrie Colts)
Dec. 28 – Jan. 3: Kevin Labanc (Barrie Colts)
Dec. 14 – Dec. 20: Jake Smith (North Bay Battalion)
Dec. 7 – Dec. 13: Christian Dvorak (London Knights)
Nov. 30 – Dec. 6: Mitchell Marner (London Knights)
Nov. 23 – Nov. 29: Christian Dvorak (London Knights)
Nov. 16 – Nov. 22: Pavel Zacha (Sarnia Sting)
Nov. 9 – Nov. 15: Devin Williams (Erie Otters)
Nov. 2 – Nov. 8: Dylan Strome (Erie Otters)
Oct. 26 – Nov. 1: Tyler Parsons (London Knights)
Oct. 19 – Oct. 25: Kevin Labanc (Barrie Colts)
Oct. 12 – Oct. 18: Zach Bratina (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 5 – Oct. 11: Hunter Garlent (Peterborough Petes)
Sept. 28 – Oct. 4: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 27: Zack Bowman (Flint Firebirds)