Author: Dominic Tiano

TORONTO (Tuesday, September 9, 2025) – The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced an exciting new partnership, one that prioritizes the development and growth of young players, better supporting their progress on the pathway to the OHL and beyond.

Effective to begin the 2025-26 season, The Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) is becoming the first official development league of the OHL. The 23-team, southern Ontario based circuit has contributed to the development of countless eventual OHL players through the years, providing tremendous opportunities to young players seeking to maximize their potential.

This new initiative is designed to create a cohesive framework that:

• Supports the growth and development of OHL prospects
• Provides a unified approach to training, competition and mentorship
• Elevates the overall standard of development for players
• Ensures long-term success for athletes while strengthening the GOJHL

“From the outset, our goal has been to establish clearer pathways and abundant development opportunities for OHL prospects following their draft year,” said OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford. “This new partnership creates a deeper, stronger pipeline for talent both entering the OHL and pursuing their goals beyond our league in an ecosystem where players have a world of possibilities in front of them.”

The GOJHL becomes the first official development league of the OHL. Conversations remain ongoing towards future collaboration with Junior A leagues across Ontario including the OJHL, CCHL, NOJHL and SIJHL moving into the 2025-26 season.

Success stories of prospects developing in the GOJHL on their path to OHL stardom are plentiful as fans need look no further than the 2025 Memorial Cup champion London Knights for examples in Easton Cowan (Komoka Kings, 2021-22) and Oliver Bonk (St. Thomas Stars, 2021-22) among several others. The GOJHL has been a development destination for eventual OHL stars dating back to the 1990’s and early 2000’s as such names as Soo Greyhounds legends Joe Thornton (St. Thomas Stars, 1994-95) and Jeff Carter (Strathroy Rockets, 2000-01) took their game to the next level in many of these communities.

Immediate goals of the partnership for the 2025-26 season include the development of a showcase event to be integrated into festivities surrounding the Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game set to take place in Peterborough on January 14, 2026. The OHL will also place a greater emphasis on prospect coverage from across the GOJHL this coming season, with the integration of a new Prospect of the Week feature alongside other collaborative marketing, communications and branding efforts.

Long-term goals include the development of elevated standard operating procedures for all GOJHL teams. The partnership would also seek to work with Hockey Canada to further refine and advance roster rules and regulations while also striving to standardize OHL playing rules across the league.

“The GOJHL has long been a proven pathway for players advancing to the OHL, with consistent success year after year,” said GOJHL Commissioner Craig Spada. “The numbers speak for themselves – more than 15 players from this past season’s Memorial Cup-winning London Knights began their development in our league. With this new OHL Development League partnership, we’re excited to further enhance the player experience and provide even greater opportunities for young athletes to flourish.

“This partnership strengthens the connection between our league and the OHL, creating a development framework that benefits players, teams, and communities across Ontario,” added Spada. “We thank the OHL for their collaboration and commitment, as together we continue to reinforce a system where the growth of the player – on and off the ice – remains the top priority.”

Follow the OHL on X, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates on prospects developing across the GOJHL throughout the 2025-26 season.

The GOJHL quest for the prestigious Sutherland Cup begins Wednesday, September 10th as the London Nationals visit the LaSalle Vipers to open the 2025-26 regular season.

NHL rookie camps and prospect tournaments are getting underway this week and the OHL preseason schedule continues on Friday night. Opening Night in the OHL is set for Thursday, September 18th.

TORONTO, ON – The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is proud to announce that the Guelph Storm and Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) have been selected as the two finalist clubs in the bid to host the 2027 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota Canada. The finalists were determined by the 2027 Memorial Cup Site Selection Committee, an independent panel of five individuals with extensive experience across the sports landscape. This committee will also be responsible for selecting the winning bid.

After reviewing submissions from OHL clubs that declared their intent to bid, the committee identified Guelph and Kitchener as the two finalists. In the coming weeks, both organizations will be invited to submit formal written bids, which will be evaluated across four categories: Business Operations, Community Engagement & Atmosphere, Event Logistics, and Hockey Operations. The winning host will then be determined through a comprehensive process that also includes formal presentations and site visits, with a final decision expected between late November and early December 2025.

“The Memorial Cup is the toughest trophy to win in amateur sport, and few markets reflect the history and passion for junior hockey more than Guelph and Kitchener,” said Dan MacKenzie, President of the CHL. “Both communities are defined by devoted fan bases and a deep-rooted tradition in our game, and each has played an important role in shaping junior hockey’s history. The Memorial Cup continues to be a celebration of hockey excellence, community spirit, and national pride, and we are confident that either city would provide a fitting and exceptional stage for the 2027 tournament.”

“We’re thrilled to be one of the final two teams in the running to host the 2027 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota Canada,” shared Matt Newby, Vice President of Business Operations for the Guelph Storm. “The opportunity to welcome hockey fans from across North America to Guelph, with the Memorial Cup as the centerpiece of a celebration of hockey and our city’s bicentennial, would be an incredible honour for our community.”

“We could not be more thrilled to be announced as a finalist to host the 2027 Memorial Cup – we believe that Kitchener is the perfect host city,” stated Joe Birch, Chief Operating Officer of the Kitchener Rangers. “Our city has a rich hockey history, outstanding facilities, and a dedicated fan base that would make the 2027 Memorial Cup an unforgettable experience for all participants and visitors. We look forward to completing the next steps in the selection process.”

The Kitchener Rangers and Guelph Storm each boast deep connections to the Memorial Cup. Kitchener has twice been crowned CHL champion, lifting the trophy in 1982 and 2003, and has appeared in the tournament six times (1981, 1982, 1984, 1990, 2003, 2008), advancing to the final on every occasion. The Rangers’ home, the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, has also hosted the tournament four times (1962, 1975, 1984, 2008), making it one of the event’s most frequent venues. Guelph, meanwhile, has competed in six Memorial Cups (1996, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2014, 2019) and proudly served as host in 2002, marking the franchise’s first time staging the tournament. While the Storm have only hosted once, the city of Guelph also played a role as a co-host of the 1962 Memorial Cup alongside Kitchener and Hamilton. And although the Storm have yet to capture the trophy, the Royal City has still celebrated Memorial Cup triumphs thanks to the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters in 1952 and the Guelph Platers in 1986.

The most recent Memorial Cup was held last spring in Rimouski, Québec, where the London Knights defeated the Medicine Hat Tigers 4-1 in the final to capture the franchise’s third CHL championship. With the victory, London joined the Cornwall Royals, Kamloops Blazers, and Windsor Spitfires as the only clubs to win three Memorial Cup titles since 1972. The Knights previously lifted the trophy in 2005 and 2016.

Looking ahead, the 2026 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota Canada will be hosted by the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and staged in Kelowna, B.C., from May 21 to 31, 2026. The 106th edition of the tournament will mark the championship’s return to Kelowna, which last hosted in 2004.

The Memorial Cup brings together the playoff champions of the WHL, OHL, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), along with a host club, in a four-team round-robin tournament to crown the CHL champion. First awarded in 1919, the Memorial Cup has become one of hockey’s most prestigious trophies, with a legacy that has helped define junior hockey in North America. Originally donated by the Ontario Hockey Association to honour Canadian soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the First World War, the trophy was rededicated in 2010 to commemorate all fallen members of the Canadian Armed Forces, further cementing its role as a symbol of remembrance, sacrifice, and national pride.

FloHockey to Serve As Global Home for More Than 680 OHL Games and the Most Live Hockey on the Planet

Austin, TX and Toronto, ON – (August 26, 2025) – FloSports has entered into a landmark seven-year media partnership with the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), one of North America’s most storied and competitive junior hockey leagues beginning with the 2025–26 season. The new agreement establishes FloHockey as the global home for live and on-demand streaming coverage of the OHL’s full regular season, postseason, and marquee league events and an essential destination for Canadian hockey. 

The addition of the OHL will bring more than 680 OHL games, including regular season matchups, playoff rounds, Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game, and the OHL Championship Series for the J. Ross Robertson Cup. In addition, FloHockey will produce original content and invest in a broad social media strategy to further elevate the league and its athletes.

This agreement significantly expands FloHockey’s footprint in Canadian junior hockey – a proving ground for the NHL stars of tomorrow –  which scored nine first-round picks in last year’s NHL draft including the number one pick overall by the New York Islanders, Matthew Schaefer. With existing partnerships across seven of the nine CJHL leagues and now two of the three major CHL circuits – the QMJHL and the OHL – FloHockey cements its position as the essential destination for hockey fans with the most live hockey available on the planet featuring more than 20,000 games scheduled this season. 

As part of the deal, the OHL will continue its use of LeagueStat, FloSports’ industry-leading stats and data platform. Fans will enjoy real-time integration across live streams, team websites, and mobile apps—ensuring seamless access to in-game stats and updates no matter where they watch.

The partnership includes an official sponsorship designation for FloHockey with the OHL, aligning both brands in a deeper marketing collaboration and elevating hockey content across platforms. Exclusive storytelling will highlight emerging stars, NHL prospects, and the OHL’s rich legacy of player development.

“The OHL has long been a pillar of junior hockey in North America, and this partnership is a milestone for our coverage,” said Josh Siskin, GM of FloHockey. “Adding the OHL alongside the QMJHL offers fans the most complete junior hockey streaming experience available anywhere. We’re proud to invest in growing the game and supporting the next generation of elite talent.”

“We’re excited about this new partnership and making FloHockey the streaming home of the Ontario Hockey League,” said OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford. “Providing our fans with a first-rate streaming experience across several different platforms is a top priority. Working with Flo and their creative team also presents tremendous content opportunities across our social and digital channels and we’re looking forward to telling the league’s story together.”

FloHockey streams tens of thousands of games annually from the AHL, ECHL, USHL, SPHL, Swedish Hockey League, and top college and junior leagues. Last season, it reached more than 6 million total viewers and over 21 million video views on social media. 

FloHockey is available via web, mobile apps (iOS and Android), and streaming platforms including Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV. The FloSports app will be pre-installed on most top-selling Smart TVs in the U.S. and Canada this year, with launches on Samsung, Vizio and LG, making it easier than ever for fans to watch. OHL Season ticket holders will receive a FloHockey subscription discount – more information about the program will be provided in the coming days. 

• Fans can sign up for an account by clicking HERE

About FloSports
FloSports is a global sports media company committed to spotlighting the sports and athletes traditional media leaves behind. Founded in 2006, the company has become the digital home for die-hard communities in sports — delivering live and on-demand coverage, award-winning original programming, and advanced data solutions to passionate fans worldwide.

Flo’s portfolio spans more than 25 sports and includes the leading destinations for devoted audiences, including motorsports, hockey, wrestling, cycling, Jiu-Jitsu , track & field, cheer, a range of NCAA sports, and more.

Through strategic partnerships with NASCAR, USA Wrestling, Varsity Spirit, High Limit Racing, the American Hockey League (AHL), Tour de France, Wanda Diamond League, and 18 NCAA conferences, FloSports streams over 50,000 events annually to a global subscriber base. For more information, please visit: flosports.tv.

About the Ontario Hockey League
The  Ontario Hockey League  has long been regarded as the number one development league in the world, continuing to serve as a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League. The OHL consists of 20 teams, with 17 located in Ontario, two in the state of Michigan and one in the state of Pennsylvania. A proud member of the Canadian Hockey League, the OHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships, with over 329 graduates receiving OHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice in 2024-25, resulting in a collective investment of over $42 million by OHL member teams over the past 15 years.

MUSKOKA LAKES (Friday, August 15, 2025) – The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) on Thursday concluded its Annual General Meeting of the Board of Governors at the JW Marriott Resort, with several adopted notices of motion as the league moves into the 2025-26 season.

In the area of league governance, current Chairman of the Board Tim Lukenda, who serves as President and Governor of the Soo Greyhounds, was elected to another two-year term as Chair. He is joined on the League’s Executive Council by representatives Craig Goslin (Saginaw Spirit), Joe Birch (Kitchener Rangers), Dr. Bob Neville (Peterborough Petes) and Dario Zulich (Sudbury Wolves).

This year’s Annual General Meeting saw the Board approve several changes to OHL playing rules, bringing those more in line with the standard of play in the National Hockey League. These rule changes will be outlined in more detail following the OHL’s Leadership Meeting of the General Managers being held next week.

A few notable league updates emerging from this week’s meetings include:

Hockey Operations – Enhanced Video Review Technology:

The OHL has partnered with Spiideo, an easy-to-use, accessible and cloud-based video recording and analysis solution to enhance its video review process in all 20 venues leaguewide. The benefits of this new partnership include:

• Enhanced video review with seven consistent angles in all buildings
• Faster incident analysis and decision-making
• Improved official coaching and development through objective visual feedback
• Enhanced supplemental discipline process

Phase 1 of the Spiideo integration is near completion as installation continues across the league leading into the upcoming season.

Hockey Operations – Overage Player Registration Eligibility:

Under previous parameters, OHL clubs could only sign and register an overage player if they had spent the previous season on a Hockey Canada or USA Hockey player’s registration certificate. The Board of Governors has amended this ruling to give OHL member teams the ability to also register an overage player who spent the previous 19-year-old season in either the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) or British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL).

Hockey Operations – Player Safety, Cut-Resistant Material:

The Board of Governors has approved the institution of a policy where cut-resistant materials worn on the throat, groin, wrist and ankle be at the category of A-5 or greater, with the exception of BNQ certified throat protectors.

The OHL Board of Governors also adopted new initiatives in Player Experience and Officiating Development, with more updates in those areas to be rolled out in the weeks to come.

The 2025 OHL Alumni Charity Golf Classic takes place next week at Hockley Valley Resort in Mono, ON, to be followed by the annual OHL Leadership Meetings that involve General Managers from across the league prior to training camps getting underway later this month.

MUSKOKA LAKES (Friday, August 15, 2025) – The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced that Soo Greyhounds President and Governor Tim Lukenda is the inaugural recipient of the David Branch Leader of the Year Award, presented at the OHL’s Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors held at the JW Marriott Resort.

The first representative in Greyhounds history to serve as Chairman of the OHL Board of Governors, Lukenda has been a member of the board since 2017, and has served on the League’s Executive Council since first being elected as Secretary Treasurer in 2019.

“Tim has done a tremendous amount of work and contributed a great deal of his time to not only the Soo Greyhounds, but the Ontario Hockey League as a whole this past year,” said OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford. “As Chairman of the Board of Governors, he’s been a valuable resource in the transition from David Branch’s leadership throughout my first full season in the role of Commissioner. It is only fitting that he receive this award, named in recognition of David, with the tremendous leadership he has demonstrated.”

The David Branch Leader of the Year Award has been established in recognition of the 45 years of service and dedication to the OHL by former Commissioner David Branch, who retired last summer after first being named to the position back in 1979. The award is a continuation of what was formerly known as the OHL Executive of the Year Award that was last presented to Mike Vellucci of the Plymouth Whalers back in 2012-13. The honour is presented annually to an OHL executive who displays the leadership qualities, hard work, commitment and dedication that David demonstrated in his role, making countless contributions to the OHL, the sport of hockey and to the athletes that make it so special.

“It is a real honour to receive an award named after a person for which I have such great respect and admiration,” said Lukenda. “The Soo Greyhounds are a proud member of the Ontario Hockey League and its an honour for me to be able to represent the Greyhounds on the OHL Board and contribute in any way I can to the bright future of our league.”

Lukenda, whose father Dr. Lou Lukenda acquired majority ownership of the Greyhounds in 2001 and secured the club’s long-term future in Sault Ste. Marie, himself grew up watching the Greyhounds at the old Memorial Gardens. This instilled a lifelong love for both the Hounds and the OHL that continues to result in tremendous contributions to the League today.

Lukenda becomes the second Greyhounds representative to win the OHL’s top executive honour following Sherry Bassin of the 1990-91 Greyhounds who was the second-ever recipient of the award that was established in 1989.

For a complete list of OHL award winners, click here.