OHL Announces Top Performers of the Month for February

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the Top OHL Performers of the Month for regular season games played in February 2016, including London Knights forward Mitchell Marner, Sarnia Sting defenceman Jakob Chychrun, Mississauga Steelheads rookie Alexander Nylander and Kingston Frontenacs goaltender Jeremy Helvig.

Marner, Mitchell (1)OHL Player of the Month – Mitchell Marner (London Knights):
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Mitchell Marner of the London Knights is the OHL’s Player of the Month for February after recording 10 goals, 18 assists and a league-leading 28 points in 12 games with a plus/minus rating of plus-14. Marner had points in 11 of his 12 February contests, collecting four points on three separate occasions to help the Knights play to a 9-3-0-0 record. The 18-year-old recorded back-to-back four point efforts, scoring a goal while adding three assists in a 5-0 win over Owen Sound on February 5th before registering four assists in a 4-3 victory over Sarnia on February 7th. Marner had a pair of two-goal efforts coming in a 3-1 win over Niagara on February 12th and again in a 5-2 triumph over Flint on February 15th. He registered a goal and three assists in a 4-0 win in Flint on February 20th. Marner’s three assists in Ottawa on Sunday made him the 12th player in Knights franchise history to reach the 100-point mark in back-to-back seasons.

A native of Thornhill, ON, Marner recently became the third OHL player to reach 100 points this season and currently sits third behind Barrie’s Kevin Labanc and Knights teammate Christian Dvorak with 101 points (38-63–101) in 48 games. Marner represented Canada at the 2016 World Junior Hockey Championship in Finland, leading the team in scoring with four goals, two assists and six points in five games. He was Toronto’s 1st round (4th overall) pick in the 2015 NHL Draft and was originally London’s 1st round (19th overall) pick in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection.

Chychrun, Jakob (5)OHL Defenceman of the Month – Jakob Chychrun (Sarnia Sting): 
Draft eligible defenceman Jakob Chychrun of the Sarnia Sting is the OHL’s Defenceman of the Month for February. Chychrun scored twice and added 11 assists for 13 points in 13 games with a plus/minus rating of plus-6. He had points in nine of his 13 contests with a pair of multi-point outings, highlighted by four assists in a 6-2 win over Barrie on February 26th. Chychrun has points in his last three games, following up his four assists with a goal in a 4-1 win over Owen Sound on February 27th and an assist in a 5-2 win over Guelph on February 28th.

A native of Boca Raton, Florida, Chychrun is fourth among defencemen with 45 points (10-35–45) in 57 games this season, with seven of his 10 goals coming on the powerplay. Chychrun was named to the OHL’s first all-rookie team last season after scoring 16 goals, 17 assists and 33 points in 42 games. He represented Team Cherry at the 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Vancouver. Chychrun was the first overall pick of the 2014 OHL Priority Selection and is the second ranked North American skater in NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings.

Nylander, Alexander (1)OHL Rookie of the Month – Alexander Nylander (Mississauga Steelheads): 
For the third time this season, draft eligible Mississauga Steelheads forward Alexander Nylander has been named the OHL’s Rookie of the Month. The Swedish winger recorded two goals, 12 assists and 14 points in 11 February contests, putting together four multi-point performances over the course of the month. Nylander earned second star honours with three assists in Mississauga’s 5-4 win over Erie on Friday, February 12th before proceeding to have multi-point outings the rest of the weekend with a goal and an assist in a 6-2 win in Niagara and a goal and two helpers in a 7-5 win over Sudbury. Nylander’s Rookie of the Month honours follow up recognition in both October and November.

A native of Sodertalje, Sweden, Nylander currently leads all OHL rookies with 28 goals, 44 assists and 72 points in 52 games. He was the third ranked North American skater on NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Draft Rankings released in January. Nylander put forth an outstanding performance at the 2016 World Junior Hockey Championship, finishing tied for fifth in tournament scoring with four goals, five assists and nine points in seven contests as Sweden placed fourth. He was Mississauga’s 1st round (12th overall) pick in the 2015 CHL Import Draft.

Vaughn OHL Goaltender of the Month – Jeremy Helvig (Kingston Frontenacs): 

Kingston Frontenacs sophomore Jeremy Helvig has been named the OHL’s Goaltender of the Month for February. The 18-year-old appeared in six games, going 6-0-0-0 with a 1.88 goals-against average, a .942 save percentage and one shutout to help the Frontenacs clinch their first East Division title since 1995. Helvig’s sensational February was headlined by his first career OHL shutout in front of a national audience on Sportsnet as he made 32 saves in a 4-0 win over Niagara on February 21st. The 6’2″, 198Ib. netminder closed out the month of February with a 37-save performance in Monday’s 5-2 win over the visiting Ottawa 67’s. Helvig enters the month of March having received star of the game recognition in each of his last three starts. He is the second Kingston goaltender to receive the honours this season after teammate Lucas Peressini was the OHL’s Goaltender of the Month in October.

A native of Markham, ON, Helvig is 16-2-0-1 on the season with a 2.16 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage. He hasn’t lost in regulation since October 30th, a run of 18 consecutive appearances. Since the turn of the new year, Helvig has played to a mark of 9-0-0-0 with a 1.57 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage. He was Kingston’s 3rd round (45th overall) pick in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection.

2015-16 OHL Top Performers of the Month:

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

Defenceman of the Month:
February – Jakob Chychrun (Sarnia Sting)
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:
February – Alexander Nylander (Mississauga Steelheads)
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:
February – Jeremy Helvig (Kingston Frontenacs)
January – Michael Giugovaz (Guelph Storm)
December – Devin Williams (Erie Otters)
November – Mackenzie Blackwood (Barrie Colts)
October – Lucas Peressini (Kingston Frontenacs)

OHL’s Draft Eligible Statistical Leaders: February

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Another February 29th is over and it’ll be 4 years until the next one. Welcome to March!

Today, we look at the Ontario Hockey League’s draft eligible statistical leaders in a variety of statistical categories. As always, we look at players eligible for the National Hockey League draft for the first time. Those previously passed over are not included – except for goaltenders.

Matthew Tkachuk of the London Knights has gained a somewhat comfortable lead in the points race with 93 points in 48 games. He now holds an 11 point lead over the Erie Otters’ Alex DeBrincat. Adam Mascherin of the Kitchener Rangers continues to climb the board with 73 points and has surpassed Mississauga Steelheads rookie Alexander Nylander’s 72 points.

North Bay Battalion’s fine rookie defenceman Cam Dineen not only leads draft eligible defencemen in points, but all OHL defencemen with 55 points. He’s gained a comfortable lead on fellow rookie defenceman, Mikhail Sergachev of the Windsor Spitfires, who has 47 points. Sarnia Sting’s Jakob Chychrun has come on this month and sits third with 45 points.

Points Leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts
Matthew Tkachuk London Knights 48 23 70 93
Alex DeBrincat Erie Otters 51 43 39 82
Adam Mascherin Kitchener Rangers 56 32 41 73
*Alexander Nylander Mississauga Steelheads 52 28 44 72
Taylor Raddysh Erie Otters 58 20 45 65
Kyle Maksimovich Erie Otters 59 25 39 64
Logan Brown Windsor Spitfires 51 16 46 62
Will Bitten Flint Firebirds 58 26 31 57
Nathan Bastian Mississauga Steelheads 57 19 38 57
Michael McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 50 19 37 56
Goal Scoring Leaders
Player Team GP G GPG
Alex DeBrincat Erie Otters 51 43 0.84
Adam Mascherin Kitchener Rangers 56 32 0.57
*Alexander Nylander Mississauga Steelheads 52 28 0.54
Will Bitten Flint Firebirds 58 26 0.45
Kyle Maksimovich Erie Otters 59 25 0.42
*Dmitry Sokolov Sudbury Wolves 60 24 0.40
Matthew Tkachuk London Knights 48 23 0.48
Assist Leaders
Player Team GP A APG
Matthew Tkachuk London Knights 48 70 1.46
Logan Brown Windsor Spitfires 51 46 0.90
Taylor Raddysh Erie Otters 58 45 0.78
*Alexander Nylander Mississauga Steelheads 52 44 0.85
*Cam Dineen North Bay Battalion 59 43 0.73
Adam Mascherin Kitchener Rangers 56 41 0.73
Alex DeBrincat Erie Otters 51 39 0.76
Defencemen Point Leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts
***Cam Dineen North Bay Battalion 59 12 43 55
*Mikhail Sergachev Windsor Spitfires 59 14 33 47
Jakob Chychrun Sarnia Sting 57 10 35 45
*Olli Juolevi London Knights 48 7 27 34
Benjamin Gleason Hamilton Bulldogs 59 7 26 33
Victor Mete London Knights 59 7 25 32
*Jordan Sambrook Erie Otters 58 9 16 25
Plus/Minus Leaders
Player Team GP +/-
Victor Mete London Knights 59 +46
Matthew Tkachuk London Knights 48 +36
*Olli Juolevi London Knights 48 +31
Kyle Maksimovich Erie Otters 59 +30
Logan Brown Windsor Spitfires 51 +21
*Max Jones London Knights 54 +21
*Cam Dineen North Bay Battalion 59 +20
Penalty Minutes Leaders
Player Team GP PIM M/G
Givani Smith Guelph Storm 56 115 2.05
Logan Brown Windsor Spitfires 57 101 1.77
*Max Jones London Knights 54 94 1.74
Michael Pezzetta Sudbury Wolves 56 89 1.59
Matthew Tkachuk London Knights 48 76 1.58
*Sean Allen Oshawa Generals 39 70 1.79
*Brock Philips Guelph Storm 42 70 1.67
Faceoff Leaders (Wins)
Player Team GP FOA FOW %
Michael McLeod Mississauga Steelheads 50 1117 651 58.3
Logan Brown Windsor Spitfires 51 979 515 52.6
Hayden Verbeek Soo Greyhounds 54 793 400 50.4
Cliff Pu London Knights 54 749 392 52.3
*Domenic Commisso Oshawa Generals 59 720 349 48.5
Michael Pezzetta Sudbury Wolves 56 765 345 45.1
Shootout Leaders
Player Team SOG SOA Goals %
Nicolas Sicoly Guelph Storm 2 2 2 100.0
*Alexander Nylander Mississauga Steelheads 4 4 2 50.0
Adam Timleck Peterborough Petes 2 2 1 50.0
Matyas Kantner Flint Firebirds 2 2 1 50.0
Will Bitten Flint Firebirds 2 2 1 50.0
Shooting Percentage Leaders
Player Team GP Shots Goals SH%
Boris Katchouk Soo Greyhounds 56 111 23 20.72
Will Bitten Flint Firebirds 58 127 26 20.47
Alex DeBrincat Erie Otters 51 221 43 19.46
Kyle Maksimovich Erie Otters 59 129 25 19.38
*Alexander Nylander Mississauga Steelheads 52 166 28 16.87
Goaltenders Leaders – Goals Against Average
Player Team GP Min GA Avg
Jeremy Helvig Kingston Frontenacs 22 1221 44 2.16
Tyler Parsons London Knights 42 2445 99 2.43
*Stephen Dhillon Niagara Ice Dogs 23 1257 59 2.82
Jeremy Brodeur Oshawa Generals 48 2796 132 2.83
Leo Lazarev Ottawa 67’s 41 2356 111 2.83
Evan Cormier Saginaw Spirit 53 2960 175 3.55
Joseph Raaymakers Soo Greyhounds 25 1401 85 3.64
Connor Hicks Hamilton Bulldogs 27 1492 96 3.86
Zack Bowman Sudbury Wolves 33 1750 129 4.42
Troy Timpano Sudbury Wolves 30 1699 128 4.52
Dylan Wells Peterborough Petes 26 1451 113 4.67
Goaltending Leaders – Save Percentage
Player Team GP SH SVS SV%
Jeremy Helvig Kingston Frontenacs 22 625 581 0.930
Tyler Parsons London Knights 42 1211 1112 0.918
Jeremy Brodeur Oshawa Generals 48 1421 1289 0.907
*Stephen Dhillon Niagara Ice Dogs 23 608 549 0.903
Leo Lazarev Ottawa 67’s 41 1120 1009 0.901
Evan Cormier Saginaw Spirit 53 1632 1457 0.893
Joseph Raaymakers Soo Greyhounds 25 792 707 0.893
Connor Hicks Hamilton Bulldogs 27 868 772 0.889
Zack Bowman Sudbury Wolves 33 1106 977 0.883
Troy Timpano Sudbury Wolves 30 1094 966 0.883
Dylan Wells Peterborough Petes 26 864 751 0.869
*Rookie
**Leads League

OHL Draft Eligible Player of the Month for February: Tyler Parsons

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

London Knights’ goaltender Tyler Parsons has turned it up as we get closer to the playoffs and a battle for top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Tyler Parsons of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Tyler Parsons of the London Knights. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Parsons posted a 7-2-0 record with 1.90 goals against average and an even more sparkling .934 save percentage with one shutout in February. Sure he plays for the high flying Knights, but consider this: his two losses (3-2 to Niagara and 2-1 to Sarnia) he posted save percentages of .912 and .941. A little more goal support and he could have run the table in February. He was named the game’s first star in two of his starts in February.

On the season, Parsons now has a 31-8-2-1 record with 2.43 goals against average and .918 save percentage with 4 shutouts.

Also getting consideration was Parsons’ teammate Matthew Tkachuk who put up a whopping 7 goals and 16 assists in just 10 games. Alex DeBrincat of the Erie Otters also received some consideration with 7 goals and 10 assists in 12 games for the Otters.

Previous winners

January – Cam Dineen

December – Cam Dineen

November – Matthew Tkachuk

October – Alex DeBrincat

September – Matthew Tkachuk

Anthony Salinitri – Player Profile – Sarnia Sting

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height:  5’11”

Weight:  171 Pounds

Date of birth: May 5, 1998, Windsor, Ontario

Position:  Center

Shoots:  Left

OHL Draft:  Round 1, 17th overall, 2014 Priority Selection – Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds

In Minor Midget AAA, Salinitri played for and captained the Windsor Jr Spitfires during the 2013/14 season. In 32 games, he scored 23 goals and added 17 assists and followed that up with 2 goals and 3 assists in 9 playoff games. He won a bronze medal at the OHL Gold Cup and was named Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario Player of the Year.

Anthony Salinitri of the Sarnia Sting. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Anthony Salinitri of the Sarnia Sting. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

He was drafted by the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds in the first round of the OHL Priority Selection. On a very deep Greyhounds roster, Salinitri played in 21 games scoring once and adding 6 assists. Loading up for a deep playoff run, the Greyhounds would send Salinitri to the Sarnia Sting as part of the Anthony DeAngelo trade.

Salinitri would close out the season with the Sting playing in 29 games. He contributed 7 goals and 5 assists and would add two more helpers in 5 playoff games.

Salinitri would also represent Canada White at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 scoring a goal in 5 games.

Some trades by the Sting – also loading up for a playoff run – dropped Salinitri down the depth chart. To date, he has 9 goals and 8 assists in 50 games.

Salinitri has good speed which is also apparent with the puck on his stick. He can be creative with the puck and can make plays. He gains zone entry with his speed and possession. He can get in on the forecheck but needs to add strength to be more effective. He will not shy away from the physical game. He’s good defensively and won’t get caught cheating. He’s also a good penalty killer. Besides adding strength, his biggest need is to find more consistency in his game.

Salinitri was ranked 126th on NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings in January.

Luke Kirwan – Player Profile – Flint Firebirds

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height:  6’2”

Weight:  230 Pounds

Date of birth:  September 23, 1997, Dewitt, N.Y.

Position:  Left Wing

Shoots:  Left

OHL Draft: Round 2, 32nd overall, 2013 Priority Selection, Guelph Storm.

Kirwan is a product of the USHL (34GP – 10G – 14A) and the U.S. National Under-17 team (54GP – 29G – 28A). He put in a dominating performance at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 helping the Americans win a gold medal with 7 goals and 6 assists in just 6 games.

Luke Kirwan of the Flint Firebirds. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Luke Kirwan of the Flint Firebirds. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

The Guelph Storm selected Kirwan in the second round of the 2013 OHL Priority Selection, but he would never suit up for the Storm. The Windsor Spitfires acquired his rights in June of 2014 for a pair of second round picks (2018 and 2019).

 “Luke is a true, young power forward that adds size and an instant scoring threat to our lineup. He’s a player we’ve coveted since he was drafted back in 2013. He’s a dedicated young man who is interested in learning and getting better. I think our fans will appreciate his game and he’ll be a huge contributor to the Windsor Spitfires.” – Spitfires General Manager Warren Rychel upon Kirwan’s commitment to the Spits.

Kirwan had some struggles in his rookie season. In 59 games he scored 7 goals and added 12 assists. But getting into any consistent rhythm was an issue.

Kirwan began this season with the Spitfires. He also appeared in the USA Hockey All American Prospects Game. In 31 games with Windsor, he scored just 2 goals and added 2 assists. He was once again part of a trade and was sent to the Flint Firebirds for Connor Chatham (New Jersey Devils 3rd round pick in 2014), a 2nd round pick and 4th round pick in 2017.

Things improved slightly for Kirwan in Flint where he has 4 goals and 3 assists in 19 games to date. Without getting into all the details here, it’s not all sunshine and roses for Kirwan and his teammates with the meddling fiasco that is the Firebirds’ ownership. To say it has a negative effect on the players is an understatement.

Kirwan has very good size who can win battles in the corners and along the walls. He has the size and strength to make it difficult to knock off the puck and he protects the puck well.  He has a good shot and average playmaking capability. He’s shown a marginal improvement in his skating but will need to continue to work on improving his overall skating.

Kirwan was ranked 166th among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings in January.

Troy Timpano – Player Profile – Sudbury Wolves

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height:  6’1”

Weight:  184 pounds

Date of birth: November 13, 1997, Pickering, Ontario

Position:  Goaltender

Catches:  Left

OHL Draft: Round 2, 27th overall, 2013 Priority Selection

Timpano played his Minor Midget hockey with the Toronto Titans AAA squad in 2012-2013. He appeared in 41 games and posted 1.85 goals against average and a .930 save percentage. The Sudbury Wolves would make him their second round selection, 27th overall, in the 2013 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.

Troy Timpano of the Sudbury Wolves. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Troy Timpano of the Sudbury Wolves. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

The next season Timpano would make the immediate jump to the OHL. He got his feet wet in Major Junior appearing in 12 games. He posted 3.43 goals against average and .894 save percentage. He also played for Team Ontario at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 and in 4 games posted 2.33 goals against average and .911 save percentage. All in all, it was a very respectable rookie campaign for Timpano.

Last season Timpano became the go to guy in goal in Sudbury. He played in 46 games, finishing with a 4.50 goals against average and a .884 save percentage. Things were looking up for Timpano heading into his draft year in what is a decent crop of OHL goaltenders with Dylan Wells (Peterborough), Tyler Parsons (London), Evan Cormier (Saginaw) and Joseph Raaymakers (Sault Ste Marie).

Things went south quickly.

Timpano suffered an ankle injury in the summer and it never healed properly. And it showed in his first five games of the season. He was shut down on October 10 and would miss the next two months of the season, making his return on December 6, 2015. He came back physically and mentally prepared, and it showed on the ice.

Since his return, Timpano has an 8-11-0-1 record in 21 appearances. For stat watchers, that appears to be a terrible season. But that is half the Wolves wins 55 games into the season in those 21 appearances. Playing on the Eastern Conference’s last place team and a team that struggles to provide goal support will have a negative impact on any goaltender.

Timpano also sees a lot of rubber, with plenty of scoring opportunities against him. In 13 of his appearances since his return, he’s faced 39 or more shots. He’s won 5 of them with another being a shoot out loss.

On many nights Timpano is hung out to dry. But it doesn’t faze the calm and confident goaltender. He’s very athletic, is sound positionally, squares himself to shooters and is very quick in his crease. He challenges shooters and very rarely over-commits himself. He tracks the puck very well and recovers quickly to make the second save.

Timpano is excellent at handling the puck and seems to do it with confidence. However, at times he overplays it but as he matures and picks his opportunities better, it won’t come back to bite him.

There’s no doubt that two months on the shelf hurt Timpano’s draft ranking, currently 14th on NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings among North American goaltenders and 5th among his peers in the OHL.  It’ll take a very strong finish for Timpano to move into the top 10 – but he is capable.

Nicolas Mattinen – Player Profile – London Knights

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height:  6’4”

Weight:  220 pounds

Date of birth: March 5, 1998, Orleans, ON

Position:  Defence

Shoots:  Right

OHL Draft:  Round 6, 110th overall, 2014 Priority Selection

During the 2012-2013 season, Mattinen played his Bantam hockey for the Eastern Ontario Wild and in 29 games he scored 5 goals and added 4 assists. He was selected in the 2013 Central Canada Hockey League Draft by the Cumberland Grads in the 4th round, 37th overall.

Mattinen, Nicolas
Nicolas Mattinen of the London Knights. Photo courtesy of the London Knights

The following season Mattinen moved on to the Wild Minor Midget AAA squad. In 30 games, he notched 6 goals and 14 assists. The Knights would make Mattinen their 6th round selection in the OHL Priority Selection.

Last season Mattinen suited up for the Grads in the CCHL. He appeared in 53 games scoring 4 goals and adding 10 assists. He was named to the CCHL All-Rookie Team.

After a season on a “not so good” Grads’ team in which Mattinen logged huge minutes while showing progression in all areas of his game, it was time to move up to the Knights and the OHL.  The problem is that the Knights were very deep on the blue line with fellow draft eligible teammates in Olli Juolevi and Victor Mete, along with Aiden Jamieson, Brandon Crawley and a young and upcoming Evan Bouchard (watch for him in the 2018 NHL Draft).

To date, Mattinen has appeared in 34 of the Knights 53 games this season. He has 4 goals and 4 assists with 18 penalty minutes and is a plus 3.

Mattinen is more of a stay at home defenceman. He already has very good size with a filled out frame at 6’4” and 220 pounds. He controls his gaps extremely well and with his long reach and active stick shuts down passing lanes quickly and effectively.

Mattinen does not possess huge offensive upside. However, he has shown a willingness and the capability to lead the rush and jump into the play – he has decent wheels for a player of his size. His best offensive asset is his booming shot. It’s hard and it’s heavy. Coach Dale Hunter claims the defenceman can fire it at over 100 miles per hour.

Mattinen was ranked 103rd on NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings released in January.

Tye Felhaber – Player Profile – Saginaw Spirit

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height:  5’11”

Weight:  190 Pounds

Date of birth:  August 5, 1998, Pembroke, Ontario

Position:  Center

Shoots:  Left

OHL Draft:  Round 1, 10th overall, 2014 Priority Selection

Felhaber played his Minor Midget AAA hockey for the Ottawa Valley Titans during the 2013 – 2014 season where he scored 38 goals and added 34 assists in 30 games. He added 8 goals and 4 assists in 9 playoff games.

Felhaber had a productive rookie season with the Spirit last season. His 20 goals were good for fifth among rookies in the OHL while his 37 points ranked seventh. That was good enough to get a look from Team Canada for the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, but he failed to make the final cut.

Tye Felhaber of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Tye Felhaber of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Felhaber got off to a very slow start this season, maybe even horrific considering his rookie season. The knock on him early on was that he wasn’t utilizing his teammates. I call it a lack of maturing. Whatever the excuse, just 4 goals and 2 assists in his first 24 games are not what anyone expected, especially from a top 10 pick.

But by mid December, something changed. In his last 22 games, Felhaber has scored 8 goals and added 11 assists. At just shy of a point per game clip, this is the Felhaber that most expected to see. So what’s changed?

Early on Felhaber was trying to do too much on his own, almost selfishly, which got him and his teammates into trouble with too many giveaways. But with his skating ability and speed he has the ability to control the puck and move in and out of traffic. What he lacked early on that he’s doing now – he is utilizing his teammates.

Felhaber’s work ethic and attention to detail has also hit the level expected of him in the second half. He’s putting himself into positions where teammates can find him and then get off his terrific shot. When the effort is there, he has the ability to control the game in the O-zone with his puck possession abilities.

Felhaber has raised his work ethic to a new level in all three zones. He comes back hard on the back check and battles along the boards at both ends of the ice.

Felhaber was ranked 139th on NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings in January partially due to his very slow start.

Felhaber Tip Top Tailors plays of the week – week 13

Felhaber Tip Top Tailors plays of the week – week 20

Felhaber plays of the year Western Division 2014-2015

Jordan Kyrou – Player Profile – Sarnia Sting

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height:  6’

Weight:  175 Pounds

Date of birth: May 5, 1998, Toronto, Ontario

Position:  Right Wing

Shoots:  Right

OHL Draft: Round 2, 38th overall, 2014 Priority Selection

Kyrou played his Minor Midget hockey for the Mississauga Senators. In 33 games, Kyrou scored 19 goals and added 21 assists for 40 points.  Kyrou and the Senators appeared in 4 OHL Cup games. Previously, Kyrou had also played in the OHL Gold Cup – capturing a Silver Medal.

Kyrou had four assists in five games for Canada at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17. He won a gold medal with Team Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial. He scored a goal in Canada’s deciding game against Russia in the Canada – Russia Series. He also played in the NHL/CHL Top Prospects game. Kyrou is no stranger to high level hockey within his age group.

Jordan Kyrou of the Sarnia Sting. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Jordan Kyrou of the Sarnia Sting. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

In the OHL, Kyrou got an opportunity last season and he didn’t disappoint, finishing the year 8th in OHL rookie scoring with 13 goals and 23 assists in 63 games. But his sophomore season didn’t start where it left off. While he was still setting up plays and goals, he didn’t notch his first goal until game 16 of the season, which was a bit of a disappointment. It took 49 games to surpass his totals from last season.

However, since December he has gotten into a grove and has had some consistency in his production.

Kyrou is a very good skater with soft hands and an ability to keep possession of the puck while moving in and out of traffic. He has very good vision and can wait out defenders and then find his teammates with a very good pass. Early on he tried to do too much and now is playing to his strengths: possession, patience and playmaking.

Kyrou is not just a playmaker. He has a very good shot and has proven that he can beat goaltenders with it. But it is his playmaking and vision in the O-zone that make him an offensive threat. His competitive spirit has also risen as the season has gone on. He plays with energy without the puck, getting in on fore checks and disrupting opposition breakouts. He’s also one of the OHL’s most adept players in causing turnovers.

Kyrou was ranked 45th on NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings in January.

Jordan Kyrou Tip Top plays of the week

Jordon Kyrou Canada – Russia Series

Tyler Parsons – Player Profile – London Knights

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height:  6’1”

Weight:  185 Pounds

Date of birth: September 18, 1997, Chesterfield, MI

Position: Goalie

Catches:  Left

OHL Draft: Signed as a free agent, 2014

With the likes of highly touted draft prospects and fellow teammates Matthew Tkachuk, Olli Juolevi and Max Jones, There are bound to be plenty of eyes on Parsons this season. Add in Mitch Marner and Christian Dvorak and Parsons’ Knights could be in for a long playoff run and a Memorial Cup appearance, which could also help the cause for NHL Central Scouting’s 3rd ranked OHL goaltender and 6th on the North American list.

Parsons played for Little Caesars Under-18 squad and signed on with the Knights as a free agent. However, he was drafted by the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders if the USHL in the second round, 30th overall in 2014.

Tyler Parsons of the London Knights. Photo by Terry Wilson/OHL Images.
Tyler Parsons of the London Knights. Photo by Terry Wilson/OHL Images.

As a rookie, Parsons gained valuable experience during his rookie season appearing in half the Knights games before being named the starter in the playoffs over the experienced Michael Giugovaz. He posted a 15-10-0-2 record with a goals against average of 3.53 and a save percentage of .905. In 8 playoff games, he had a 4-3-0 record with a 3.30 goals against average and .917 save percentage.

Knowing what is expected to be a number one goaltender in this league, and after suffering injuries last season due to what he called “muscle fatigue”,  Parsons did all the necessary work in the offseason. He worked on his lower body strength and became much stronger while growing an inch and gaining 20 pounds.

He came into the season as the de facto number one goaltender which allowed the Knights to trade Giugovaz. But with rookie Emanuel Vella as the backup, the Knights felt they needed to bring in an insurance policy and acquired Brendan Burke to be a capable and experienced backup.

Parsons appeared in the All-American Prospects Game (the American rendition of the NHL/CHL Top Prospects Game) but was injured less than 5 minutes into the game. He was also invited to Team USA’s camp for the World Junior Championships and was the team’s third goaltender.

Parsons doesn’t have the huge size but he isn’t small either. What he lacks in size to cover the net he makes up for with lightning quick reflexes. He will do what he has to do to stop pucks. What he doesn’t have to do with London’s high powered offense is steal games, but when they need a save, his excellent positioning and ability to track pucks ensures that he’ll give you that save.

Last season he struggled a little with his rebound control, but that lack of control has all but disappeared this season. He already possessed excellent lower body movement but is now controlling where rebounds go at a very high level. Combined with a quick glove hand, second opportunities are becoming a rarity.

I have to admit; early on in the season I didn’t think Parsons could lead the Knights to the Promised Land. Things change and that’s why we play the games. And If the Hunters and McRae believe in Parsons, that has to be good enough for me.

Parsons should and could be the top OHL goaltender selected in the June draft.

Tyler Parsons becomes the 8th goalie in OHL history to get credited with a goal